Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of standard cells. The plurality of standard cells include a first group of standard cells arranged in a first row extending in a row direction and a second group of standard cells arranged in a second row extending in the row direction. The first group of standard cells and the second group of standard cells are arranged in a column direction. A cell height of the first group of standard cells in the column direction is different from a cell height of the second group of standard cells in the column direction.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a transmission gate includes overlying a substrate with first through fourth adjacent metal segments in a same metal layer. Each of the first and second metal segments, second and third metal segments, and third and fourth metal segments are offset from each other by an offset distance in a first direction, the first metal segment overlies a first active area in the substrate including first and second PMOS transistors, and the fourth metal segment overlies a second active area in the substrate including first and second NMOS transistors. The method includes configuring the first and second PMOS transistors and the first and second NMOS transistors as a transmission gate by forming first through third conductive paths, the first conductive path including a fifth metal segment overlying at least three of the first through fourth metal segments along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A method of making an integrated circuit includes dividing, in a first layer of an integrated circuit layout, a first arrangement of metal lines into a first set of metal lines and a second set of metal lines, wherein the first set of metal lines is between the second set of metal lines and a periphery of the integrated circuit layout, wherein the first arrangement of metal lines is configured to electrically connect to a plurality of contacts connected to a second layer of the integrated circuit layout after a manufacturing process. The method further includes adjusting a metal line perimeter of at least one metal line in the second set of metal lines to make a second arrangement of metal lines, wherein each adjusted metal line perimeter is separated from contacts in the second layer of the integrated circuit layout by at least a check distance.

Abstract: A cell on an integrated circuit is provided. The cell includes: a fin structure; an intermediate fin structure connection metal track disposed in an intermediate fin structure connection metal layer above the fin structure, the intermediate fin structure connection metal track being connected to the fin structure; and a first intermediate gate connection metal track disposed in an intermediate gate connection metal layer above the intermediate fin structure connection metal layer, the first intermediate gate connection metal track being connected to the intermediate fin structure connection metal track. A first power supply terminal is connected to the first intermediate gate connection metal track.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided and includes a multi-bit cell having multiple bit cells disposed in multiple cell rows. The bit cells include M bit cells, M being positive integers. A first bit cell of the bit cells and a M-th bit cell of the bit cells are arranged diagonally in different cell rows in the multi-bit cell. The multi-bit cell includes first to fourth cell boundaries. The first and second boundaries extend in a first direction and the third and fourth boundaries extend in a second direction different from the first direction. The first bit cell and a second bit cell of the bit cells abut the third cell boundary, and the first bit cell and a (M/2+1)-th bit cell of the bit cells abut the first cell boundary.

Abstract: An IC device includes first through third active areas extending in a first direction and a first gate structure extending perpendicular to and overlying each of the first through third active areas. Each of the first through third active areas includes a first portion adjacent to the first gate structure in the first direction and a second portion adjacent to the first portion and including an endpoint of the corresponding active area, the first active area is positioned between the second and third active areas and includes the endpoint positioned under the first gate structure, and each of the second and third active areas includes the endpoint positioned away from the gate structure in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

Abstract: A method (of generating a layout diagram, the layout diagram being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium) includes: selecting first and second standard cells from a standard-cell-library; the first and second standard cells having corresponding first and second heights that are different from each other; stacking the first standard cell on the second standard cell to form a third cell; and including the third cell in a layout diagram. At least one aspect of the method is executed by a processor of a computer.

Abstract: A method includes forming a first transistor stack over a substrate. The first transistor stack includes: a first transistor of a first conductivity type, and a second transistor of a second conductivity type different from the first conductivity type. The second transistor is above the first transistor. A plurality of first conductive lines is formed in a first metal layer above the first transistor stack. The plurality of first conductive lines includes, over the first transistor stack, a power conductive line configured to route power to the first transistor stack, one or more signal conductive lines configured to route one or more signals to the first transistor stack, and a shielding conductive line configured to shield the routed one or more signals. The one or more signal conductive lines are between the power conductive line and the shielding conductive line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer, and at least one conductive via. The first metal layer has a first conductor that extends in a first direction and a second conductor that extends in the first direction. The second metal layer has a third conductor that extends in a second direction, wherein the second direction is transverse to the first direction. The at least one conductive via connects the first conductor and the second conductor through the third conductor. The semiconductor device further includes at least one of a first gate electrode that extends in the second direction and is connected to the first conductor, or a drain/source contact that extends in the second direction and is connected to the second conductor.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided and includes first and second gates arranged in first and second layers, wherein the first and second gates extend in a first direction; a first insulating layer interposed between the first and second gates, wherein the first insulating layer, a first portion of the first gate, and a first portion of the second gate overlap with each other in a layout view; a cut layer, different from the first insulating layer, disposed on a second portion of the first gate; a first via passing through the cut layer and coupled to the second portion of the first gate; and a second via overlapping the first portion of the first gate and the first portion of the second gate, and coupled to the second gate. The first and second vias are configured to transmit different control signals to the first and second gates.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes first-type transistors aligned within a first-type active zone, second-type transistors aligned within a second-type active zone, a first power rail and a second power rail extending in a first direction. A first distance between the long edge of the first power rail and the first alignment boundary of the first-type active zone is different from a second distance between the long edge of the second power rail and the first alignment boundary of the second-type active zone. Each of the first distance and the second distance is along a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a first-type active-region semiconductor structure, a second-type active-region semiconductor structure stacked with the first-type active-region semiconductor structure, a front-side power rail in a front-side conductive layer, and a back-side power rail in a back-side conductive layer. The integrated circuit device also includes a source conductive segment intersecting the first-type active-region semiconductor structure at a source region of a transistor, a back-side power node in the back-side conductive layer, and a top-to-bottom via-connector. The source conductive segment is conductively connected to the front-side power rail through a front-side terminal via-connector. The top-to-bottom via-connector is connected between the source conductive segment and the back-side power node.

