With Particular Power Supply Distribution Means Patents (Class 257/207)
  • Patent number: 8188516
    Abstract: Techniques for using gate arrays to create capacitive structures within an integrated circuit are disclosed. Embodiments comprise placing a gate array of P-type field effect transistors (P-fets) and N-type field effect transistors (N-fets) in an integrated circuit design, coupling drains and sources for one or more P-fets and gates for one or more N-fets to a power supply ground, and coupling gates for the one or more P-fets and the drains and sources for one or more N-fets to a positive voltage of the power supply. In some embodiments, source-to-drain leakage current for capacitive apparatuses of P-fets and N-fets are minimized by biasing one or more P-fets and one or more N-fets to the positive voltage and the ground, respectively. In other embodiments, the capacitive structures may be implemented using fusible elements to isolate the capacitive structures in case of shorts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anthony Correale, Jr., Benjamin J. Bowers, Douglass T. Lamb, Nishith Rohatgi
  • Patent number: 8183600
    Abstract: A technique permitting reduction in size of a standard cell is provided. In a semiconductor integrated circuit device comprising a first tap formed in a first direction to supply a power-supply potential, a second tap formed in the first direction to supply a power-supply potential and positioned so as to confront the first tap in a second direction intersecting the first direction, and a standard cell formed between the first and second taps, a cell height (distance) between the center of the first tap and that of the second tap both in the second direction is set to ((an integer+0.5)×a wiring pitch of the second-layer wiring lines) or [(an integer+0.25)×a wiring pitch of the second-layer wiring lines].
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroharu Shimizu
  • Patent number: 8178905
    Abstract: In a layout structure capable of independent supply of a substrate or well potential from a power supply potential, further reduction in layout area is achieved. A reinforcing power supply cell is inserted in a cell line in which a plurality of cells are arranged in series. Each of the cells includes an impurity doped region for supplying a substrate or well potential NWVDD which is different from a positive power supply potential VDD to a p-type transistor arranging region. The reinforcing power supply cell includes a power supply impurity doped region to which an impurity doped region of an adjacent cell is electrically connected and a power supply wire provided in a wiring layer formed above the power supply impurity doped region and electrically connected to the power supply impurity doped region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsurou Toubou
  • Patent number: 8174052
    Abstract: A standard cell library includes a first power rail, a second power rail, a third power rail, a first standard cell, and second standard cells. The first power rail extends in a first direction. The second power rail extends in the first direction, and is spaced apart from the first power rail by a predetermined spacing in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The third power rail extends in the first direction between the first power rail and the second power rail. The first standard cell has at least one cell having a first cell height, and is arranged between the first power rail and the second power rail. The second standard cells have at least two cells, each having a second cell height, that are in contact with each other in the second direction, and are in contact with the first standard cell in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ha-Young Kim, Sang-Jin Cheong
  • Patent number: 8174480
    Abstract: A gate driver including a shift register, a level shifter, an output buffer, and a processing unit. The shift register generates a shifted signal. The level shifter generates a level signal according to a first operation voltage, a second operation voltage and the shifted signal. The output buffer provides a scan signal according to the level signal. The processing unit controls the level signal to follow the second operation voltage when the first operation voltage equals to a first preset value and the second operation voltage is higher than a second preset value less than the first preset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Himax Technologies Limited
    Inventors: Chih-Wei Chen, Han-Shui Hsueh
  • Patent number: 8164916
    Abstract: Provided is an integrated circuit system and method for biasing the same that features bifurcating a power distribution network to provide a bias voltage to the integrated circuit system. One of the branches of the power distribution network attenuates an impedance in the power distribution network that supplies transient currents and the remaining branch supplies a substantially steady-state currents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Altera Corportation
    Inventor: Hong Shi
  • Patent number: 8151238
    Abstract: In a layout process of a semiconductor integrated circuit, a power supply is initially formed in an arrangement in which the current threshold value is not exceeded. In a case where the excess over the current threshold value occurs after the power supply is formed, the power supply arrangement is changed according to the current threshold value, design rule data base, and power supply wiring density so as not to exceed the current threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kouji Fujiyama, Takahiro Nagatani, Atsushi Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8143724
    Abstract: This invention prevents a break in a signal wire disposed between wire ends due to attenuation and improves production yields of devices. In a standard cell, a first signal wire extends in a first direction. Second and third signal wires extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and are facing each other across the first signal wire. The second and third signal wires have the widths larger than the width of the first signal wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ritsuko Ozoe, Hiroki Taniguchi, Hidetoshi Nishimura, Masaki Tamaru, Hideaki Kondo
  • Patent number: 8129759
