IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,462,086
Granted Patent B2
US 12,462,086 · App. 18/448,136 · Granted Nov 4, 2025

Integrated circuit having hybrid sheet structure

Inventors: Shang-Wei Fang (Hsinchu, TW); Kam-Tou Sio (Hsinchu, TW); Wei-Cheng Lin (Hsinchu, TW); Jiann-Tyng Tzeng (Hsinchu, TW); Lee-Chung Lu (Hsinchu, TW); Yi-Kan Cheng (Hsinchu, TW); Chung-Hsing Wang (Hsinchu, TW)
Assignee: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
G06F30/392G06F30/398
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,462,086
App. No.
18/448,136
Granted
Nov 4, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An integrated circuit (IC) includes first through fourth nano-sheet structures extending in a first direction and having respective first through fourth widths along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and first through fourth via structures electrically connected to corresponding ones of the first through fourth nano-sheet structures. The second width has a value greater than that of the third width. A width of the second via structure along the second direction has a value greater than that of a width of the third via structure along the second direction. The second and third nano-sheet structures are positioned between the first and fourth nano-sheet structures. The second and third via structures are configured to electrically connect the second and third nano-sheet structures to a first portion of a back-side power distribution structure configured to carry one of a power supply voltage or a reference voltage. The first and fourth via structures are configured to electrically connect the first and fourth nano-sheet structures to a second portion of the back-side power distribution structure configured to carry the other of the power supply voltage or the reference voltage.

Claims (58)

1 . An integrated circuit (IC) structure comprising:

first through fourth nano-sheet structures extending in a first direction and having respective first through fourth widths along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and

first through fourth via structures electrically connected to corresponding ones of the first through fourth nano-sheet structures,

wherein

the second width has a value greater than that of the third width,

a width of the second via structure along the second direction has a value greater than that of a width of the third via structure along the second direction,

the second and third nano-sheet structures are positioned between the first and fourth nano-sheet structures,

the second and third via structures are configured to electrically connect the second and third nano-sheet structures to a first portion of a back-side power distribution structure configured to carry one of a power supply voltage or a reference voltage, and

the first and fourth via structures are configured to electrically connect the first and fourth nano-sheet structures to a second portion of the back-side power distribution structure configured to carry the other of the power supply voltage or the reference voltage.

2 . The IC structure of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of metal-like defined (MD) segments overlying the second nano-sheet structure, wherein

each MD segment of the plurality of MD segments extends along the second direction to an edge at a location between the second and third nano-sheet structures, and

the edges of the plurality of MD segments are aligned in the first direction.

3 . The IC structure of claim 1 , wherein the second nano-sheet structure is continuous with the third nano-sheet structure.

4 . The IC structure of claim 1 , wherein the first width is one first width value of multiple first width values of the width of the first nano-sheet structure.

5 . The IC structure of claim 1 , wherein the second width is one second width value of multiple second width values of the width of the second nano-sheet structure.

6 . The IC structure of claim 1 , wherein the third width is one third width value of multiple third width values of the width of the third nano-sheet structure.

7 . The IC structure of claim 1 , wherein the fourth width is one fourth width value of multiple fourth width values of the width of the fourth nano-sheet structure.

8 . The IC structure of claim 1 , wherein the first through fourth via structures are aligned along the second direction.

9 . An integrated circuit (IC) structure comprising:

first through fourth nano-sheet structures extending in a first direction, the second and third nano-sheet structures being between the first and fourth nano-sheet structures;

first through fourth via structures electrically connected to corresponding ones of the first through fourth nano-sheet structures;

first through fourth metal-like defined (MD) segments extending in a second direction and overlapping corresponding ones of the first through fourth via structures, the first through fourth MD segments being included in S/D structures of one or more transistors; and

a back-side power distribution structure disposed such that the first through fourth nano-sheet structures are between the back-side power distribution structure and the MD segments, wherein:

the second and third via structures electrically connect the second and third nano-sheet structures to a first portion of the back-side power distribution structure that is configured to carry one of a power supply voltage or a reference voltage, and

the first and fourth via structures electrically connect the first and fourth nano-sheet structures to a second portion of the back-side power distribution structure that is configured to carry the other of the power supply voltage or the reference voltage.

