Nearly buffer zone free layout methodology

This application is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/745,913 filed on Jan. 21, 2013, which claims priority to U.S. provisional application No. 61/714,961 filed on Oct. 17, 2012.

The performance of an integrated circuit formed from an array of active devices is dependent upon pattern density uniformity between active features that comprise functional components of the active devices to ensure robust matching of electrical characteristics between active devices within the array. Pattern uniformity of shapes within active devices at an edge of the array is sensitive to a density gradient between the active features of the array and background features surrounding the array. To mitigate effects of the density gradient on the array a buffer zone of dummy devices is added around the array, wherein a dummy device is structurally identical to an active device, but not electrically active. The buffer zone results in better pattern uniformity between the active devices within the array, but can add significant area overhead to a chip.

FIG. 1 illustrates a semiconductor device array comprising a buffer zone.

FIG. 2A illustrates a transition region from an array of unit cells to background features.

FIG. 2B illustrates some embodiments of reconfigured edge cells within a transition region from an array to background features.

FIG. 3A illustrates a semiconductor device array comprising a plurality of edge blocks and a plurality of center blocks surrounded by background features.

FIG. 3B illustrates a subsection of a semiconductor device array to further illustrate manufacturing process-related stresses.

FIG. 3C illustrates some embodiments of a subsection of a semiconductor device array wherein the edge cells have been reconfigured to reduce shape tolerance variation.

FIG. 4 illustrates some embodiments of a semiconductor device array with an active edge region configured as a variation reducing region.

FIG. 5 illustrates some embodiments of a method to reconfigure a semiconductor device array to alleviate shape tolerance stress induced on the array.

FIG. 6 illustrates some embodiments of transistor layouts for measuring pattern densities.

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate some embodiments of size and shape aspect ratio determination for reconfigured edge cells.

The description herein is made with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are generally utilized to refer to like elements throughout, and wherein the various structures are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to facilitate understanding. It may be evident, however, to one of ordinary skill in the art, that one or more aspects described herein may be practiced with a lesser degree of these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate understanding.

FIG. 1 illustrates a semiconductor device array 100 comprising a plurality of edge blocks (eBlocks) 102 A- 132 A, which have a first pattern density, that surround a plurality of center blocks (cBlocks) 102 B- 118 B. Background features 134 have a second pattern density (e.g., poly density, oxide density, etc.) that is substantially less than the first pattern density of the semiconductor device array 100 . The semiconductor device array 100 further comprises an analog circuit layout, wherein each eBlock 102 A- 132 A and cBlock 102 B- 118 B comprises n=4 square active unit cells, a respective active unit cell further comprising an analog device cell (e.g., eBlock 110 A comprises analog device cells 102 C- 108 C, eBlock 120 A comprises analog device cells 102 D- 108 D, eBlock 126 A comprises analog device cells 102 E- 108 E, and the others are not shown). Note that for subsequent analysis each eBlock 102 A- 132 A and cBlock 102 B- 118 B may comprise an integer number, n, of square analog device cells.

A respective analog circuit layout of semiconductor device array 100 further comprises a complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) device. Arrays of CMOS devices tend to show higher variability within edge cells (i.e., analog device cells formed within eBlocks 102 A- 132 A) than within center cells (i.e., analog device cells formed within cBlocks 102 B- 118 B), resulting from a pattern density gradient between the first pattern density and the second pattern density near the array edges. The density gradient induces a shape tolerance stress on the analog device cells within eBlocks 102 A- 132 A. Note that size of eBlocks 102 A- 132 A is defined to be equal to an observed penetration length (PL) of the shape tolerance stress within semiconductor device array 100 resulting from the pattern density gradient.

A pattern density gradient of greater than approximately 10% at an edge of the semiconductor device array 100 can result in the shape tolerance stress on designed layers (e.g., poly, oxide, etc.) which can be observed by measuring variation of electrical characteristics of edge cells relative to center cells. Decreasing this variation improves overall performance of semiconductor device array 100 . To achieve this, some prior art approaches utilize a buffer zone around semiconductor device array 100 comprising dummy device cells, wherein a dummy device cell is structurally identical to the analog device cell, but not electrically active. While the addition of a buffer zone can improve electrical performance of semiconductor device array 100 , the improved performance comes at a cost of additional chip space, thus decreasing overall area efficiency.

