Integrated circuits having a continuous active area and methods for fabricating same

The present disclosure generally relates to integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits, and more particularly relates to integrated circuits having continuous active areas and methods for fabricating integrated circuits with continuous active regions.

Conventionally, layouts of semiconductor integrated circuits (ICs) are designed by arranging circuit elements called standard cells. A standard cell has a functional block, such as an AND gate, an OR gate, or a flip-flop, and an internal wiring pattern designed in advance. In large scale integration (LSI) design, standard cells registered in a library are generally aligned in rows and are wired using channels between the rows to realize a desired LSI.

Standard cells include active areas on which many gates are formed. Typically, the last gate formed on the active area (the gate formed nearest the end of the active area formed on the standard cell) exhibits problems. Specifically, the transistor represented by the last gate has performance problems including contact problems, yield problems, and variability problems. These problems arise from the inability to achieve a well-controlled, desirable structure at the end of the active area. For example, under current processing, gates formed at ends of active areas are troubled by undesirable epitaxial growth, facets, undercutting caused by wet etches, and undesirable material left in the topography.

In order to avoid the problems faced by the last gate on an active area, attempts have been made to arrange circuits to avoid having a last gate. However, there is necessarily a last gate somewhere in the design. Other attempts have formed a dummy gate at the end of the active area, with a full active overlap. However, such a design uses a significant amount of area. Another strategy has been to add half of a dummy gate along with an active area tuck under the dummy gate. Again, this method uses a significant amount of area.

In order to avoid the problems associated with the last gate, it is envisioned herein that the active area not be bounded by a standard cell. Rather, each standard cell can be provided with an active area that extends from cell boundary to cell boundary. When arranged, adjacent cells have aligned active areas and form a continuous active area. As a result, last gates are minimized or eliminated.

In order to utilize a continuous active area, gates on each side of the interface between standard cells must be isolated. Specifically, NMOS gates must be tied to ground and the PMOS gates must be tied to the power rail. Yet conventional tying methods, such as vias, result in use of a significant amount of IC area, leading to the design problems associated with the dummy gate methods noted above.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits having continuous active areas. In addition, it is desirable to provide integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits which provide for electrical connection between gate strips and interconnects without taking up additional IC space. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.

Integrated circuits and methods for fabricating integrated circuits are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, an integrated circuit includes a standard cell having a first boundary, a second boundary opposite the first boundary, a third boundary interconnecting the first and second boundaries, and a fourth boundary opposite the third boundary and interconnecting the first and second boundaries. The standard cell further includes parallel active areas extending from the first boundary to the second boundary. Also, the standard cell has parallel gate strips extending from the third boundary to the fourth boundary and over the active areas. A cut mask overlies the gate strips. An interconnect is positioned overlying the cut mask and forms an electrical connection with a selected gate strip.

In another embodiment, an integrated circuit is provided and includes an array of standard cells. Each standard cell includes a first boundary, a second boundary opposite the first boundary, a third boundary interconnecting the first and second boundaries, and a fourth boundary opposite the third boundary and interconnecting the first and second boundaries. Further, each standard cell has an active area extending from the first boundary to the second boundary. Also, each standard cell is provided with a gate strip extending from the third boundary to the fourth boundary and over the active area. A cut mask overlying terminal portions of the gate strip is provided. The integrated circuit includes interconnects positioned along interfaces formed between the third boundaries and fourth boundaries of adjacent cells and overlying the respective cut masks. The interconnects form electrical connections with selected gate strips.

In accordance with another embodiment, a method for fabricating an integrated circuit includes providing a plurality of standard cells. Each standard cell has a first boundary, a second boundary parallel to the first boundary, a third boundary interconnecting the first boundary and the second boundary, and a fourth boundary parallel to the third boundary. In the method, parallel active areas extending across each standard cell from the first boundary to the second boundary are formed. The method also forms parallel gate strips extending across each standard cell from the third boundary to the fourth boundary and over the active areas. A cut mask is deposited on each standard cell overlying the gate strips. Openings are formed in selected cut masks. A first interconnect portion is deposited across each standard cell from the first boundary to the second boundary and overlying the third boundary. Further, a second rail portion is deposited across each standard cell from the first boundary to the second boundary and overlying the fourth boundary. Selected interconnect portions include extensions aligned with the openings to provide electrical connection between the selected interconnect portions and selected gate strips.

Embodiments of the integrated circuits having continuous active areas and methods for fabricating integrated circuits having continuous active areas will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a layout of a standard cell array, wherein the standard cells are shown with active areas and gate strips in accordance with various embodiments herein;

FIG. 2 illustrates a layout of the standard cell array of FIG. 1 , focusing on the interfaces between the cells, and includes a cut mask in accordance with various embodiments herein

FIG. 3 illustrates the layout of FIG. 2 further including an interconnect to illustrate the electrical connection between the interconnect and the selected gate strip in accordance with various embodiments herein.

The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the integrated circuits or the methods for fabricating integrated circuits as claimed herein. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background or brief summary, or in the following detailed description.

It is contemplated herein that continuous active areas can be utilized in integrated circuits to avoid or minimize the presence of last gates (i.e., gates otherwise bounded by insulating material at the end of an active area). In order to provide continuous active areas, the integrated circuits herein isolate gates formed adjacent interfaces between adjacent standard cells by tying them to ground or power rails. Further, the integrated circuits herein avoid the use of vias or wires that consume IC space to connect the gates to the ground or power rails. Instead, it is envisioned herein that the interconnects forming the ground or power rails be selectively deposited directly onto interface-adjacent gates, thereby avoiding the use of additional IC space.

