Semiconductor Layout Structure With Guard Rings for Narrower Power Rails

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge is to optimize semiconductor devices and layout structures to achieve smaller sizes while maintaining performance and adhering to design criteria such as IR drop and electromigration.

Innovation Solution

The solution involves a semiconductor device structure with specific arrangements of transistors and guard rings on a substrate and well, along with a metal layer configuration that reduces the width of power source and ground lines, allowing for a more compact layout.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the width of power source and ground lines is reduced to achieve smaller device size, then the area of the semiconductor device is reduced, but the risk of IR drop and electromigration increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearea of semiconductor deviceVSAvoidrisk of IR drop and electromigration

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Guard rings are introduced as intermediary structures between transistors and power/ground lines. These guard rings act as mediators that provide additional current paths and distribute electrical load, thereby reducing IR drop and preventing electromigration even when power and ground lines are narrowed to reduce overall device area.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different structural configurations locally around different transistor regions. Guard rings are strategically positioned adjacent to specific transistors based on their electrical characteristics and susceptibility to IR drop or electromigration, allowing targeted protection without increasing overall device area uniformly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Area of stationary object

If transistors and guard rings are arranged in a compact layout, then the footprint of the semiconductor device is reduced, but the complexity of layout design increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefootprint of semiconductor deviceVSAvoidcomplexity of layout design

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The layout is segmented into modular units where each transistor is paired with its dedicated guard ring structure. This segmentation creates repeatable design blocks that can be systematically arranged, reducing overall layout complexity despite the compact footprint. Each module can be designed independently and then replicated across the device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the transistor and guard ring into a unified compact structure where the guard ring is positioned to share space with adjacent transistors. This merging approach reduces the total footprint by eliminating redundant spacing while the systematic merging pattern actually simplifies the overall layout design process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12334441B2Semiconductor device and semiconductor layout structure

Publication Date: 2025.06.17 CHANGXIN MEMORY TECH INC

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a semiconductor device and a semiconductor layout structure. In the semiconductor device, a guard ring of a first type is arranged on at least one side of a transistor of a second type, and a guard ring of a second type is arranged on at least one side of a transistor of a first type, such that a plurality of signal lines in a first metal layer in the semiconductor layout structure may be arranged between a first power source line and a first ground line. Furthermore, in a second metal layer, a plurality of second power source lines are connected to one first power source line, and a plurality of second ground lines are connected to one first ground line.