Improved metal wiring pattern for memory devices
A memory integrated circuit having three layers of metallic traces disposed over a substrate assembly including various active devices. The traces are arranged to include I/O traces that are continuous in the third layer across spans of 4 or 8 memory blocks of an array, and that are interspersed on the third layer with non-I/O lines adapted to reduce interference between I/O lines. Column select lines, orthogonal to I/O lines and disposed in the third layer of metallic traces, except in the vicinity of I/O lines, are provided in a linear configuration and shielded from parallel digit lines in the first layer of traces by traces of the intervening second layer of traces. Global bleeder lines disposed in the third layer of traces are adapted to apply a standby voltage to a plurality of sense amplifiers. Other features of the invention include two layer power and ground bus traces, and row decoder and phase driver circuits disposed in throat and gap cell regions respectively.
The present invention relates to an improved integrated circuit chip, and more specifically to the metalization patterns of a dynamic random access memory device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONHigh component density and rapid signal transmission are both desirable in an integrated circuit memory device. As circuit density rises however, the conductive traces used to interconnect components must be made finer and placed closer together. Unfortunately, making traces finer and placing them closer together makes them less amenable to rapid signal transmission.
Reducing the cross-section of a given conductor increases its resistance, and consequently its RC time constant. A higher RC time constant is reflected in lower signal transmission speed. Placing traces closer together increases the probability of crosstalk. This also effectively reduces the capacity of a line to transmit signals rapidly. There is thus a need to provide novel interconnect structures that allow rapid signal transmission across high-density integrated circuits.
Different methods of forming conductors on integrated circuit memory devices are known in the art. In conventional practice, conductors have been implemented as buried polysilicon traces. These are formed by patterned doping of a semiconductor substrate. The resistance and capacitance of such traces are high, as compared with traces formed by other means.
It is also known to form metallic interconnects by depositing a layer of metal over a substrate and selectively etching the layer to form a conductor pattern.
The deposition of metal traces over a substrate assembly may also be accomplished by use of a damascene process. In the damascene process metal lines are deposited in grooves etched into a dielectric layer such as a substrate assembly, or insulating layer. Excess metal is then removed by chemical mechanical planarization (CMP). Once the excess metal has been removed only the metal that was deposited down within the grooves remains. This metal forms the interconnecting traces between devices.
Depending on the configuration of the traces, the resistance and capacitance of buried polysilicon lines, or metal traces formed by various methods, tends to limit signal transmission speed. Signal crosstalk between conductors remains a problem. Accordingly, there is a need for new conductor structures and arrangements that improve signal transmission speed in the face of increasing component density.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention addresses the need for reduced capacitance and increased trace conductivity in the metalization layers of integrated circuit devices, for example dynamic random access memory devices. The integrated circuit includes three layer metalization and various features, and trace layouts, offering improved system performance.
In one aspect of the present invention, the use of buried polysilicon conductors as circuit traces is supplemented by three layers of metal traces deposited in layers above a substrate assembly and separated by layers of insulation. The substrate assembly includes doped active regions, and polysilicon plugs. By reducing the number of buried polysilicon conductor lines, and replacing them with metal traces, the integrated circuit reduces the trace resistance and capacitance of key traces. This increases the signal response speed for the circuit.
In one aspect of the invention, I/O lines of an integrated circuit memory device are provided in a third layer of metalization. The lines cross four or eight memory blocks of an array in uninterrupted fashion from their respective points of origin to their respective points of termination.
In another aspect of the present invention, column select lines of an integrated circuit memory device are disposed in a third layer of metalization above a memory array and in a second layer of metalization for a short span in the vicinity of an I/O line.
In another aspect of the invention, discrete I/O lines of an integrated circuit memory device are separated from one another by interspersed control lines. The interspersed lines are selected such that signal transitions during operation of the memory device take place on the I/O lines out of phase with signal transitions taking place on the interspersed control lines. Consequently at the time of signal transitions of the I/O lines, known as column time, the interspersed control lines appear to be static. The static lines shield the I/O lines, that they separate from one another. They thus prevent capacitive interference between I/O lines during I/O line transitions. Likewise, the I/O lines are stable during transitions of the interspersed control lines, at row time. The result is that the I/O lines serve to shield the control lines from transients present on other control lines or non-I/O lines respectively.
