Gate-Cut Contact Layout for Dense IC Power Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuit devices with high integration density face challenges in efficient power delivery due to complex wiring structures, which can lead to reduced design freedom and reliability in power transmission.
Innovation Solution
The integration circuit device incorporates a substrate with device regions, gate electrodes, source/drain regions, and contact structures, including contact body and finger portions that fill gate cut regions and extend orthogonally to connect with source/drain regions, thereby reducing the complexity of the upper wiring structure and enabling reliable power delivery through a lower wiring structure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If complex wiring structures are used to achieve high integration density, then device integration density is improved, but power delivery reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension by forming contact structures that extend downward into lower wiring structures beneath the substrate. This allows power delivery pathways to utilize the vertical space (z-direction) rather than being confined to horizontal plane circuits, thereby maintaining reliability while supporting high integration density.
Solution Approach 2:
The power delivery network is segmented into multiple independent layers: upper wiring structures on the substrate surface, lower wiring structures beneath the substrate, and contact structures connecting them. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized independently and provides redundant power delivery pathways, improving overall reliability.
2Productivity
If complex wiring structures are used to achieve high integration density, then device integration density is improved, but design freedom is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
By adding the vertical dimension with lower wiring structures and contact structures, the patent provides additional design degrees of freedom. Designers can route power signals vertically through contact structures rather than being constrained to horizontal routing, enabling more flexible circuit layouts and improving adaptability.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional upper wiring structures are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but power transmission efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension to create shorter power delivery pathways by connecting upper and lower wiring structures through contact structures. This reduces the horizontal routing distance and associated resistive losses, improving power transmission efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through standard semiconductor fabrication techniques.
Data Source
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AI summary
An integrated circuit device, including a substrate having a plurality of device regions extending in a first horizontal direction, a plurality of gate electrodes on the plurality of device regions extending in a second horizontal direction that is orthogonal to the first horizontal direction, a plurality of source/drain regions each between a pair of gate electrodes adjacent to each other in the first horizontal direction among the plurality of gate electrodes, the plurality of source/drain regions being on portions of the plurality of device regions, a plurality of gate cut regions cutting the plurality of gate electrodes and extending in the first horizontal direction, and a plurality of contact structures including a plurality of contact body portions and a plurality of contact finger portions, the plurality of contact body portions filling the plurality of gate cut regions and extending in the first horizontal direction.