The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 27, 1999
Filed:
Dec. 17, 1997
Kenichiro Mimoto, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Motohiro Enkaku, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Takehiko Hojo, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Kawasaki, JP;
Abstract
In a first inter-layer insulator film above source/drain regions of basic cells constituting a gate array, first contact holes (joint contacts) are placed, so that wings (joint plates) electrically connected with the source/drain regions via plugs in those joint contacts is locally placed above the source/drain regions. Above the wings is formed a second inter-layer insulator film, above which is formed a first level interconnection which constitutes one of metal wiring layers. In the second inter-layer insulator film are formed second contact holes, so that a semi-custom ASIC is provided in which the wings and the first level interconnection are electrically interconnected via the plugs in those second contact holes. The first and second contact holes, first level interconnection, etc. are automatically designed by use of a computer based on a grid pattern in the basic cells. According to the present invention, the basic cells need not be re-designed even if a first pitch of a pattern of the first contact holes is different from a second pitch of a pattern of the second contact holes, thus easily enabling automatic customization. Without increasing the area of the source/drain regions in the basic cells, any pitch of the wiring layers can be selected, thus increasing the integration density without deteriorating the performance of MOS FETs at the same time as reducing time required for the customization.