IC die with dummy structures

An integrated circuit die comprising:

• a die body having a first circuit block separated from an adjacent circuit block by a buffer zone, the buffer zone free of active circuit devices that are part of either of the adjacent first and second circuit blocks;
• the first circuit block having a first circuit block one (CB1) region adjacent the buffer zone having a first CB1 transistor that is at least partially fabricated from a gate metal layer;
• the second circuit block having a first circuit block two (CB2) region disposed directly across the buffer zone from the first CB1 region, the first CB2 region having a first CB2 transistor that is at least partially fabricated from the gate metal layer, the first CB1 transistor disposed adjacent the first CB2 transistor across the buffer zone;
• and
• a first dummy structure and an adjacent second dummy structure formed in the buffer zone, the first and second dummy structures generally aligned between the first CB1 transistor and the first CB2 transistor, the first dummy structure comprising a first amount of the gate metal layer that is greater than a second amount of the gate metal layer comprising the second dummy structure.

A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit (IC) die, the method comprising:

• depositing a metal gate layer on a substrate, the metal gate layer having a first thickness in a transistor structure disposed in a first circuit block, a second thickness in a transistor structure disposed in a second circuit block, a third thickness in a first dummy structure disposed in a buffer zone separating the first circuit block from the second circuit block, and a fourth thickness in a second dummy structure disposed in the buffer zone separating the first circuit block from the second circuit block, at least in the transistor structures disposed in the first and second circuit blocks, the metal gate layer is over a high-K dielectric gate oxide layer;
• planarizing the metal gate layer leaving the third thickness greater than the fourth thickness;
• and
• dicing the substrate for form a plurality of dies, one of the dies including the first circuit block, the buffer zone and the second circuit block.