Semiconductor device with interface circuit and method of configuring semiconductor devices
Methods and devices yielding an improved semiconductor device with interface circuit are disclosed. Configuring a semiconductor with parallel device features reduces process variation (e.g., lithographically-induced process variation or other defects). Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductor devices with I/O cell device features (e.g., I/O gates or core gates) laid out in parallel. Additionally, embodiments of the present invention can allow patterning devices to be made to more exacting tolerances because some patterning devices may have a higher capability along one axis than another. Embodiments of the present invention also include a semiconductor device having like-functioned I/O cells arranged such that their layouts and rotational orientations with respect to their corresponding core remain constant. Furthermore, disclosed semiconductor devices may include at least one circuit cell having non-parallel features, where the circuit cell is arranged either within the core or within a corresponding interface circuit cell.
The invention relates in general to methods and devices for semiconductors. More specifically, it relates to configuration of semiconductor devices having Input/Output (I/O) interface circuits.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONThe demand for faster and smaller microelectronic devices is driving continual shrinks of microelectronic architectures. Such microelectronic architectures form the electronic circuits of semiconductor devices. Semiconductor devices are manufactured on silicon wafers using a process of adding layers and selectively removing parts of the layers. The wafers are cut into individual dies upon the completion of the manufacturing process. Each individual die includes a semiconductor device having a core area, where logical computations are made.
Individual dies are not typically directly integrated into electronic devices, such as, for example, cel phones. Thus, semiconductor devices typically include at least one I/O (input/output) interface circuit enabling communication with other devices. I/O circuits, or cells, are typically arranged at the periphery of each individual die. This peripheral area may be referred to as the I/O ring.
In the manufacture of semiconductor devices, the selective removal of layers is enabled by a process called lithography. Through lithography, ever smaller features are imaged on the wafer surface. Increasingly smaller gate transistors are required to satisfy the increasingly higher speed requirements of microelectronic devices. However, as just one example, factors such as the wavelength of light place limitations on minimum resolvable feature sizes. Further, semiconductor devices and their I/O rings are becoming more complex due to their increasing compaction of functionality. Consequently, improvements to lithographic processes are continually sought to enable production of continually shrinking features. It follows that it is desirable to reduce semiconductor processing variation. Therefore, a need exists for improved methods for semiconductor devices, improved semiconductor devices, and improved lithographic patterning devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONMethods and devices yielding improved semiconductor devices are disclosed. In particular, process-induced variation is reduced by arranging critically-dimensioned features in parallel.
Accordingly, a method of configuring a semiconductor device is disclosed having a uniform I/O cell layout, and/or a majority of core area device features and/or I/O cell device features arranged in parallel. In an embodiment, the features may be critically-dimensioned. Such parallel arrangement reduces process-induced variation, not only during the fabrication of the semiconductor device, but also during the manufacture of the patterning device used to fabricate the semiconductor device. Thus, embodiments of the invention having parallel device feature (e.g., gate) layout can significantly reduce yield loss for the semiconductor device.
Consequently, also disclosed is a patterning device which may be used to produce parallel semiconductor features. Such a patterning device may be configured for use with any of a variety of semiconductor patterning systems.
Also disclosed is a method of configuring a semiconductor device which may have a majority of features on at least one processing layer arranged substantially in parallel. In the embodiment, I/O cells performing like functions may be arranged either horizontally or vertically while maintaining similar orientations and feature layouts. For example, horizontal I/O cells are not rotated with respect to vertical I/O cells. Such I/O cell configuration may utilize space typically unused in prior art semiconductor device configurations. Thus, the improved I/O cell configuration may allow increased device complexity and may also provide increased signal density.
In an embodiment, a circuit cell having randomly-arranged device features may be arranged within the semiconductor device. Such a circuit cell may be arranged within the core or within a corresponding I/O cell.
