Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

TSMC Nanjing Company, Limited

Shang-Chih Hsieh

Chi-Lin Liu

Lee-Chung Lu

Wei-Hsiang Ma

Hui-Zhong Zhuang

Ting-Wei Chiang

Jerry Chang-Jui Kao

Yu-Lun Ou

Jerry Chang Jui Kao

Hsiang-Jen Tseng

Chun-Fu Chen

Yung-Chen Chien

Wei-Chih Hsieh

Li-Chun Tien

Kai-Chi Huang

Chang-Yu Wu

Ji-Yung Lin

Ruei-Wun Sun

Che Min Huang

Chih-Chiang Chang

Sheng-Hsiung Chen

Ta-Pen Guo

Fong-yuan Chang

Jung-Chan Yang

Chi-Yu Lu

Meng-Hung Shen

Cheok-Kei Lei

Huaixin Xian

Chien-Te Wu

Shao-Yu Wang

Jian-Sing Li

Greg Gruber

Ming-Chang Kuo

Yi-Hsun Chen

Nick Tsai

Sang Hoo Dhong

Cheng-Chung Lin

Qingchao Meng

Hsueh-Chih Chou

Yang Zhou

Chia Hao Tu

Meng-Hsueh Wang

Yu-Jheng Ou-Yang

Jiann-Tyng Tzeng

Wei-Yu Chen

Chih-Liang Chen

Kam-Tou Sio

Osamu Takahashi

Ming-Zhang Kuo

Yi-Feng Chen

Jen-Hang Yang

Helen Shu-Hui Chang

Henry Huang

Sang Hoo Dong

Bor-Tyng Lin

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device which includes a multiplexer, a master latch, and a slave latch. The multiplexer outputs an inverse of an input data signal or an inverse scan input signal according to a scan enable signal. The master latch is coupled to an output terminal of the multiplexer, and is configured to latch the inverse of the input data signal based on an input clock signal in response to the scan enable signal being in a low-logic state. The slave latch is coupled to the output terminal of the multiplexer through a first clocked CMOS inverter, and is configured to receive the input data signal and to output a latched slave latch data based on the input clock signal. A leakage-free dummy cell is disposed in a non-critical path of the master latch and the slave latch.

Leakage-free dummy cell for semiconductor devices

A circuit includes a multi-bit flip flop, an integrated clock gating circuit connected to the multi-bit flip flop, and a control circuit connected to the integrated clock gating circuit and the multi-bit flip flop. The control circuit compares output data of the multi-bit flip flop corresponding to input data with the input data. The control circuit generates an enable signal based on comparing the output data of the multi-bit flip flop corresponding to the input data with the input data of the multi-bit flip flop. The control circuit provides the enable signal to the integrated clock gating circuit, wherein the integrated clock gating circuit provides, based on the enable signal, a clock signal to the multi-bit flip flop causing the multi-bit flip flop to toggle.

Multi-bit flip flop

An integrated circuit includes a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of circuit elements in or on the substrate. The circuit elements are defined by standard layout cells selected from a cell library. The circuit elements including a plurality of flip-flops. Each flip-flop has a data input terminal, a data output terminal, a clock input terminal, and a clock output terminal. A first one of the flip-flops directly abuts a second flip-flop such that the clock output terminal of the first flip-flop electrically connects with the clock input terminal of the second flip-flop.

Flip-flop cell

An integrated circuit includes a first time delay circuit, a second time delay circuit, and a master-slave flip-flop having a gated input circuit and a transmission gate. The transmission gate is configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal to control a transmission state of the transmission gate. The gated input circuit is configured to have an input transmission state controlled by the third clock signal at the second output of the second time delay circuit. The second time delay circuit further includes a second gate-conductor and a second gate via-connector in direct contact with the second gate-conductor. The second gate-conductor intersects a first-type active region structure and a second-type active region structure in a second area, and wherein at least a portion of the second gate via-connector is atop the second-type active region structure.

Method for forming a timing circuit arrangements for flip-flops

A circuit includes a first power node having a first voltage level, a second power node having a second voltage level different from the first voltage level, a reference node having a reference voltage level, a master latch that outputs a first bit based on a received bit, a slave latch that outputs a second bit based on the first bit and an output bit based on a selected one of the first bit or a third bit, a first level shifter that outputs the third bit based on a complementary bit pair, and a retention latch including a second level shifter and a pair of inverters that outputs the complementary bit pair based on the second bit. The slave latch and the first level shifter are coupled between the first power and reference nodes, and the retention latch is coupled between the second power and reference nodes.

Data retention circuit and method

An integrated circuit includes a flip-flop circuit and a gating circuit. The flip-flop circuit is arranged to receive an input data for generating a master signal during a writing mode according to a first clock signal and a second clock signal, and to output an output data according to the first clock signal and the second clock signal during a storing mode. The gating circuit is arranged for generating the first clock signal and the second clock signal according to the master signal and an input clock signal. When the input clock signal is at a signal level, the first clock signal and the second clock signal are at different logic levels. When the input clock signal is at another signal level, the first clock signal and the second clock signal are at a same logic level determined according to a signal level of the master signal.

