Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Hsiang-Jen Tseng

Ting-Wei Chiang

Li-Chun Tien

Wei-Yu Chen

Hui-Zhong Zhuang

Jung-Chan Yang

Shang-Chih Hsieh

Chun-Fu Chen

Ta-Pen Guo

Chi-Yu Lu

Ni-Wan Fan

Chung-Cheng Wu

Min Cao

Shyue-Shyh Lin

Ali Keshavarzi

Cheng-I Huang

Lee-Chung Lu

Yung-Chin Hou

Lipen Yuan

Wei-Ling Chang

Kuo-Nan Yang

Ming-Hsiang Song

Tommy Hu

Jiann-Tyng Tzeng

Yen-Ming Chen

David Barry Scott

Ting Yu Chen

Shun Li Chen

Shyh-Wei Wang

Sheng-Jier Yang

Jung-chan Yang

Ruei-Wun Sun

Shu-Hui Sung

Ka Hing Fung

Hung-Jung Tseng

Sheng-Hsiung Chen

Ting-Wei Chang

Shu-Min Chen

Ting-Yu Chen

Helen Shu-Hui Chang

Semiconductor structures and methods for forming a semiconductor structure are provided. The method includes forming a first active semiconductor region disposed in a first vertical level of the semiconductor structure, forming a second active semiconductor region disposed in the first vertical level, where the second active semiconductor region is separated from the first active semiconductor region by a distance in a first direction, forming a first conductive structure disposed in a second vertical level that is adjacent to the first vertical level. The first conductive structure extends along the first direction and electrically couples the first active semiconductor region to the second active semiconductor region.

Semiconductor structures and methods of forming the same

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes first and second source/drain regions on or within a substrate. A first gate is arranged over the substrate between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region. A first middle-end-of-the-line (MEOL) structure is arranged over the second source/drain region and a second MEOL structure is arranged over a third source/drain region. A conductive structure contacts the first MEOL structure and the second MEOL structure. A second gate is separated from the first gate by the second source/drain region. The conductive structure vertically and physically contacts a top surface of the second gate that is coupled to outermost sidewalls of the second gate. A plurality of conductive contacts are configured to electrically couple an interconnect wire and the first MEOL structure along one or more conductive paths extending through the conductive structure.

Standard-cell layout structure with horn power and smart metal cut

An integrated circuit includes a plurality of metal lines extending along a first direction, the plurality of metal lines being separated, in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, by integral multiples of a nominal minimum pitch. The integrated circuit further includes a plurality of standard cells, at least one of the plurality of standard cells having a cell height along the second direction being a non-integral multiple of the nominal minimum pitch.

Integrated circuit having non-integral multiple pitch

An integrated circuit includes a first diffusion area for a first type transistor. The first type transistor includes a first drain region and a first source region. A second diffusion area for a second type transistor is separated from the first diffusion area. The second type transistor includes a second drain region and a second source region. A gate electrode continuously extends across the first diffusion area and the second diffusion area in a routing direction. A first metallic structure is electrically coupled with the first source region. A second metallic structure is electrically coupled with the second drain region. A third metallic structure is disposed over and electrically coupled with the first and second metallic structures. A width of the first metallic structure is substantially equal to or larger than a width of the third metallic structure.

Integrated circuits and manufacturing methods thereof

An integrated circuit designing system includes a non-transitory storage medium, the non-transitory storage medium being encoded with a layout of a standard cell corresponding to a predetermined manufacturing process, the predetermined manufacturing process having a nominal minimum pitch of metal lines along a predetermined direction, the layout of the standard cell having a cell height along the predetermined direction, and the cell height is a non-integral multiple of the nominal minimum pitch. The integrated circuit designing system further includes a hardware processor communicatively coupled with the non-transitory storage medium and configured to execute a set of instructions for generating an integrated circuit layout based on the layout of the standard cell and the nominal minimum pitch.