These, and other, aspects of the invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. The following description, while indicating various embodiments of the invention and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many substitutions, modifications, additions or rearrangements may be made within the scope of the invention, and the invention includes all such substitutions, modifications, additions or rearrangements.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain aspects of the invention. A clearer impression of the invention, and of the components and operation of systems provided with the invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore nonlimiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein identical reference numerals designate the same components. Note that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.
The invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained more fully with reference to the nonlimiting embodiments that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings and detailed in the following description. Descriptions of well known starting materials, processing techniques, components and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscure the invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that the detailed description and the specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only and not by way of limitation. After reading the specification, various substitutions, modifications, additions and rearrangements will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure which do not depart from the scope of the appended claims.
Embodiments of the present invention provide semiconductors with device features (e.g., I/O gates or core gates) laid out in parallel. Configuring a semiconductor with parallel device features reduces process variation (e.g., lithographically-induced process variation or other defects). Additionally, embodiments of the present invention can allow patterning devices to be made to more exacting tolerances because some patterning devices may have a higher capability along one axis than another.
Device features are those features on a semiconductor device which are functional and which may be required for device functionality. A semiconductor device may have elements that are inoperable, such as alpha-numerics indicating device ID and/or layer ID, as well as alignment and/or registration verniers. These inoperable elements are not generally considered device features. A semiconductor integrated circuit device according to the present invention can have a common layer in which the core and the I/O cell both reside and such common layer can be a conductive layer or a polysilicon layer.
Device features are usually created one process layer at a time. For example, the polysilicon layer, from which transistor gates are typically formed. Some of the device features arranged at these layers may be commonly referred to as ‘critically-dimensioned.’ Critically-dimensioned features may have dimensions at or near the capability of technologies to manufacture a particular microprocessor. Manufacture of critically-dimensioned device features is facilitated by a low level of defectivity and a low level of process-induced variation.
As shown in
For example, in an alternative embodiment for
In an alternate embodiment, all or substantially all core gates 220 are arranged in parallel to one another throughout core 250 of semiconductor device 200, and all or substantially all of I/O gates 240 are arranged in parallel to one another. Further, as shown in the embodiment of
In some embodiments, one or more of I/O gates 240 and/or one or more of core gates 220 may be arranged such that they are not parallel to the parallel I/O gates 240 and/or the parallel core gates 220. In one embodiment, such non-parallel gates will be relatively isolated or otherwise distanced from the parallel gates. Also, such non-parallel gates may not be critically-dimensioned, (e.g., may be comparatively larger in size than the parallel gates in device 200.) In one embodiment, gates which may be properly characterized as non-critically-dimensioned can have minimum dimensions that are approximately 25-35% (or more) larger than the minimum dimensions of critically-dimensioned gates.
Device features, such as gates, that are substantially parallel may be arranged in parallel with the greatest accuracy possible. However, the terms parallel or substantially parallel will be used interchangeably. Furthermore, although the specification may utilize gates in describing embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that features other than gates may also benefit from the described configurations.
Referring again to
In one embodiment, I/O cell gates 390 are critically-dimensioned and arranged in parallel. As shown, I/O cell gates 390 may be parallel to core gates 320. However, at least one I/O gate 390 may be arranged perpendicularly or otherwise not parallel to a majority of core gates 320. Such non-parallel gate may be isolated or offset from either I/O gates 390 within the I/O cell, or core gates 320 arranged adjacent the I/O cell.
As noted, the horizontal I/O cells 360 are substantially identical to the vertical I/O cells 370. Thus, horizontal I/O cells 360 have a cell size which is substantially the same as the cell size of the vertical I/O cells 370. Furthermore, the orientation of the horizontal I/O cells 360 is substantially the same as the orientation of the vertical I/O cells 370. That is, the horizontal I/O cells 360 are arranged like the vertical I/O cells 370 in that the shorter edges of all I/O cells are substantially parallel to one another.
In the embodiment shown in
Horizontal I/O cell 360 is arranged along horizontal edge 313 of device 300 such that first cell edge 311 is parallel to horizontal edge 313. Similarly, vertical I/O cell 370 is arranged along vertical edge 314 of device 300 such that second cell edge 312 is parallel to vertical edge 314. Such an I/O cell layout more fully populates the device 300, allowing utilization of previously unused areas.