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a semiconductor integrated circuit package that includes a substrate which can have an integrated circuit die attached thereto. The package includes a dedicated high-speed ground plane that is electrically isolated from the ground plane used to ground the low speed circuitry of the package.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation
    Inventors: Maurice O. Othieno, Chok J. Chia, Amar J. Amin
  • Patent number: 8120067
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate having thereon a plurality of IMD layers and first conductive layers embedded in the IMD layers; a first insulating layer overlying the IMD layers and the first conductive layers; a plurality of first power/ground mesh wiring lines, in a second conductive layer overlying the first insulating layer, for distributing power signal or ground signal; and a second insulating layer covering the second conductive layer and the first insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Chung Ko, Tao Cheng, Tien-Yueh Liu, Dar-Shii Chou, Peng-Cheng Kao
  • Publication number: 20120037959
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first power supply line; a second power supply line; a first cell arrangement area in which a first cell is arranged; and a switch area in which a switching transistor and a decoupling capacitance are arranged. The first cell is provided in a first well of a first conductive type, the switching transistor is provided in a second well of the first conductive type, and the decoupling capacitance is provided in a separation area of a second conductive type to separate the first well and the second well from each other. The switching transistor connects the first power supply line and the second power supply line in response to a control signal, the first cell operates with power supplied from the second power supply line, and the decoupling capacitance is connected with the first power supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Applicant: RENESAS ELECTRONICS CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tetsuya KATOU
  • Patent number: 8110855
    Abstract: An array with cells that have adjacent similar structures that are displaced from each other across a common cell border in a direction that is not perpendicular to the cell border thus avoiding an across cell border design rule violation between the adjacent similar structures. A method of forming reduced area memory arrays by displacing adjacent similar structures along a common cell border. A method of building arrays using conventional array building software by forming unit pairs with cells that are not identical and are not mirror images or rotated versions of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Theodore W. Houston, Robert R. Garcia
  • Patent number: 8110907
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, a first substrate, and a second substrate. The first substrate includes a plurality of wires and a plurality of first electrodes, each first electrode being connected with each wire. The second substrate includes the semiconductor chip that is mounted thereon, and a plurality of second electrodes with, each second electrode being connected with the each first electrode of the first substrate. The widths of the wires of the first substrate are different depending on the lengths of the wires. By changing the widths of the wires depending on their lengths, it is possible to reduce variation in stiffness of the electrodes and vicinities of electrodes, whereby variation in ultrasonic bonding strength can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Yamaguchi, Emi Sawayama, Hiroshi Oyama, Shigeharu Tsunoda, Yasuo Amano, Naoki Matsushima
  • Patent number: 8106425
    Abstract: Example embodiments relate to an interconnection substrate and a semiconductor chip package and a display system including the same. The interconnection substrate may include a base film, a signal line provided on the base film, a power line provided on the base film as a line pattern including a plurality of bent portions, and a ground line provided on the base film in parallel with the power line. The interconnection substrate may further include a semiconductor chip provided on the base film, wherein the power, ground, and/or signal lines are electrically connected to the semiconductor chip to form a semiconductor chip package. A display system may include the above semiconductor chip package, a screen displaying an image, and a PCB generating a signal. The semiconductor chip may be connected between the PCB and the screen and relay the generated signal from the PCB to the screen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yun-seok Choi, Na-rae Shin, Hee-seok Lee
  • Patent number: 8102347
    Abstract: The invention provides an active matrix EL display device which can perform a clear multi-gray scale color display. In particular, the invention provides a large active matrix EL display device at low cost by a manufacturing method which can selectively form a pattern. Power supply lines in a pixel portion are arranged in matrix by the manufacturing method which can selectively form a pattern. Further, capacitance between wirings is reduced by providing a longer distance between adjacent wirings by the manufacturing method which can selectively form a pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori Yoshida, Hajime Kimura, Shinji Maekawa, Osamu Nakamura, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8072004
    Abstract: An integrated circuit chip includes a semiconductor substrate having thereon a plurality of inter-metal dielectric (IMD) layers and a plurality of first conductive layers embedded in respective the plurality of IMD layers, wherein the first conductive layers comprise copper; a first passivation layer overlying the plurality of IMD layers and the plurality of first conductive layers; a plurality of first power/ground mesh wiring lines, formed in a second conductive layer overlying the first passivation layer, for distributing power signal or ground signal, wherein the second conductive layer comprise aluminum; and a second passivation layer covering the second conductive layer and the first passivation layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Mediatek Inc.
