Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha

Miho Yokota

Nobuyuki Ikeda

Takenobu Iwao

Masatomi Okabe

Shuichi Kato

Maho Urano

Connection between a PMOS transistor and an NMOS transistor is made through a refractory metal salicide layer in the source and drain regions of these transistors. The salicide is low in resistance, thereby partially substituting for a first Al wiring in intracell wiring. The resulting empty area provides a wiring area and, hence, the freedom of chip layout is enhanced. Besides, in a microcell which constitutes a logic circuit, such as a gate array, lateral wiring grid dots can be utilized as a wiring area.

Field effect transistor array including refractory metal silicide

A plurality of macro cell layout regions 9 in cell regions 2 on a semiconductor substrate 1 are divided into three portions in a second direction. Each of the divided portions is provided with basic circuits 14a through 14c. In each basic circuit, a first common line 16 is connected to an output node of a clock input driver 11 via a clock output line 17. A plurality of predrivers 15(1) through 15(n) have their input nodes IN connected to the first common line 16 and have their output nodes OUT connected to a second common line 18. A plurality of main drivers 19(1) through 19mhave their input nodes IN connected to the second common line 18 and have their output nodes OUT connected to a third common line 20. The third common line is connected to a plurality of clock signal supply lines 21(1) through 21(s) commonly provided to the basic circuits 14a through 14c. The clock signal supply lines 21(1) through 21(s) are connected to clock input nodes of internal circuits 22 each requiring a clock signal.

Clock driver circuit and semiconductor integrated circuit device

A clock driver circuit is furnished in a centrally located macro cell layout region. The clock driver circuit has a plurality of predrivers and a plurality of main drivers. The input and output nodes of the predrivers are short-circuited by a first and a second common line, and the input and output nodes of the main drivers are short-circuited by the second and a third common line. A plurality of clock driver circuits are formed predetermined distances apart and arranged to intersect the clock driver circuit perpendicularly. Each of the clock driver circuits has a plurality of predrivers and a plurality of main drivers. The input and output nodes of the predrivers are short-circuited by a fourth and a fifth common line, and the input and output nodes of the main drivers are short-circuited by the fifth and a sixth common line. The third and the fourth common lines are interconnected. The sixth common line is connected to clock signal supply lines which in turn are connected to a plurality of second macro cells.

Clock driver circuit in a centrally located macro cell layout region

An apparatus and method for checking logic circuit checks logic element influenced by hot carriers in the logic circuit. The present invention comprises means for measuring rising transition time t.sub.r (or falling transition time t.sub.f) of signal generated by logic element comprising one portion of the logic circuit; means for calculating a ratio (DUTY) of rising transition time t.sub.r (or falling transition time t.sub.f) and operation period T of the signal; and means for comparing said DUTY with maximum allowable duty (DUTYMAX), in order to detect the logic element having DUTY exceeding maximum allowable duty (DUTYMAX).

Apparatus and method for checking logic circuit

In order to lay out a driver circuit having high drivability without increasing a semiconductor chip area, a macro cell (22) such as a clock driver having a large fan-out is arranged under a feeder line (20). It is possible to feed the macro cell (22) from the feeder line (20), which is a second layer aluminum wire, in a short distance. An input signal line (23) and an output signal line (24) which are connected to input and output pins of the macro cell (22) are provided in positions not to be in contact with the feeder line (20). Since the macro cell (22) is arranged in a portion of an internal region which is located under the feeder line (20), it is possible to suppress increase of the layout area as well as electromigration caused by feeding to the macro cell (22).

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Tokyo, Japan

Miho Yokota