For example, depicted in
As compared to
As noted above, aligning in parallel critically-dimensioned features may be useful in reducing process variation. For example, in the case of gate width variation among critically-dimensioned gates arranged within arrays. However, some circuits within the semiconductor device, such as analog circuits, may have wider gates. Thus, some gate widths may not be critically-dimensioned and such gate widths may not necessarily benefit from parallel arrangement.
In the embodiment of
As shown in
As described above, lithographic images are created through the use of patterning devices. Each patterning device typically contains pattern images for a single processing layer. Pattern images are comprised of individual features, such as the individual features shown in
In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments. For example, any time a Figure illustrates a uniform I/O cell with uniform feature layout and the same footprint, it should be understood that the footprint can vary from I/O cell to I/O cell (e.g., wider) without departing from the scope of the invention. One of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various additional modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of invention.
Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any component(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential feature or component of any or all the claims.
Claims
1. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a core area; and
- a plurality of I/O cells surrounding the core area, wherein each I/O cell comprises a plurality of features, wherein substantially all of the plurality of features are parallel to one another.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of said I/O cells comprises a first cell edge arranged substantially perpendicular to a second cell edge, and further wherein at least one of said I/O cells has its first cell edge oriented substantially parallel to a horizontal edge of the device; and further wherein at least one other of said I/O cells has its second cell edge oriented substantially parallel to a vertical edge of the device.
3. The device claim 1, wherein the I/O cell plurality of features comprise a plurality of I/O cell gates, and wherein at least 90% of said I/O cell gates are substantially parallel.
4. The device of claim 3, wherein the plurality of I/O cells surround the core, and wherein the core comprises a plurality of core gates such that at least 90% of said core gates are substantially parallel to each other.
5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least 90% of said I/O cell gates are substantially parallel to at least 90% of said core gates.
6. The device claim 5, wherein the plurality of core gates and the plurality of I/O cell gates comprise critically-dimensioned features.
7. The device of claim 6, further comprising at least one circuit cell, wherein the at least one circuit cell comprises at least one circuit-cell feature, and wherein the at least one circuit cell is arranged within the core or within at least one of the I/O cells.
8. A method of configuring a semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
- providing a core area comprising a plurality of core features; and
- arranging a plurality of uniform I/O cells surrounding the core area, wherein each uniform I/O cell has substantially all features parallel to one another.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the I/O cell plurality of features comprise a plurality of I/O cell gates and the plurality of core features comprise a plurality of core gates, and further comprising:
- arranging at least 90% of the I/O cell gates substantially parallel to one another; and
- arranging at least 90% of the core gates substantially parallel to one other and further substantially parallel to the substantially parallel I/O cell gates.
10. A semiconductor integrated circuit comprising:
- a core, comprising a plurality of core device features arranged such that a majority of the plurality of core device features are substantially parallel; and
- a plurality of I/O cells, each I/O cell comprising a plurality of I/O cell device features arranged such that a majority of the plurality of I/O cell device features in each I/O cell are substantially parallel.
11. The circuit of claim 10, wherein substantially all of said core device features are substantially parallel and substantially all of said I/O cell device features are substantially parallel, and further wherein said core device features are substantially parallel to said I/O cell device features.
12. The circuit of claim 11, wherein said substantially all of the plurality of core device features and substantially all of the plurality of I/O cell device features comprise critically-dimensioned features.
13. The circuit of 12, further comprising at least one circuit cell, wherein the at least one circuit cell comprises circuit cell device features, and wherein the at least one circuit cell is arranged within the core or within at least one I/O cell.
14. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of I/O cells further comprise comprises a plurality of horizontal I/O cells and a plurality of vertical I/O cells, wherein said plurality of horizontal I/O cells and said plurality of vertical I/O cells have dissimilar layouts.
15. The circuit of claim 13, wherein the circuit cell device features comprise at least one feature arranged perpendicular to said core device features or to said I/O cell device features.
