Semiconductor device including cell region having more similar cell densities in different height rows, and method and system for generating layout diagram of same

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:

for a layout diagram stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, generating a layout diagram including:

identifying a first area in the layout diagram which is populated with cells, the first area including first and second rows extending substantially parallel to a first direction, the first and second rows having substantially different cell densities;

relative to a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first and second rows having corresponding first (H1) and second (H2) heights;

for a first one of the cells having H1 height (a first H1 cell) in a first location in the first row, substituting a multi-row-height cell for the first H1 cell, the multi-row-height cell being narrower than the first H1 cell relative to the first direction; and

placing a first part of the multi-row-height cell into a portion of the first location resulting in the first and second rows having more similar cell densities.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the identifying includes:

recognizing that the first row is substantially filled with corresponding ones of the cells; and

recognizing that the second row is substantially devoid of corresponding ones of the cells.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

H2 is less than H1.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the placing includes:

disposing a second part of the multi-row cell additionally into a second location in the second row, the second location abutting the first location relative to the second direction; and

disposing a third part of the multi-row cell additionally into a third location in a third row, the third location abutting the first location relative to the second direction.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the placing includes:

disposing a second part of the multi-row cell additionally into a corresponding second location in the second row, the second location abutting the first location relative to the second direction; and

disposing a third part of the multi-row cell additionally into a corresponding third location in a third row, the third location abutting the second location relative to the second direction.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the substituting and the placing, in effect, decrease a cell density of the first row;

the substituting and the placing, in effect, increase a cell density of the second row; and

the substituting and the placing, in effect, increase a combined cell density of the first and second rows.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the multi-row-height cell has a height equal to H1 plus H2.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

a majority of the cells span, relative to the second direction, a single row;

a minority of the cells span, relative to the second direction, multiple rows; and

over half of the first area is populated with cells.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

fabricating, based on the layout diagram, at least one of (A) one or more semiconductor masks or (B) at least one component in a layer of a semiconductor integrated circuit.

10. A system for generating a layout diagram, the layout diagram being stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory including computer program code for one or more programs;

wherein the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are configured to cause the system to execute:

identifying a first area in the layout diagram which is populated with cells, the first area including alternating first and second rows extending substantially parallel to a first direction;

relative to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first rows having a first height and the second rows having a second height different than the first height; and

an initial average cell density of the first rows being greater than an initial average cell density of the second rows;

substituting second cells for corresponding first cells in the corresponding first rows which:

reduces cell densities correspondingly in one or more of the first rows;

increases cell densities correspondingly in one or more of the second rows; and

thereby, in effect, increase a net cell density of the first rows and the second rows.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein, regarding the identifying, the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to execute:

recognizing that the first row is substantially filled with corresponding ones of the cells; and

recognizing that the second row is substantially devoid of corresponding ones of the cells.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein, regarding the substituting, the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to execute:

configuring the second cells to be narrower in the first direction than the corresponding first cells; and

configuring the second cells to be taller in the second direction than the first row.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

a given one of the first cells is located in a given first location in a first given corresponding one of the first rows; and

regarding the substituting, and for a given one of the second cells corresponding to the given first cell, the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to execute:

placing a first part of the given second cell into a portion of the given first location; and

placing a second part of the given second cell into a corresponding second location in a corresponding first given one of the second rows;

the given second location, relative to the second direction, abutting the portion of the given first location.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein, regarding the substituting, and for the given second cell, the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to execute:

placing a third part of the given second cell additionally into a third location in a second given one of the second row;

the third location, relative to the second direction, correspondingly abutting the first location.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein, regarding the substituting, and for the given second cell, the at least one memory, the computer program code and the at least one processor are further configured to cause the system to execute:

placing a third part of the given second cell additionally into a third location in a second given one of the first rows;

the third location, relative to the second direction, correspondingly abutting the second location.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein:

a majority of the cells span, relative to the second direction, a single row;

a minority of the cells span, relative to the second direction, multiple rows; and

over half of the first area is populated with cells.

17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising at least one of:

a masking facility configured to fabricate one or more semiconductor masks based on based on the revised layout diagram; or

a fabricating facility configured to fabricate at least one component in a layer of a semiconductor integrated circuit based on the revised layout diagram.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein:

the masking facility is further configured, as an aspect included in fabrication of the one or more semiconductor masks, to perform one or more lithographic exposures based on the revised layout diagram; or

the fabricating facility is further configured, as an aspect included in fabrication of the at least one component in a layer of the semiconductor integrated circuit, to perform one or more lithographic exposures based on the revised layout diagram.

19. A semiconductor device comprising:

an area including cell regions arranged in alternating first and second rows extending substantially parallel to a first direction;

relative to a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first and second rows having corresponding first and second heights;

a majority of the cell regions spanning, relative to the second direction, a single row;

a minority of the cell regions spanning, relative to the second direction, two or more rows; and

cell region densities of the second rows are at least about forty percent.

20. The semiconductor device of claim 19 , wherein:

the cell region density of a second row is D_2nd; and

the cell region densities of the second rows are at least in a range of (≈40%)≤D_2nd≤(≈70%).