Accordingly, the present disclosure relates to a layout arrangement and method to minimize the area overhead associated with a transition between a semiconductor device array and background features. A nearly buffer zone free layout methodology is proposed, wherein an array of square unit cells comprising a first density region with a first pattern density value is surrounded by background features comprising a second density region with a second pattern density value. A difference between the first pattern density value and second pattern density value results in a density gradient at an edge of the array. Unit cells on the edge of the array which are impacted by a shape tolerance stress resulting from the density gradient are identified and reconfigured from a square shape aspect ratio to a rectangular shape aspect ratio with along axis of the unit cell oriented in a direction parallel to the shape tolerance stress to alleviate the variation due to a shape tolerance stress.

FIG. 2A illustrates a transition region 200 A from an array 202 A of unit cells 204 A- 210 A to background features 212 A, wherein edge cells 102 D- 108 D disposed at a boarder of the array 202 A are subject to a shape tolerance stress 214 A induced by a density gradient between a first pattern density value of the array 202 A and second pattern density value of the background features 212 A. To achieve an overall reduction in the impact of the shape tolerance stress, edge cells 102 D- 108 D their shape aspect ratio is reconfigured.

FIG. 2B illustrates some embodiments of reconfigured edge cells 102 D- 108 D within a transition region 200 B from the array 202 A to the background features 212 A. The a shape aspect ratio of edge cells 102 D- 108 D are reconfigured to from approximately 1:1 in FIG. 2A to greater than 1:1 in the embodiments of FIG. 2B , wherein a long axis of a respective edge cell 102 D- 108 D is oriented in a direction perpendicular to a border (i.e., the y-direction) between the array 202 A to the background features 212 A formed by edge cells 102 D- 108 D. This orientation is parallel to the shape tolerance stress 214 A which alleviates variation induced by the shape tolerance stress. For the embodiments of FIGS. 2A-2B the pattern density gradient is greater than approximately 10%, resulting in a shape tolerance stress with a penetration length (PL) of greater than a width of a unit cell.

Manufacturing process-related stresses can be decomposed into orthogonal components. A rectangular layout cell (i.e., with a shape aspect ratio greater than 1:1) can reduce shape tolerance variation within edge cells, thus decreasing an overall variability of an array. FIGS. 3A-3C illustrate some embodiments of reconfiguring the shape aspect ratio of edge cells disposed within an edge region of an array. FIG. 3A illustrates a semiconductor device array 300 A comprising an edge (or peripheral) region 308 surrounding a central region 310 . Edge region 308 comprises a plurality of eBlocks 102 A- 132 A, and central region 310 comprises a plurality of cBlocks 102 B- 118 B. A background region 312 of background features (not shown) surrounds the edge region 308 and has a substantially different density (i.e., a difference of than approximately 10%). For the embodiments of FIGS. 3A-3C , cBlocks 102 B- 118 B comprise comparatively low shape tolerance variation (only common-mode noise which serves as a baseline variability for all shapes). eBlocks 104 A- 108 A and 126 A- 130 A are subject to y-gradient variation (i.e., shape tolerance stress effectively in the y-direction). eBlocks 112 A- 122 A are subject to x-gradient variation (i.e., shape tolerance stress effectively in the x-direction). eBlocks 102 A, 110 A, 124 A, and 132 A are subject to 2-dimensional (2D) variation (i.e., shape tolerance stress in both the x-direction and the y-direction). Semiconductor device array 300 A further comprises an array height (H 1 ) of 100 μm and an array width (W 1 ) of 100 μm, composed of a 5×5 array of blocks (i.e., eBlocks 102 A- 132 A and cBlocks 102 B- 118 B), wherein each block comprises a block height (H 2 ) of 20 μm and a block width (W 2 ) of 20 μm in accordance with a PL of 20 μm for the manufacturing process-related stress. Edge region 308 further comprises an edge region width of approximately a single block width of 20 μm.

FIG. 3B illustrates a subsection 302 A of semiconductor device array 300 A to further illustrate manufacturing process-related stresses. eBlock 120 A comprises n=4 edge cells 102 D- 108 D, each comprising a shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1. Note that in general the subsequent analysis applies for n=an integer number of edge cells, and that the n=4 is an exemplary embodiment to facilitate understanding. An x-axial stress 302 B resulting from an x-gradient between the semiconductor device array 300 A and background features influences a vertical edge of semiconductor device array 300 A. The edge cells 102 D- 108 D are subject to a shape tolerance stress with only an effective x-component (i.e., x-axial stress 302 B with negligible y-axial variation 306 B along a vertical common run length with edge cells 102 D- 108 D). Similarly, edge cells 102 E- 108 E are subject to a shape tolerance stress with only an effective y-component (i.e., y-axial stress 304 B with negligible x-axial variation 308 B along a horizontal common run length with edge cells 102 E- 108 E). eBlock 124 A is subject to 2D shape tolerance stress due to the x-axial stress 302 B with y-axial variation 306 B along a vertical common run, and a y-axial stress 304 B with x-axial variation 308 B along a horizontal common.

