Interconnect structures for metal configurable integrated circuits
First Claim
1. A programmable buffer of a semiconductor device comprising:
- an input and an output; and
a programmable interconnect structure comprising;
a plurality of fixed interconnects including metal and via geometries; and
a plurality of selectable interconnect geometries, wherein selecting a selectable geometry connects a first of said fixed interconnects to a second of said fixed interconnects;
wherein said input and said output is configured to electrically connect to a subset of said fixed interconnects by the selectable interconnect geometries; and
a programmable signal restoring unit comprising a plurality of transistors, at least one said transistor having;
a common gate region and a common source region; and
a first drain region coupled to the programmable buffer output comprising said fixed interconnect; and
a second drain region comprising said fixed interconnect, said first and second drain regions isolated from each other, wherein said selectable geometry is configured to electrically connect the first and second drain regions;
wherein, selecting a subset of the selectable interconnect geometries program the programmable buffer input and output connections, and the programmable buffer signal drive strength.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Interconnect structure comprising buffers for a semiconductor device is disclosed. The buffer comprises: an input and an output; and a programmable interconnect structure comprising: a plurality of fixed interconnects including metal and via geometries; and a plurality of selectable interconnect geometries, wherein selecting a selectable geometry connects a first of said fixed interconnects to a second of said fixed interconnects; wherein said input and said output can electrically connect to a subset of said fixed interconnects by the selectable geometries; and a programmable signal restoring unit comprising a plurality of transistors, at least one said transistor having: a common gate region and a common source region; and a first drain region coupled to the buffer output comprising a said fixed interconnect; and a second drain region comprising a said fixed interconnect, said first and second drain regions isolated from each other, wherein a said selectable interconnect geometry can electrically connect the first and second drain regions; wherein, selecting a subset of the selectable interconnect geometries program the buffer input and output connections, and the buffer signal drive strength.
112 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A programmable buffer of a semiconductor device comprising:
-
an input and an output; and a programmable interconnect structure comprising; a plurality of fixed interconnects including metal and via geometries; and a plurality of selectable interconnect geometries, wherein selecting a selectable geometry connects a first of said fixed interconnects to a second of said fixed interconnects; wherein said input and said output is configured to electrically connect to a subset of said fixed interconnects by the selectable interconnect geometries; and a programmable signal restoring unit comprising a plurality of transistors, at least one said transistor having; a common gate region and a common source region; and a first drain region coupled to the programmable buffer output comprising said fixed interconnect; and a second drain region comprising said fixed interconnect, said first and second drain regions isolated from each other, wherein said selectable geometry is configured to electrically connect the first and second drain regions; wherein, selecting a subset of the selectable interconnect geometries program the programmable buffer input and output connections, and the programmable buffer signal drive strength. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A programmable buffer of a semiconductor device, comprising:
-
a plurality of fixed interconnect geometries and a plurality of selectable interconnect geometries, wherein selecting a selectable geometry connects a first of said fixed interconnects to a second of said fixed interconnects; and a programmable buffer comprising; an input and an output, the input and the output capable of connecting to a subset of said fixed interconnects by a subset of said selectable interconnect geometries; and a plurality of inverters coupled to the programmable buffer input and the programmable buffer output, a first of said inverter comprising a first transistor comprised of a plurality of isolated drain nodes, wherein the drain nodes is configured to be connected to each other by selecting a subset of said selectable interconnect geometries; and a computer aided design tool that identifies a binary bitstream, a binary bit of said binary bitstream having a one state to select the selectable geometry, and a zero state to omit the selectable geometry, the bitstream identifying the selectable geometries to program the programmable buffer input and output connections, and the programmable buffer drive strength; and a fabrication process utilizing a plurality of common interconnect layers and a custom interconnect layer to fabricate the device, the custom interconnect layer comprising a subset of said fixed interconnect geometries and the bitstream selected selectable interconnect geometries to program the programmable buffer. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A programmable interconnect structure of a semiconductor device, comprising:
-
a plurality of programmable interconnects comprising; a plurality of fixed interconnects including metal and via geometries; and a plurality of selectable interconnect geometries, wherein selecting a selectable geometry connects a first said fixed interconnects to a second said fixed interconnects; and a plurality of programmable buffers, each programmable buffer comprising; an input, wherein selecting a subset of said selectable interconnect geometries connect the input to one of a subset of said fixed interconnects; and an output, wherein selecting a subset of said selectable interconnect geometries connect the output to one of a subset of said fixed interconnects; and a plurality of inverters, a first of said inverters having a first transistor comprised of; a first drain region coupled to the programmable buffer output; and a second drain region isolated from said first drain region, wherein selecting said selectable geometry connects the second drain region to the first drain region to increase the drive strength of the programmable buffer; wherein, selecting a subset of the selectable interconnect geometries program the programmable interconnect structure to a customer specification. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification