Low congestion standard cells

Abstract

A system and method for creating layout for standard cells are described. In various implementations, a semiconductor fabrication process (or process) forms a power signal route in a same metal zero track reserved for power rails. The process forms a contact layer with inserted spacing underneath the power signal route. Along the track, this contact layer has physical contact with the power signal route with a first distance greater than a width of any signal route in any metal layer orthogonal to the power signal route, and has no physical contact with the power signal route with a second distance greater than the width. One or more signal routes in the local interconnect layer are routed through this spacing. Without this spacing, signals would be routed through this area using the metal one layer, which increases signal congestion.