Shared Gate Electrode Structure for Semiconductor Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current semiconductor devices face challenges in achieving high integration and complexity while maintaining reliability and functionality, particularly in the arrangement and routing of gate electrodes and transistors, which affects their performance and design efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The semiconductor device incorporates a substrate with strategically arranged P-type and N-type metal-oxide field-effect transistor (PMOSFET and NMOSFET) regions, where gate electrodes extend in specific directions to reduce the number of gate electrodes and contacts, allowing for a common signal application across regions, thereby simplifying the design and increasing integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If traditional separate gate electrode arrangements are used for each transistor region, then each transistor can be independently controlled, but the number of gate electrodes and contacts increases, leading to increased device complexity and larger routing area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges gate electrodes from multiple transistor regions into a single shared gate electrode structure. Specifically, the first gate electrode serves both the first PMOS transistor in the first region and the second PMOS transistor in the second region, while the second gate electrode serves both NMOS transistors. This merging reduces the total number of gate electrodes and contacts while maintaining the ability to independently control different transistor types through separate gate signals.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more gate electrodes and contacts are used to maintain independent control, then transistor control flexibility is maintained, but the routing area and connection line complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines gate electrodes that would traditionally be separate into shared structures. The first gate electrode is shared by PMOS transistors in both regions, and the second gate electrode is shared by NMOS transistors. This merging significantly reduces the number of required contacts and interconnect lines, thereby reducing the overall routing area while preserving control flexibility through separate gate signal application.
Solution Approach 2:
Each gate electrode is designed to serve multiple transistors simultaneously, making it a universal control element. The first gate electrode universally controls both PMOS transistors, and the second gate electrode universally controls both NMOS transistors. This multi-functionality reduces the total number of control elements needed while maintaining the ability to independently control different transistor types.
3Ease of manufacture
If traditional routing arrangements are used, then signal distribution is straightforward, but the connection line complexity and routing area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the signal distribution paths by having both PMOS transistors receive their gate signal through the first gate electrode and both NMOS transistors receive their gate signal through the second gate electrode. This merging of distribution paths reduces the number of separate connection lines and contacts required, simplifying the overall connection architecture while maintaining ease of signal distribution.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a semiconductor device including a substrate with first and second regions adjacent to each other in a first direction, and first to third gate electrodes extending from the first region toward the second region. Each of the first and second regions includes a PMOSFET region and an NMOSFET region. The first to third gate electrodes extend in the first direction and are sequentially arranged in a second direction different from the first direction. The first and third gate electrodes are supplied with a first signal. The second gate electrode is supplied with a second signal that is an inverted signal of the first signal. The first gate electrode includes a first gate of the first region and a first gate of the second region. The first gates are aligned and connected with each other in the first direction.