System for designing integrated circuit layout and method of making the integrated circuit layout

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated chip. The method may be performed by forming a first device tier including a first semiconductor substrate having a first plurality of devices. A second semiconductor substrate is formed over the first device tier. A first conductive layer is formed within the second semiconductor substrate, and a second conductive layer is formed within the second semiconductor substrate and over the first conductive layer. The first conductive layer and the second conductive layer have different patterns as viewed from a top-view. A second plurality of devices are formed on the second semiconductor substrate. The first and second conductive layers are configured to electrically couple the first plurality of devices and the second plurality of devices.

Connecting techniques for stacked substrates

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit includes first and second source/drain regions within a substrate. A gate structure is over the substrate between the first and second source/drain regions. A middle-end-of-the-line (MEOL) structure is over the second source/drain region. The MEOL structure has a bottommost surface that continuously extends in a first direction from directly contacting a top of the second source/drain region to laterally past an outer edge of the second source/drain region. A conductive structure is on the MEOL structure. A second gate structure is separated from the gate structure by the second source/drain region. The conductive structure continuously extends in a second direction over the MEOL structure and past opposing sides of the second gate structure. A plurality of conductive contacts are configured to electrically couple an interconnect wire and the MEOL structure along through the conductive structure.

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to an integrated chip. The integrated chip includes a semiconductor substrate having a first pair of sidewalls extending in a first direction and a second pair of sidewalls. One or more of the second pair of sidewalls extend past the first pair of sidewalls in a second direction that intersects the first direction as viewed from a top-view of the semiconductor substrate. The first pair of sidewalls and the second pair of sidewalls define one or more trenches within the semiconductor substrate. An interconnecting structure including a conductive material is disposed within the one or more trenches in the semiconductor substrate. The interconnecting structure continuously extends completely through the semiconductor substrate.

Connection structure for stacked substrates

The present disclosure, in some embodiments, relates to a method of forming an integrated circuit. The method is performed by forming a gate structure over a substrate, and selectively implanting the substrate according to the gate structure to form first and second source/drain regions on opposing sides of the gate structure. A first MEOL structure is formed on the first source/drain region and a second MEOL structure is formed on the second source/drain region. The first MEOL structure has a bottommost surface that extends in a first direction from directly over the first source/drain region to laterally past an outermost edge of the first source/drain region. A conductive structure is formed to contact the first MEOL structure and the second MEOL structure. The conductive structure laterally extends from directly over the first MEOL structure to directly over the second MEOL structure along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

An integrated circuit designing system includes a non-transitory storage medium encoded with a first set of standard cell layouts and a second set of standard cell layouts both being configured to perform a predetermined function. The predetermined manufacturing process having a nominal minimum pitch (T) of metal lines. Each standard cell layout of the first set of standard cell layouts and the second set of standard cell layouts having a cell height (H) wherein the cell height is a non-integral multiple of the nominal minimum pitch. A hardware processor communicatively is coupled with the non-transitory storage medium and is configured to execute a set of instructions for generating an integrated circuit layout based on the first set of standard cell layouts, the second set of standard cell layouts and the nominal minimum pitch; and creating a data file corresponding to the integrated circuit layout.

Integrated circuit designing system

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated circuit (IC) having parallel conductive paths between a BEOL interconnect layer and a middle-end-of-the-line (MEOL) structure, which are configured to reduce a parasitic resistance and/or capacitance of the IC. The IC comprises source/drain regions arranged within a substrate and separated by a channel region. A gate structure is arranged over the channel region and a MEOL structure is arranged over one of the source/drain regions. A conductive structure is arranged over and in electrical contact with the MEOL structure. A first conductive contact is arranged between the MEOL structure and an overlying BEOL interconnect wire (e.g., a power rail). A second conductive contact is configured to electrically couple the BEOL interconnect wire and the MEOL structure along a conductive path extending through the conductive structure, thereby forming parallel conductive paths between the BEOL interconnect layer and the MEOL structure.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Hsiang-Jen Tseng