Abstract: A method is provided and includes operations below: forming a multilayer stack, wherein the multilayer stack includes multiple first semiconductor layers and multiple second semiconductor layers that are alternately stacked; forming a first source region and a first drain region on opposing sides of a first portion of the multilayer stack and forming a second source region and a second drain region on opposing sides of a second portion of the multilayer stack; removing the second semiconductor layers in the multilayer stack; forming a first gate region, corresponding to a first transistor, over the first portion of the multilayer stack; forming a first insulating layer above the first gate region; and forming a second gate region, corresponding to a second transistor, above the first insulating layer and over the second portion of the multilayer stack.

Abstract: A device including a first vertical field effect transistor having a first drain/source region and a second drain/source region, and a second vertical field effect transistor having a third drain/source region and a fourth drain/source region. The device including a first power contact situated on a frontside of the device and coupled to the first drain/source region, a second power contact situated on the frontside of the device and coupled to the third drain/source region, and a contact situated on a backside of the device and coupled to the second drain/source region and to the fourth drain/source region.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of standard cells. The plurality of standard cells include a first group of standard cells arranged in a first row extending in a row direction and a second group of standard cells arranged in a second row extending in the row direction. The first group of standard cells and the second group of standard cells are arranged in a column direction. A cell height of the first group of standard cells in the column direction is different from a cell height of the second group of standard cells in the column direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor layer, a first via layer over the transistor layer, a first metallization layer over the first via layer, the first metallization layer including first conductors having long axes extending substantially in a first direction, a second via layer over the first metallization layer, and a conductive deep via extending in the second via layer, the first metallization layer, and the first via layer. The first conductors represent a majority of conductive material in the first metallization layer, and a size of the deep via in the first direction in the first metallization layer is substantially less than a minimum length of the first conductors in the first metallization layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate with active regions and a first buried metal layer provided below the semiconductor substrate. The first buried metal layer includes a first buried conductive rail, a first set of buried conductive fingers that extends from the first buried conductive rail, and a second set of buried conductive fingers that are interleaved with the first set of buried conductive fingers. The first set and the second set of buried conductive fingers extends beneath more than one of the active regions. In this manner, the first set and the second set of buried conductive fingers can be utilized to distribute different voltages, such as an ungated reference voltage TVDD and a gated reference voltage VVDD in a header circuit with reduced resistance.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ECO base cell includes forming first and second active areas on opposite sides of, and having corresponding long axes arranged parallel to, a first axis of symmetry; forming non-overlapping first, second and third conductive structures having long axes in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and parallel to a second axis of symmetry, each of the first, second and third conductive structures to correspondingly overlap the first and second active areas, the first conductive structure being between the second and third conductive structures; removing material from central regions of the second and third conductive structures; and forming a fourth conductive structure being over the central regions of the second and third conductive structures and occupying an area which substantially overlaps a first segment of the first conductive structure and a first segment of one of the second and third conductive structures.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first-type active-region structure and a second-type active-region structure extending in a first direction and a first terminal-conductor and a second terminal-conductor extending in a second direction. The integrated circuit also includes a first power stub and a second power stub in a first metal layer and a first power line and a second power line in a second metal layer. The integrated circuit further includes a first via connector directly connected between the first power stub and the first terminal-conductor, a second via connector directly connected between the second power stub and the second terminal-conductor, a third via connector directly connected between the first power stub and the first power line, and a fourth via connector directly connected between the second power stub and the second power line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: fins configured to include: first active fins having a first conductivity type; and second active fins having a second conductivity type; and at least one gate structure formed over corresponding ones of the fins; and wherein the fins and the at least one gate structure are located in at least one cell region; and each cell region, relative to the second direction, including: a first active region which includes a sequence of three or more consecutive first active fins located in a central portion of the cell region; a second active region which includes one or more second active fins located between the first active region and a first edge of the cell region; and a third active region which includes one or more second active fins located between the first active region and a second edge of the cell region.