Flip-flop device and method of operating flip-flop device

A logic circuit (for providing a multibit flip-flop (MBFF) function) includes: a first inverter to receive a clock signal and generate a corresponding clock_bar signal; a second inverter to receive the clock_bar signal and generate a corresponding clock_bar_bar signal; a third inverter to receive a control signal and generate a corresponding control_bar signal; and a series-chain of 1-bit transfer flip-flop (TXFF) circuits, each including: a NAND circuit to receive data signals; and a 1-bit transmit gate flip-flop (TGFF) circuit to output signals Q and q, and receive an output of the NAND circuit, the signal q from the TGFF circuit of a preceding TXFF circuit in the series-chain, the clock_bar and clock_bar_bar signals, and the control and control_bar signals; and the first transfer TXFF circuit in the series-chain being configured to receive a start signal in place of the signal q from an otherwise preceding TGFF circuit.

Logic circuits with reduced transistor counts

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

A multiplexer circuit includes first and second fins each extending in an X-axis direction. First, second, third and fourth gates extend in a Y-axis direction perpendicular to the X-axis direction and contact the first and second fins. The first, second, third and fourth gates are configured to receive first, second, third and fourth data signals, respectively. Fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth gates extend in the Y-axis direction and contact the first and second fins, the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth gates, and are configured to receive the first, second, third and fourth select signals, respectively. An input logic circuit is configured to provide an output at an intermediate node. A ninth gate extends in the Y-axis direction and contacts the first and second fins. An output logic circuit is configured to provide a selected one of the first, second, third and fourth data signals at an output terminal.

Multiplexer

Disclosed herein are embodiments related to a power efficient multi-bit storage system. In one configuration, the multi-bit storage system includes a first storage circuit, a second storage circuit, a prediction circuit, and a clock gating circuit. In one aspect, the first storage circuit updates a first output bit according to a first input bit, in response to a trigger signal, and the second storage circuit updates a second output bit according to a second input bit, in response to the trigger signal. In one aspect, the prediction circuit generates a trigger enable signal indicating whether at least one of the first output bit or the second output bit is predicted to change a state. In one aspect, the clock gating circuit generates the trigger signal based on the trigger enable signal.

Power efficient multi-bit storage system

A circuit includes an input circuit, a level shifter circuit, an output circuit, and a first and a second feedback circuit. The input circuit is coupled to a first voltage supply, and configured to receive a first input signal, and to generate at least a second input signal. The level shifter circuit is coupled to a second voltage supply, and configured to generate at least a first and second signal responsive to at least the enable signal or the first input signal. The output circuit is coupled to at least the level shifter circuit and the second voltage supply, and configured to generate at least an output signal, a first and second feedback signal responsive to the first signal. The first and second feedback circuit are configured to receive the enable signal, and the inverted enable signal, and the corresponding first and second feedback signal.

Level shifter circuit and method of operating the same

In some embodiments, a flip-flop is disposed as an integrated circuit layout on a flip-flop region of a semiconductor substrate. The flip-flop includes a first clock inverter circuit that resides within the flip-flop region, and a second clock inverter circuit residing within the flip-flop region. The first clock inverter circuit and the second clock inverter circuit are disposed on a first line. Master switch circuitry is made up of a first plurality of devices which are circumscribed by a master switch perimeter that resides within the flip-flop region of the integrated circuit layout. The master switch circuitry and the first clock inverter circuit are disposed on a second line perpendicular to the first line. Slave switch circuitry is operably coupled to an output of the master switch circuitry. The slave switch circuitry is made up of a third plurality of devices that are circumscribed by a slave switch perimeter. The slave switch circuitry and the second clock inverter circuit are disposed on a third line that is in parallel with and spaced apart from the second line.

Flip-flop with delineated layout for reduced footprint

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes placing a first set of conductive feature patterns on a first level, placing a second set of conductive feature patterns on a second level, placing a first set of via patterns between the second set of conductive feature patterns and the first set of conductive feature patterns, placing a third set of conductive feature patterns on a third level different from the first level and the second level, placing a second set of via patterns between the third set of conductive feature patterns and the second set of conductive feature patterns, and manufacturing the integrated circuit based on at least one of the above patterns of the integrated circuit.

Integrated circuit, system for and method of forming an integrated circuit

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming active regions, forming S/D regions, forming MD contact structures and forming gate lines resulting in corresponding transistors that define a first time delay circuit having a first input configured to receive a first clock signal and having a first output configured to generate a second clock signal from the first clock signal; and corresponding transistors that define a second time delay circuit having a second input configured to receive the second clock signal and having a second output configured to generate a third clock signal from the first clock signal; forming a first gate via-connector in direct contact with the first gate line atop the first-type active region in the first area; and forming a second gate via-connector in direct contact with the second gate line atop the second-type active region in the second area.

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Yangmei, Taiwan

Shang-Chih Hsieh