Abstract: Generating a circuit layout is provided. A circuit layout associated with a circuit is received. A parallel pattern recognition is performed on the circuit layout. Performing the parallel pattern recognition includes determining that there is a parallel pattern in the circuit layout. In response to determining that there is a parallel pattern in the circuit layout, a cell swap for a first cell associated with the parallel pattern with a second cell is performed. After the cell swap for the first cell, engineering change order routing is performed to connect the second cell in the circuit layout. An updated circuit layout having the second cell is provided.

Abstract: An integrated circuit is provided, including a first cell. The first cell includes a first pair of active regions, at least one first gate, two first conductive segments, and a first interconnect structure. The first pair of active regions extends in a first direction and stacked on each other. The at least one first gate extends in a second direction different from the first direction, and is arranged across the first pair of active regions, to form at least one first pair of devices that are stacked on each other. The first conductive segments are coupled to the first pair of active regions respectively. The first interconnect structure is coupled to at least one of a first via or one of the two first conductive segments.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes conductive rails that are disposed in a first conductive layer and separated from each other in a layout view, signal rails disposed in a second conductive layer different from the first conductive layer, at least one first via coupling a first signal rail of the signal rails to at least one of the conductive rails, and at least one first conductive segment. The first signal rail transmits a supply signal through the at least one first via and the at least one of the conductive rails to at least one element of the integrated circuit. The at least one first via and the at least one first conductive segment are disposed above first conductive layer. The at least one first conductive segment is coupled to the at least one of the conductive rails and is separate from the first signal rail.

Abstract: An integrated circuit structure is disclosed, including a gate, a first conductive line and a pair of second conductive lines, and a first feed-through via. The gate is disposed on a front side of the integrated circuit structure and extends in a first direction on a first side of a dielectric layer. The first conductive line and a pair of second conductive lines are disposed on a second side, opposite of the first side, of the dielectric layer and on a back side, opposite of the front side, of the integrated circuit structure. The first conductive line is interposed between the pair of second conductive lines in a layout view. The first feed-through via extends through the dielectric layer in a second direction different from the first direction. The first feed-through via couples the gate to the first conductive line.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including vertical transistors with a back side power structure, and methods of making the same are described. In one example, a described semiconductor structure includes: a gate structure including a gate pad and a gate contact on the gate pad; a first source region disposed below the gate pad; a first drain region disposed on the gate pad, wherein the first source region, the first drain region and the gate structure form a first transistor; a second source region disposed below the gate pad; a second drain region disposed on the gate pad, wherein the second source region, the second drain region and the gate structure form a second transistor; and at least one metal line that is below the first source region and the second source region, and is electrically connected to at least one power supply.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a recess in a first region of a first dielectric material, the first dielectric material at least partially embedding a semiconductor region, the recess having a first surface portion separated by a distance in a first direction from the semiconductor region by a portion of the first dielectric material; depositing a second dielectric material in the recess to form a second surface portion oriented at an oblique angle from the first surface portion; and depositing a conductive material in the recess. In some embodiments, the method further includes partially exposing the semiconductor region in a second recess in the first dielectric material and selectively depositing the second dielectric material on the first dielectric material, but not the semiconductor region, in the second recess.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes multiple backside conductive layers disposed over a backside of a substrate. The multiple backside conductive layers each includes conductive segments. The conductive segments in at least one of the backside conductive layers are configured to transmit one or more power signals. The conductive segments of the multiple backside conductive layers cover select areas of the backside of the substrate, thereby leaving other areas of the backside of the substrate exposed.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a horizontal routing track in a first metal layer, and a backside routing track in a backside metal layer. The backside metal layer and the first metal layer are formed at opposite sides of a semiconductor substrate. The horizontal routing track is conductively connected to a first terminal of a first transistor without passing through a routing track in another metal layer. The backside routing track is conductively connected to a second terminal of the first transistor without passing through a routing track in another metal layer. One of the first terminal and the second terminal is a gate terminal of the first transistor while another one the first terminal and the second terminal is either a source terminal or a drain terminal of the first transistor.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for generating a physical layout for a high density routing circuit are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor structure includes: a gate structure; a plurality of first metal lines formed in a first dielectric layer below the gate structure; at least one first via formed in a second dielectric layer between the gate structure and the first dielectric layer; a plurality of second metal lines formed in a third dielectric layer over the gate structure; and at least one second via formed in a fourth dielectric layer between the gate structure and the third dielectric layer. Each of the at least one first via is electrically connected to the gate structure and a corresponding one of the plurality of first metal lines. Each of the at least one second via is electrically connected to the gate structure and a corresponding one of the plurality of second metal lines.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a plurality of via structures includes providing an integrated circuit (IC) photo mask including via features and assist features positioned exclusively along alternating diagonal grid lines of a grid, aligning the IC photo mask with first metal segments of a first metal layer of a semiconductor substrate, the first metal segments having a first spacing corresponding to a first pitch of the grid, performing one or more photolithography processes including the IC photo mask, thereby defining via structure locations corresponding to the via features, and forming via structures at the defined via structure locations.