Power grid layout designs for integrated circuits
Integrated circuit layouts are disclosed that include metal layers with metal tracks having separate metal sections along the metal tracks. The separate metal sections along a single track may be electrically isolated from each other. The separate metal sections may then be electrically connected to different voltage tracks in metal layers above and/or below the metal layer with the separate metal sections. One or more of the metal layers in the integrated circuit layouts may also include metal tracks at different voltages (e.g., power and ground) that are adjacent to each other within a power grid layout. The metal tracks may be separated by electrically insulating material. The metal tracks and the electrically insulating material between the tracks may create capacitance in the power grid layout.
1. An integrated circuit, comprising:
a first metal layer comprising a first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks, wherein the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks comprises a first metal track at a first voltage and a second metal track at a second voltage;
an insulating layer on the first metal layer; and
a second metal layer comprising a second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks on the insulating layer, wherein the second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks have a pitch distance between one another and are substantially perpendicular to the first plurality of metal tracks, wherein a third metal track of the second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks comprises a first plurality of separate metal sections that are electrically isolated from each other, a first separate metal section in the third metal track being connected to the first metal track at the first voltage, and a second separate metal section in the third metal track being connected to the second metal track at the second voltage such that the first voltage and the second voltage are routed within the third metal track.
2. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein:
the first separate metal section in the third metal track is connected to the first metal track with a first via through the insulating layer; and
the second separate metal section in the third metal track is connected to the second metal track with a second via through the insulating layer; and
wherein the first via and the second via are located within the third metal track.
3. The integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein a distance between the first via and the second via is at least a distance between two adjacent metal tracks of the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks of the first metal layer.
4. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein a fourth metal track of the second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks of the second metal layer comprises a second plurality of separate metal sections that are electrically isolated from each other, a first separate metal section in the fourth metal track being connected to the first metal track at the first voltage, and a second separate metal section in the fourth metal track being connected to the second metal track at the second voltage such that the first voltage and the second voltage are routed within the fourth metal track using vias that have a distance between them that is at least a distance between two adjacent metal tracks of the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks of the first metal layer.
5. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first metal track at the first voltage is shared between two standard cells of the integrated circuit.
6. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the first metal track at the first voltage connected to the first separate metal section in the third metal track and a portion of the second metal track at the second voltage connected to the second separate metal section in the third metal track are located in a standard cell of the integrated circuit.
7. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks comprises a fifth metal track at the first voltage connected to the first separate metal section in the third metal track, wherein the fifth metal track at the first voltage is located in a different cell of the integrated circuit than the first metal track at the first voltage.
8. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , further comprising:
a third metal layer above at least the second metal layer, the third metal layer comprising:
a first metal rail at the first voltage;
a second metal rail adjacent to the first metal rail, the second metal rail being at the second voltage; and
an electrically insulating material located between the first metal rail and the second metal rail creating a built-in capacitance between the first metal rail and the second metal rail to be used in place of a decoupling capacitor in a location of the first metal rail and the second metal rail.
9. The integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein the second metal layer is a metal layer used for metal pins of standard cell layouts.
10. The integrated circuit of claim 8 , further comprising a third metal rail adjacent to the second metal rail and on an opposite side of the second metal rail from the first metal rail in the third metal layer, the third metal rail being at the first voltage, wherein the first metal rail and the third metal rail comprise single width metal rails and the second metal rail comprises a double width metal rail.
11. The integrated circuit of claim 10 , further comprising a first routing track and a second routing track in the third metal layer, wherein the first routing track is positioned adjacent to the first metal rail on an opposite side of the first metal rail from the second metal rail, and wherein the second routing track is positioned adjacent to the third metal rail on an opposite side of the third metal rail from the second metal rail.
12. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit comprising:
placing a first metal layer comprising a first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks, wherein the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks comprises a first metal track at a first voltage and a second metal track at a second voltage;
depositing an insulating layer formed on the first metal layer; and
placing a second metal layer comprising a second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks on the insulating layer, wherein the second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks have a pitch distance between one another and are substantially perpendicular to the first plurality of metal tracks, wherein a third metal track of the second plurality of unidirectional metal tracks comprises a first plurality of separate metal sections that are electrically isolated from each other, a first separate metal section in the third metal track being connected to the first metal track at the first voltage, and a second separate metal section in the third metal track being connected to the second metal track at the second voltage such that the first voltage and the second voltage are routed within the third metal track.
13. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprising:
connecting, with a first via through the insulating layer, the first separate metal section in the third metal track to the first metal track; and
connecting, with a second via through the insulating layer, the second separate metal section in the third metal track to the second metal track, wherein the first via and the second via are located within the third metal track.
14. The method as recited in claim 13 , wherein a distance between the first via and the second via is at least equal to a distance between two adjacent metal tracks of the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks of the first metal layer.
15. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprises forming the first metal track at the first voltage to be shared between two standard cells of an integrated circuit.
16. The method as recited in claim 12 , further comprises forming a third metal layer above at least the second metal layer, the third metal layer comprising:
a first metal rail at the first voltage;
a second metal rail adjacent to the first metal rail, the second metal rail being at the second voltage; and
an electrically insulating material located between the first metal rail and the second metal rail creating a built-in capacitance between the first metal rail and the second metal rail to be used in place of a decoupling capacitor in a location of the first metal rail and the second metal rail.
17. The method as recited in claim 16 , further comprises forming a third metal rail adjacent to the second metal rail and on an opposite side of the second metal rail from the first metal rail in the third metal layer, the third metal rail being at the first voltage, wherein the first metal rail and the third metal rail comprise single width metal rails and the second metal rail comprises a double width metal rail.
18. The method as recited in claim 17 , further comprises forming a first routing track and a second routing track in the third metal layer, wherein the first routing track is positioned adjacent to the first metal rail on an opposite side of the first metal rail from the second metal rail, and wherein the second routing track is positioned adjacent to the third metal rail on an opposite side of the third metal rail from the second metal rail.
19. The method as recited in claim 12 , wherein a portion of the first metal track at the first voltage connected to the first separate metal section in the third metal track and a portion of the second metal track at the second voltage connected to the second separate metal section in the third metal track are located in a standard cell of the integrated circuit.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first plurality of unidirectional metal tracks comprises a fifth metal track at the first voltage connected to the first separate metal section in the third metal track, wherein the fifth metal track at the first voltage is located in a different cell of the integrated circuit than the first metal track at the first voltage.