Shared Active Region Latch and Output Driver Layout
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to minimize the layout area of semiconductor circuits such as latches and flip-flops while improving the performance of their output drivers, which is essential for reducing the area of integrated circuits in mobile devices and enhancing their performance.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves a semiconductor circuit design that includes a latch, a feedback inverter, and an output driver sharing a single active region without isolation, with specific transistor configurations and power supply arrangements to minimize area and improve output driver performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the layout area of latches and flip-flops is minimized, then the area of integrated circuits is reduced, but the performance of the output driver deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The latch, feedback inverter, and output driver are merged into a single shared active region without isolation structures. This integration eliminates the need for separate isolation regions between these components, thereby minimizing the overall layout area while maintaining proper electrical connections and signal integrity through careful transistor layout and power contact placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes vertical stacking of transistors in the shared active region to achieve three-dimensional space utilization. By arranging PMOS and NMOS transistors in vertical configurations and using multiple power contacts (VDD and VSS) at different positions, the design maximizes the use of vertical space while maintaining electrical performance and minimizing footprint area.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If isolation structures are added between latch, feedback inverter, and output driver, then electrical interference is reduced, but layout area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The isolation structures traditionally placed between the latch, feedback inverter, and output driver have been extracted or removed from the design. Instead of using physical isolation regions, the patent relies on proper transistor-level design, power contact placement, and layout techniques to prevent electrical interference, thereby eliminating the area overhead associated with isolation structures.
3Reliability
If more power contacts are used, then power supply stability is improved, but layout area increases
Solution Approach 1:
The power contacts (VDD and VSS) in the shared active region serve multiple functions simultaneously. They provide power supply connections to multiple components (latch, feedback inverter, output driver) that share the same active region, thereby achieving power supply stability for all components without requiring separate power contacts for each component, which would increase the layout area.
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor circuit and a layout system of the semiconductor circuit, the semiconductor circuit including a latch; a feedback inverter that receives an output signal of the latch via a first node and provides a feedback signal to the latch responsive to the output signal of the latch; and an output driver which receives the output signal of the latch via the first node and provides an output signal externally of the semiconductor circuit. The output driver includes an even number of inverters, and the latch, the feedback inverter, and the output driver share a single active region formed without isolation.