FIG. 3C illustrates some embodiments of the subsection 302 A of semiconductor device array, wherein a first subset 314 of edge cells 102 D- 108 D and a second subset 316 of edge cells 102 E- 108 E have been reconfigured to reduce shape tolerance variation due to manufacturing process-related stresses. In some embodiments, edge cell 108 D has a first edge contacting a second edge of block 114 B, where the first edge has a length L 1 that is different or smaller than a length L 2 of the second edge. Further, in some embodiments, edge cells 102 D- 108 D have a length L 3 and edge cell 108 D has a width W 3 . Further yet, in some embodiments, block 114 B has a width W 4 . For the embodiments of FIGS. 3A-3C a block width of 20 μm corresponds to the PL for the manufacturing process-related stress. To offset the x-axial stress 302 B, the shape aspect ratio of edge cells 102 D- 108 D in the first subset 314 have been reconfigured from approximately 1:1 to approximately 4:1 with an extent of a long axis (i.e., x-axis) of edge cells 102 D- 108 D approximately equal to the PL of 20 μm. Similarly, to offset the y-axial stress 304 B, the shape aspect ratio of edge cells 102 E- 108 E have in the second subset 316 have been reconfigured from approximately 1:1 to approximately 4:1 with an extent of a long axis(i.e., y-axis) of edge cells 102 D- 108 D approximately equal to the PL. In general, edge cells 102 D- 108 D and edge cells 102 E- 108 E are iteratively reconfigured such that a shape aspect ratio of each edge cell within each eBlock along a perimeter of the device array while conserving an area of each edge cell from the set of edge cells 102 D- 108 D and edge cells 102 E- 108 E within the edge region. Edge cells located in eBlocks that have a non-zero run length with a unit cell located within cBlocks 102 B- 118 B (i.e., not contained within the edge region) are ignored (i.e., edge cells located within eBlocks 102 A, 110 A, 124 A, and 132 A).

In general, for an eBlock containing n edge cells wherein n is an integer, a shape aspect ratio of a reconfigured edge cell is approximately n:1. Moreover, for a given PL, the long axis of the edge cell to comprises a dimension of approximately PL and the short axis of the edge cell to comprise a dimension of approximately the penetration length divided by n (i.e., PL/n). It may also be noted that for array partitioning conditions wherein a respective eBlock and a respective cBlock each comprises a square aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 with approximately equal dimensions with n unit cells/edge cells per respective cBlock/eBlock, that the respective edge cell comprises an aspect ratio (AR) which is approximately equal to a square of a ratio of an edge length of the unit cell to an edge length of the short axis of the edge cell over unity:

Note that for the embodiments of FIGS. 3A-3C the value of PL is the same in both the x-direction and the y-direction. This results mainly from a symmetric illumination condition for shape patterning in optical lithography (i.e., quadrapole illumination). Other embodiments comprise an asymmetric illumination condition (i.e., dipole illumination), wherein the value of PL differs in the x-direction relative to the y-direction. In such embodiments eBlocks 104 A- 108 A and 126 A- 130 A comprise a first size and a shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1, and eBlocks 112 A- 122 A comprise a second size and a shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1, wherein the first size and the second size are not equal. Moreover, eBlocks 102 A, 110 A, 124 A, and 132 A comprise rectangles with a first axis the first size and a second axis the second size.

FIG. 4 illustrates some embodiments of a semiconductor device array 400 with an active edge array configured as a variation reducing region. Edge cells 102 F- 148 F and 102 G- 148 G have been iteratively reconfigured resulting in a long axis edge length that is approximately equal to PL, while conserving an area of each edge cell 102 F- 148 F and 102 G- 148 G. An edge region width is therefore also approximately equal to PL. Unit cells within cBlocks 102 B- 118 B (i.e., a center array) comprise a shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 and approximately identical layout topologies resulting in approximately equal pattern densities. For abutting unit cells within semiconductor device array 400 , an overall pattern density value of the semiconductor device array 400 is approximately equal to the pattern density value of the unit cell. eBlocks 102 A, 110 A, 124 A, and 132 A have been omitted from consideration due to 2D stresses which cannot be alleviated with a uniaxial reconfigurement. Despite this, overall variability of the edge cells is improved.