In another aspect of the invention, a low-impedance power bus for an integrated circuit memory device is provided by disposing power traces on substantially parallel regions of metalization in adjacent layers of metalization, and joining these regions with a plurality of conductive vias to form a power bus sandwich.
In another aspect of the invention, a ground bus sandwich for an integrated circuit memory device is provided by disposing ground conductors, connected by a plurality of vias, in substantially parallel spaced relation, on two adjacent layers of metalization.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the allocation of circuit traces in an integrated circuit memory device to a third layer of metalization allows for the provision of low trace density on the third layer. This low trace density permits greater spacing between traces, and accordingly thicker traces, since the aspect ratio of traces and the spaces therebetween is limited by the limitations of parallax and anisotropic etch processes. Accordingly, third layer traces may be formed that are both less resistive than first and second layer traces, because of increased cross section, and having less capacitive interaction with the underlying substrate assembly of the circuit. This results in third layer conductive traces with a reduced RC product, thus characterized by reduced signal propagation times.
In yet another aspect, the invention includes a column select line of an integrated circuit memory device that, in the vicinity of a sense amplifier, is routed through a second metal layer, rather than a first metal layer, thereby allowing a substantially larger trace cross section. Consequently, the resistance of the trace is reduced, as are signal transmission times.
In yet another aspect of the invention, column select lines of an integrated circuit memory device are disposed in a third layer of metalization substantially parallel to digit lines disposed in a first layer of metalization. A plurality of other metal traces are disposed in an intervening second layer of metalization with an orientation substantially perpendicular to both the digit lines below and the column lines above. As a result the digit lines are shielded by the intervening metal traces in the second layer of metalization from capacitive interference originating with signal transitions taking place on the column select lines in the third layer of metalization. It was previously necessary to arrange the column select lines in a serpentine configuration that crossed all digit lines. This promoted equal coupling between the column select line and all digit lines, thereby avoiding imbalance between digit lines. Now, however, it is possible to run a column select line in metal-3 linearly in parallel with digit lines. The result is a more direct, and hence a shorter, column select line path with resultant reduced capacitance and resistance, and increased signal transmission speed.
In yet another aspect of the invention, the main power bus for an integrated circuit memory device is run, in continuous fashion on the second metal layer, through the wordline driver and gap cell regions of the integrated circuit.
In yet another aspect of the invention, LT lines of an integrated circuit memory device are arranged so as to occupy, in different regions, three layers of metalization. An LT line is a global word line that spans an array, and is adapted to convey a decoded address signal to a wordline driver.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a bleeder line of an integrated circuit memory device is disposed across the expanse of the device in such a way as to allow the sharing of a bleeder circuit between two adjacent memory cell arrays, with resulting savings in circuitry, and increased density.
These and other features, and advantages, of the present invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art from the following drawings and description which illustrate various aspects of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features outlined above should be construed to be merely illustrative of some of the more prominent aspects and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be attained by applying the disclosed invention in a different manner or modifying the invention as will be described. Accordingly, other advantages and features and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to first to
Referring to
In one aspect of the present invention, the use of buried polysilicon conductors as circuit traces is reduced in favor of three layers of metal traces 242 deposited on layers of insulation 280 disposed above a substrate assembly 200. In a particular embodiment, the present invention includes three layers of metal traces 220, 230, 240 disposed above, and substantially parallel to an upper surface 205 of a substrate assembly 200. The substrate assembly includes doped active regions, gate stacks, polysilicon plugs and a limited number of polysilicon lines. In addition, as known in the art capacitor structures are also fabricated in the memory array above the surface 205 of the substrate and below the three layers of metalization. By reducing the density of buried polysilicon, and replacing them with metal traces, the integrated circuit of the present invention reduces conductor resistance and capacitance, and thus increases the circuit's speed of signal response.
