Semiconductor device

• US 6,476,493 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2001
• Issued: 11/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Bill Douglas Cox, Zvi Or-Bach
• Inventors: Or-Bach, Zvi, Cox, Bill Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Clark, Sheila V.
• Application Number:
  US09/940,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20020024143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• Field of Search: 257/758, 257/211, 257/522, 257/760, 257/207, 257/210, 257/750
• US Class Current: 257/758
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17736 Structural details of routing resources
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1778 Structural details for adapting physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17792 for operating speed

Abstract

A semiconductor device comprises a substrate having at least first, second and third metal layers formed over it. The metal layers comprise parallel strips. The strips of a given metal layer may be arranged such that they extend in a direction perpendicular to that of the direction in which the strips of a metal layer immediately above or below the given metal layer extend. The strips may further be arranged in parallel bands. The metal layers may comprise repeating patterns of strips. They may further provide customization. Vias may be formed to provide connections between metal layers. Such vias and/or one or more of the metal layers themselves may be used to provide customization.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

at least first, second and third metal layers formed over said substrate, said first metal layer comprising a plurality of generally parallel spaced band structures extending parallel to a first axis, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of first metal layer strips extending perpendicular to said first axis; and

wherein said second metal layer comprises a multiplicity of second metal layer strips extending generally parallel to said first axis.

2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein said third metal layer comprises a multiplicity of third metal layer strips extending generally perpendicular to said first axis.

3. The semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein at least one of said at least first metal layer, said second metal layer and said third metal layer comprises at least one repeating pattern.

4. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

at least first, second and third metal layers formed over said substrate, said first metal layer comprising a plurality of generally parallel spaced band structures extending parallel to a first axis, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of first metal layer strips extending perpendicular to said first axis; and

wherein said third metal layer comprises a multiplicity of third metal layer strips extending generally perpendicular to said first axis.

5. An integrated circuit device comprising:

at least first, second and third metal layers;

a first via layer to provide connection between said first metal layer and said second metal layer; and

a second via layer to provide connection between said second metal layer and said third metal layer,

wherein at least one of said first metal layer and said second metal layer comprises a repeating pattern of spaced band structures, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of metal layer strips, and wherein at least one of said first via layer, second via layer and third metal layer comprises a custom pattern providing one or more routing connections, at least one of said routing connections comprising at least one of said metal layer strips.

6. The device according to claim 5, further comprising a fourth metal layer.

7. The device according to claim 6, wherein said fourth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

8. The device according to claim 5, wherein said custom pattern is a via layer.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said custom pattern is prepared with direct write e-beam lithography.

10. The device according to claim 5, wherein said repeating pattern comprises strips extending generally in parallel to a first axis.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein at least two vias of first via layer are overlying at least one of said strips, connecting at least one of said strips to said second metal layer.

12. The device according to claim 11, wherein said at least two vias are at a distance greater than six times than the distance between two adjacent ones of said strips.

13. The device according to claim 11, wherein at least two of said at least two vias are near to a beginning and an end, respectively, of said at least one of said strips.

14. The device according to claim 10, wherein said strips are stepped strips.

15. The device according to claim 10, wherein said strips are in a band of generally equal length strips.

16. An integrated circuit device comprising:

at least first, second and third metal layers;

a first via layer to provide connection between said first metal layer and said second metal layer; and

a second via layer to provide connection between said second metal layer and said third metal layer,

wherein at least one of said first metal layer and said third metal layer comprises a repeating pattern of spaced band structures, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of metal layer strips, and wherein at least one of said first via layer, second via layer and third metal layer comprises a custom pattern providing one or more routing connections, at least one of said routing connections comprising at least one of said metal layer strips.

17. The device according to claim 16, further comprising a fourth metal layer.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said fourth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

19. The device according to claim 16, wherein said custom pattern is a via layer.

20. The device according to claim 19, wherein said custom pattern is prepared with direct write e-beam lithography.

21. The device according to claim 16, wherein said repeating pattern comprises strips extending generally in parallel to a first axis.