In some embodiments semiconductor device array 400 comprises a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) device layout for a 10-bit current steering digital-to-analog converter (DAC) configured for video TV/DTV graphics applications. In some embodiments semiconductor device array 400 comprises a MOS transistor layout configured for successive approximation analog-to-digital converter (SAR-ADC) cellular applications.

FIG. 5 illustrates some embodiments of a method 500 to reconfigure a semiconductor device array to alleviate the variation induced by shape tolerance stress on the array and to improve area efficiency. In the absence of reconfigurement of edge cells, the method 500 would follow, wherein a semiconductor device array is disposed, a high shape tolerance results in an edge region of the subject to shape tolerance stress resulting from a density gradient across a boundary of the semiconductor device array, resulting in a low area efficiency due either to a buffer zone or a high measured variation of electrical characteristics of edge cells relative to center cells. While the method 500 is illustrated and described below as a series of acts or events, it will be appreciated that the illustrated ordering of such acts or events are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. For example, some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrently with other acts or events apart from those illustrated and/or described herein. In addition, not all illustrated acts may be required to implement one or more aspects or embodiments of the description herein. Further, one or more of the acts depicted herein may be carried out in one or more separate acts and/or phases.

At 502 semiconductor device arrangement is disposed comprising an array of device cells of a first density surrounded by background features of a second density, where the density gradient between the array and background features is greater than approximately 10%. In some embodiments the device array comprises a MOS device layout for a current steering digital-to-analog converter DAC. In some embodiments the device array comprises an MOS transistor layout configured for SAR-ADC applications.

At 504 a density gradient across a boundary of the array induces the shape tolerance stress that acts along a direction parallel to a density gradient for cells within an edge region of the array, wherein width of the edge region is approximately equal to a penetration length (PL) of the shape tolerance stress. The array is then partitioned into a plurality of blocks, wherein a block comprises a shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 and contains an integer number of unit cells (n), and a size of a respective block is approximately equal to PL. The shape aspect ratio of edge cells within the edge region is reconfigured from approximately 1:1 into approximately n:1, with a long axis of the edge cell oriented parallel to a direction of the shape tolerance stress.

At 506 a resultant nearly buffer zone free layout array is formed.

At 508 the buffer zone free layout array is subjected to a minimized 1D shape tolerance variation along the long axis of edge cells within vertical/horizontal eBlocks of the array, and a 2D shape tolerance variation of edge cells within corner eBlocks of the array.

At 510 the array of device cells results in improved area efficiency.

FIG. 6 illustrates some embodiments of transistor layouts 600 for measuring pattern densities, comprising three gate materials 602 and four active areas 604 , which form two single-gate Field Effect Transistors (FETs) 606 and two multi-gate FETs 608 . In the embodiment of FIG. 6 a multi-gate FET 608 comprises two gates. The gate materials 602 and active areas 604 are drawn on a course grid such that each of their two-dimensional areas may be expressed in terms on an area unit (AU) 610 . The total layout area for a region of the embodiments of transistor layouts 600 is 8 AU×11 AU=88 AU 2 . The total layout area of the gate materials 602 is 8 AU×1 AU×3=24 AU 2 . The total layout area of the active areas 604 is (2 AU×5 AU×2)+(2 AU×3 AU×2)=32 AU 2 . Therefore, a pattern density may be defined for the gate materials 602 as the total layout area of the gate materials 602 divided by the total layout area for the region of the embodiments of transistor layouts 600 =24 AU 2 /88 AU 2 =27%. Similarly, a pattern density may be defined for the active areas 604 as 32 AU 2 /88 AU 2 =36%. In general a pattern density for shape A may be defined as:

FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate some embodiments of size and shape aspect ratio determination for reconfigured edge cells. FIG. 7A illustrates some embodiments of a semiconductor device array 700 A comprising eBlocks 702 - 732 and cBlocks 734 - 750 of equal dimensions and equal pattern density, wherein a respective eBlock comprises n=4 reconfigured edge cells and a respective cBlock comprises n=4 unit cells. Note that in an exemplary embodiment of size and shape aspect ratio determination for reconfigured edge cells may comprise n=an integer number of square analog device cells. eBlocks 702 - 732 and cBlocks 734 - 750 comprises a rectangular aspect ratio and a dimension of approximately a penetration length (PL) of a manufacturing process-related stress resulting from a pattern density gradient between semiconductor device array 700 A and background features (not shown), wherein PL is approximately equal to 20 μm for the embodiments of FIGS. 7A-7B . eBlocks 702 - 732 further comprise a stress-induced variation reducing region, wherein a respective edge cell within the stress reducing region has been reconfigured from a square aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 to a rectangular aspect ratio of approximately 4:1, and wherein an non-reconfigured edge cell is identical to a unit cell.

