Qualcomm Incorporated

Giridhar Nallapati

Junjing Bao

John Jianhong Zhu

Stanley Seungchul Song

Periannan Chidambaram

Jihong Choi

Chock Hing Gan

P R Chidambaram

Jie Deng

Jonghae Kim

Bin Yang

Choh Fei Yeap

Benjamin Bowers

Foua Vang

Lixin Ge

Peijie Feng

Gregory Christopher Burda

William Robert Flederbach

James W Hayward

Charanya Gopal

Robert J Bucki

Matthew D Youngblood

Seung Hyuk Kang

Xia Li

Kern Rim

Seong-Ook Jung

Ravi Mahendra Todi

Jun Yuan

Ye Lu

Venugopal Boynapalli

Animesh Datta

Ming Cai

Esin Terzioglu

Da Yang

Hyeokjin Lim

Pratyush Kamal

Deepak Sharma

Prayag Bhanubhai Patel

Jianwen Xu

Yangyang Sun

Bharani Chava

Pr Chidambaram

Jun Chen

Tae Woo Oh

William Michael Stone

Hanwool Jeong

Samit Sengupta

Bo Yu

Ahmer Syed

Jiefeng Jeff Lin

Benjamin John Bowers

Disclosed are complementary field effect transistors (CFETs) with balanced n and p drive current, and methods for making the same. In an aspect, a CFET structure comprises an nFET with horizontal p-doped nanosheet channels arranged in a first vertical stack, each horizontal p-doped nanosheet channel having a width W, and connecting a first source contact to a first drain contact through a first gate-all-around (GAA) region having a length L. The CFET structure further comprises a pFET with horizontal n-doped nanosheet channels arranged in a second vertical stack disposed on the first vertical stack, each horizontal n-doped nanosheet channel having a width W, and connecting a second source contact to a second drain contact through a second GAA region having a length L, wherein W/Lis not equal to W/L

Complementary field effect transistor (CFET) with balanced N and P drive current

Disclosed are apparatuses including a transistor cell and methods of fabricating the transistor cell. The transistor cell may include a substrate, an active region and a gate having a gate contact in the active region. The transistor cell may further include a first portion of a spacer of the gate contact formed from a first material, and a second portion of the spacer of the gate contact formed from a second material.

Transistor cell with self-aligned gate contact

Integrated circuit (IC) packages employing a capacitor-embedded, redistribution layer (RDL) substrate and related fabrication methods. The embedded capacitor can be coupled to a power distribution network (PDN) to provide decoupling capacitance to reduce current-resistance (IR) drop. The RDL substrate is disposed between the IC chip(s) and the package substrate to minimize distance between the embedded capacitor(s) and the IC chip(s) to reduce the parasitic inductance in the PDN, thus reducing PDN noise. With the RDL substrate disposed between the package substrate and the IC chip(s), the RDL substrate needs to support through-interconnections between the package substrate and the IC chip(s). In this regard, the RDL substrate includes an outer RDL layer adjacent to the IC chip(s) to support small pitch metal interconnects as well as provide fan-out capability. This provides enhanced connectivity compatibility with higher-density die interconnect IC chips while also supporting a closer located embedded capacitor in the PDN.

Integrated circuit (IC) packages employing a capacitor-embedded, redistribution layer (RDL) substrate for interfacing an IC chip(s) to a package substrate, and related methods

Deep trench capacitors (DTCs) in an inter-layer medium (ILM) on an interconnect layer of an integrated circuit (IC) die is disclosed. A method of fabricating an IC die comprising DTCs in the ILM is also disclosed. The DTCs are disposed on an IC, in an ILM, to minimize the lengths of the power and ground traces coupling the DTCs to circuits in a semiconductor layer. The DTCs and the semiconductor layer are on opposite sides of the metal layer(s) used to interconnect the circuits, so the locations of the DTCs in the ILM can be independent of circuit layout and interconnect routing. IC dies with DTCs disposed in the ILM can significantly reduce voltage droop and spikes in IC dies in an IC stack. In one example, DTCs are also located in trenches in the substrate of the IC die.

Deep trench capacitors in an inter-layer medium on an interconnect layer of an integrated circuit die and related methods

Disclosed are examples of a device and method of fabricating a device including a first top contact, a second top contact, adjacent the first top contact, a first mesa disposed below the first top contact and a second mesa disposed below the second top contact. A first plate of a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor is disposed below the first top contact and electrically coupled to the first top contact. A first insulator of the MIM capacitor is disposed on the first plate. A second plate of the MIM capacitor is disposed on the first insulator and electrically coupled to the second top contact. A second insulator of the MIM capacitor is disposed on the second plate. A third plate of the MIM capacitor is disposed on the second insulator and electrically coupled to the first top contact.

Metal-insulator-metal capacitor with top contact

Integrated circuits (ICs), including capacitors and inductors, employing directly coupled metal lines between vertically-adjacent interconnect layers for reduced coupling resistance, and related fabrication methods. By directly coupled, it is meant that there is not an intermediate vertical interconnect access (via) layer with a via(s) interconnecting the metal lines in vertically-adjacent interconnect layers. An overlying and underlying metal line in respective and vertically-adjacent overlying and underlying interconnect layers are directly coupled to each other without the need for an intermediate via layer. For example, directly coupled metal in adjacent interconnect layers of IC can reduce contact resistance between the metal lines and reduce the overall height of the IC. An insulating layer(s) can be disposed in select recessed regions between the overlying interconnect layer and the underlying interconnect layer to insulate an overlying metal line from another vertically-intersecting underlying metal line that are not intended to be electrically coupled together.

