Abstract: Apparatus and methods for back side routing a data signal in a semiconductor device are described. In one example, a described semiconductor cell structure includes: a dummy device region at a front side of the semiconductor cell structure; a metal layer including a plurality of metal lines at a back side of the semiconductor cell structure; a dielectric layer formed between the dummy device region and the metal layer; an inner metal disposed within the dielectric layer; at least one first via that is formed through the dielectric layer and electrically connects the inner metal to the plurality of metal lines at the back side; and at least one second via that is formed in the dielectric layer and physically coupled between the inner metal and the dummy device region at the front side.

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.

Abstract: A semiconductor structure including a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer situated above the first conductive layer, and a via extending diagonally between the second conductive layer and the first conductive layer to electrically connect the first conductive layer to the second conductive layer.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments for an exemplary dual transmission gate and various exemplary integrated circuit layouts for the exemplary dual transmission gate are disclosed. These exemplary integrated circuit layouts represent double-height, also referred to as double rule, integrated circuit layouts. These double rule integrated circuit layouts include a first group of rows from among multiple rows of an electronic device design real estate and a second group of rows from among the multiple rows of the electronic device design real estate to accommodate a first metal layer of a semiconductor stack. The first group of rows can include a first pair of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect (CMOS) transistors, such as a first p-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect (PMOS) transistor and a first n-type metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect (NMOS) transistor, and the second group of rows can include a second pair of CMOS transistors, such as a second PMOS transistor and a second NMOS transistor.

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 includes an upper portion and a lower portion, and the first conductive line crosses the first gate between the upper portion and the lower portion.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first transistor, a horizontal routing track extending in a first direction in a first metal layer, and a via connector conductively connecting the horizontal routing track to a first terminal of the first transistor. The integrated circuit also includes a backside routing track extending in the first direction in a backside metal layer, and a backside via connector conductively connecting the backside routing track to a second terminal of the first transistor. The backside metal layer and the first metal layer are formed at opposite sides of a semiconductor substrate. In the integrated circuit, either the first terminal or the second terminal is a gate terminal of the first transistor.

Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor arrangement includes forming a first source pad over a semiconductor layer. A first nanosheet is formed contacting the first source pad. A gate pad is formed adjacent the first nanosheet. A first drain pad is formed over the gate pad and contacting the first nanosheet. A backside interconnect line is formed under the gate pad and the first source pad. A first backside contact is formed contacting at least one of the backside interconnect line, the first source pad, or the gate pad.

Abstract: In some embodiments, portions of a pattern, generated in a layout process, of a layer in an integrated circuit, such as those of a layer of metallic power lines in a power grid (PG), are removed after the layout process through a computer-implemented process analogous to solving the N-coloring problem. Through this post-processing removal process, pattern portions can be removed so as reduce the coverage of the layer in the fabricated integrated circuit to a desired extent without producing certain harmful effects, such as severing a powerline.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a plurality of first layer deep lines and a plurality of first layer shallow lines. The integrated circuit also includes a plurality of second layer deep lines and a plurality of second layer shallow lines. Each of the first layer deep lines and the first layer shallow lines is in a first conductive layer. Each of the second layer deep lines and the second layer shallow lines is in a second conductive layer above the first conductive layer.

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 method includes forming a first transistor and a second transistor over a substrate, wherein the first transistor comprises a first source/drain, a second source/drain, and a first gate between the first and second source/drains, and the second transistor comprises a third source/drain, a fourth source/drain, and a second gate between the third and fourth source/drains; forming an isolation layer to cover the second source/drain of the first transistor; and forming a first source/drain contact on and in contact the fourth source/drain of the second transistor and the isolation layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the device are disclosed. In one aspect, the semiconductor device includes a first active region that extends along a first lateral direction and includes a plurality of first epitaxial structures. The semiconductor device also includes an interconnect structure that also extends along the first lateral direction and is disposed below the first active region, wherein at least one of the plurality of first epitaxial structures is electrically coupled to the interconnect structure. The interconnect structure includes at least a first portion that offsets from the first active region along a second lateral direction perpendicular to the first lateral direction.

