Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus that synchronizes logic in an integrated circuit (IC). The present invention discloses a global clock signal with a global phase and an approximately 50% duty cycle. Additionally, the present invention discloses a first local clock signal with a first phase and an approximately 50% duty cycle that couples to a first dynamic logic gate where the first local clock signal is generated from the global clock signal. One or more intermediate local clock signals with one or more intermediate phases are generated from the global clock signal where each intermediate local clock signal has an approximately 50% duty cycle that couples to one or more intermediate dynamic logic gates. An end local clock signal with an end phase and an approximately 50% dutycycle that is also generated from the global clock signal and that couples to an end dynamic logic gate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for an N-NARY logic circuit that uses N-NARY signals. The present invention includes a shared logic tree circuit that evaluates one or more N-NARY input signals and produces an N-NARY output signal. The present invention additionally includes a first N-NARY input signal coupled to the shared logic tree circuit and a second N-NARY input signal coupled to the shared logic tree circuit. The shared logic circuit evaluates the first second and second N-NARY input signal and produces an N-NARY output signal coupled, which additionally couples to the shared logic tree circuit. The present invention uses signals that include 1 of 2 N-NARY signals, 1 of 3 N-NARY signals, 1 of 4 N-NARY signals, 1 of 8 N-NARY signals, and the general 1 of N N-NARY signals. The present invention evaluates any given function that includes the AND/NAND, OR/NOR, or XOR/Equivalence functions.

Abstract: The present invention allows the logic state of a clocked precharge (CP) logic gate to be tested when stopping or starting the logic gate's clock and comprises a plurality of clock signals with overlapping phases and a plurality of CP logic gates coupled in series. Each CP logic gate of the plurality of CP logic gates is coupled to an individual clock signal. The present invention further comprises one or more signal keeper devices coupled to certain individual CP logic gates in the critical path of the logic state. The signal keeper device allows the state of the plurality of CP logic gates to be tested when stopping or starting the individual clock signal of an individual logic gate of said plurality of logic gates. The present invention is suitable for a variety of testing techniques that includes IDDQ, scan testing, and hardware emulation testing.

Abstract: A method of forming minimal gaps or spaces in conductive lines pattern for increasing the density of integrated circuits by first forming an opening in an insulating layer overlying the conductive line by conventional optical lithography, followed by forming sidewalls in the opening to create a reduced opening, and using the sidewalls as a mask to remove, preferably by etching, a portion of the conductive line pattern substantially equal in size to the reduced opening.

Abstract: A memory device having a sense trigger coupled to receive an address when available, and to assert a sense trigger signal to the sense trigger when the sense trigger receives the address. The memory device also has an N-NARY, or 1-of-N, input logic gate that provides additional assurance that no more than one word line is asserted when an address is decoded. The memory device also has an N-NARY, or 1-of-N, output driver logic gate that provides an output signal directly useful for providing to another (N-NARY) 1-of-N logic gate.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a field effect transistor (FET) in and on a semiconductor substrate with local interconnects to permit the formation of minimal insulating space between polysilicon gate and the local interconnects by fabricating the source and drain of the FET and the local interconnects prior to forming the gate of the FET. A portion of an insulating layer between the source and drain is removed prior to forming the gate. Preferably, an etch stop layer on the semiconductor substrate underlying the insulating layer is used in the method.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a logic device with improved capacitance isolation and a design methodology for reducing unwanted parasitic capacitance in logic circuits. The logic device further comprises an output signal having a first internal evaluate node and a second evaluate node. Additionally, the logic device comprises a first input signal that has a first input wire and a second input wire where the first input wire corresponds to a first possible value of the first input signal and the second input wire corresponds to a second possible value of the first input signal. The logic device further comprises a first plurality of intermediate nodes that includes a first intermediate node. Additionally, the logic device includes a first plurality of transistors that further includes a first transistor coupling the first internal evaluate node to the first intermediate node and being gated by the first wire of the first input signal.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a plurality of clock signals with an approximately 50% duty cycle and overlapping phases. The phases of the plurality of clocks are such that the phase of an individual clock signal overlaps the phase of an earlier clock signal by an amount equal to the overlap of the phase of the next clock signal. The present invention further comprises a plurality of clocked precharge (CP) logic gates coupled in series. An individual CP logic gate couples to an individual clock signal though the CP logic gate's evaluate device. For the data flow through the individual CP logic gate, the logic gate receives its data input from an earlier CP logic gate in the series and passes to the next CP logic gate in the series. The earlier CP logic gate couples to an earlier phase clock signal, and the next CP logic gate couples to the next phase clock signal.