Integrated circuits (ICs) employing directly coupled metal lines between vertically-adjacent interconnect layers for reduced coupling resistance, and related methods

Field-effect transistor (FET) circuits employing topside and backside contacts for topside and backside routing of FET power and logic signals. A FET circuit is provided that includes a FET that includes a conduction channel, a source, a drain, and a gate. The FET circuit also includes a topside metal contact electrically coupled with at least one of the source, drain, and gate of the FET. The FET circuit also includes a backside metal contact electrically coupled with at least one of the source, drain, and gate of the FET. The FET circuit also includes topside and backside metal lines electrically coupled to the respective topside and backside metal contacts to provide power and signal routing to the FET. A complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuit is also provided that includes a PFET and NFET that each includes a topside and backside contact for power and signal routing.

Field-effect transistors (FET) circuits employing topside and backside contacts for topside and backside routing of FET power and logic signals, and related complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits

Disclosed are standard cells and methods for fabricating standard cells used in semiconductor device design and fabrication. Aspects disclosed include a standard cell having a plurality of wide metal lines. The wide metal lines being formed from copper. The standard cell also includes a plurality of narrow metal lines. The narrow metal lines are formed from a material that has a lower resistance than copper for line widths on the order of twelve nanometers or less.

Hybrid low resistance metal lines

An apparatus includes at least one first device having a first contacted poly pitch (CPP) and a first contact. The first contact has a first contact size. The apparatus also includes at least one second device having a second CPP, a second contact, and a contact liner. The second CPP is larger than the first CPP. The second contact size is constrained by the contact liner, such that the contact liner reduces a contact opening for the second contact.

Contact liner to enable different CPP devices

A capacitor includes first conductive fingers interdigitated with second conductive fingers at an Mx interconnect level, and third conductive fingers interdigitated with fourth conductive fingers at an Mx-1 interconnect level. The third conductive fingers are offset from the first conductive fingers. The second conductive fingers are offset from the fourth conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes fifth conductive fingers interdigitated with sixth conductive fingers at an Mx-2 interconnect level. The fifth conductive fingers are offset from the third conductive fingers. The sixth conductive fingers are offset from the fourth conductive fingers. The capacitor further includes seventh conductive fingers interdigitated with eighth conductive fingers at an Mx-3 interconnect level. The seventh conductive fingers are offset from the fifth conductive fingers. The eighth conductive fingers are offset from the sixth conductive fingers. A first set of vias electrically couples the first conductive fingers to the fifth conductive fingers.

Finger metal-oxide-metal (FMOM) capacitor

An integrated circuit (IC) interconnect structure may include a metal layer with asymmetric metal line-dielectric structures supporting fully self-aligned vertical interconnect accesses (vias). The interconnect structure includes metal lines spaced at a metal line pitch and dielectric structures disposed between adjacent metal lines. The width of the metal lines is asymmetric to the width of dielectric structures, providing an asymmetric width relationship that allows a metal line to have a greater cross-sectional area for reducing electrical resistance without having to increase metal line pitch. The via pattern is self-aligned to an upper metal opening at the top and an underlayer metal recess opening at the bottom, allowing the maximum contact area to reduce via resistance. To reduce capacitive coupling between adjacent metal lines, the adjacent interconnect structures include a plurality of gaps formed in a dielectric material of the dielectric structure.

Integrated circuit (IC) interconnect structure having a metal layer with asymmetric metal line-dielectric structures supporting self-aligned vertical interconnect accesses (VIAS)

A semiconductor device includes a contact via and a metal interconnect on the contact via. The metal interconnect has a portion extending in a lengthwise direction that is wrapped around and in contact with a sidewall of the contact via. Along a widthwise direction, the metal interconnect does not contact the sidewall of the contact via.

Structure and method of metal wraparound for low via resistance

Aspects describing modified self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) processes using cut pattern masks to fabricate integrated circuit (IC) cells with reduced area are disclosed. In one aspect, a modified SAQP process includes disposing multiple mandrels. First spacers are disposed on either side of each mandrel, and second spacers are disposed on either side of each first spacer. A cut pattern mask is disposed over the second spacers and includes openings that expose second spacers corresponding to locations in which voltage rails are to be disposed. The voltage rails are formed by removing the second spacers exposed by the openings in the cut pattern mask, and disposing the voltage rails in the corresponding locations left vacant by removing the second spacers. Routing lines are disposed over routing tracks formed between each set of the remaining second spacers to allow for interconnecting of active devices formed in the IC cell.

Modified self-aligned quadruple patterning (SAQP) processes using cut pattern masks to fabricate integrated circuit (IC) cells with reduced area

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit may include a substrate, a first group of metal layers including a plurality of first fingers over the substrate, wherein the first fingers are formed without a via. The integrated circuit may further include a second group of metal layers including a plurality of second fingers over the first group of metal layers, wherein the second fingers are formed with vias, and wherein the first and the second group of metal layers are formed by a processing technology node of 7 nm or below.

High density and reliable vertical natural capacitors

Adaptive pulse generation circuits for clocking pulse latches with minimum hold time are provided. In one aspect, an adaptive pulse generation circuit employs a dynamic XOR-based logic gate configured to provide a pulse generation signal based on an XOR-based function of data input and data output-based signals of a pulse latch. A pull-down keeper circuit is configured to pull the pulse generation signal to a ground voltage in response to the pulse generation signal being in an inactive state while the clock signal is in an active state. A logic circuit is configured to generate an adaptive pulse signal to clock a pulse latch in response to the pulse generation signal and the clock signal being in an active state. This configuration results in the pulse width of the adaptive pulse signal corresponding to the input-to-output delay of the pulse latch.

Adaptive pulse generation circuits for clocking pulse latches with minimum hold time

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Giridhar Nallapati