# US 9,437,588 B1 · Middle of-line architecture for dense library layout using M0 hand-shake

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- Number: US 9,437,588 B1
- Document ID: US9437588B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 14/742,935
- Filed: 2015-06-18
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-18
- Assignees: Globalfoundries Inc.
- Applicants: GLOBALFOUNDRIES Inc.
- Inventors: Jia Zeng; Jongwook Kye; Harry J. Levinson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437588B1

## CPC

- H10D 89/10: Integrated device layouts
- H10W 20/42: Vias, e.g. via plugs
- H10W 20/427: {Power or ground buses}
- H10W 20/43: Layouts of interconnections
- H10W 20/435: {Cross-sectional shapes or dispositions of interconnections}
- H10D 84/975: {Wiring regions or routing}
- H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A dense library architecture using an M0 hand-shake and the method of forming the layout are disclosed. Embodiments include forming first and second active areas on a substrate, at the top and bottom of a cell, separated from each other; forming first through third gate lines perpendicular to the active areas, where the first and third gate lines are dummy gates at the cell edges; forming trench silicide segments on each of the active areas, between the first, second, and third gate lines; forming first and second M1 metal lines between the first and second gate lines and the second and third gate lines, respectively; forming a M0 segment between the first and second active regions perpendicular to the M1 metal lines; forming a CB between the M0 segment and the second gate line; and forming a V0 from the first metal line to the M0 segment.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
forming first and second active areas on a substrate, at top and bottom sides of a cell, separated from each other;
forming first, second, and third gate lines perpendicular to the active areas, where the first and third gate lines comprise dummy gates at the edges of the cell;
forming trench silicide segments on each of the first and second active areas, between the first, second, and third gate lines;
forming first and second M1 metal lines between the first and second gate lines and the second and third gate lines, respectively;
forming a metal 0 (M0) segment between the first and second active regions perpendicular to the M1 metal lines;
forming a gate contact (CB) between the M0 segment and the second gate line; and
forming a via (V0) from the first metal line to the M0 segment.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising
forming a second V0 connecting one end of the second metal line with an active area contact (CA) connected to a trench silicide segment in the first active area; and
forming a third V0 connecting a second end of the second metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the second active area, wherein the first active area is connected to the second active area.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
fourth, fifth, and sixth gate lines between the second and third gate lines, the second metal line being between the fifth and sixth gate lines;
forming third, fourth, and fifth, M1 metal lines between the second and fourth, fourth and fifth, and sixth and third gate lines, respectively; and
forming second, third, and fourth M0 segments perpendicular to the M1 metal lines, in a zig-zag pattern with the first M0 segment, between the first and second active areas.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method according to claim 3, further comprising:
forming second, third, and fourth V0s from the third, fourth, and fifth M1 metal lines down to the second, third, and fourth, M0 segments, respectively, and
forming second, third, and fourth CBs between the second, third, and fourth M0 segments and the fourth, fifth, and sixth gate lines, respectively.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising:
forming a fifth V0 connecting one end of the second metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the first active area;
forming a sixth V0 connecting a second end of the second metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the second active area; and
forming a M0 line perpendicular to the M1 metal lines, over the CA's in the first active area.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5, further comprising
forming each of the first, second, third, and fourth CBs prior to the first, second, third, and fourth M0 segments; and
forming the first, second, third, and fourth metal zero segments around edges of the first, second, third, and fourth CBs.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming two M0 segments as first and second power rails along top and bottom edges of the cell, perpendicular to the gate lines.

### Claim 8

A method comprising:
forming first and second active areas on a substrate, at top and bottom sides of a first cell, separated from each other and third and fourth active areas on the substrate, at top and bottom sides of a second cell, separated from each other;
forming a first gate line in the first cell perpendicular to the active areas and a second gate line in the second cell perpendicular to the active areas;
forming a double diffusion break between the first and second cells;
forming trench silicide segments on each of the first, second, third, and fourth active areas, on opposite sides of each of the first and second gate lines;
forming first and second M1 metal lines and third and fourth M1 metal lines on opposite sides of the first and second gate lines, respectively;
forming a first metal 0 (M0) segment between the first and second active areas perpendicular to the M1 metal lines and a second M0 segment between the third and fourth active areas perpendicular to the M1 metal lines;
forming a first gate contact (CB) between the first M0 segment and the first gate line and a second CB between the second M0 segment and the second gate line;
forming a first via (V0) from the first metal line to the first M0 segment and a second V0 from the fourth metal line to the second M0 segment; and
forming two M0 segments as first and second power rails along top and bottom edges of the first and second cells, perpendicular to the gate lines.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, comprising:
forming a third V0 connecting one end of the second metal line with an active area contact (CA) connected to a trench silicide segment in the first active area;
forming a fourth V0 connecting a second end of the second metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the second active area;
forming a fifth V0 connecting one end of the third metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide segment in the third active area;
forming a sixth V0 connecting a second end of the third metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the fourth active area;
wherein the first and second active areas and the third and fourth active areas are respectively connected.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method according to claim 8, further comprising:
additional gate lines between the first gate line and the double diffusion break and between the second gate line and the double diffusion break;
forming an additional metal line between each pair of adjacent additional gate lines and between the double diffusion break and each adjacent additional gate line; and
forming additional M0 segments perpendicular to the M1 metal lines, in a zig-zag pattern with respect to the first M0 segment, between the first and second active areas and in a zig-zag pattern with respect to the second M0 segment, between the third and fourth active areas.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method according to claim 10, further comprising:
forming an additional V0 from each additional metal line down to an additional M0 segment, and
forming an additional CB between each of the additional M0 segments and an underlying gate line.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method according to claim 11, further comprising:
forming a third V0 connecting one end of the second metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide segment in the first active area;
forming a fourth V0 connecting a second end of the second metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the second active area;
forming a fifth V0 connecting one end of the third metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide segment in the third active area;
forming a sixth V0 connecting a second end of the third metal line with a CA connected to a trench silicide in the fourth active area;
wherein the first and second active areas and the third and fourth active areas are respectively connected.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method according to claim 12, further comprising
forming each of the CBs prior to the M0 segments; and
forming the metal zero segments around edges of the CBs.