Abstract: A memory device having a sense trigger coupled to receive an address when available, and to assert a sense trigger signal to the sense trigger when the sense trigger receives the address. The memory device also has an N-nary, or 1-of-N, input logic gate that provides additional assurance that no more than one word line is asserted when an address is decoded. The memory device also has an N-nary, or 1-of-N, output driver logic gate that provides an output signal directly useful for providing to another (N-nary) 1-of-N logic gate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for a register cell that is configured to store more than one bit of information. The cell includes a multiplexer that is configurable to select various inputs when the multiplexer is in various states. The multiplexer is configurable to select a first input when the multiplexer is in a first state, and to select a second input when the multiplexer is in a second state. The multiplexer is further configured to provide multi-bit storage data, the first input being configured to receive multi-bit data from outside the cell. An output element, such as a second multiplexer, is configured to receive a word enable. The output of the first multiplexer is delayed in a delay element, and is provided as one of the inputs to the first multiplexer.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for a logic circuit with constant power consumption. The logic circuit comprises a 1 of P first input signal that further comprises a plurality of wires wherein each wire of said plurality of wires has equal capacitive loading. The logic circuit additionally comprises a 1 of Q second input signal that comprises a plurality of wires wherein each wire of said plurality of wires has equal capacitive loading. A logic tree circuit couples to the first input signal and the second input signal. The logic tree circuit generates a result for a 1 of R output signal, which couples to the logic tree circuit. The 1 of R output signal comprises a plurality of wires wherein each wire of said plurality of wires has equal capacitive loading. The power consumption of the logic circuit is independent of the value of the first signal or the second signal, which results in the logic circuit having constant power consumption.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for a register cell that is configured to store information. The cell includes a multiplexer that is configurable to select various inputs when the multiplexer is in various states. The multiplexer is configurable to select a first input when the multiplexer is in a first state, and to select a second input when the multiplexer is in a second state. The multiplexer is further configured to provide storage data, the first input being configured to receive data from outside the cell. An output element, such as a second multiplexer, is configured to receive a word enable. The output of the first multiplexer is delayed in a delay element, and is provided as one of the inputs to the first multiplexer.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for a N-nary logic circuit that comprises a logic tree circuit that couples to a first set of input logic paths, a second set of input logic paths, and a set of output logic paths, which all use 1 of N signals where one and only one of the N logic paths is active during an evaluation cycle. The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses 1 of 4 signals, while other embodiments of present invention include 1 of 2 signals, 1 of 3 signals, 1 of 8 encoding, and the general embodiment of the 1 of N signals. The logic tree circuit evaluates a given function that includes, for example, an AND/NAND function, an OR/NOR function, or an XOR/Equivalence function. The logic tree circuit uses a single, shared logic tree with multiple evaluation paths for evaluating the function of the logic circuit.

Abstract: A memory device having a sense trigger coupled to receive an address when available, and to assert a sense trigger signal to the sense trigger when the sense trigger receives the address. The memory device also has an N-nary, or 1-of-N, input logic gate that provides additional assurance that no more than one word line is asserted when an address is decoded. The memory device also has an N-nary, or 1-of-N, output driver logic gate that provides an output signal directly useful for providing to another (N-nary) 1-of-N logic gate.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for a N-nary logic circuit that comprises a logic tree circuit that couples to a first set of input logic paths, a second set of input logic paths, and a set of output logic paths, which all use 1 of N signals where one and only one of the N logic paths is active during an evaluation cycle. The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses 1 of 4 signals, while other embodiments of present invention include 1 of 2 signals, 1 of 3 signals, 1 of 8 encoding, and the general embodiment of the 1 of N signals. The logic tree circuit evaluates a given function that includes, for example, an AND/NAND function, an OR/NOR function, or an XOR/Equivalence function. The logic tree circuit uses a single, shared logic tree with multiple evaluation paths for evaluating the function of the logic circuit.

Abstract: A method and the resulting device to permit the formation of minimal insulating space between polysilicon gates by forming an insulating layer over the polysilicon gates and protecting selected ones of the gates and the insulating layer with an etch barrier so that the opening for local interconnect metallization can be misaligned and the selected gates will be protected by its etch barrier and not be exposed to the opening. Further, local interconnect conductive material can pass over a gate or unrelated resistor without shorting the gate/resistor.

Abstract: A memory device having a sense trigger coupled to receive an address when available, and to assert a sense trigger signal to the sense trigger when the sense trigger receives the address. The memory device also has an N-nary, or 1-of-N, input logic gate that provides additional assurance that no more than one word line is asserted when an address is decoded. The memory device also has an N-nary, or 1-of-N, output driver logic gate that provides an output signal directly useful for providing to another (N-nary) 1-of-N logic gate.

Abstract: A method of forming field isolation in a semiconductor substrate, such as shallow oxide trenches, for isolation of FET transistors, including complementary FETs such as CMOS, with selected sections of said trenches extending above the substrate and being coplanar with the upper surface of subsequently formed polysilicon gates. An etch protective layer is used during the formation and the filling of the trench openings so that the top of the trenches are coplanar with upper surface of the etch protective layer. Selected sections of the trenches are masked and protected prior to planarization of the non-masked trenches to the bottom edge of the etch protective layer. After deposition and planarization of the poly, the upper surface of a deposited polysilicon layer for forming polysilicon gates of FET transistors is coplanar and self-aligned with the upwardly extending selected sections of the field isolation trenches.

Abstract: A method of forming minimal gaps or spaces in a polysilicon conductive lines pattern for increasing the density of integrated circuits by converting an area of the size of the desired gap or space in the polysilicon to silicon oxide, followed by removing the silicon oxide. The preferred method is to selectively ion implant oxygen into the polysilicon and annealing to convert the oxygen implanted polysilicon to silicon oxide. As an alternative method, an opening in an insulating layer overlying the conductive line is first formed by conventional optical lithography, followed by forming sidewalls in the opening to create a reduced opening and using the sidewalls as a mask to blanket implant oxygen through the reduced opening and into the exposed polysilicon conductive line. After annealing, the implanted polysilicon converted to silicon oxide and removed to form a gap or space in the polysilicon conductive line pattern substantially equal in size to the reduced opening.

Abstract: A compact, integrated semiconductor device includes a first transistor and a second transistor. The first transistor has a gate formed by a first portion of a gate material. A second portion of the gate material provides the bulk material for a second transistor. The device can be utilized in a six-transistor SRAM cell. The two-transistor structure can include a p-channel transistor and an n-channel transistor of such a cell.