    Inventors: Ching-Chung Ko, Tao Cheng, Tien-Yueh Liu, Dar-Shii Chou, Peng-Cheng Kao
  • Patent number: 8067789
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor integrated circuit device advantageous against EM and ESD. A plurality of I/O cells; a power wire formed of a plurality of interconnect layers over the above-described I/O cells; a bonding pad formed in an upper layer of the power wire and in a position corresponding to the I/O cell; and lead-out areas capable of electrically coupling the I/O cell to the bonding pad are provided. The above-described power wire includes a first power wire and a second power wire, and the above-described I/O cell includes first elements coupled to the first power wire and second elements coupled to the second power wire. The first element is placed on the first power wire side, and the second element is placed on the second power wire side. The first power wire and the second power wire can allow for a high current due to the interconnect layers over the I/O cells, thus having robustness against EM and ESD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toyoshima, Kazuo Tanaka, Masaru Iwabuchi
  • Patent number: 8067790
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first power supply line; a second power supply line; a first cell arrangement area in which a first cell is arranged; and a switch area in which a switching transistor and a decoupling capacitance are arranged. The first cell is provided in a first well of a first conductive type, the switching transistor is provided in a second well of the first conductive type, and the decoupling capacitance is provided in a separation area of a second conductive type to separate the first well and the second well from each other. The switching transistor connects the first power supply line and the second power supply line in response to a control signal, the first cell operates with power supplied from the second power supply line, and the decoupling capacitance is connected with the first power supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tetsuya Katou
  • Patent number: 8063414
    Abstract: A standard cell, placed between a power rail and a ground rail in an integrated circuit, has active areas with connecting arms that extend beneath the power rail and ground rail. The connecting arms conduct current between the power and ground rails and the source regions of transistors in the active areas. The connecting arms include segments extending from these source regions to points beneath the power and ground rails, and segments running longitudinally beneath the power and ground rails. The connecting arms replace metal wiring that would otherwise be required, enabling the size of the standard cell to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hirofumi Uchida
  • Patent number: 8063415
    Abstract: CMOS inverters are included in a standard cell. Power supply lines are electrically connected to CMOS inverters, and include lower layer interconnects and upper layer interconnect. Lower layer interconnects extend along a boundary of standard cells adjacent to each other and on the boundary. Upper layer interconnects are positioned more inside in standard cell than lower layer interconnects, as viewed from a plane. CMOS inverters are electrically connected through upper layer interconnects to lower layer interconnects. Thus, a semiconductor device is obtained that can achieve both higher speeds and higher integration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuhiro Tsuda
  • Patent number: 8063416
    Abstract: In a substrate power supply cell, a portion of a substrate power supply wiring is exposed by forming a power supply wiring in a U-shape, and a connection portion to an upper-layer wiring is provided at a boundary portion of the substrate power supply cell. Thereby, a leakage current is reduced without a decrease in signal wiring efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Keisuke Kishishita
  • Patent number: 8063417
    Abstract: In an integrated circuit device, element power supply lines connected to a circuit containing a plurality of cells, element ground lines connected thereto, a trunk power supply line connected to each of the element power supply lines, and a trunk ground line connected to each of the element ground lines are provided in a first wiring layer. A branch power supply line connected to the trunk power supply line and a branch ground line connected to the trunk ground line are provided in an upper wiring layer located above the first wiring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Keiichi Kusumoto
  • Patent number: 8063441
    Abstract: A vertical pillar semiconductor device may include a substrate, a group of channel patterns, a gate insulation layer pattern and a gate electrode. The substrate may be divided into an active region and an isolation layer. A first impurity region may be formed in the substrate corresponding to the active region. The group of channel patterns may protrude from a surface of the active region and may be arranged parallel to each other. A second impurity region may be formed on an upper portion of the group of channel patterns. The gate insulation layer pattern may be formed on the substrate and a sidewall of the group of channel patterns. The gate insulation layer pattern may be spaced apart from an upper face of the group of channel patterns. The gate electrode may contact the gate insulation layer and may enclose a sidewall of the group of channel patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Hoon Son, Jong-Wook Lee, Jong-Hyuk Kang
