# US 2024/0201727 A1 · Clock signal distribution system, integrated circuit device and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0201727 A1 - Document ID: US20240201727A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/429,995 - Filed: 2024-02-01 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-04 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Inventors: Jerry Chang Jui KAO; Huang-Yu CHEN; Sheng-Hsiung CHEN; Jack LIU; Yung-Chen CHIEN; Wei-Hsiang MA; Chung-Hsing WANG - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240201727A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/10: Distribution of clock signals {, e.g. skew} - G06F 30/396: Clock trees - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A clock distribution system includes a clock mesh structure which has first metal patterns extending along a first axis, second metal patterns extending along a second axis, third metal patterns extending along a third axis. The first metal patterns, second metal patterns, and third metal patterns are electrically coupled with each other. The second axis is transverse to the first axis. The third axis is oblique to both the first axis and the second axis. The first metal patterns include a main first metal pattern, and other first metal patterns. The second metal patterns include a main second metal pattern, and other second metal patterns. The third metal patterns include a main third metal pattern, and other third metal patterns. The main third metal pattern overlaps the main first metal pattern and the main second metal pattern, without overlapping the other first metal patterns or the other second metal patterns ## Claims ### Claim 1 A clock distribution system, comprising: a clock mesh structure comprising: a plurality of first metal patterns extending along a first axis, a plurality of second metal patterns extending along a second axis, and a plurality of third metal patterns extending along a third axis, wherein the plurality of first metal patterns, the plurality of second metal patterns, and the plurality of third metal patterns are electrically coupled with each other, the second axis is transverse to the first axis, the third axis is oblique to both the first axis and the second axis, the plurality of first metal patterns comprises a main first metal pattern, and other first metal patterns different from the main first metal pattern, the plurality of second metal patterns comprises a main second metal pattern, and other second metal patterns different from the main second metal pattern, the plurality of third metal patterns comprises a main third metal pattern, and other third metal patterns different from the main third metal pattern, and the main third metal pattern overlaps the main first metal pattern and the main second metal pattern, without overlapping the other first metal patterns or the other second metal patterns. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The clock distribution system of claim 1, further comprising a clock driver, wherein the main first metal pattern, the main second metal pattern and the main third metal pattern are electrically coupled to the clock driver to receive a clock signal from the clock driver and to distribute the clock signal throughout the clock mesh structure. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The clock distribution system of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of further clock drivers or clock loads, wherein the plurality of further clock drivers or clock loads have inputs coupled to corresponding points in the clock mesh structure to receive the clock signal from the clock mesh structure. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The clock distribution system of claim 1, wherein the clock mesh structure further comprises a plurality of fourth metal patterns extending along a fourth axis, and electrically coupled to the plurality of first metal patterns, the plurality of second metal patterns and the plurality of third metal patterns, and the fourth axis is transverse to the third axis, and is oblique to both the first axis and the second axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The clock distribution system of claim 4, wherein the plurality of fourth metal patterns comprises a main fourth metal pattern, and other fourth metal patterns different from the main fourth metal pattern, and the main fourth metal pattern overlaps the main first metal pattern, the main second metal pattern, and the main third metal pattern at a center of the clock mesh structure, without overlapping the other first metal patterns or the other second metal patterns. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The clock distribution system of claim 5, wherein the other first metal patterns, the other second metal patterns, the other third metal patterns and the other fourth metal patterns form a plurality of concentric polygons having a common center at the center of the clock mesh structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The clock distribution system of claim 6, wherein the main first metal pattern, the main second metal pattern, the main third metal pattern and the main fourth metal pattern extend outside an outermost concentric polygon of the plurality of concentric polygons. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The clock distribution system of claim 5, wherein the main first metal pattern overlap one or more of the other second metal patterns, without overlapping the other third metal patterns and the other fourth metal patterns, the main second metal pattern overlap one or more of the other first metal patterns, without overlapping the other third metal patterns and the other fourth metal patterns, the main third metal pattern overlap one or more of the other fourth metal patterns, without overlapping the other first metal patterns and the other second metal patterns, and the main fourth metal pattern overlap one or more of the other third metal patterns, without overlapping the other first metal patterns and the other second metal patterns. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The clock distribution system of claim 5, wherein the clock mesh structure is arranged in each polygonal region among a plurality of polygonal regions arranged in a repeating manner and abutting each other, and for each corner of each polygonal region among the plurality of polygonal regions, the main third metal pattern or the main fourth metal pattern of the corresponding clock mesh structure extends from inside the polygonal region to the corner. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The clock distribution system of claim 9, wherein the plurality of polygonal regions comprises square regions in each of which the other first metal patterns, the other second metal patterns, the other third metal patterns and the other fourth metal patterns of the corresponding clock mesh structure form a plurality of concentric octagons. ### Claim 11 An integrated circuit (IC) device, comprising: a substrate; a circuit region over the substrate, the circuit region comprising: at least one active region extending along a first axis, and at least one gate region extending across the at least one active region and along a second axis transverse to the first axis; and a clock distribution system over and electrically coupled to the circuit region, the clock distribution system configured to supply a clock signal to the circuit region, the clock distribution system comprising: in a first metal layer over the circuit region, a plurality of first metal patterns oblique to both the first axis and the second axis, and in a second metal layer over the circuit region, a plurality of second metal patterns transverse to the a plurality of first metal patterns and oblique to both the first axis and the second axis, wherein the plurality of first metal patterns in the first metal layer comprises at least one clock spine having a greater width than other first metal patterns among the plurality of first metal patterns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The IC device of claim 11, wherein the clock distribution system further comprises a plurality of via structures electrically coupling the plurality of first metal patterns and the plurality of second metal patterns, to form a clock mesh structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The IC device of claim 11, wherein the clock distribution system further comprises a clock driver having an output electrically coupled to a second metal pattern among the plurality of second metal patterns at a midpoint between opposite ends of the second metal pattern, and the plurality of first metal patterns comprises two first metal patterns, each of which overlaps and is electrically coupled to a corresponding one of the opposite ends of the second metal pattern. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The IC device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of first metal patterns and the plurality of second metal patterns are electrically coupled to form an H-tree having an upper tier with a larger H-shape, and a lower tier with a number of smaller H-shapes electrically coupled to corresponding end portions of the larger H-shape, the at least one clock spine partially forms each of two adjacent smaller H-shapes on the lower tier, and continuously extends from one of the two adjacent smaller H-shapes to the other. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The IC device of claim 11, wherein the plurality of first metal patterns and the plurality of second metal patterns are electrically coupled to form a plurality of H-shapes, the at least one clock spine comprises a first clock spine, and the first clock spine partially forms each of two adjacent first H-shapes among the plurality of H-shapes, and continuously extends from one of the two adjacent first H-shapes to the other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The IC device of claim 15, wherein the at least one clock spine further comprises a second clock spine, and the second clock spine partially forms each of two adjacent second H-shapes among the plurality of H-shapes, and continuously extends from one of the two adjacent second H-shapes to the other. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The IC device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of first metal patterns and the plurality of second metal patterns are electrically coupled to further form a larger H-shape greater in size than each of the plurality of H-shapes, and the larger H-shape comprises a pair of first metal patterns among the plurality of first metal patterns, one first metal pattern in the pair of first metal patterns connecting the two adjacent first H-shapes to each other, and the other first metal pattern in the pair of first metal patterns connecting the two adjacent second H-shapes to each other, and a second metal pattern among the plurality of second metal patterns, the second metal pattern connecting midpoints of the pair of first metal patterns. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The IC device of claim 17, wherein the pair of first metal patterns is between the first clock spine and the second clock spine. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The IC device of claim 18, further comprising: a plurality of clock loads electrically coupled to a plurality of corresponding tap points along the first clock spine and the second clock spine. ### Claim 20 A method, comprising: forming a circuit region over a substrate; and forming a plurality of metal patterns over the circuit region, and electrically coupling the plurality of metal patterns to form a clock mesh structure which is electrically coupled to the circuit region, wherein the clock mesh structure comprises a plurality of hexagonal regions arranged in a repeating manner and abutting each other, and each of the plurality of hexagonal regions comprises therein at least one octagon having sides each being a metal pattern among the plurality of metal patterns.