Hybrid diffusion standard library cells, and related systems and methods
Hybrid diffusion standard library cells, and related systems and methods are disclosed. The hybrid diffusion standard library cells may be fabricated with reduced costs because masks corresponding to fixed base layers remain constant across integrated circuit (IC) devices. In one aspect, a hybrid diffusion standard library cell is provided. The hybrid diffusion standard library cell employs multiple diffusion regions, wherein a break region separates at least two of the multiple diffusion regions. The hybrid diffusion standard library cell includes one or more MEOL interconnects at fixed locations that are configured to connect transistors to a first metal layer. The hybrid diffusion standard library cell includes at least one transistor. Including the break region between multiple diffusion regions helps to limit the locations of the fixed MEOL interconnects, which limits possible locations for base level transistors and fixes the base layer design.
1. A standard library cell circuit, comprising:
at least one transistor;
a plurality of diffusion regions, wherein at least one diffusion region of the plurality of diffusion regions corresponds to the at least one transistor;
one or more break regions separating at least two diffusion regions of the plurality of diffusion regions;
the at least one transistor comprising at least one first floating gate disposed between a first diffusion region among the plurality of diffusion regions and the one or more break regions, the at least one first floating gate not tied off;
at least one second floating gate disposed between a second diffusion region among the plurality of diffusion regions and the one or more break regions;
a first fixed middle-end-of-line (MEOL) interconnect disposed in a first break region of the one or more break regions, the first fixed MEOL interconnect not connected to the at least one first floating gate and the at least one second floating gate; and
one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to a first metal layer, wherein one or more of the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects comprises one or more tie-off layer interconnects, each of the one or more tie-off layer interconnects configured to tie-off the at least one first floating gate of the at least one transistor so as to deactivate the at least one transistor.
2. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first fixed MEOL interconnect disposed in the first break region comprises a fixed second layer MEOL interconnect configured to connect a plurality of first metal layer segments disposed above at least two diffusion regions of the plurality of diffusion regions.
3. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects comprises one or more first layer MEOL interconnects, each of the one or more first layer MEOL interconnects configured to connect a corresponding transistor to a corresponding second layer MEOL interconnect.
4. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , further comprising one or more fixed zero level vias, each of the one or more fixed zero level vias configured to connect a gate of the at least one transistor to the first metal layer.
5. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more break regions comprise the first break region configured to:
separate the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region, wherein the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region each comprise a p-type metal-oxide semiconductor (PMOS) region; and
separate a third diffusion region and a fourth diffusion region, wherein the third diffusion region and the fourth diffusion region each comprise an n-type metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) region.
6. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein the one or more break regions comprise:
the first break region, wherein the first break region:
separates the first diffusion region and the second diffusion region; and
separates a third diffusion region and a fourth diffusion region; and
a second break region, wherein the second break region:
separates the first diffusion region and a fifth diffusion region; and
separates the third diffusion region and a sixth diffusion region.
7. The standard library cell circuit of claim 6 , further comprising a fixed MEOL interconnect in the second break region.
8. The standard library cell circuit of claim 7 , wherein:
the fixed MEOL interconnect in the first break region comprises a fixed second layer MEOL interconnect configured to connect a plurality of first metal layer segments; and
the fixed MEOL interconnect in the second break region comprises a fixed second layer MEOL interconnect configured to connect the plurality of first metal layer segments.
9. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first fixed MEOL interconnect in the first break region comprises a fixed second layer MEOL interconnect configured to connect a plurality of first metal layer segments disposed above the at least two diffusion regions of the plurality of diffusion regions.
10. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 configured to be programmed to function as an inverter.
11. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 configured to be programmed to function as a buffer.
12. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 integrated into an integrated circuit (IC).
13. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 integrated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a set top box; an entertainment unit; a navigation device; a communications device; a fixed location data unit; a mobile location data unit; a mobile phone; a cellular phone; a computer; a portable computer; a desktop computer; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a monitor; a computer monitor; a television; a tuner; a radio; a satellite radio; a music player; a digital music player; a portable music player; a digital video player; a video player; a digital video disc (DVD) player; and a portable digital video player.
14. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein the at least one second floating gate is not tied off.
15. The standard library cell circuit of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one first floating gate extends longitudinally in a first direction;
the at least one second floating gate extends longitudinally in a second direction substantially parallel to the first direction; and
the first break region extends longitudinally in a third direction substantially parallel to the first direction.
