Hybrid Standard Cell Layout With Mixed Heights for Critical Paths

Solution Overview

Problem

Current integrated circuit (IC) designs face inefficiencies in achieving high speeds and power handling due to uniform cell heights, which restricts circuit performance and efficiency.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of IC devices with regions having cells with a 3:2 pitch ratio, where taller cells are used in critical paths and shorter cells in non-critical paths, allowing for improved speed and power efficiency by enabling taller cells to be stacked separately from shorter cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If uniform cell heights are used in IC designs, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but circuit speed and power handling capabilities are restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcircuit speed

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The IC device is divided into multiple regions with different cell heights. First regions contain cells with a first height while second regions contain cells with a second height different from the first. This segmentation allows different parts of the circuit to have optimized cell heights for their specific functions, enabling taller cells in critical paths for higher speed while maintaining shorter cells in non-critical paths for area efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the IC device are assigned different cell height characteristics based on their functional requirements. Critical path regions utilize taller cells with greater height to achieve higher switching speeds, while non-critical path regions use shorter cells to minimize area consumption. This local differentiation of cell quality optimizes overall circuit performance without uniformly increasing area across the entire device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Device complexity

If uniform cell heights are used in IC designs, then layout simplicity is maintained, but power handling capabilities are restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelayout simplicityVSAvoidpower handling capabilities

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The IC device is divided into multiple regions with different cell heights. First regions contain cells with a first height while second regions contain cells with a second height different from the first. This segmentation allows different parts of the circuit to have optimized cell heights for their specific functions, enabling taller cells in critical paths for higher speed while maintaining shorter cells in non-critical paths for area efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the IC device are assigned different cell height characteristics based on their functional requirements. Critical path regions utilize taller cells with greater height to achieve higher switching speeds, while non-critical path regions use shorter cells to minimize area consumption. This local differentiation of cell quality optimizes overall circuit performance without uniformly increasing area across the entire device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Speed

If taller cells are used in critical paths, then circuit speed is improved, but area consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecircuit speedVSAvoidarea consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

Different regions of the IC device are assigned different cell height characteristics based on their functional requirements. Critical path regions utilize taller cells with greater height to achieve higher switching speeds, while non-critical path regions use shorter cells to minimize area consumption. This local differentiation of cell quality optimizes overall circuit performance without uniformly increasing area across the entire device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The IC device is divided into multiple regions with different cell heights. First regions contain cells with a first height while second regions contain cells with a second height different from the first. This segmentation allows different parts of the circuit to have optimized cell heights for their specific functions, enabling taller cells in critical paths for higher speed while maintaining shorter cells in non-critical paths for area efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS20240387544A1Hybrid cell-based device and method

Publication Date: 2024.11.21 TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING CO LTD

AI summary

An integrated circuit (IC) device includes first and second power rails extending in a first direction, a first plurality of active areas extending in the first direction, and a second plurality of active areas extending in the first direction and offset from the first plurality of active areas in the first direction. The first power rail is electrically connected to first active areas of each of the first and second pluralities of active areas, the second power rail is electrically connected to second active areas of each of the first and second pluralities of active areas, the first plurality of active areas includes a third active area located between the first and second active areas and electrically connected to the second power rail, and the first and second active areas of the second plurality of active areas are adjacent active areas of the second plurality of active areas.