The deposition of three layers of metal traces over a substrate assembly may be accomplished by use of a damascene process. The damascene process allows deposition of metal lines and interconnects in integrated circuit technology. In the damascene process as shown in
Referring again to
The metal traces form conductors that electrically interconnect the active and passive devices of the integrated circuit. Examples of conductors provided in the traces of the metal-1, metal-2, and metal-3 layers are shown variously in electrical schematic form in
According to the invention, various novel arrangements of traces within and between the metal layers metal-1, metal-2, metal-3 provide increased speed and storage density when compared with conventional arrangements.
In one aspect, the present invention includes a dynamic RAM integrated circuit having an arrangement of I/O lines wherein no two I/O traces are disposed adjacent to one another. Rather, at least one non-I/O (or control) trace is disposed between any two I/O lines. This is shown in
Internal or external circuit portions apply signals to the I/O lines, and to lines interspersed between I/O lines. The interspersed lines are arranged such that transitions of the applied signals during operation of the integrated circuit take place on the I/O lines (eg. 300, 320, 340) at different times than signal transitions on the interspersed control or non-I/O lines (eg. 292,310,330). Consequently at the time of signal transition on the I/O lines, the interspersed non-I/O lines appear to be static, and thus act to shield the I/O lines. Accordingly, interference between I/O 300, 320, 340 lines during I/O line transitions is reduced. Likewise, the I/O lines are stable during transitions of the interspersed control lines with the result that the I/O lines serve to shield non-I/O lines from transients present on other non-I/O 292, 310, 330 lines respectively. For example, non-I/O line 310 is shielded from transitions on non-I/O line 292 by I/O line 300. This signal phase relationship is shown graphically in
Referring back to
This contrasts with a prior-art implementation, as shown, for example, in
Referring again to
Referring to
The greater portion 920 of the column select line 370 is located in the metal-3 240 layer above a memory array block 110. This column select line is oriented orthogonally to I/O lines eg. 300, 320, 340. In the vicinity of a sense amplifier 418, a relatively short portion 930 of the column select line is implemented in metal-2 230. The metal-3 and metal-2 portions of the column select lines are connected with double vias 940, for reduced resistance. Referring back to
A further aspect of the invention is shown in
In another aspect, the invention provides a dynamic RAM integrated circuit memory device having a wordline driver portion including a plurality of wordline drivers, a plurality of global phase lines, and a further plurality of local phase lines. Phase lines are lower address lines. Global phase lines are operatively connected to the low order latched address lines. A phase driver circuit is connected at its input ports to a plurality of global phase lines. The phase driver circuit decodes the global phase lines and is connected at its outputs to a plurality of local phase lines. This arrangement is illustrated on
In another aspect of the invention, a single bleeder circuit is shared among a plurality of sense amplifier circuits. This presents an advantage in a dynamic RAM integrated circuit in which digit lines are run in a metal-1 layer, rather than in polysilicon on the substrate assembly 200, as in conventional structures. Where digit lines are run in metal-1, there is an opportunity for row to column shorting. Such shorting, when it takes place, causes a standby current to flow in the transistors of the sense amplifier. To eliminate standby current, standby voltage is fed from a bleeder device through a bleeder line to a sense amplifier. The bleeder device is a current limiter, as is known in the art, that supplies the bleeder voltage. In previous technology, one bleeder device was provided for each sense amplifier. In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, one bleeder device may be used to feed as many as seventeen sense amplifiers, or more, through a global bleeder line. In an integrated circuit with at least three layers of metalization, a global bleeder line can be run across an array in metal-3, parallel to a column select line.
In an additional aspect of the invention, as shown in
The bleeder lines are maintained at a substantially constant voltage of Vcc/2. Accordingly, when the column select lines are transient the stable interspersed bleeder lines act to shield the column selects from capactive coupling and associated signal interference.
In a further aspect, the invention includes a row decoder adapted to drive LT global wordlines, 838 shown on
As shown in
In a further aspect of the invention, the throat region 800 also includes data read 1000 and data write 1010 lines, implemented in metal-3. These traces have a longitudinal axis oriented parallel 170 to the wordline driver stripes 132.
In a further aspect, the invention includes an arrangement for the busing of power and ground to the various devices of an integrated circuit wherein both power and ground connections are provided along substantially parallel routes in adjacent metal-2 and metal-3 layers. This arrangement is illustrated for power and ground in
In similar fashion, as shown in
While there have been shown and described the fundamental and novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood that various substitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated, and in its operation, may be made by those of skill in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is our intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the following claims.
