Method and system for pin layout

1. A computer readable storage medium encoded with program instructions, wherein, when the program instructions is executed by at least one processor, the at least one processor performs a method comprising the steps of:

selecting a cell;

determining whether a first pin access of a first pin and a second pin access of a second pin disposed adjacent to the first pin in the cell are on a same patterning track, wherein the patterning track extends along a first direction;

separating the first pin and the second pin from each other along a second direction by a first predetermined distance when the first pin access and the second pin access are determined to not be on a same patterning track;

determining whether a third pin access of a third pin and a fourth pin access of a fourth pin disposed adjacent to the third pin in the cell are on a same patterning track extending along the first direction;

separating the third pin and the fourth pin from each other along the second direction by a second predetermined distance when the third pin access and the fourth pin access are determined to be on a same patterning track, the second predetermined distance being less than the first predetermined distance; and

causing an integrated circuit to be fabricated according to the first pin, the second pin, the third pin, and the fourth pin,

wherein the second direction is parallel with the first direction.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin extends along a single patterning track; and

determining the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin to be a cross-track pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be extending across more than one patterning tracks.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising:

determining whether the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin has a width greater than a first threshold when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be extending along a single patterning track;

determining the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin to be a fat pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be having a width greater than the first threshold; and

determining the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin to be a short pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be having a width less than the first threshold.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising:

determining whether a patterning track associated with the first pin access, the second pin access, the third pin access or the fourth pin access is free of pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be a fat pin; and

allowing a wire to be added on the associated patterning track when the associated patterning track is determined to be free of pin.

5. The method according to claim 4 further comprising:

adding a wire on the associated patterning track in a placement and routing process.

6. The method according to claim 3 further comprising:

determining whether the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin has an area smaller than a second threshold when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be a fat pin; and

allowing the first pin access, the second pin access, the third pin access or the fourth pin access to extend in its patterning track when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be having an area smaller than a second threshold.

7. The method according to claim 6 further comprising:

extending the first pin access, the second pin access, the third pin access or the fourth pin access in a placement and routing process.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first pin, the second pin, the third pin and the fourth pin is determined to be one of a cross-track pin, a fat pin or a short pin.

9. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

generating a pin layout; and

storing the generated pin layout to a library.

10. A computer readable storage medium encoded with program instructions, wherein, when the program instructions is executed by at least one processor, the at least one processor performs a method comprising the steps of:

selecting a cell;

determining whether a pin has an area smaller than a predetermined area;

allowing a pin access of the pin to extend in a corresponding patterning track of the pin access when the pin is determined to be having an area smaller than the predetermined threshold; and

causing an integrated circuit to be fabricated according to the pin.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein determining a type of the pin comprises:

determining whether the pin extends along a single patterning track; and

determining the pin to be a cross-track pin when the pin is determined to be extending across more than one patterning tracks.

12. The method according to claim 11 further comprising:

determining whether the pin has a width greater than a predetermined width when the pin is determined to be extending along a single patterning track;

determining the pin to be a fat pin when the pin is determined to be having a width greater than the predetermined width; and

determining the pin to be a short pin when the pin is determined to be having a width smaller than the predetermined width.

13. The method according to claim 10 further comprising:

assigning a first pin access and a second pin access of the pin to a same patterning group at different patterning tracks when the pin is determined to be a cross-track pin.

14. The method according to claim 13 further comprising:

determining whether a pin access of a first pin and a pin access of a second pin disposed adjacent to the first pin in the cell are on a same patterning track.

15. The method according to claim 14 further comprising:

separating the first pin and the second pin from each other by a first predetermined distance when the pin accesses are determined to not be on a same patterning track; and

separating the first pin and the second pin from each other by a second predetermined distance when the pin accesses are determined to be on a same patterning track, the second predetermined distance being smaller than the first predetermined distance.

16. A system, comprising one or more processors and a computer readable storage medium encoded with program instructions, wherein, when the program instructions is executed by the one or more processors, the program instructions cause the system to:

select a cell;

determine whether a first pin access of a first pin and a second pin access of a second pin disposed adjacent to the first pin in the cell are on a same patterning track, wherein the patterning track extends along a first direction;

separate the first pin and the second pin from each other along a second direction by a first predetermined distance when the first pin access and the second pin access are determined to not be on a same patterning track;

determine whether a third pin access of a third pin and a fourth pin access of a fourth pin disposed adjacent to the third pin in the cell are on a same patterning track extending along the first direction;

separate the third pin and the fourth pin from each other along the second direction by a second predetermined distance when the third pin access and the fourth pin access are determined to be on a same patterning track, the second predetermined distance being less than the first predetermined distance; and

cause an integrated circuit to be fabricated according to the first pin, the second pin, the third pin, and the fourth pin,

wherein the second direction is parallel with the first direction.

17. The system according to claim 16 , further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

determine whether the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin extends along a single patterning track; and

determine the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin to be a cross-track pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be extending across more than one patterning tracks.

18. The system according to claim 17 further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

determine whether the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin has a width greater than a first threshold when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be extending along a single patterning track;

determine the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin to be a fat pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be having a width greater than the first threshold; and

determine the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin to be a short pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be having a width less than the first threshold.

19. The system according to claim 18 further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

determine whether a patterning track associated with the first pin access, the second pin access, the third pin access or the fourth pin access is free of pin when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be a fat pin; and

allow a wire to be added on the associated patterning track when the associated patterning track is determined to be free of pin.

20. The system according to claim 18 further comprising instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the system to:

determine whether the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin has an area smaller than a second threshold when the pin is determined to be a fat pin; and

allow a pin access of the pin to extend in its patterning track when the first pin, the second pin, the third pin or the fourth pin is determined to be having an area smaller than a second threshold.