Integrated Circuit Lateral Contact Layout Across Isolated Gates
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In integrated circuits, the cutting of gate structures by isolation walls often disrupts the continuity of lateral contact structures, leading to broken source/drain contacts and the need for additional routing, which increases overhead routing area and complexity.
Innovation Solution
The use of an isolation wall that cuts gate structures into separate sections while maintaining the continuity of the lateral contact structure, allowing for electrical connection between source/drain structures without additional routing by extending through the spacing between the isolated sections of the isolation wall.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If isolation walls are used to cut gate structures into separate sections, then gate structure segmentation is achieved, but lateral contact structures are disrupted and source/drain contacts become non-functional
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation wall is segmented into multiple discrete sections rather than forming a continuous structure. These segmented isolation wall sections are positioned to cut the gate structure into separate sections while deliberately leaving gaps that allow the lateral contact structure to extend continuously underneath, thus achieving gate segmentation without disrupting source/drain contact functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral contact structure serves as an intermediary element that bridges the gap created by the segmented isolation wall. By extending continuously underneath the isolated gate sections, the lateral contact structure mediates between the segmented gate structures and the source/drain structures, maintaining electrical connectivity despite the presence of isolation walls
2Reliability
If additional routing is added to restore broken source/drain contacts, then electrical connectivity is restored, but overhead routing area and circuit complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The harmful function of the isolation wall (cutting through and disrupting lateral contact structures) is extracted and removed. The isolation wall is designed to stop before intersecting with the lateral contact structure, allowing the lateral contact to extend continuously underneath the isolated gate sections without being cut, thus eliminating the need for additional corrective routing
Solution Approach 2:
The lateral contact structure is positioned in a different spatial dimension (underneath the gate structure and isolation wall) rather than at the same level. This vertical stacking arrangement allows the lateral contact to pass underneath the segmented isolation wall sections, maintaining connectivity without requiring additional planar routing space
Data Source
AI summary
An integrated circuit and a formation method thereof are provided. The integrated circuit includes first and second gate structures; first and second channel structures, laterally penetrating through the first and second gate structures, respectively; first and second source/drain structures, disposed between the first and second gate structures, and in lateral contact with the first and second channel structures, respectively; an isolation wall, extending in between the first and second source/drain structures, and cutting each of the first and second gate structures into separate portions; and a lateral contact structure, extending in between the first and second gate structures, and connecting the first source/drain structure to the second source/drain structure without being cut by the isolation wall.