Memory-Logic Interconnect Layout With Aligned Metal Tracks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing interconnect structures in semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) face challenges with increased resistance and capacitance, leading to signal delays and manufacturing costs due to non-aligned metal tracks in memory and logic regions, necessitating costly transitions that occupy valuable chip real estate.
Innovation Solution
Aligning metal tracks between memory and logic cells to eliminate the need for additional transitions, thereby reducing resistance and capacitance, and optimizing layout to enhance signal routing efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If metal tracks in memory region and logic region are not aligned, then routing flexibility is improved, but resistance and capacitance increase leading to signal delays
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements aligned metal tracks across memory and logic regions to create equipotential connections, eliminating the need for additional metal transitions. This alignment ensures that signal lines maintain consistent electrical potential levels across region boundaries, reducing resistance and capacitance variations that cause signal delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal interconnect structure where the same metal track alignment strategy serves both memory region and logic region connections. By designing metal tracks that naturally align across region boundaries, the structure provides multi-functional benefits: it enables direct connections for both memory-to-logic and logic-to-memory routing without requiring region-specific transition structures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If metal transitions are added to connect misaligned tracks, then routing connectivity is improved, but manufacturing cost and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic metal transition structures from the interconnect design by implementing aligned metal tracks that eliminate the need for additional transitions. This removal of unnecessary transition layers simplifies the overall interconnect structure, reducing manufacturing steps and device complexity while maintaining full routing connectivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the metal track layers from memory region and logic region into a unified aligned structure. Instead of maintaining separate, misaligned track systems that require transition interfaces, the design combines them into a continuous aligned metal layer system, reducing the total number of interconnect layers and simplifying manufacturing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If metal transitions are implemented in edge cells, then interconnect connectivity is improved, but chip area and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses metal track alignment to create equipotential connections that extend directly from memory region to logic region without requiring edge cell transitions. This approach eliminates the need for additional area in edge cells for housing transition structures, as the aligned tracks provide direct connectivity paths that maintain consistent electrical characteristics across the entire chip.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor structure includes a memory cell, one or more logic cells configured to provide logic function to the memory cell, and an interconnect structure disposed over the memory cell and the one or more logic cells. The interconnect structure includes a bit line, a bit line bar, a first voltage line, and a second voltage line located in a same metal line layer of the interconnect structure. At least one of the bit line and the bit line bar extends from inside a boundary of the one or more logic cells and into a boundary of the memory cell. At least one of the first and second voltage lines extends from inside the boundary of the one or more logic cells and into the boundary of the memory cell.