10 . The IC structure of claim 9 , further comprising metal segments extending in the first direction and overlying the first through fourth nano-sheet structures, and disposed such that the first through fourth MD segments are between the metal segments and the first through fourth nano-sheet structures.

11 . The IC structure of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the metal segments is electrically connected to one of the first through fourth MD segments.

12 . The IC structure of claim 10 , wherein

the first and second nano-sheet structures are in a first row of cells,

the third and fourth nano-sheet structures are in a second row of cells, the first and second rows of cells having a border therebetween extending in the first direction, and

at least one of the metal segments overlies the border and is not used for electrical connections to a front-side power distribution structure along the border.

13 . The IC structure of claim 9 , wherein:

the first and second nano-sheet structures are in a first row of cells,

the third and fourth nano-sheet structures are in a second row of cells, the first and second rows of cells having a border therebetween extending in the first direction,

the second and third nano-sheet structures have a same doping type,

the IC structure is structured according to a fabrication process having a minimum spacing rule for a distance in the second direction between the second nano-sheet structure and the third nano-sheet structure, and

the border is separated from one of the first through fourth MD segments by a first distance that has a value less than the minimum spacing rule for adjacent MD regions of the fabrication process.

14 . An integrated circuit (IC) structure comprising:

first through fourth nano-sheet structures extending in a first direction, the second and third nano-sheet structures being between the first and fourth nano-sheet structures;

first through fourth via structures electrically connected to corresponding ones of the first through fourth nano-sheet structures; and

a plurality of metal-like defined (MD) segments overlying the second nano-sheet structure,

wherein

the second and third via structures are configured to electrically connect the second and third nano-sheet structures to a first portion of a back-side power distribution structure configured to carry one of a power supply voltage or a reference voltage,

the first and fourth via structures are configured to electrically connect the first and fourth nano-sheet structures to a second portion of the back-side power distribution structure configured to carry the other of the power supply voltage or the reference voltage,

each MD segment of the plurality of MD segments extends along a second direction and has a corresponding first edge at a location between the second and third nano-sheet structures, and

the first edges of the MD segments of the plurality of MD segments are aligned in the first direction.

15 . The IC of structure claim 14 , wherein:

the first and second nano-sheet structures are in a first row of cells,

the third and fourth nano-sheet structures are in a second row of cells, the first and second rows of cells having a border therebetween extending in the first direction, and

the first edge of each MD segment of the plurality of MD segments is spaced apart from the border.

16 . The IC of structure claim 14 , wherein the second nano-sheet structure is continuous with the third nano-sheet structure.

17 . The IC of structure claim 14 , wherein the first through fourth via structures are aligned along the second direction.

18 . The IC of structure claim 14 , further comprising metal segments extending in the first direction and overlying the first through fourth nano-sheet structures, and disposed such that the plurality of MD segments is between the metal segments and the first through fourth nano-sheet structures.

19 . The IC of structure claim 18 , wherein at least one of the metal segments is electrically connected to one of the plurality of MD segments.

20 . The IC of structure claim 18 , wherein

the first and second nano-sheet structures are in a first row of cells,

the third and fourth nano-sheet structures are in a second row of cells, the first and second rows of cells having a border therebetween extending in the first direction, and

at least one of the metal segments overlies the border and is not used for electrical connections to a front-side power distribution structure along the border.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 10, 2023
From: FANG, SHANG-WEI; SIO, KAM-TOU; LIN, WEI-CHENG; TZENG, JIANN-TYNG; LU, LEE-CHUNG; CHENG, YI-KAN; WANG, CHUNG-HSING
To: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
Reel/Frame 064557/0887 →
Continuity (3)
Division 17147923 · Jan 13, 2021
Provisional Application 63023466 · May 12, 2020
Related Publication 20230401372A1 · Dec 14, 2023
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