IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,538,581
Granted Patent B2
US 12,538,581 · App. 17/545,009 · Granted Jan 27, 2026

Integrated circuit including connection line

Inventors: Jaeha Lee (Yongin-si, KR); Jintae Kim (Hwaseong-si, KR); Keunho Lee (Hwaseong-si, KR); Dongyeon Heo (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
H10D89/10G06F30/392
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,538,581
App. No.
17/545,009
Granted
Jan 27, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit includes: a first cell arranged in a first row extending in a first direction and performing a first function, a second cell arranged in the first row and performing a second function, a third cell arranged in a second row extending in the first direction and performing the first function, a fourth cell arranged in the second row and performing the second function, a first connection line connecting a first via in the first cell to a second via in the second cell, and a second connection line connecting a third via in the third cell to a fourth via in the fourth cell, wherein a length of the first connection line is different from a length of the second connection line.

Claims (57)

1 . An integrated circuit comprising:

a first cell arranged in a first row extending in a first direction and performing a first function;

a second cell arranged in the first row and performing a second function;

a third cell arranged in a second row extending in the first direction and performing the first function;

a fourth cell arranged in the second row and performing the second function;

a first connection line connecting a first via in the first cell to a second via in the second cell; and

a second connection line connecting a third via in the third cell to a fourth via in the fourth cell,

wherein each of the first cell, the second cell, the third cell, and the fourth cell is a standard cell configured to provide one of a Boolean logic function or a storage function,

wherein a first length of the first connection line corresponds to a sum of twice a minimum enclosure distance according to an enclosure rule, a first width of the first via, a second width of the second via, and a first distance between the first via and the second via,

wherein the first length is greater than a minimum length of a wiring line according to a design rule,

wherein a second length of the second connection line corresponds to the minimum length, and

wherein the second length is shorter than a sum of twice the minimum enclosure distance according to the enclosure rule, a third width of the third via, a fourth width of the fourth via, and a second distance between the third via and the fourth via.

2 . The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:

a fifth cell arranged in a third row extending in the first direction and performing a third function;

a sixth cell arranged in a fourth row extending in the first direction and performing a fourth function;

a seventh cell arranged in the third row and performing the third function;

an eighth cell arranged in the fourth row and performing the fourth function;

a third connection line connecting a fifth via in the fifth cell to a sixth via in the sixth cell and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

a fourth connection line connecting a seventh via in the seventh cell to an eighth via in the eighth cell and extending in the second direction,

wherein a length of the third connection line is different from a length of the fourth connection line.

3 . The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein the length of the third connection line corresponds to a sum of twice the minimum enclosure distance according to the enclosure rule, a width of the fifth via in the second direction, a width of the sixth via in the second direction, and a distance between the fifth via and the sixth via.

4 . The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein the length of the third connection line is greater than the minimum length of the wiring line according to the design rule.

5 . The integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein the length of the fourth connection line corresponds to the minimum length of the wiring line according to the design rule.

6 . The integrated circuit of claim 5 , wherein the length of the fourth connection line is shorter than the length of the third connection line.

7 . The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first cell and the second cell have the same Front End Of Line (FEOL) structure.

8 . The integrated circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein the first cell includes N first gate electrodes adjacent to each other in the first direction and extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the third cell includes N second gate electrodes adjacent to each other in the first direction and extending in the second direction, where N is a natural number, and

wherein the first via is electrically connected to an M-th first gate electrode among the N first gate electrodes, and the third via is electrically connected to an M-th second gate electrode among the N second gate electrodes, where M is a natural number.

9 . The integrated circuit of claim 1 ,

wherein the first cell includes K first source/drain regions adjacent to each other in the first direction, and the third cell includes K second source/drain regions adjacent to each other in the first direction, where K is a natural number, and

wherein the first via is electrically connected to an L-th first source/drain region among the K first source/drain regions, and the third via is electrically connected to an L-th second source/drain region among the K second source/drain regions, where L is a natural number.

10 . An integrated circuit comprising:

a first cell including a first via;

a second cell including a second via;

a third cell including a third via;

a fourth cell including a fourth via;

a first connection line extending in a first direction and connecting the first via to the second via; and

a second connection line extending in the first direction and connecting the third via to the fourth via,

wherein a first length of the first connection line corresponds to a sum of twice a minimum enclosure distance representing a region extending from an enclosure of each of the first via and the second via, a first width of the first via, a second width of the second via, and a first via distance between the first via and the second via,

wherein the first length is greater than a minimum length of a wiring line according to a design rule,

wherein a second length of the second connection line corresponds to the minimum length,

wherein the second length is shorter than a sum of twice the minimum enclosure distance, a third width of the third via, a fourth width of the fourth via, and a second via distance between the third via and the fourth via, and

wherein each of the first cell, the second cell, the third cell, and the fourth cell is a standard cell configured to provide one of a Boolean logic function or a storage function.

11 . A method of designing an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

placing a first cell including a first pin having a length determined based on a first width of a first via and a minimum enclosure distance according to an enclosure rule, based on input data defining the integrated circuit;

placing a second cell including a second pin having a length determined based on a second width of a second via and the minimum enclosure distance, based on the input data;

placing a third cell including a third pin;

placing a fourth cell including a fourth pin;

connecting the first pin to the second pin by using a first connection line extending in a first direction;

connecting the third pin to the fourth pin by using a second connection line extending in the first direction; and

generating output data defining a layout of the integrated circuit,

wherein a first length of the first connection line corresponds to a sum of twice the minimum enclosure distance according to the enclosure role, the first width of the first via, the second width of the second via, and a first distance between the first via and the second via,

wherein the first length is greater than a minimum length of a wiring line according to a design rule,

wherein a second length of the second connection line corresponds to the minimum length,

wherein the second length is shorter than a sum of twice the minimum enclosure distance according to the enclosure rule, a third width of the third via, a fourth width of the fourth via, and a second distance between the third via and the fourth via, and

wherein each of the first cell, the second cell, the third cell, and the fourth cell is a standard cell configured to provide one of a Boolean logic function or a storage function.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the first connection line extends in the first direction or extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: LEE, JAEHA; KIM, JINTAE; LEE, KEUNHO; HEO, DONGYEON
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 058448/0376 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2020-0172577 · Dec 10, 2020 · national
KR 10-2021-0045037 · Apr 7, 2021 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220189945A1 · Jun 16, 2022
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