Transition cells for advanced technology processes
A semiconductor device including a first active region having a first active configuration, a second active region having a second, and different, active configuration, and a transition cell arranged between the first and second active regions in which the transition cell has a transitional configuration that is different from and compatible with both the first active configuration and the second active configuration.
1. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first active region having a first active configuration comprising a first value P 1 of a structural parameter, wherein the structural parameter is selected from the group consisting of gate length, gate density, conductor density, and gate length (Lg);
a second active region having a second active configuration comprising a second value P 2 of the structural parameter, and
a transition cell between the first and second active regions, wherein the transition cell has a transitional configuration comprising a third value P 3 of the structural parameter that satisfies an expression P 1 <P 3 <P 2 .
2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the transitional configuration comprises:
a first transitional configuration having a first size A 1 and the first value P 1 of the structural parameter corresponding to the first active configuration; and
a second transitional configuration having a second size A 2 and the second value P 2 of the structural parameter corresponding to the second active configuration,
wherein the first size is different from the second size.
3. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , wherein:
the transitional configuration comprises:
a first transitional configuration of a first size A 1 and having the first value P 1 of the structural parameter;
a second transitional configuration of a second size A 2 and having the second value P 2 of the structural parameter; and
a third transitional configuration having a third size A 3 and having a fourth value P 4 of the structural parameter that is between the first and second values of the structural parameter.
4. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first guard ring adjacent the first active region and the transition cell.
5. The semiconductor device according to claim 4 , wherein
the first guard ring occupies less than an entire space between the first active region and the transition cell.
6. The semiconductor device according to claim 4 , further comprising:
a second guard ring adjacent the second active region and the transition cell.
7. The semiconductor device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first plurality of guard rings surrounding the first active region; and
a second plurality of guard rings surrounding the second active region, wherein
the transition cell is between a portion of the first plurality of guard rings and a portion of the second plurality of guard rings.
8. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first active region having a first active configuration, the first active configuration having an average gate length L g1 ;
a second active region having a second active configuration, the second active configuration having an average gate length L g2 ; and
a transition cell having an intermediate configuration between the first and second active regions, wherein the intermediate configuration has an intermediate gate length L gi satisfying an expression L g1 <L gi <L g2 .
9. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the intermediate gate length Lgi satisfies an expression L gi =(L g1 +L g2 )/2.
10. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the intermediate gate length Lgi satisfies an expression
( L g2 *0.30)< Lgi <( L g2 *0.70).
11. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the intermediate gate length Lgi satisfies an expression
( L g1 *1.30)< L gi <( L g1 *1.70).
12. The semiconductor device according to claim 8 , wherein:
the transition cell comprises:
a first transition region comprising a first surface area A S1 and a first transitional configuration; and
a second transitional region comprising a second surface area A S2 and a second transitional configuration, wherein the first and second transitional configurations are different.
13. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein:
a ratio of the first surface area A S1 and the second surface area A S2 is between 7:3 and 3:7.
14. The semiconductor device according to claim 12 , wherein:
the transition cell comprises:
a first transition region comprising a first surface area A S1 and a first transitional configuration;
a second transition region comprising a second surface area A S2 and a second transitional configuration, wherein the first and second transitional configurations are different; and
a third transition region between the first and second transition regions, wherein the third transition region comprises a third surface area A S3 and a third average transitional configuration, and the third average transitional configuration is intermediate the first and second transitional configurations.
15. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein:
the third transition region comprises:
a first sub-region having the first transitional configuration; and
a second sub-region having the second transitional configuration.
16. The semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein:
the third transition region comprises:
a stepped configuration transitioning between the first transitional configuration and the second transitional configuration.
17. A semiconductor device comprising:
a first active region having a first active configuration;
a second active region having a second active configuration;
a third active region having a third active configuration; and
a first transition cell between the first and second active regions, wherein the first transition cell has a first transitional configuration compatible with both the first active configuration and the second active configuration;
a third transition cell between the first and third active regions, wherein the third transition cell has a third transitional configuration compatible with both the first active configuration and the third active configuration;
a second transition cell between the first and third transition cells, wherein the second transition cell has a transitional configuration compatible with both the first transitional configuration and the third transitional configuration; and
a fourth transition cell between the second and third active regions, wherein the fourth transition cell has a fourth transitional configuration compatible with both the second active configuration and the third active configuration.
18. The semiconductor device according to claim 17 , further comprising:
a first guard ring around the first active region.
19. The semiconductor device according to claim 18 , wherein:
the first guard ring comprises a plurality of guard rings.
20. The semiconductor device according to claim 19 , wherein:
the plurality of guard rings comprises a plurality of distinct guard ring configurations.