Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Wei-Ling Chang

Li-Chun Tien

Hui-Zhong Zhuang

Chih-Liang Chen

Chi-Yu Lu

Ting Yu Chen

Hsiang-Jen Tseng

Ni-Wan Fan

Lee-Chung Lu

Chia-Tien Wu

Jung-Chan Yang

Shun Li Chen

Tommy Hu

Xiangdong Chen

Guo-Huei Wu

Jung-chan Yang

Wei-Ren Chen

Hsiang-Chi Huang

Stefan Rusu

Kam-Tou Sio

Jerry Chang Jui Kao

Chih-wei Chang

Po-Chia Lai

Kam-tou Sio

Jia-Hong Gao

Ming-Chang Kuo

Anurag Verma

Meng-kai Hsu

Sang-Chi Huang

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

A method includes fabricating semiconductor structures extending in a first direction and fabricating gate-conductors extending in a second direction intersecting the semiconductor structure. The method also includes patterning a first metal layer to form horizontal conducting lines extending in the first direction, and patterning the second metal layer to form vertical conducting lines extending in the second direction. A first vertical conducting line is aligned with a first gate-conductor underneath and a second vertical conducting line is aligned with a vertical boundary of a circuit cell. The first vertical conducting line is directly connected to a first horizontal conducting line through a first pin-connector, and the second vertical conducting line is directly connected to a second horizontal conducting line through a second pin-connector.

Signal conducting line arrangements in integrated circuits

An integrated circuit structure includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first conductive via, a second conductive via, and a connection line. The first transistor includes a first active region, a first gate electrode over the first active region; and a first channel in the first active region and under the first gate electrode. The second transistor includes a second active region, a second gate electrode over the second active region, and a second channel in the second active region and under the second gate electrode. The first conductive via is electrically connected to the first gate electrode. The second conductive via is electrically connected to the second gate electrode. The connection line electrically connects the first and second conductive vias. The first transistor and the first conductive via and the second transistor and the second conductive via are arranged mirror-symmetrically with respect to a symmetry plane.

Integrated circuit structure and method for manufacturing the same

An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a circuit region, a lower metal layer over the circuit region, and an upper metal layer over the lower metal layer. The lower metal layer includes a plurality of lower conductive patterns elongated along a first axis. The upper metal layer includes a plurality of upper conductive patterns elongated along a second axis transverse to the first axis. The plurality of upper conductive patterns includes at least one input or output configured to electrically couple the circuit region to external circuitry outside the circuit region. The upper metal layer further includes a first lateral upper conductive pattern contiguous with and projecting, along the first axis, from a first upper conductive pattern among the plurality of upper conductive patterns. The first lateral upper conductive pattern is over and electrically coupled to a first lower conductive pattern among the plurality of lower conductive patterns.

Integrated circuit device, method and system

A layout method and a semiconductor device are disclosed. The layout method includes: generating a design layout by placing a cell, wherein the cell includes: a first conductive segment overlapping a source/drain region and disposed immediately adjacent to a first power rail, wherein the first conductive segment has a length substantially equal to a cell length; a second conductive segment; and a third conductive segment between the first and second conductive segments. The layout method further includes: providing a fourth conductive segment and a fifth conductive segment to the design layout, wherein the fourth and fifth conductive segments are aligned in a first direction.

Routing structure of semiconductor device and forming method thereof

An integrated circuit includes a plurality of horizontal conducting lines in a first connection layer, a plurality of gate-conductors below the first connection layer, a plurality of terminal-conductors below the first connection layer, and a via-connector directly connecting one of the horizontal conducting lines with one of the gate-conductors or with one of the terminal-conductors. The integrated circuit also includes a plurality of vertical conducting lines in a second connection layer above the first connection layer, and a plurality of pin-connectors for a circuit cell. A first pin-connector is directly connected between a first horizontal conducting line and a first vertical conducting line atop one of the gate-conductors. A second pin-connector is directly connected between a second horizontal conducting line and a second vertical conducting line atop a vertical boundary of the circuit cell.

A power gating cell on an integrated circuit is provided. The power gating cell includes: a central area; a peripheral area surrounding the central area; a first active region located in the central area, the first active region having a first width in a first direction corresponding to at least four fin structures extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and a plurality of second active regions located in the peripheral area, each second active region having a second width in the first direction corresponding to at least one and no more than three fin structures extending in the second direction.

Power gating cell structure

A semiconductor cell structure includes four pairs of conductive segments, a first gate-strip, and a second gate-strip. A first conductive segment is configured to have a first supply voltage, and a second conductive segment is configured to have a second supply voltage. Each of the first gate-strip and the second gate-strip intersects an active zone over a channel region of a transistor. The first gate-strip is conductively connected to the second conductive segment. The semiconductor cell structure also includes a first dummy gate-strip and a second dummy gate-strip. The first dummy gate-strip separates from the first gate-strip by one CPP. The second dummy gate-strip separates from the second gate-strip by one CPP. The first gate-strip and the second gate-strip are separated from each other by two CPPs. The dummy gate-strip and the second dummy gate-strip are separated from each other by four CPPs.

Engineering change order cell structure having always-on transistor

A semiconductor structure includes a plurality of vias and a metal layer. The vias disposed on a semiconductor substrate. The metal layer has a plurality of metal lines and at least one transmission gate line region. The metal lines are connected to the vias. The at least one transmission gate line region is connected to at least one transmission gate corresponding to at least one transmission gate circuit. The transmission gate line region includes at least one different-net via pair. The different-net via pair has two metal lines and each of the two metal lines is connected to a via respectively. The two metal lines extend along a first axis but toward opposite directions. A distance between the two vias of the different-net via pair is within about 1.5 poly pitch.

Semiconductor structure and layout method of a semiconductor structure

A semiconductor cell structure includes four transistors, two gate-strips, four pairs of conductive segments, and a plurality of horizontal routing lines. Each of the two gate-strips intersects a first-type active zone and a second-type active zone. A first conductive segment is configured to have a first supply voltage. A second conductive segment is configured to have a second supply voltage. The first gate-strip is conductively connected to the second conductive segment. Each of the horizontal routing lines intersects one or more conductive segments over one or more corresponding intersections while conductively isolated from the one or more conductive segments at each of the one or more corresponding intersections.

A method includes positioning adjacent first through fourth active regions in a cell of an IC layout diagram, the first active region being a first type of an n-type or a p-type and corresponding to a first total number of fins, the second active region being a second type of the n-type or the p-type and corresponding to a second total number of fins, the third active region being the second type and corresponding to a third total number of fins, and the fourth active region being the first type and corresponding to a fourth total number of fins. Each of the first and second total numbers of fins is greater than each of the third and fourth total numbers of fins, and at least one of the positioning the first, second, third, or fourth active regions is performed by a processor.

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Wei-Ling Chang