In accordance with the various embodiments herein, integrated circuits having continuous active areas and methods for fabricating integrated circuits having continuous active areas are provided. FIGS. 1-3 illustrate sequentially the layers forming such integrated circuits in accordance with various embodiments herein. Various steps in the design and composition of integrated circuits are well known and so, in the interest of brevity, many conventional steps will only be mentioned briefly herein or will be omitted entirely without providing the well known process details. Further, it is noted that standard cells may include a varying number of components and that single components shown in the illustrations may be representative of multiple components.

Turning now to FIG. 1 , in an exemplary embodiment, the process of fabricating an integrated circuit begins by providing a plurality of standard cells 10 . In FIG. 1 , individual standard cells are identified as 6 , 7 , 8 , and 9 . As shown, each standard cell 10 has a first boundary 12 , a second boundary 14 opposite and parallel to the first boundary 12 , a third boundary 16 interconnecting the first boundary 12 and the second boundary 14 , and a fourth boundary 18 opposite and parallel to the third boundary 16 . Standard cells 10 adjacent in the direction 20 (e.g., standard cells 6 and 7 ) form interfaces 22 at the respective first boundaries 12 and second boundaries 14 . Standard cells 10 adjacent in the direction 30 (e.g., standard cells 6 and 9 ) form interfaces 32 at the respective third boundaries 16 and fourth boundaries 18 .

Parallel active areas 40 are formed on the standard cells 10 and extend across each standard cell 10 from the first boundary 12 to the second boundary 14 . As a result, when placed adjacent to a standard cell 10 in the direction 20 , continuous active areas 42 are formed. In other words, the active areas 40 are not bounded within the standard cells 10 , but instead connect and continue across horizontally-arranged standard cells 10 . In FIG. 1 , parallel gate strips 50 are also formed on the standard cells 10 . The gate strips 50 extend across each standard cell 10 from the third boundary 16 to the fourth boundary 18 . Further, the gate strips 50 extend over the active areas to form transistors.

In FIG. 2 , which focuses on the interfaces 22 and 32 , a cut mask 60 is deposited over the terminal gates or portions 62 (identified in FIG. 1 ) of the gates strips 50 adjacent the interface 32 at the third boundary 16 of standard cells 6 and 7 and the fourth boundary 18 of standard cells 8 and 9 . The cut mask 60 is formed from an insulating material and extends over the respective third boundary 16 and fourth boundary 18 from the respective first boundary 12 to the respective second boundary 14 . The cut mask 60 cuts the continuity of the gate strips 50 between cells 6 and 9 , and between cells 7 and 8 . In the integrated circuit fabrication method, an opening 64 is selectively formed in cut masks 60 .

FIG. 3 , further focused on the interfaces 22 and 32 of FIG. 2 , shows the integrated circuit 66 formed after depositing an interconnect 70 such as a ground or power rail. Specifically, selected interconnects 70 are connected to a power supply (not shown) that is employed, at least in part, in driving devices on the integrated circuit 66 , such as by providing a power supply voltage or potential. Thus, the interconnect 70 may be a VDD interconnect. Other selected interconnects 70 are connected to VSS (not shown) and may be ground interconnects.

During standard cell 10 design, a portion such as half 72 of the interconnect 70 is assigned to each standard cell 10 at the respective third boundaries 16 and fourth boundaries 18 . Therefore, while not shown in the FIGS., it is understood that cut masks 60 and interconnects 70 are provided at each third boundary 16 and fourth boundary 18 . Each interconnect 70 is deposited over a respective cut mask 60 and extends from the respective first boundary 12 to the respective second boundary 14 . Further, selected interconnect portions 74 are provided with extensions 76 aligned with the openings 64 to provide electrical connection between the selected interconnects 70 and selected gate strips 50 . As shown, the extensions 76 extend in the direction 30 (identified in FIG. 1 ) to form extended edges 78 distanced from the non-extended edges 80 . Referring back to FIG. 2 , it is noted that the cut masks 60 define opening edges 82 and body edges 84 .

In an exemplary embodiment for a 20 nanometer (nm) semiconductor design, the electrical connection between the interconnect 70 and the gate strip 50 has a contact area 86 with a width (in the direction 20 of FIG. 1 ) equal to a width of the gate strip 50 and a length (in the direction 30 of FIG. 1 ) of about 30 nm to about 40 nm, such as about 36 nm, i.e., the interconnect 70 (including extension 76 ) overlaps the gate strip 50 through the opening 64 by about 36 nm. Further, in the exemplary embodiment, the extended edge 78 of the interconnect 70 is distanced from the nearest active area 40 by about 20 nm to about 30 nm, such as by about 27 nm, and the non-extended edge 80 of the interconnect 70 is distanced from the nearest active area 40 by about 40 nm to about 50 nm, such as about 46 nm. Further, in the exemplary embodiment, the opening edge 82 of the cut mask 60 is distanced from the nearest active area 40 by about 60 nm to about 70 nm, such as by about 63 nm and the body edge 84 of the cut mask 60 is distanced from the nearest active area 40 by about 15 nm to about 25 nm, such as about 18 nm.

As a result of the design of the standard cells 10 herein, the terminal gates 62 in the gate strips 50 are isolated by selective tying to an interconnect 70 that is connected to the appropriate ground or a power supply. Further, the gates 62 are isolated by direct connection to the interconnect 70 , without requiring the use of vias or wires that would take up IC space.

To briefly summarize, the fabrication methods described herein result in integrated circuits having continuous active areas 42 . As a result, gates adjacent the end of active areas, and their attendant problems, are minimized or eliminated. While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or embodiments described herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the claimed subject matter in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing the described embodiment or embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the scope defined by the claims, which includes known equivalents and foreseeable equivalents at the time of filing this patent application.