Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chia-Yi Chen

Chung-Long Chang

Chih-Ping Chao

David Ding-Chung Lu

Ke-Ying Su

Ke-Wei Su

Cheng Yuan Hsiao

Te-Yu Liu

I-Lu Wu

Ming-Shih Yeh

Ping-Hung Yuh

Wen-Cheng Huang

A method and a corresponding system for analyzing process variation and parasitic resistance-capacitance (RC) elements in an interconnect structure of an integrated circuit (IC) are provided. First descriptions of parasitic RC elements in an interconnect structure of an IC are generated. The first descriptions describe the parasitic RC elements respectively at a typical process corner and a peripheral process corner. Sensitivity values are generated at the peripheral process corner from the first descriptions. The sensitivity values respectively quantify how sensitive the parasitic RC elements are to process variation. The sensitivity values are combined into a second description of the parasitic RC elements that describes the parasitic RC elements as a function of a process variation parameter. Simulation is performed on the second description by repeatedly simulating the second description with different values for the process variation parameter.

Method for analyzing interconnect process variation

A method of designing a circuit layout includes calculating a typical value representing performance characteristics for the circuit layout based on a graphic database system (GDS) file. The method further includes calculating an adjustment value based on the GDS file and at least one of a CAP corner vector or a RES corner vector, wherein the CAP corner vector is based on an eigenvector of a parasitic capacitance of the circuit layout, and the RES corner vector is based on an eigenvector of a parasitic resistance of the circuit layout. The method further includes calculating a corner value based on the typical value and the adjustment value. The method further includes modifying the GDS file if performance characteristics of the corner value fail to satisfy performance requirements of the circuit layout.

Method of designing circuit layout and system for implementing the same

An integrated circuit chip includes a first electronic device, a second electronic device, and a common electrode feature. The first electronic device includes a first feature. The first electronic device has a first footprint area in a given layer. The second electronic device includes a second feature. The second electronic device has a second footprint area in the given layer. The first and second electronic devices are electrically matched. The common electrode feature is common to the first and second electronic devices. The common electrode is at least partially located in the given layer. More than a majority of the first footprint area overlaps with the second footprint area. A first spacing between the first feature and the common electrode feature is about the same as a second spacing between the second feature and the common electrode feature.

Semiconductor device structure for reducing mismatch effects

A semiconductor structure including a capacitor having increased capacitance and improved electrical performance is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate and a MIM capacitor over the substrate. The MIM capacitor includes a bottom plate, an insulating layer over the bottom plate, and a top plate over the insulating layer. The semiconductor structure further includes a MOS device including a gate dielectric over the substrate and a metal-containing gate electrode free from polysilicon on the gate dielectric, wherein the metal-containing gate electrode is formed of a same material and has a same thickness as the bottom plate.

Capacitors integrated with metal gate formation

An integrated circuit structure combining air-gaps and metal-oxide-metal (MOM) capacitors is provided. The integrated circuit structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a first metallization layer over the semiconductor substrate; first metal features in the first metallization layer; a second metallization layer over the first metallization layer; second metal features in the second metallization layer, wherein the first and the second metal features are non-capacitor features; a MOM capacitor having an area in at least one of the first and the second metallization layers; and an air-gap in the first metallization layer and between the first metal features.

MOM capacitors integrated with air-gaps

A semiconductor structure including a capacitor having increased capacitance and improved electrical performance is provided. The semiconductor structure includes a substrate; and a capacitor over the substrate. The capacitor includes a first layer including a first capacitor electrode and a second capacitor electrode, wherein the first capacitor electrode is formed of a metal-containing material and is free from polysilicon. The semiconductor structure further includes a MOS device including a gate dielectric over the substrate; and a metal-containing gate electrode on the gate dielectric, wherein the metal-containing gate electrode is formed of a same material, and has a same thickness, as the first capacitor electrode.

A semiconductor device includes a first capacitor comprising a plurality of first unit capacitors interconnected to each other, each having a first unit capacitance; and a second capacitor comprising a plurality of second unit capacitors interconnected to each other, each having a second unit capacitance, wherein the first unit capacitors and the second unit capacitors have equal numbers of unit capacitors. The first unit capacitors and the second unit capacitors are arranged in an array with rows and columns and placed in an alternating pattern in each row and each column. The first and the second unit capacitors each have a total number greater than two.

Capacitor pairs with improved mismatch performance

An integrated circuit device includes a capacitor array, which includes unit capacitors arranged in rows and columns, wherein each unit capacitor is formed of two electrically insulated capacitor plates. The unit capacitors include at least one first unit capacitor in each row and in each column of the capacitor array; the at least one first unit capacitor being interconnected, wherein each row of the capacitor array comprises a same number of the at least one first unit capacitors as other rows and columns have, and wherein each column of the capacitor array comprises a same number of the at least one first unit capacitors as other rows and columns have. The unit capacitors further include at least one second unit capacitor in each row and in each column of the capacitor array, wherein the at least one second unit is interconnected and evenly distributed throughout the array.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Chia-Yi Chen