Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a device, a first interconnect structure disposed above the device and a second interconnect structure positioned below the device. The first interconnect structure includes multiple frontside metal layers. The second interconnect structure includes multiple backside metal layers, where each backside metal layer includes metal conductors routed according to diagonal routing. In some embodiments, a backside interconnect structure can include another backside metal layer that includes metal conductors routed according to mixed-Manhattan-diagonal routing. A variety of techniques can be used to route signals between metal conductors in the backside interconnect structure and cells on one or more frontside metal layers.

Abstract: An integrated circuit device includes a device layer having devices spaced in accordance with a predetermined device pitch, a first metal interconnection layer disposed above the device layer and coupled to the device layer, and a second metal interconnection layer disposed above the first metal interconnection layer and coupled to the first metal interconnection layer through a first via layer. The second metal interconnection layer has metal lines spaced in accordance with a predetermined metal line pitch, and a ratio of the predetermined metal line pitch to predetermined device pitch is less than 1.

Abstract: A logic cell structure includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The first portion, arranged to be a first layout of a first semiconductor element, is placed in a first cell row of a substrate area extending in a first direction. The second portion, arranged to be a second layout of a second semiconductor element, is placed in a second cell row of the substrate area. The third portion is arranged to be a third layout of an interconnecting path used for coupling the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element. The first, second and third portions are bounded by a bounding box with a height in a second direction and a width in the first direction. Respective centers of the first portion and the second portion are arranged in a third direction different from each of the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: An IC device includes first through third rows of fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs), wherein the second row is between and adjacent to each of the first and third rows, the FinFETs of the first row are one of an n-type or p-type, the FinFETs of the second and third rows are the other of the n-type or p-type, the FinFETs of the first and third rows include a first total number of fins, and the FinFETs of the second row include a second total number of fins one greater or fewer than the first total number of fins.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are described herein for pre-setting scan flip-flops using combinational logic circuits. A system includes a plurality of flip-flop devices and a first pre-setting combinational logic circuit. The plurality of flip-flop devices are coupled together in series and configured to receive a scan input signal, capture data output from each flip-flop device of the plurality of flip-flop devices based on the scan input signal, and generate a scan output signal comprising the captured data. The first pre-setting combinational logic circuit is coupled to a first flip-flop device of the plurality of flip-flop devices. The first pre-setting combinational logic circuit includes a plurality of transistors and is configured to override and set either the scan input signal to the first flip-flop device or the scan output signal of the first flip-flop device based on selective operation of the plurality of transistors.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first power rail and a second power rail extending in a first direction, and a first power grid stub connected to the first power rail through a first via-connector. The integrated circuit also includes a first vertical conducting line extending in a second direction in a circuit cell between a first vertical cell boundary and a second vertical cell boundary. The first vertical conducting line and the first power grid stub are in a same metal layer and aligned with each other along the second direction.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a cell layer including a first cell and a second cell, a first metal layer over the cell layer and having a first conductive feature, a second metal layer over the first metal layer and having a second conductive feature, and a first via between the first metal layer and the second metal layer and connecting the first conductive feature to the second conductive feature. The first conductive feature spans over a boundary between the first and second cells, and has a lengthwise direction along a first direction. The second conductive feature spans over the boundary between the first and second cells, and has a lengthwise direction along a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A clock distribution system includes a clock mesh structure which has a plurality of first metal patterns extending along a first axis, a plurality of second metal patterns extending along a second axis, a plurality of third metal patterns extending along a third axis. The plurality of first metal patterns, the plurality of second metal patterns, and the plurality of third metal patterns are electrically coupled with each other. The second axis is transverse to the first axis. The third axis is oblique to both the first axis and the second axis.

Abstract: A cell region of a semiconductor device, the cell region including: components (representing a first circuit) including alpha info conductors and dummy conductors which are substantially collinear correspondingly with reference tracks, regarding the first circuit, the alpha info conductors beipng correspondingly for one or more input and/or output signals, or one or more internal signals, and for a majority of the reference tracks, first ends correspondingly of the alpha info conductors or the dummy conductors being aligned and proximal to a first side of the cell region; a first alpha info conductor being on a first reference track and being an intra-cell conductor which does not extend beyond the first side nor a second side of the cell region; and a portion of a first beta info conductor of a second circuit (represented by components of an external cell region) being on the first reference track.

Abstract: An integrated circuit layout is provided. The integrated circuit layout includes one or more first cell rows partially extending across a space arranged for an integrated circuit layout along a first direction. Each of the one or more first cell rows has a first height along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The integrated circuit layout includes one or more third cell rows partially extending across the space along the first direction. Each of the one or more third cell rows has a second height along the second direction, the second height different from the first height.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an IC structure includes forming a first plurality of fins extending in a first direction on a substrate, a second plurality of fins extending adjacent to the first plurality of fins, a third plurality of fins extending adjacent to the second plurality of fins, and a fourth plurality of fins extending adjacent to the third plurality of fins. Each fin of the first and fourth pluralities of fins includes one of an n-type or p-type fin, each fin of the second and third pluralities of fins includes the other of the n-type or p-type fin, each of the first and third pluralities of fins includes a first total number of fins, and each of the second and fourth pluralities of fins includes a second total number of fins fewer than the first total number of fins.