  • Patent number: 8058672
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a thin, lightweight, high performance, and low in cost semiconductor device and a display device by reducing an arrangement area required for a power supply wiring and a ground wiring of a functional circuit and decreasing a drop in power supply voltage and a rise in ground voltage. In the functional circuit of the semiconductor device and the display device, a power supply wiring and a ground wiring are formed in a comb-like arrangement, and the tips thereof are electrically connected with a first wiring, a second wiring, and a contact between the first wiring and the second wiring, thereby forming in a grid-like arrangement. The drop in power supply voltage and the rise in ground voltage can be decreased and the arrangement area can be decreased in the grid-like arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kurokawa
  • Patent number: 8058094
    Abstract: A transistor includes; at least two polycrystalline silicon layers disposed substantially parallel to each other, each polycrystalline silicon layer including a channel region and at least two high conductivity regions disposed at opposing sides of the channel region; a gate which corresponds to the channel region of the two polycrystalline silicon layers and which crosses the two polycrystalline silicon layers, and a gate insulating layer interposed between the gate and the two polycrystalline silicon layers, wherein low conductivity regions are disposed adjacent to one edge of the gate and are formed between the channel region and one high conductivity region of each polycrystalline silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Noguchi, Jong-man Kim, Jang-yeon Kwon, Kyung-bae Park, Ji-sim Jung, Hyuck Lim
  • Patent number: 8053777
    Abstract: A detector including an electrode formed from a first layer of conductive material, a readout line formed from a second layer of conductive material, and a via electrically connecting the readout line and the electrode. In one embodiment, the detector includes a source electrode and a drain electrode formed from the first layer of conductive material, and a data line formed from the second layer of conductive material, such that the source and drain electrodes are vertically offset from the data line. Alternatively, in another embodiment, the detector includes a gate electrode formed from the first layer of conductive material, and a scan line formed from the second layer of conductive material, such that the gate electrode is vertically offset from the scan line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Douglas Albagli, William Andrew Hennessy
  • Patent number: 8053346
    Abstract: A gate in a semiconductor device is formed to have a dummy gate pattern that protects a gate. Metal lines are formed to supply power for a semiconductor device and transfer a signal. A semiconductor device includes a quad coupled receiver type input/output buffer. The semiconductor device is formed with a gate line that extends over an active region, and a gate pad located outside of the active region. The gate line and the gate pad are adjoined such that the gate line and a side of the gate pad form a line. Dummy gates may also be applied. The semiconductor device includes a first metal line patterns supplying power to a block having a plurality of cells, a second metal line pattern transferring a signal to the cells, and dummy metal line patterns divided into in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Nam Gyu Ryu, Ho Ryong Kim, Won John Choi, Jae Hwan Kim, Seoung Hyun Kang, Young Hee Yoon
  • Patent number: 8044438
    Abstract: Disclosed are a liquid crystal display and a substrate for the same. The substrate comprises first wires formed in one direction on the substrate; second wires intersecting and insulated from the first wires; pixel electrodes formed in pixel regions defined by the first wires and the second wires; and switching elements connected to the first wires, the second wires and the pixel electrodes, wherein an interval between two adjacent second wires has a predetermined dimension that repeatedly varies from one set of adjacent second wires to the next, and a side of the pixel electrodes adjacent to the second wires is shaped in a pattern identical to the second wires such that the pixel electrodes have a wide portion and a narrow portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jang-Kun Song
  • Patent number: 8039874
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a semiconductor IC that includes a plurality of standard cells arranged in a first direction on a semiconductor substrate, and a first diffusion layer connected to a first power source and a second diffusion layer connected to a second power source in the each standard cell, wherein the first diffusion layers as well as the second diffusion layers of neighboring standard cells are integrally formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Masatomo Eimitsu, Takanori Saeki
  • Patent number: 8039852
    Abstract: A display apparatus including a TFT array substrate on which TFTs are formed in an array, a counter substrate disposed so as to face the TFT array substrate, and a sealing pattern for adhering the TFT array substrate and the counter substrate to each other, wherein the counter substrate has a counter electrode, and the TFT array substrate has a first conductive layer, a first insulating film formed on the first conductive layer, a second conductive layer disposed so as to intersect the first conductive layer via the first insulating film, a second insulating film formed on the second conductive layer and having at least two layers, and common electrode wiring provided below the sealing pattern and electrically connected to the counter electrode by the sealing pattern, and the sealing pattern overlaps the second conductive layer via the second insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Inoue, Harumi Murakami, Toshio Araki, Nobuaki Ishiga
  • Patent number: 8035134
    Abstract: In a first functional block, a source voltage input terminal of a PMOS transistor and a substrate voltage input terminal of an NMOS transistor are connected to their voltage supply terminals, respectively. The substrate voltage input terminal of the PMOS transistor in the ith (1?i?n?1) functional block and the source voltage input terminal of the NMOS transistor therein are connected bijectively with the source voltage input terminal of the PMOS transistor in the i+1th functional block and the substrate voltage input terminal of the NMOS transistor therein. In the nth functional block, the substrate voltage input terminal of the PMOS transistor and the source voltage input terminal of the NMOS transistor are connected to their voltage supply terminals, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Masaya Sumita
  • Patent number: 8035135
    Abstract: To facilitate counting of memory cells in failure analysis, without limiting the arrangement of memory cells or increasing the number of processes. A memory cell array region 3 in which memory cells 3a are formed in a repetitive pattern is formed on a semiconductor substrate 2. Power supply wirings 4a and ground wirings 4b in a predetermined layer formed on the memory cell array region 3 are vertically and horizontally arranged in the form of a gird to correspond to the arrangement of the memory cells 3a at least in the memory cell array region 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Seiji Hirabayashi
  • Patent number: 8026572
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having plural active and passive elements on one semiconductor substrate is manufactured in the following cost effective manner even when the active and passive elements include double sided electrode elements. When the semiconductor substrate is divided into plural field areas, an insulation separation trench that penetrates the semiconductor substrate surrounds each of the field areas, and each of the either of the plural active elements or the plural passive elements. Further, each of the plural elements has a pair of power electrodes for power supply respectively disposed on each of both sides of the semiconductor substrate to serve as the double sided electrode elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2011
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihiko Ozeki, Kenji Kouno, Tetsuo Fujii
  • Publication number: 20110227133
    Abstract: According to the embodiments, standard cells are arranged in an array in a semiconductor device. In the standard cell, a first diffusion area with a plurality of transistors formed in a main surface region of a semiconductor substrate is formed in a region sandwiched between two power supply lines arranged on the semiconductor substrate. Further, the standard cell includes a potential supplying unit. The potential supplying unit is formed in the main surface region of the semiconductor substrate by a diffusion layer of the same conductive type as that of the first diffusion area and is electrically connected directly to the diffusion area through a contact from the lower portion of the power supply line, to supply a potential from the power supply line to the first diffusion area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventor: Toshiki Morimoto
  • Patent number: 8022549
    Abstract: This invention prevents a break in a signal wire disposed between wire ends due to attenuation and improves production yields of devices. In a standard cell, a first signal wire extends in a first direction. Second and third signal wires extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction and are facing each other across the first signal wire. The second and third signal wires have the widths larger than the width of the first signal wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ritsuko Ozoe, Hiroki Taniguchi, Hidetoshi Nishimura, Masaki Tamaru, Hideaki Kondo
  • Patent number: 8017943
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first pad, a second pad and a third pad. The first pad and the third pad are electrically connected to each other. The first pad and the second pad are used for bonding. The second pad and the third pad are used for probing. According to this structure, Small size semiconductor device having high reliability even after a probing test can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventor: Tsukasa Ojiro
  • Patent number: 8013361
    Abstract: Gate electrodes 5A through 5F are formed to have the same geometry, and protruding parts of the gate electrodes 5A through 5F extend across an isolation region onto impurity diffusion regions. The gate electrode 5B and P-type impurity diffusion regions 7B6 are connected through a shared contact 9A1 to a first-level interconnect M1H, and the gate electrode 5E and N-type impurity diffusion regions 7A6 are connected through a shared contact 9A2 to a first-level interconnect M1I. In this way, contact pad parts of the gate electrodes 5A through 5F can be located apart from active regions of a substrate for MOS transistors. This suppresses the influence of the increased gate length due to hammerhead and gate flaring. As a result, transistors TrA through TrF can have substantially the same finished gate length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kyoji Yamashita, Katsuhiro Otani, Katsuya Arai, Daisaku Ikoma
  • Patent number: 8013362
    Abstract: In a semiconductor integrated circuit requiring a large number of pads, an internal circuit is arranged in the center portion, and a plurality of two kinds of I/O circuits for inputting and outputting signals from and to the outside and many pads are arranged along four sides of the semiconductor integrated circuit. The plurality of I/O circuits that are of one of the foregoing two kinds are one-pad I/O circuits on which one pad is arranged in a direction toward the internal circuit, whereas the plurality of I/O circuits that are of the other of the foregoing two kinds are two-pad I/O circuits on which two pads are arranged in zigzag relationship in a direction toward the internal circuit. The number of arranged pads equals to the number of pads required for the semiconductor integrated circuit. The one-pad I/O circuits and the two-pad I/O circuits are provided with power source wirings for supplying power thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventor: Daisuke Matsuoka
  • Patent number: 8004085
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has an element interconnection 2, a top-layer element interconnection 4, a super-connect interconnection 10 and a bump 7. The element interconnection 2 is provided on a semiconductor substrate 1 through a plurality of insulating layers 50. The top-layer element interconnection 4 is formed above the element interconnection 2 by using a substantially equivalent process equipment. The super-connect interconnection 10 is provided on the top-layer element interconnection 4 through a super-connect insulating layer 9 having a thickness five or more times larger than that of the insulating layer 5, and has a thickness three or more times larger than that of each the element interconnection 2 and the top-layer element interconnection 4. The bump 7 is formed on the super-connect interconnection 10. The top-layer element interconnection 4 has a signal pad 4s, a power source pad 4v and a ground pad 4g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Yamamichi, Katsumi Kikuchi, Jun Sakai, Hikaru Kouta
  • Patent number: 7994543
    Abstract: A filler cell for use in fabricating an integrated circuit. The filler cell couples a power supply rail of an adjacent logic cell to a power supply rail of another adjacent logic cell. The filler cell also has a diode to bleed charge accumulated on the power rails of the adjacent logic cells to the substrate. The diode is reverse biased during normal integrated circuit operation. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit with a power grid. At least one filler cell is placed on the integrated circuit to bleed away charge accumulated on the power grid during the fabrication of the integrated circuit. The filler cell is connected to a supply rail of an adjacent logic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Oracle America, Inc.
    Inventors: Yi Wu, Kenan Yu
  • Patent number: 7994542
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention comprises a logic circuit to which a power supply voltage, a sub-power supply voltage, a ground voltage and a sub-ground voltage are supplied; a driver for generating the sub-power supply voltage and the sub-ground voltage based on the power supply voltage and the ground voltage; a first wiring layer including a sub-power supply line for supplying the sub-power supply voltage and a sub-ground line for supplying the sub-ground voltage; a second wiring layer including source/drain lines for MOS transistors; a third wiring layer including a main power supply line for supplying the power supply voltage and a main ground line for supplying the ground voltage and arranged opposite to the first wiring layer to sandwich the second wiring layer; via structures for connecting the source/drain lines of the second wiring layer to the other layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Ato, Kazuhiko Matsuki
  • Patent number: 7989849
    Abstract: An integrated circuit has a power rail formed of a first wire in a lower metal layer and a second wire in an upper metal layer and that run in the same direction in their respective layers. A number of vias connect the first and second wires, to form a sandwich power rail structure. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Synopsys, Inc.
    Inventors: Deepak Sherlekar, Darrell Heinecke, Eswar Veluri
  • Patent number: 7973340
    Abstract: Cells are formed on a substrate. First and second cell power wiring lines extend in a first direction on the substrate. First and second intermediate layer power wiring lines are formed on the first and second cell power lines. First upper layer power wiring lines are formed on the first and second intermediate layer power lines. The first upper layer power wiring lines extend in a second direction crossing the first direction at right angles. First contact members are formed between the first cell power lines and the first upper layer power lines. Second contact members are formed between the second cell power lines and the first upper layer power lines. The second contact members are arranged at positions shifted from a straight line which passes through the first contact members in the first direction and a straight line which passes through the first contact members in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Makoto Ichida, Masanori Wada, Kazuma Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7968917
    Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor memory device including: a first wiring layer; a second wiring layer; a third wiring layer; a memory array region; a first gate array region being formed at a region at which the first wiring layer, the second wiring layer and the third wiring layer can be used in wiring of the plural unit cells; and a second gate array region being formed at a region at which two wiring layers that are the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer can be used in wiring of the plural memory cells, and the plural unit cells are arrayed so as to be separated at an interval needed for placement, by using the first wiring layer, of wiring that should be placed by using the third wiring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7969429
    Abstract: The collector, emitter, and base of a bipolar transistor circuit are connected to a high side power supply terminal, the drain of a level shift transistor, and a floating power supply terminal, respectively. When a high side output transistor is on, the floating power supply terminal is at the potential of a high potential power supply terminal. The high side power supply terminal is at a potential higher than the potential of the floating power supply terminal by a constant voltage. Turning the level shift transistor on, its drain potential drops below the potential of the floating power supply terminal; The base current flows through the bipolar transistor circuit and the drain potential of the level shift transistor is clamped near the potential of the floating power supply terminal; The bipolar transistor circuit is turned on and its collector current supplies the drain current of the level shift transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Sasada, Hiroki Matsunaga, Masashi Inao, Hiroshi Ando, Jinsaku Kaneda, Eisaku Maeda, Akihiro Maejima
  • Patent number: 7956384
    Abstract: A semiconductor power device supported on a semiconductor substrate that includes a plurality of transistor cells, each cell has a source and a drain region disposed on opposite sides of a gate region in the semiconductor substrate. A gate electrode is formed as an electrode layer on top of the gate region for controlling an electric current transmitted between the source and the drain regions. The gate electrode layer disposed on top of the semiconductor substrate is patterned into a wave-like shaped stripes for substantially increasing an electric current conduction area between the source and drain regions across the gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2011
    Assignee: Alpha & Omega Semiconductor Ltd.
    Inventor: Shekar Mallikararjunaswamy
  • Patent number: 7952120
    Abstract: Provided are embodiments of a semiconductor device having bit lines and bit bar lines. The bit lines and the bit bar lines are arranged in alternate succession across a substrate. At least two of proximate bit lines, bit line bars, power lines, and ground lines of the semiconductor device are formed on different layers, in order to reduce defects due to particles between lines, and increase yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Dongbu Hitek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jin Ho Park
  • Patent number: 7952201
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a plurality of semiconductor chips and a plurality of through-line groups is disclosed. Each of the through-line groups consists of a unique number of through-lines. The numbers associated with the through-line groups are mutually coprime to each other. When one of the through-lines is selected for the each through-line group, one of the semiconductor chip is designated by a combination of the selected through-lines of the plurality of the through-line groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventors: Kayoko Shibata, Hiroaki Ikeda
  • Patent number: 7944243
    Abstract: A semiconductor integrated circuit includes: a main-interconnect to which supply voltage or reference voltage is applied; a plurality of sub-interconnects; a plurality of circuit cells configured to be connected to the plurality of sub-interconnects; a power supply switch cell configured to control, in accordance with an input control signal, connection and disconnection between the main-interconnect and the sub-interconnect to which a predetermined one of the circuit cells is connected, of the plurality of sub-interconnects; and an auxiliary interconnect configured to connect the plurality of sub-interconnects to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromi Ogata
  • Patent number: RE42776
    Abstract: An integrated circuit biases the substrate and well using voltages other than those used for power and ground. Tap cells inside the standard cell circuits are removed. New tap cells used to bias the substrate and well reside outside the standard cell circuits. The location of the new voltage power rails is designated prior to placement of the tap cells in the integrated circuit. The tap cells are then strategically placed near the power rails such that metal connections are minimized. Circuit density is thus not adversely impacted by the addition of the new power rails. Transistors are also placed inside the tap cells to address electrostatic discharge issues during fabrication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Marvell International Ltd.
    Inventors: Lawrence T. Clark, Vikas R. Amrelia, Raphael A. Soetan, Eric J. Hoffman, Tuan X. Do