Method for designing structured ASICs in silicon processes with three unique masking steps
First Claim
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1. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) device comprising:
- a core base cell comprising a plurality of semiconductor components interconnected by a first, second and third metal level having insulating layers therebetween;
a first metal level masked on said core base cell, said first metal level comprising a common mask to all ASIC devices for completing the ASIC device;
a second metal level masked through a common first via level mask through an insulating level deposited over said first metal level, said second metal level comprising a common mask;
a third metal level masked through a common second via level mask through an insulating level deposited over said second metal level, said third metal level comprising a first unique mask;
a third via level masked through an insulating level deposited over said third metal level, said third via level mask comprising a second unique mask; and
a fourth metal level masked on said third via level, said fourth level mask being a third unique mask to each of said semiconductor components for completing the ASIC device;
thereby completing the personalization of an ASIC device using only three unique masking levels.
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Abstract
A multi-function core base cell includes a set of functional microcircuits. These microcircuits are used to design a Library of Logic Function Macros. The functional macros consisting of one or more microcircuits have a fixed and complete physical layout similar to a conventional standard cell library macro set. In addition to a core functional macro set, primary input/output buffers and commonly used single and dual port memory blocks are also defined in the library. The library includes all the ASIC synthesis, simulation, and physical design rules.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) device comprising:
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a core base cell comprising a plurality of semiconductor components interconnected by a first, second and third metal level having insulating layers therebetween; a first metal level masked on said core base cell, said first metal level comprising a common mask to all ASIC devices for completing the ASIC device; a second metal level masked through a common first via level mask through an insulating level deposited over said first metal level, said second metal level comprising a common mask; a third metal level masked through a common second via level mask through an insulating level deposited over said second metal level, said third metal level comprising a first unique mask; a third via level masked through an insulating level deposited over said third metal level, said third via level mask comprising a second unique mask; and a fourth metal level masked on said third via level, said fourth level mask being a third unique mask to each of said semiconductor components for completing the ASIC device; thereby completing the personalization of an ASIC device using only three unique masking levels. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification