Samsung patents chip layout method to improve alignment accuracy
This patent describes a method for designing the physical layout of integrated circuits. It uses specific alignment patterns in non-functional areas of the chip to ensure that different layers of the circuit, such as gates and contacts, are placed precisely on top of each other during manufacturing.
In the filing’s own words
A layout design method includes: designing a gate layout including a gate pattern in a first region and a gate alignment key pattern in a second region; designing a contact layout including a contact pattern in a first region and a contact alignment key pattern in a second region; and designing a contact cut layout including a contact cut pattern for cutting a portion of the contact pattern and for cutting a portion of the contact alignment key pattern, wherein the contact alignment key pattern includes a gate-contact overlay pattern that overlaps the gate alignment key pattern, and the contact cut pattern includes a gate-contact overlay cut pattern that overlaps the gate-contact overlay pattern.
What exactly they claim (claim 1)
1. A layout design method comprising: designing a gate layout comprising a gate pattern in a first region and a gate alignment key pattern in a second region; designing a contact layout comprising a contact pattern in a first region and a contact alignment key pattern in a second region; and designing a contact cut layout comprising a contact cut pattern for cutting a portion of the contact pattern and for cutting a portion of the contact alignment key pattern, wherein the contact alignment key pattern comprises a gate-contact overlay pattern that overlaps the gate alignment key pattern, and the contact cut pattern comprises a gate-contact overlay cut pattern that overlaps the gate-contact overlay pattern.
Facts
- Company
- Samsung (SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.)
- Official title
- Layout design method and integrated circuit device manufacturing method using the same
- Patent number
- US12772569B2
- Application number
- 18389905
- Filed
- Dec 20, 2023
- Granted
- Oct 20, 2026
- Inventors
- 1
- Claims
- 20
Classified under
H10D 89/10 Electricity & electronicsG06F 30/392 Physics & computingG06F 30/398 Physics & computingH10P 76/00 Electricity & electronicsH10W 46/00 Electricity & electronicsG06F 2119/18 Physics & computingMore from Samsung in Chips & hardware
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Summaries are simplified from the filing’s own abstract and first claim. A patent filing is not a product announcement.
Patent data and drawings: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Nebula is not affiliated with or endorsed by the USPTO.