IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,635,222
Granted Patent B2
US 12,635,222 · App. 18/061,789 · Granted May 19, 2026

Method of designing layout of semiconductor device and method of manufacturing semiconductor device

Inventors: Yeojin Na (Hwaseong-si, KR); Juyun Park (Seongnam-si, KR); Jongdoo Kim (Yongin-si, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H10D84/038G06F30/392G06F30/398H10D84/0128H10D84/013
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,635,222
App. No.
18/061,789
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of designing a layout of a semiconductor device includes forming a second layout by analyzing a first layout and correcting at least a portion of a plurality of filler cells, wherein the forming the second layout includes detecting transition regions due to a difference in width by respectively comparing a first width of a first active line and a second width of a second active line with a width of a dummy active line, in the first layout; and correcting the dummy active line of the first filler cell by analyzing the detected transition regions, wherein, in the correcting the dummy active line of the first filler cell, the dummy active line is corrected to be a corrected dummy active line having the same width as an active line having a narrower width, among the first and second active lines.

Claims (57)

1 . A method of designing a layout of a semiconductor device, comprising:

arranging a plurality of standard cells;

forming a first layout by placing a plurality of filler cells between the plurality of standard cells; and

forming a second layout by analyzing the first layout and correcting at least a portion of the plurality of filler cells,

wherein the plurality of standard cells includes a first standard cell including a first active line having a first width, and a second standard cell including a second active line having a second width, different from the first width, in the first layout, and

the plurality of filler cells includes a first filler cell including a dummy active line connected to the first active line and to the second active line, and dummy gate lines intersecting the dummy active line, in the first layout,

wherein the forming the second layout includes:

detecting transition regions corresponding to a difference in width by respectively comparing the first width of the first active line and the second width of the second active line with a width of the dummy active line, in the first layout; and

correcting the dummy active line of the first filler cell by analyzing the detected transition regions,

wherein, in the correcting the dummy active line of the first filler cell, the method includes correcting the dummy active line to be a corrected dummy active line having the same width as an active line having a narrower width, among the first and second active lines,

the method includes forming a corrected transition region between an active line having a wider width, among the first and second active lines, and the corrected dummy active line, and

the corrected transition region overlaps a first dummy gate line located on a first boundary of the first filler cell, among the dummy gate lines.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the detecting transition regions in the first layout comprises identifying a region having discontinuously changing widths in regions in which the dummy active line and the first and second active lines are connected.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the corrected transition region faces a central portion of the first filler cell.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the corrected transition region faces a second dummy gate line located on a second boundary of the first filler cell, among the dummy gate lines.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first boundary and the second boundary extend in parallel with each other.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein

the first standard cell further comprises first gate lines intersecting the first active line, and first gate contacts overlapping the first gate lines,

the second standard cell further comprises second gate lines intersecting the second active line, and second gate contacts overlapping the second gate lines, and

gate contacts are not arranged on the first dummy gate line on the first boundary and on the second dummy gate line on the second boundary.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the first and second active lines extend in a first direction, and

the dummy gate lines extend in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first filler cell is arranged between the first standard cell and the second standard cell.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein

the second width is wider than the first width, and

in the second layout, a transition region is not formed between the corrected dummy active line and the first active line.

10 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a semiconductor layout using the method of claim 1 ;

forming a mask using the semiconductor layout; and

forming the semiconductor device using the mask,

wherein, in the forming the semiconductor device, the forming includes forming a first active pattern having a third width in a first device region corresponding to the first standard cell, a second active pattern having a fourth width, different from the third width, in a second device region corresponding to the second standard cell, a dummy active pattern disposed between the first and second device regions and having a fifth width, equal to a narrower width among the third width and the fourth width, in a dummy region corresponding to the first filler cell, and a first dummy gate pattern corresponding to the first dummy gate line on the first boundary on a semiconductor substrate,

the forming the semiconductor device further includes forming a tapered region corresponding to the corrected transition region and continuously changing in width in plan view,

at least a portion of the tapered region overlaps the first dummy gate pattern, and

a central portion of the tapered region is shifted from a central axis of the first dummy gate pattern in a direction away from the first boundary.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the central portion of the tapered region is in the dummy region.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the tapered region provides an inclined surface to the dummy active pattern in the dummy region.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the dummy region is between the first device region and the second device region.

14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the forming the semiconductor device comprises forming a plurality of first channel layers on the first active pattern, a plurality of second channel layers on the second active pattern, and a plurality of dummy channel layers on the dummy active pattern.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the forming the semiconductor device further comprises forming first gate patterns intersecting the first active pattern and surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of first channel layers, and second gate patterns intersecting the second active pattern and surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of second channel layers.

16 . A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a semiconductor layout; and

forming the semiconductor device using a mask corresponding to the semiconductor layout,

wherein the forming the semiconductor device, includes:

forming a first active pattern on a first device region of a substrate, a second active pattern on a second device region of the substrate, and a dummy active pattern on a dummy region of the substrate;

forming a plurality of first channel layers on the first active pattern, a plurality of second channel layers on the second active pattern, and a plurality of dummy channel layers on the dummy active pattern; and

forming a first gate pattern surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of first channel layers, a second gate pattern surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of second channel layers, and dummy gate patterns surrounding at least a portion of the plurality of dummy channel layers,

wherein the first active pattern has a first width, the second active pattern has a second width, different from the first width, and the dummy active pattern has a width, equal to a narrower width, among the first width and the second width,

the forming the dummy active pattern includes forming a tapered region continuously changing in width in plan view,

at least a portion of the tapered region overlaps a first dummy gate pattern arranged in an outermost portion of the dummy region among the dummy gate patterns, and

a central portion of the tapered region is in the dummy region, and is shifted from a central axis of the first dummy gate pattern toward a central portion of the dummy region.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the plurality of dummy channel layers is a tapered channel layer including a portion in which a width in plan view continuously changes in a region overlapping the first dummy gate pattern.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the portion in which a width in plan view continuously changes provides an inclined surface to face the central portion of the dummy region in the plan view.

19 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a width of an uppermost dummy channel layer of the plurality of dummy channel layers is equal to a narrower width from among a width of an uppermost first channel layer of the plurality of first channel layers and a width of an uppermost second channel layer of the plurality of second channel layers.

20 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the forming the semiconductor device further comprises:

recessing the first active pattern from a first and a second side of the first gate pattern, recessing the second active pattern from a first and a second side of the second gate pattern, and recessing the dummy active pattern from a first and a second side of the dummy gate patterns; and

forming first source/drain regions on the recessed first active pattern, second source/drain regions on the recessed second active pattern, and dummy source/drain regions on the recessed dummy active pattern.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2022
From: NA, YEOJIN; PARK, JUYUN; KIM, JONGDOO
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 062035/0947 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2022-0029993 · Mar 10, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230290686A1 · Sep 14, 2023
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