Abstract: A method of generating an integrated circuit (IC) layout diagram includes obtaining a grid of intersecting first and second pluralities of tracks corresponding to adjacent metal layers, determining that first and second pitches of the respective first and second pluralities of tracks conform to a first rule, applying a via positioning pattern to the grid whereby via regions are restricted to alternating diagonal grid lines, positioning via regions at some or all of the grid intersections of the alternating diagonal grid lines, and generating the IC layout diagram including the via regions positioned along the alternating diagonal grid lines.

Abstract: A method includes: doping a region through a first surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a plurality of doped structures within the semiconductor substrate, wherein each of the plurality of doped structures extends along a vertical direction and is in contact with the doped region; forming a plurality of transistors over the first surface, wherein each of the transistors comprises one or more source/drain structures electrically coupled to the doped region through a corresponding one of the doped structures; forming a plurality of interconnect structures over the first surface, wherein each of the interconnect structures is electrically coupled to at least one of the transistors; and testing electrical connections between the interconnect structures and the transistors based on detecting signals present on the doped region through a second surface of the semiconductor substrate, the second surface opposite to the first surface.

Abstract: An integrated circuit includes a first power rail, a first signal line, a first transistor and a second transistor. The first power rail is on a back-side of a substrate and is configured to supply a first supply voltage. The first signal line is on the back-side of the substrate and is separated from the first power rail. The first transistor has a first active region in a front-side of the substrate. The first active region is overlapped by the first power rail and is electrically coupled to the first power rail. The second transistor has a second active region that is in the front-side of the substrate. The second active region is separated from the first active region, is overlapped by the first signal line, and is configured to receive the first supply voltage of the first power rail through the first active region of the first transistor.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, including: a transistor layer, a dielectric layer, a conductive strip and a power grid structure. The transistor layer includes a first active region configured to be a source/drain terminal of a first transistor and a second active region configured to be a source/drain terminal of a second transistor. The bottom surface of the dielectric layer is in direct contact with top surfaces of the source/drain terminals of the first and second transistors. The conductive strip is included in the dielectric layer and extends from the first active region toward the second active region for signal connection. The power grid structure is arranged to direct a power source to the transistor layer from a bottom of the transistor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first transistor of a first conductivity type and a second transistor of a second conductivity type. The first transistor is arranged 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 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 also includes a first conductive line arranged in a third layer between the first layer and the second layer and extending in the second direction, wherein the first conductive line is configured to electrically connect a first source/drain region of the first active region to a second source/drain region of the second active region.

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: An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate, transistors on the semiconductor, horizontal routing tracks extending in a first direction in a first metal layer, and one or more backside routing tracks extending in the first direction in a backside metal layer. Each transistor has a gate terminal, a source terminal, and a drain terminal. A first transistor has a first terminal, a second terminal, and a third terminal. A first horizontal routing track of the horizontal routing tracks is conductively connected to the first terminal of the first transistor through a via connector. A first backside routing track is conductively connected to the second terminal of the first transistor through a backside via connector. The backside metal layer and the first metal layer are formed at opposite sides of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A method (of manufacturing a semiconductor device) includes, for a layout diagram stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the semiconductor device being based on the layout diagram, the layout diagram including a first level of metallization (M_1st level) and a first level of interconnection (VIA_1st level) thereover corresponding to a first layer of metallization and a first layer of interconnection thereover in the semiconductor device, generating the layout diagram including: selecting a candidate pattern in the layout diagram, the candidate pattern being a first conductive pattern in the M_1st level (first M_1st pattern); determining that the candidate pattern satisfies one or more criteria; and increasing a size of the candidate pattern thereby revising the layout diagram.