IP Library Granted Patent US 8,035,170
Granted Patent B2
US 8,035,170 · App. 12/323,005 · Granted Oct 11, 2011

Semiconductor device including SRAM

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,035,170
App. No.
12/323,005
Granted
Oct 11, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

A semiconductor device according to an embodiment of the invention includes: a semiconductor substrate; device regions formed on the semiconductor substrate, the device regions having a length direction in a predetermined direction; a plurality of transistors having gate electrodes, respectively, the gate electrodes extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the plurality of transistors having a source/drain region and a channel region having a channel direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction in the device region; a plurality of SRAM cells disposed in an array, each of the plurality of SRAM cells including the plurality of transistors; and a dummy region made of the substantially same material as that of the device regions, the dummy region being formed between the outermost device regions of the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the dummy region having a length direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction.

Claims (49)

1. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

device regions formed on the semiconductor substrate, the device regions having a length direction in a predetermined direction;

a plurality of transistors having gate electrodes, respectively, the gate electrodes extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the plurality of transistors having a source/drain region and a channel region having a channel direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction in the device region;

a plurality of SRAM cells disposed in an array, each of the plurality of SRAM cells including the plurality of transistors; and

a dummy region made of the substantially same material as that of the device regions, the dummy region being formed between outermost device regions of the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the dummy region having a length direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction, wherein

each SRAM cell includes a plurality of transfer transistors, a plurality of driver transistors, and a plurality of load transistors;

in each SRAM cell, two of the load transistors are disposed on an inner side of the SRAM cell, and two of the transfer transistors and two of the driver transistors are both disposed on outer sides of the SRAM cell;

gate electrodes of one of the load transistors and one of the driver transistors in each SRAM cell are commonly connected to an end of another load transistor in the SRAM cell;

gate electrodes of the transfer transistors, which are respectively included in the SRAM cells adjacent to each other, are connected to each other; and

gate contacts connecting the gate electrodes of the transfer transistors to wirings thereabove are disposed above the dummy region.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the dummy region is located on a boundary between the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein a distance between a device region and the dummy region adjacent to each other is approximately equal to a distance between two device regions adjacent to each other.

4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transistors are fin type transistors, respectively, the device regions are fins, and the dummy region is a dummy fin.

5. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the dummy region is continuously formed between the outermost device regions of the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

6. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the dummy region is separated on a boundary, between the adjacent SRAM cells, extending in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

7. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein a distance between a device region and the dummy region adjacent to each other is approximately equal to a distance between two device regions adjacent to each other.

8. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of transistors are fin type transistors, respectively, the device regions are fins, and the dummy region is a dummy fin.

9. The semiconductor device according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of transistors includes a plurality of driver transistors, the plurality of SRAM cells includes the plurality of driver transistors, and the dummy region is separated in a region thereof having both sides held between gate electrodes of the driver transistors of the adjacent SRAM cells.

10. The semiconductor device according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of transistors are fin type transistors, respectively, the device regions are fins, and the dummy region is a dummy fin.

11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of transistors include a plurality of driver transistors, the plurality of SRAM cells includes the plurality of driver transistors, and the dummy region is separated in a region thereof having both sides held between gate electrodes of the driver transistors of the adjacent SRAM cells.

12. The semiconductor device according to claim 11 , wherein the dummy region is located on a boundary between the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

13. The semiconductor device according to claim 11 , wherein the plurality of transistors are fin type transistors, respectively, the device regions are fins, and the dummy region is a dummy fin.

14. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

device regions formed on the semiconductor substrate, the device regions having a length direction in a predetermined direction;

a plurality of transistors having gate electrodes, respectively, the gate electrodes extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the plurality of transistors having a source/drain region and a channel region having a channel direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction in the device region;

a plurality of SRAM cells disposed in an array, each of the plurality of SRAM cells including the plurality of transistors; and

a dummy region made of the substantially same material as that of the device regions, the dummy region being formed between outermost device regions of the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the dummy region having a length direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction, wherein

the plurality of transistors are fin type transistors, respectively, and include a plurality of transfer transistors, a plurality of driver transistors, and a plurality of load transistors;

the device regions are a plurality of fins having gate insulating films on their side surfaces, respectively;

the dummy region is a plurality of dummy fins having gate insulating films on side surfaces thereof, respectively;

the plurality of SRAM cells includes the plurality of transfer transistors, the plurality of driver transistors, and the plurality of load transistors; and

in the SRAM cells, a gate electrode of the transfer transistor and a gate electrode of the load transistor contact the gate insulating films on both side surfaces of a fin of the driver transistor located between these gate electrodes, respectively, and do not contact each other.

15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the dummy fin is located on a boundary between the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

16. A semiconductor device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

device regions formed on the semiconductor substrate, the device regions having a length direction in a predetermined direction;

a plurality of transistors having gate electrodes, respectively, the gate electrodes extending in a direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the plurality of transistors having a source/drain region and a channel region having a channel direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction in the device region;

a plurality of SRAM cells disposed in an array, each of the plurality of SRAM cells including the plurality of transistors; and

a dummy region made of the substantially same material as that of the device regions, the dummy region being formed between outermost device regions of the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction, the dummy region having a length direction approximately parallel to the predetermined direction, wherein

the plurality of transistors are fin type transistors, respectively, and include a plurality of transfer transistors, a plurality of driver transistors, and a plurality of load transistors;

the device regions are a plurality of fins having gate insulating films on their side surfaces, respectively;

the dummy region is a plurality of dummy fins having gate insulating films on side surfaces thereof, respectively;

the plurality of SRAM cells includes the plurality of transfer transistors, the plurality of driver transistors, and the plurality of load transistors; and

in the SRAM cells, a gate electrode of the transfer transistor and a gate electrode of the load transistor contact the gate insulating films on both side surfaces of a fin of the driver transistor located between these gate electrodes, respectively, and do not contact each other.

17. The semiconductor device according to claim 16 , wherein the dummy fin is located on a boundary between the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

18. The semiconductor device according to claim 16 , wherein the dummy fin is located on a boundary between the SRAM cells adjacent to each other in the direction approximately perpendicular to the predetermined direction.

19. The semiconductor device according to claim 16 , wherein a distance between the fin and the dummy fin adjacent to each other is approximately equal to a distance between two fins adjacent to each other.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 11, 2017
From: TOSHIBA CORPORATION
To: MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING, LLC
Reel/Frame 041333/0955 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 16, 2009
From: INABA, SATOSHI
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 022119/0389 →