Abstract: The routing of conductors in the conductor layers in an integrated circuit are routed using mixed-Manhattan-diagonal routing. Various techniques are disclosed for selecting a conductor scheme for the integrated circuit prior to fabrication of the integrated circuit. Techniques are also disclosed for determining the supply and/or the demand for the edges in the mixed-Manhattan-diagonal routing.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a device, a first interconnect structure disposed above the device and a second interconnect structure positioned below the device. The first interconnect structure includes multiple frontside metal layers. The second interconnect structure includes multiple backside metal layers, where each backside metal layer includes metal conductors routed according to diagonal routing. In some embodiments, a backside interconnect structure can include another backside metal layer that includes metal conductors routed according to mixed-Manhattan-diagonal routing. A variety of techniques can be used to route signals between metal conductors in the backside interconnect structure and cells on one or more frontside metal layers.

Abstract: A logic cell structure includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The first portion, arranged to be a first layout of a first semiconductor element, is placed in a first cell row of a substrate area extending in a first direction. The second portion, arranged to be a second layout of a second semiconductor element, is placed in a second cell row of the substrate area. The third portion is arranged to be a third layout of an interconnecting path used for coupling the first semiconductor element and the second semiconductor element. The first, second and third portions are bounded by a bounding box with a height in a second direction and a width in the first direction. Respective centers of the first portion and the second portion are arranged in a third direction different from each of the first direction and the second direction.

Abstract: A logic circuit (for providing a multibit flip-flop (MBFF) function) includes: a first inverter to receive a clock signal and generate a corresponding clock_bar signal; a second inverter to receive the clock_bar signal and generate a corresponding clock_bar_bar signal; a third inverter to receive a control signal and generate a corresponding control_bar signal; and a series-chain of 1-bit transfer flip-flop (TXFF) circuits, each including: a NAND circuit to receive data signals; and a 1-bit transmit gate flip-flop (TGFF) circuit to output signals Q and q, and receive an output of the NAND circuit, the signal q from the TGFF circuit of a preceding TXFF circuit in the series-chain, the clock_bar and clock_bar_bar signals, and the control and control_bar signals; and the first transfer TXFF circuit in the series-chain being configured to receive a start signal in place of the signal q from an otherwise preceding TGFF circuit.

Abstract: A system includes a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a cell on the substrate having a first pin on either the first side or the second side, and a second pin on the second side, a first signal connected to the first pin, and a second signal connected to the second pin.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for arranging electrical components within a semiconductor device, and a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The method includes (a) placing a plurality of cells in a first layout, wherein the first layout includes a first row and a second row adjacent to the first row; (b) dividing the first layout into a plurality of regions; (c) calculating a first density of each of the plurality of regions; (d) calculating, for a first region of the plurality of regions, a first probability of altering cell versions for cells in the first region according to the first density of the first region; (e) altering cell versions of one or more cells in the first region according to a comparison between the first probability and a first threshold; and (f) rearranging the cells in the first layout to reduce cell overlap.

Abstract: A multi-bit flip-flop includes a first flip-flop, a second flip-flop and a first inverter. The first flip-flop has a first driving capability, and includes a first reset pin configured to receive a first reset signal. The second flip-flop has a second driving capability different from the first driving capability. The second flip-flop includes a second reset pin configured to receive the first reset signal, and the first reset pin and the second reset pin are coupled together. The first inverter is configured to receive a first clock signal on a first clock pin, and configured to generate a second clock signal inverted from the first clock signal. The first flip-flop and the second flip-flop are configured to share at least the first clock pin.

Abstract: A logic circuit including first and second inverters, first and second NAND circuits, a transmission gate, and a transmission-gate-substitute (TGS) circuit, and wherein: for each of the first and second NAND circuits, a first input is configured to receive corresponding first and second data signals, and a second input is configured to receive an enable signal; the first inverter is configured to receive an output of the first NAND circuit; the transmission gate and the TGS circuit are arranged as a combination circuit which is configured to receive an output of the second NAND circuit as a data input, and outputs of the first inverter and the second NAND circuit as control inputs; the second inverter is configured to receive an output of the combination circuit; and an output of the second inverter represents one of an enable XOR (EXOR) function or an enable XNR (EXNR) function.

Abstract: A system includes a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a cell on the substrate having a first pin on either the first side or the second side, and a second pin on the second side, a first signal connected to the first pin, and a second signal connected to the second pin.