Method of reconfiguring uncrowned standard cells and semiconductor apparatus including uncrowned and crowned cells

A computer-readable medium (CRM) comprising computer-executable instructions for carrying out a method of reconfiguring a layout of uncrowned standard cells in a semiconductor apparatus,

• wherein each uncrowned standard cell includes a first standard array;
• each first standard array including a first stacked arrangement of vias interspersed with corresponding one or more first segments of corresponding M(i)˜M(N) metallization layers;
• and
• wherein the M(N) metallization layer includes second segments which connect corresponding first segments of the M(N) metallization layer in the first standard arrays;
• the method comprising:
• testing the second segments of the M(N) metallization layer thereby resulting in test data;
• selecting, based on the test data, one or more of the second segments of the M(N) metallization layer and thereby a set of associated ones of the uncrowned standard cells;
• appending each first standard array in the set with a corresponding second standard array as a crown thereby resulting in a corresponding crowned standard cell;
• wherein each second standard array includes a second stacked arrangement of vias interspersed with corresponding one or more first segments of corresponding M(N+1)˜M(N+Q) metallization layers;
• and
• operatively coupling corresponding first segments of the M(N+Q) metallization layer in the corresponding second standard arrays one or more second segments of the M(N+Q) metallization layer, thereby resulting in the layout;
• wherein N and Q are non-negative integers, i≦N and 1≦Q;
• and
• wherein at least one of the testing, selecting, removing, appending and operatively coupling is executed by a processor of a computer.

A semiconductor apparatus comprising:

• cells arranged into uncrowned and crowned sets, each uncrowned and crowned set including two or more corresponding ones of the cells, each cell including a first array;
• wherein each first array includes a first stacked arrangement of vias interspersed with corresponding one or more first segments of corresponding M(i)˜M(N) metallization layers;
• wherein, for each uncrowned set, first segments of the M(N) metallization layer in the first arrays of the corresponding two or more cells are connected by corresponding one or more second segments of the M(N) metallization layer;
• wherein, for each crowned set, the two or more cells each include a corresponding second array, each second array including a second stacked arrangement of vias interspersed with corresponding one or more first segments of corresponding M(N+1)˜M(N+Q) metallization layers;
• wherein, for each crowned set, one or more of the first segments of the M(N+Q) metallization layer in the second arrays of the corresponding two or more cells are connected by corresponding one or more second segments of the M(N+Q) metallization layer;
• and
• wherein N and Q are non-negative integers, i<N and 1<Q.