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including: forming a plurality of gate strips, wherein each gate strip is arranged to be a gate terminal of a transistor; forming a plurality of first metal strips above the plurality of gate strips; and forming a plurality of second metal strips above the plurality of first metal strips, wherein the plurality of second metal strips are co-planar, and each second metal strip and one of the first metal strips are crisscrossed from top view; wherein a length between two adjacent gate strips is twice as a length between two adjacent second metal strips, and a length of said one of the first metal strips is smaller than two and a half times as the length between two adjacent gate strips.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments herein relate to an integrated circuit including metal rails. In one aspect, the integrated circuit includes a first layer including a first metal rail and a second layer including a second metal rail, where the second layer is above the first layer along a first direction. In one aspect, the integrated circuit includes a third layer including an active region of a transistor, where the third layer is above the second layer along the first direction. In one aspect, the integrated circuit includes a fourth layer including a third metal rail, where the fourth layer is above the third layer along the first direction. In one aspect, the integrated circuit includes a fifth layer including a fourth metal rail, where the fifth layer is above the fourth layer along the first direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor is of a first type in a first layer and includes a gate extending in a first direction and a first active region extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The second transistor is of a second type arranged in a second layer over the first layer and includes the gate and a second active region extending in the second direction. The semiconductor device further includes a first conductive line in a third layer between the first and second layers. The first conductive line electrically connects a first source/drain region of the first active region to a second source/drain region of the second active region. The gate comprises an intermediate portion disposed between the first active region and the second active region, wherein the first conductive line crosses the gate at the intermediate portion.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes conductive rails that are disposed in a first conductive layer and separated from each other in a layout view, signal rails disposed in a second conductive layer different from the first conductive layer, at least one first via coupling a first signal rail of the signal rails to at least one of the conductive rails, and at least one first conductive segment. The first signal rail transmits a supply signal through the at least one first via and the at least one of the conductive rails to at least one element of the integrated circuit. The at least one first via and the at least one first conductive segment are disposed above first conductive layer. The at least one first conductive segment is coupled to the at least one of the conductive rails and is separate from the first signal rail.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first-voltage power rail and a second-voltage power rail in a first connection layer, and includes a first-voltage underlayer power rail and a second-voltage underlayer power rail below the first connection layer. Each of the first-voltage and second-voltage power rails extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to a first direction. Each of the first-voltage and second-voltage underlayer power rails extends in the first direction. The integrated circuit includes a first via-connector connecting the first-voltage power rail with the first-voltage underlayer power rail, and a second via-connector connecting the second-voltage power rail with the second-voltage underlayer power rail.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including vertical transistors with a back side power structure, and methods of making the same are described. In one example, a described semiconductor structure includes: a gate structure including a gate pad and a gate contact on the gate pad; a first source region disposed below the gate pad; a first drain region disposed on the gate pad, wherein the first source region, the first drain region and the gate structure form a first transistor; a second source region disposed below the gate pad; a second drain region disposed on the gate pad, wherein the second source region, the second drain region and the gate structure form a second transistor; and at least one metal line that is below the first source region and the second source region, and is electrically connected to at least one power supply.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of first layer deep lines, a plurality of first layer shallow lines, a plurality of second layer deep lines, and a plurality of second layer shallow lines. The integrated circuit also includes a first active device and a second active device coupled between a conducting path that has a low resistivity portion and a low capacitivity portion. The first active device has an output coupled to a first layer deep line that is in the low resistivity portion. The second active device has an input coupled to a first layer shallow line that is in the low capacitivity portion. The low resistivity portion excludes the first layer shallow lines and the second layer shallow lines, and the low capacitivity portion excludes the first layer deep lines and the second layer deep lines.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing an integrated circuit includes a processor coupled to a non-transitory computer readable medium configured to store executable instructions. The processor is configured to execute the instructions for generating a layout design of the integrated circuit that has a set of design rules. The generating of the layout design includes generating a set of gate layout patterns corresponding to fabricating a set of gate structures of the integrated circuit, generating a cut feature layout pattern corresponding to a cut region of a first gate of the set of gate structures of the integrated circuit, generating a first conductive feature layout pattern corresponding to fabricating a first conductive structure of the integrated circuit, and generating a first via layout pattern corresponding to a first via. The cut feature layout pattern overlaps a first gate layout pattern of the set of gate layout patterns.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first-type active-region structure, a second-type active-region structure on a substrate, and a plurality of gate-conductors. The integrated circuit also includes a backside horizontal conducting line in a backside first conducting layer below the substrate, a backside vertical conducting line in a backside second conducting layer below the backside first conducting layer, and a pin-connector for a circuit cell. The pin-connector is directly connected between the backside horizontal conducting line and the backside vertical conducting line. The backside horizontal conducting line extends across a vertical boundary of the circuit cell.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first cell. The first cell is surrounded by a castle-shaped forbidden region. The first cell includes a first active region, a second active region, and at least one via. The first active region and the second active region extend along a first direction and are separated from each other along a second direction traverse to the first direction. The first active region partially overlaps an upper region of the castle-shaped forbidden region, and the second active region partially overlaps a lower region of the castle-shaped forbidden region. The at least one via is arranged outside the castle-shaped forbidden region.