16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer data for a cell library that comprises a plurality of standard library cell circuits for an integrated circuit (IC) design, each of the standard library cell circuits comprising:
at least one transistor;
a plurality of diffusion regions, wherein at least one diffusion region of the plurality of diffusion regions corresponds to the at least one transistor;
one or more break regions separating at least two diffusion regions of the plurality of diffusion regions;
the at least one transistor comprising at least one first floating gate disposed between a first diffusion region among the plurality of diffusion regions and the one or more break regions, the at least one first floating gate not tied off;
at least one second floating gate disposed between a second diffusion region among the plurality of diffusion regions and the one or more break regions;
a first fixed middle-end-of-line (MEOL) interconnect disposed in a first break region of the one or more break regions, the first fixed MEOL interconnect not connected to the at least one first floating gate and the at least one second floating gate; and
one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to a first metal layer, wherein one or more of the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects comprises one or more tie-off layer interconnects, each of the one or more tie-off layer interconnects configured to tie-off the at least one first floating gate of the at least one transistor so as to deactivate the at least one transistor.
17. A method of manufacturing a standard library cell circuit, comprising:
disposing a plurality of diffusion regions on a substrate;
providing one or more break regions that separate at least two diffusion regions of the plurality of diffusion regions;
forming at least one transistor corresponding to at least one of the plurality of diffusion regions, comprising forming at least one first floating gate disposed between a first diffusion region among the plurality of diffusion regions and the one or more break regions;
not tieing off the at least one first floating gate;
forming at least one second floating gate disposed between a second diffusion region among the plurality of diffusion regions and the one or more break regions;
disposing a first fixed middle-end-of-line (MEOL) interconnect in a first break region of the one or more break regions;
not connecting the first fixed MEOL interconnect to the at least one first floating gate and the at least one second floating gate; and
disposing one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to a first metal layer, wherein disposing the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to the first metal layer comprises disposing one or more tie-off layer interconnects configured to tie-off the at least one first floating gate of the at least one transistor so as to deactivate the at least one transistor.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein disposing the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to the first metal layer comprises disposing a fixed second layer MEOL interconnect configured to connect a plurality of first metal layer segments in the first break region of the one or more break regions.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein disposing the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to the first metal layer comprises disposing one or more first layer MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to a corresponding second layer MEOL interconnect.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein disposing the one or more second fixed MEOL interconnects configured to connect the at least one transistor to the first metal layer comprises disposing one or more fixed zero level vias configured to connect a corresponding gate of the at least one transistor to the first metal layer.
21. A method for programming an engineering change order (ECO) standard library cell circuit, comprising:
configuring one or more non-fixed zero level vias to be disposed on one or more fixed second layer middle-end-of-line (MEOL) interconnects, wherein one of the one or more fixed second layer MEOL interconnects is disposed in a break region that separates two or more diffusion regions;
configuring one or more first metal layer segments to be disposed so that one or more of the one or more first metal layer segments couples to one or more of the one or more non-fixed zero level vias;
configuring one or more of the one or more first metal layer segments to be disposed so that one or more of the one or more first metal layer segments couples to one or more fixed zero level vias, wherein one or more of the one or more fixed zero level vias comprises one or more tie-off layer interconnects, each of the one or more tie-off layer interconnects configured to tie-off a gate of at least one transistor so as to deactivate the at least one transistor;
configuring at least one first floating gate to be disposed between a first diffusion region among the two or more diffusion regions and the break region, the at least one first floating gate not tied off;
configuring at least one second floating gate to be disposed between a second diffusion region among the two or more of diffusion regions and the break region; and
configuring the one or more fixed second layer MEOL interconnects to not be connected to the at least one first floating gate and the at least one second floating gate.
22. The method of claim 21 , wherein configuring the one or more non-fixed zero level vias and the one or more first metal layer segments comprises configuring the one or more non-fixed zero level vias and the one or more first metal layer segments so that the ECO standard library cell circuit functions as an inverter.
23. The method of claim 21 , wherein configuring the one or more non-fixed zero level vias and the one or more first metal layer segments comprises configuring the one or more non-fixed zero level vias and the one or more first metal layer segments so that the ECO standard library cell circuit functions as a buffer.