Standard Cell Layout With Shared Gate Pitch Across Mixed Heights
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrated circuits (ICs) face challenges in achieving optimal integration density and performance due to the need for high operating speed and efficient area utilization, with existing designs often compromising on either performance or area efficiency.
Innovation Solution
The design of an integrated circuit comprising a mixed block structure with high-density (HD) and high-performance (HP) regions, where HD regions have cells with a first height and HP regions have cells with a second height greater than the first, and an interface region with gate electrodes of the same pitch as both, allowing for efficient interfacing and optimizing performance and area.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If standard cells are designed with uniform height for high integration density, then area efficiency is improved, but operating speed performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The IC is divided into multiple standard cell blocks, each with uniform cell heights suitable for high integration density. Interface regions are inserted between blocks to enable high-speed signal transmission, effectively segmenting the circuit into density-optimized and performance-optimized zones.
Solution Approach 2:
Interface regions act as intermediary zones between standard cell blocks of different heights. These regions contain buffer cells and routing structures that facilitate high-speed signal transmission while maintaining compatibility with the uniform-height standard cell blocks, thus mediating between area efficiency and operating speed requirements.
2Speed
If standard cell blocks of different heights are used for performance optimization, then operating speed is improved, but interface complexity and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different standard cell blocks are assigned different cell heights (first height h1, second height h2, third height h3) based on their specific functional requirements. Interface regions are strategically placed only where height transitions are needed, allowing each block to have optimized local characteristics while minimizing overall interface complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The design transitions from a single-dimensional uniform height approach to a multi-dimensional height structure. By introducing vertical dimension variations (different cell heights) and horizontal dimension variations (interface region positioning), the design achieves performance optimization without proportionally increasing complexity.
3Area of stationary object
If interface regions are minimized for area efficiency, then area utilization is improved, but signal transmission reliability between different height blocks deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Interface regions are pre-designed with buffer cells and routing structures before final block placement. This preliminary design ensures that signal transmission paths are established with appropriate buffering and timing control, guaranteeing reliability while maintaining compact area utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The interface region design utilizes parameter optimization including cell height transitions (h1, h2, h3), buffer cell positioning, and routing wire dimensions. By carefully adjusting these parameters, the interface regions achieve both compact area and reliable signal transmission between blocks of different heights.
Data Source
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AI summary
An integrated circuit includes a first region having a plurality of first cells arranged in first rows extending in a first direction and a plurality of first gate electrodes extending in a second direction that crosses the first direction, a second region having a plurality of second cells arranged in second rows extending in the first direction and a plurality of second gate electrodes extending in the second direction, and a third region between the first region and the second region and having a plurality of third gate electrodes extending in the second direction. A second height of each of the second rows is greater than a first height of each of the first rows. A pitch of the first gate electrodes, a pitch of the second gate electrodes, and a pitch of the third gate electrodes are the same.