IP Library Granted Patent US 12,372,571
Granted Patent B2
US 12,372,571 · App. 17/806,072 · Granted Jul 29, 2025

Method and device for detecting layout of integrated circuit, and storage medium

Inventor: Miaomiao Chen (Hefei, CN)
Assignee: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
G01R31/2621G06F30/392
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,372,571
App. No.
17/806,072
Granted
Jul 29, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit includes: a finger structure is determined in the layout, the finger structure including at least one upper connection source-drain terminal and at least one upper connected via, the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being electrically connected to an upper metal line through the at least one upper connected via; a number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and a number of the at least one upper connected via are calculated; and for the finger structure, in response to the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being greater than the number of the at least one upper connected via, it is determined that the finger structure is an unqualified finger structure.

Claims (66)

1. A method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit, comprising:

determining a finger structure in the layout, wherein the finger structure comprises at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and at least one upper connected via, and the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal is electrically connected to an upper metal line through the at least one upper connected via;

calculating a number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and a number of the at least one upper connected via; and

for the finger structure, in response to the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being greater than the number of the at least one upper connected via, determining that the finger structure is an unqualified finger structure.

2. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein determining the finger structure in the layout comprises:

identifying a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) structure in the layout; and

determining the finger structure in the MOS structure.

3. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein identifying the MOS structure in the layout comprises:

determining a target layer pattern in the layout based on preset identification layer information; and

identifying the MOS structure in the target layer pattern through a Boolean operation.

4. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 3 , wherein identifying the MOS structure in the target layer pattern through the Boolean operation comprises:

identifying at least one active region in the target layer pattern;

determining a target active region in the at least one active region, wherein the target active region intersects at least one gate structure; and

removing a guard ring and a diode structure in the target active region to obtain the MOS structure.

5. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 4 , wherein the MOS structure comprises a positive channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (PMOS) structure and a negative channel Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (NMOS) structure; and

in response to the layout characterizing a P-type substrate, the PMOS structure is surrounded by a P-type implantation region and an N-well region, and the NMOS structure is surrounded by an N-type implantation region.

6. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 2 , wherein determining the finger structure in the MOS structure comprises:

calculating a number of side-by-side gate structures in the MOS structure, wherein the side-by-side gate structures are arranged in parallel in the layout; and

in response to the number of side-by-side gate structures in the MOS structure being greater than or equal to 2, determining that the MOS structure is the finger structure.

7. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein calculating the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and the number of the at least one upper connected via comprises:

determining an upper connected finger metal line in the finger structure based on a connection characteristic, wherein the connection characteristic comprises that: the upper connected finger metal line is electrically connected to the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal, and the at least one upper connected via is located on the upper connected finger metal line; and

calculating the number of the at least one upper connected via and the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal through a Boolean operation based on the upper connected finger metal line.

8. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 1 , wherein for the finger structure, after determining that the finger structure is the unqualified finger structure in response to the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being greater than the number of the at least one upper connected via, the method further comprises:

displaying the unqualified finger structure on the layout.

9. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 7 , wherein for the finger structure, after determining that the finger structure is the unqualified finger structure in response to the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being greater than the number of the at least one upper connected via, the method further comprises:

correcting the unqualified finger structure to a qualified finger structure.

10. The method for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 9 , wherein the upper connected finger metal line comprises at least one source-drain terminal connection line, wherein each of the at least one source-drain terminal connection line is electrically connected to a respective one of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal; and

correcting the unqualified finger structure to the qualified finger structure comprises:

for the unqualified finger structure, in response to any of the at least one source-drain terminal connection line being not provided with an upper connected via, forming a new via on the source-drain terminal connection line; and

extending the upper metal line to connect all newly formed vias to obtain the qualified finger structure.

11. A device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit, comprising:

a processor;

a memory for storing program instructions executable by the processor; and

a communication interface,

wherein the processor is configured to run the program instructions to:

determine a finger structure in the layout, wherein the finger structure comprises at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and at least one upper connected via, and the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal is electrically connected to an upper metal line through the at least one upper connected via;

calculate a number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and a number of the at least one upper connected via; and

for the finger structure, in response to the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being greater than the number of the at least one upper connected via, determine that the finger structure is an unqualified finger structure.

12. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify a Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (MOS) structure in the layout; and

determine the finger structure in the MOS structure.

13. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine a target layer pattern in the layout based on preset identification layer information; and

identify the MOS structure in the target layer pattern through a Boolean operation.

14. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

identify at least one active region in the target layer pattern;

determine a target active region in the at least one active region, wherein the target active region intersects at least one gate structure; and

remove a guard ring and a diode structure in the target active region to obtain the MOS structure.

15. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 12 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate a number of side-by-side gate structures in the MOS structure, wherein the side-by-side gate structures are arranged in parallel in the layout; and

in response to the number of side-by-side gate structures in the MOS structure being greater than or equal to 2, determine that the MOS structure is the finger structure.

16. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine an upper connected finger metal line in the finger structure based on a connection characteristic, wherein the connection characteristic comprises that: the upper connected finger metal line is electrically connected to the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal, and the at least one upper connected via is located on the upper connected finger metal line; and

calculate the number of the at least one upper connected via and the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal through a Boolean operation based on the upper connected finger metal line.

17. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 11 , further comprising:

a display, configured to display the unqualified finger structure on the layout.

18. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

correct the unqualified finger structure to a qualified finger structure.

19. The device for detecting a layout of an integrated circuit of claim 18 , wherein the upper connected finger metal line comprises at least one source-drain terminal connection line, wherein each of the at least one source-drain terminal connection line is electrically connected to a respective one of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal; and

the processor is further configured to:

for the unqualified finger structure, in response to any of the at least one source-drain terminal connection line being not provided with an upper connected via, form a new via on the source-drain terminal connection line; and

extend the upper metal line to connect all newly formed vias to obtain the qualified finger structure.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon executable instructions that, when being executed by a processor, cause the processor to implement operations comprising:

determining a finger structure in a layout, wherein the finger structure comprises at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and at least one upper connected via, and the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal is electrically connected to an upper metal line through the at least one upper connected via;

calculating a number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal and a number of the at least one upper connected via; and

for the finger structure, in response to the number of the at least one upper connected source-drain terminal being greater than the number of the at least one upper connected via, determining that the finger structure is an unqualified finger structure.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 8, 2022
From: CHEN, MIAOMIAO
To: CHANGXIN MEMORY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 060143/0466 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 202111293505.8 · Nov 3, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021138423 · Dec 15, 2021
Related Publication 20230133766A1 · May 4, 2023
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