Flip-flops having strong transistors and weak transistors

An integrated circuit comprising:

• a first clocked forwarding-switch and a second clocked forwarding-switch each implemented with strong transistors;
• a first clocked inverter and a second clocked inverter each implemented with weak transistors;
• strong active-region structures extending in a first direction and having the strong transistors therein;
• weak active-region structures extending in the first direction and having the weak transistors therein;
• a first connection conductor extending in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first connection conductor conductively connects an output of the first clocked forwarding-switch with an output of the first clocked inverter;
• and
• a first inverter coupled between an input of the first clocked inverter and the first connection conductor, wherein the first inverter having an input conductively connected to the first connection conductor.

A method comprising:

• fabricating a strong type-one active-region structure and a weak type-one active-region structure extending in a first direction;
• fabricating a strong type-two active-region structure and a weak type-two active-region structure extending in the first direction;
• forming a first clocked forwarding-switch and a second clocked forwarding-switch with strong type-one transistors in the strong type-one active-region structure and strong type-two transistors in the strong type-two active-region structure;
• forming a first clocked inverter with a first group of weak type-one transistors in the weak type-one active-region structure and a first group of weak type-two transistors in the weak type-two active-region structure;
• forming a first connection conductor extending in a second direction that is perpendicular to the first direction;
• and
• connecting an output of the first clocked forwarding-switch and an output of the first clocked inverter with the first connection conductor.