Claims
1-3. (canceled)
4. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- a substrate assembly, said substrate assembly including a plurality of memory arrays, said memory arrays each including a plurality of memory blocks; and
- first, second, and third layers of metalization, wherein one of said layers includes at least one I/O line that is continuous within said one layer over a span of two or more memory blocks.
5. A device, as in claim 4, wherein a memory array includes at least four memory blocks, and wherein said at least one I/O line is continuous within said one layer over a span of said at least four memory blocks.
6. A device, as in claim 4, wherein a memory array includes at least eight memory blocks, and wherein said at least one I/O line is continuous within said one layer over a span of said at least eight memory blocks.
7. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- a substrate assembly including a memory array;
- said memory array including a plurality of memory blocks, at least eight of said memory blocks being arranged in spaced relation to one another in a first direction relative to said substrate assembly;
- a sense amplifier stripe having a longitudinal axis oriented substantially parallel to said first direction;
- first, second, and third layers of metallic traces disposed in substantially parallel spaced relation over said substrate assembly; and
- an I/O trace disposed among said traces of one of said layers having a longitudinal axis oriented substantially parallel to said first direction.
8. A device as in claim 7 wherein said I/O trace spans at least four of said eight memory blocks.
9. A device as in claim 7 wherein said I/O trace spans at least eight of said memory blocks.
10-14. (canceled)
15. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- a substrate assembly;
- a layer of metallic traces including a local phase line trace;
- a pair of wordline driver circuits, each of said circuits including one transistor of a pair of transistors formed within a common active region of said substrate assembly, said transistors sharing a common drain, said drain having a single connection to said local phase line trace.
16. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- a substrate assembly;
- at least first, second, and third layers of metallic traces disposed in substantially parallel spaced relation over said substrate assembly;
- a global bleeder circuit disposed within said substrate assembly and adapted to supply a standby voltage; and
- a sense amplifier circuit disposed within said substrate assembly;
- a global bleeder trace, at least a portion of which is disposed among said traces of said third layer of traces, operatively connected to both said bleeder circuit and said sense amplifier, and adapted to communicate said standby voltage from said bleeder circuit to said sense amplifier.
17-24. (canceled)
25. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- two adjacent wordline driver circuits;
- an active area having first and second transistors formed therein;
- a portion of said active area including a doped region common to said two transistors;
- one of said transistors being operatively connected to said first wordline driver circuit and the other of said transistors being operatively connected to said second wordline driver circuit.
26. A device as in claim 25 further comprising a local phase line including a point of connection operatively connected to said doped region.
27. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- a substrate assembly;
- a layer of metalization over a substrate, said layer including at least one global bleeder line;
- a bleeder device disposed within said substrate having an output operatively connected to said bleeder line; and
- a plurality of sense amplifiers disposed within said substrate each amplifier of said plurality being operatively connected to said bleeder line.
28. A device as in claim 27 further comprising:
- a plurality of additional layers of metal traces;
- said plurality of layers disposed between said global bleeder line and said substrate assembly.
29. A device as in claim 27 further comprising:
- a memory array block;
- said block disposed within said substrate assembly;
- one of said plurality of sense amplifiers being disposed on one side of said block, and another of said plurality of sense amplifiers being disposed on a second opposite side of said block.
30. An integrated circuit memory device comprising:
- a substrate assembly;
- first and second memory arrays formed in said substrate assembly, said arrays disposed in spaced relation to one another and defining a throat therebetween;
- a row decoder disposed in said substrate assembly within said throat;
- a layer of metallic traces disposed in substantially parallel spaced relation over said substrate assembly; and
- a global wordline trace disposed within said layer;
- said global wordline trace being operatively connected to both said row driver and at least one of said arrays.
31. A device as in claim 30 further comprising:
- at least one data read line and one data write line;
- said lines being disposed adjacent said throat and within said layer of metallic traces.
32-45. (canceled)
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 30, 2005
Publication Date: Nov 3, 2005
Inventors: J. Thompson (Boise, ID), Todd Merritt (Boise, ID)
Application Number: 11/170,455