16. The circuit of claim 11, wherein the plurality of I/O cells further comprise a plurality of horizontal I/O cells and a plurality of vertical I/O cells, and wherein said plurality of horizontal I/O cells are translationally disposed with respect to said plurality of vertical I/O cells.
17. The circuit of claim 10, wherein said core device features and said I/O cell device features comprise gates.
18. The circuit of claim 11, wherein said I/O cells have a substantially square footprint.
19. A method of configuring a semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:
- orienting a plurality of core device features in a core substantially parallel to one another; and
- orienting a plurality of I/O cell device features in an I/O cell substantially parallel to one another, wherein said core device features and said I/O cell device features are arranged within a common layer.
20. A semiconductor integrated circuit device, comprising:
- a core comprising a plurality of core device features arranged such that at least 90% of said core device features are substantially parallel; and
- a plurality of I/O cells having substantially matching device feature layouts, each I/O cell comprising a plurality of I/O cell device features arranged such that at least 90% of said I/O cell device features are substantially parallel.
21. The device of claim 20, wherein each I/O cells comprises a first cell edge arranged substantially perpendicular to a second cell edge, wherein a first cell edge of a first I/O cell corresponds to a first cell edge of a second I/O cell, wherein at least one of said I/O cells is oriented along a horizontal edge of the device such that a first cell edge of said at least one horizontal I/O cell is substantially parallel to a horizontal edge of the device; and wherein at least one of said I/O cells along a vertical edge of the device is oriented such that a second cell edge of said at least one vertical I/O cell is substantially parallel to a vertical edge of the device.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein said parallel core device features are parallel to said parallel I/O device features, and wherein said parallel features are arranged on a common layer.
23. The device of claim 22, further comprising at least two circuit cells, wherein the at least two circuit cells comprise circuit-cell device features, wherein at least one circuit cell is arranged within a horizontal I/O cell, and wherein at least one circuit cell is arranged within a vertical I/O cell.
24. The device of claim 23, wherein said horizontal I/O cell and said vertical I/O cell are symmetrically disposed or translationally disposed.
25. The device of claim 24, further comprising at least one circuit cell, wherein the at least one circuit cell comprises at least one circuit-cell device feature, and wherein the at least one circuit cell is arranged within the core.
26. A patterning device used to produce layer-specific semiconductor device features, said patterning device comprising:
- a core area, comprising a plurality of critically-dimensioned core features, wherein at least 90% of said critically-dimensioned core features are configured in parallel; and
- an I/O cell area bordering the core area, wherein the I/O cell area comprises a plurality of critically-dimensioned I/O cell features, wherein substantially all critically-dimensioned I/O cell features are configured in parallel.
27. The patterning device of claim 26, wherein substantially all critically-dimensioned core features are configured in parallel and substantially all critically-dimensioned I/O cell features are configured in parallel.
28. The patterning device of claim 27, wherein the critically-dimensioned core features are substantially parallel to the critically-dimensioned I/O cell features.
29. The patterning of claim 28, further comprising at least one circuit cell, wherein the at least one circuit cell has at least one non-critically-dimensioned device feature.
30. The patterning device of claim 29, wherein the I/O cell area comprises at least one horizontal I/O cell and at least one vertical I/O cell, wherein each I/O cell comprises a circuit cell, and wherein said I/O cells have substantially matching feature layouts such that the at least one horizontal I/O cell layout is translationally disposed from the at least one vertical I/O cell layout.
31. The patterning device as recited in claim 29, wherein the I/O cell area comprises at least one horizontal I/O cell and at least one vertical I/O cell, wherein each I/O cell comprises a circuit cell, and wherein said I/O cells have substantially matching feature layouts such that the at least one horizontal I/O cell layout is in point symmetry with the at least one vertical I/O cell layout.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 16, 2005
Publication Date: Dec 21, 2006
Inventor: Eiichi Hosomi (Kawasaki)
Application Number: 11/154,150
International Classification: H01L 21/336 (20060101);