FIG. 7B illustrates some embodiments of a stress-induced variation reducing region 700 B at an edge of semiconductor device array 700 A, comprising an exploded view of cBlock 750 and eBlock 722 . cBlock 750 further comprises n=4 unit cells 750 A- 750 D, wherein a respective unit cell 750 A- 750 D comprises a square aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 and a dimension of approximately 10 μm by 10 μm. eBlock 722 further comprises n=4 edge cells 722 A- 722 D, wherein a respective edge cell 722 A- 722 D comprises a rectangular aspect ratio of approximately n:1, or of approximately 4:1 for n=4 edge cells per eBlock, a long axis 752 comprising a dimension of approximately PL=20 μm, and a short axis 754 comprising a dimension of approximately PL/n=20 μm/4=5 μm. Note that an area of a respective unit cell 750 A- 750 D is approximately equal to an area of a respective edge cell 722 A- 722 D of approximately 100 μm 2 .

An aspect ratio of a respective edge cell 722 A- 722 D and resultant dimensions may be determined for cBlocks 734 - 750 comprising a square shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 further comprising n unit cells with a square shape aspect ratio of 1:1, and eBlocks 702 - 732 comprising a square shape aspect ratio of approximately 1:1 further comprising n edge cells, wherein a long axis of a respective edge cell spans PL. On wafer semiconductor device array 700 A will not appear as a 5×5 array of eBlocks 702 - 732 and cBlocks 734 - 750 but rather a 10×10 array of unit cells and edge cells (i.e., there are n=4 unit cells/edge cells per eBlock 702 - 732 /cBlock 734 - 750 ). As is demonstrated by FIG. 4B , under the aforementioned constraints a respective edge cell 722 A- 722 D comprises an aspect ratio which is approximately equal to a square of a ratio of an edge length of a respective unit cell to an edge length of the short axis of the edge cell 722 A- 722 D over unity.

It will also be appreciated that equivalent alterations and/or modifications may occur to one of ordinary skill in the art based upon a reading and/or understanding of the specification and annexed drawings. The disclosure herein includes all such modifications and alterations and is generally not intended to be limited thereby. In addition, while a particular feature or aspect may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature or aspect may be combined with one or more other features and/or aspects of other implementations as may be desired. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “includes”, “having”, “has”, “with”, and/or variants thereof are used herein; such terms are intended to be inclusive in meaning—like “comprising.” Also, “exemplary” is merely meant to mean an example, rather than the best. It is also to be appreciated that features, layers and/or elements depicted herein are illustrated with particular dimensions and/or orientations relative to one another for purposes of simplicity and ease of understanding, and that the actual dimensions and/or orientations may differ substantially from that illustrated herein.

In some embodiments, an integrated circuit includes a central array region having a first layout feature density. A background region surrounds the central array region and has a second layout feature density, which is different from the first density. A peripheral array region surrounds the central array region and separates the central array region from the background region. The peripheral array region has a third layout feature density between the first and second layout feature densities.

Some embodiments relate to an integrated circuit that includes a central array region made up of a plurality of array unit cells which are arranged in columns and rows and which establish a first layout feature density for the central array region. A background region surrounds the central array region and has a second layout feature density, which is different from the first density. A peripheral array region surrounds the central array region and separates the central array region from the background region. The peripheral array region has a third layout feature density greater than the second layout feature density and less than the first layout feature density.

Still other embodiments relate to an integrated circuit comprising a first region having a first density of layout shapes. A second region has a second density of the layout shapes, which is different from the first density. An edge region, which is arranged between the first and second regions, includes a plurality of edge cells which contain active circuitry comprising the layout shapes. A first subset of the plurality of edge cells are configured with a first shape aspect ratio that is greater than 1:1, and have long axes oriented along a direction perpendicular to a border between the edge region and the second region.