22. The device according to claim 16, wherein at least two vias of second via layer are underlying at least one of said strips, connecting at least one of said strips to said second metal layer.

23. The device according to claim 22, wherein at least two of said at least two vias are near a beginning and an end, respectively, of said at least one of said strips.

24. The device according to claim 20, wherein said at least two vias are at a distance greater than six times than the distance between two adjacent ones of said strips.

25. The device according to claim 20, wherein said strips are stepped strips.

26. The device according to claim 20, wherein said strips are in a band of generally equal length strips.

27. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

at least first, second and third metal layers formed over said substrate, said second metal layer comprising a plurality of generally parallel spaced band structures extending parallel to a first axis, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of second metal layer strips extending perpendicular to said first axis; and

at least one via connecting at least one second metal layer strip with said first metal layer underlying said second metal layer;

wherein said third metal layer comprises at least one third metal layer strip extending generally perpendicular to said second metal layer strips and being connected thereto by a via, and wherein said first metal layer comprises a repeating pattern underlying said second metal layer strips.

28. A further semiconductor device including the semiconductor device according to claim 27.

29. The semiconductor device according to claim 28, further comprising a fourth metal layer.

30. The semiconductor device according to claim 29, further comprising a fifth metal layer.

31. The semiconductor device according to claim 29, wherein said second metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

32. The semiconductor device according to claim 29, wherein said fourth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

33. The semiconductor device according to claim 32, further comprising a fifth metal layer.

34. The semiconductor device according to claim 33, wherein said fifth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

35. A semiconductor device according to claim 29, further comprising a custom via layer.

36. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

at least first, second and third metal layers formed over said substrate, said second metal layer comprising a plurality of generally parallel spaced band structures extending parallel to a first axis, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of second metal layer strips extending perpendicular to said first axis; and

at least one via connecting at least one second metal layer strip with said first metal layer underlying said second metal layer;

wherein said third metal layer comprises at least one third metal layer strip extending generally parallel to said second metal layer strips and connecting two coaxial second metal layer strips by vias, and wherein said first metal layer comprises a repeating pattern underlying said second metal layer strips.

37. A further semiconductor device including the semiconductor device according to claim 36.

38. The semiconductor device according to claim 37, further comprising a fourth metal layer.

39. The semiconductor device according to claim 38, further comprising a fifth metal layer.

40. The semiconductor device according to claim 38, wherein said second metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

41. The semiconductor device according to claim 38, wherein said fourth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

42. The semiconductor device according to claim 41, further comprising a fifth metal layer.

43. The semiconductor device according to claim 42, wherein said fifth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

44. The semiconductor device according to claim 38, further comprising a custom via layer.

45. A semiconductor device comprising:

a substrate;

at least first, second and third metal layers formed over said substrate, said second metal layer comprising a plurality of generally parallel spaced band structures extending parallel to a first axis, each band structure comprising a multiplicity of second metal layer strips extending perpendicular to said first axis; and

at least one via connecting at least one second metal layer strip with said first metal layer underlying said second metal layer;

wherein said first metal layer underlying said second metal layer comprises a multiplicity of first metal layer strips extending generally parallel to said multiplicity of second metal layer strips, and wherein said first metal layer comprises a repeating pattern underlying said second metal layer strips.

46. A further semiconductor device including the semiconductor device according to claim 45.

47. The semiconductor device according to claim 46, further comprising a fourth metal layer.

48. The semiconductor device according to claim 47, further comprising a fifth metal layer.

49. The semiconductor device according to claim 47, wherein said second metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

50. The semiconductor device according to claim 47, wherein said fourth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

51. The semiconductor device according to claim 50, further comprising a fifth metal layer.

52. The semiconductor device according to claim 51, wherein said fifth metal layer comprises a repeating pattern.

53. The semiconductor device according to claim 47, further comprising a custom via layer.