Cell circuits formed in circuit cells employing offset gate cut areas in a non-active area for routing transistor gate cross-connections
US11152347B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 13, 2018 |
| Grant date | Oct 19, 2021 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 24, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10D84/974
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Cell circuits formed in circuit cells employing offset gate cut areas in a non-active area for routing transistor gate cross-connections. In exemplary aspects disclosed herein, to allow cross-connections to be made across different gates between PMOS and NMOS transistors formed in the circuit cell, cut areas in the circuit cell are located in different horizontal routing tracks and offset from each other in the direction of longitudinal axes of gates. Gate cross-connections can be routed around offset gate cut areas and coupled to active gates to form gate cross-connections. In this manner, fewer metal layers may be required to provide such cross-connections in the circuit cell, thus reducing area. Further, gate contacts of cross-connected gates can be formed as gate contacts over active areas (GCOAs) in diffusion areas of the circuit cell, thus facilitating easier routing of interconnections in non-diffusion area of the circuit cell for further ease of routing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.