Patent ID: 9536899
Date: 2017-01-03
CPC Classifications: G06F,H01L

Claim:
1. A semiconductor chip, comprising: a region including a plurality of transistors, each of the plurality of transistors in the region forming part of a digital logic circuit associated with execution of one or more logic functions, the region including at least five conductive structures formed within the semiconductor chip, some of the at least five conductive structures forming at least one transistor gate electrode, each of the at least five conductive structures respectively having a corresponding top surface, wherein an entirety of a periphery of the corresponding top surface is defined by a corresponding first end, a corresponding second end, a corresponding first edge, and a corresponding second edge, such that a total distance along the entirety of the periphery of the corresponding top surface is equal to a sum of a total distance along the corresponding first edge and a total distance along the corresponding second edge and a total distance along the corresponding first end and a total distance along the corresponding second end, wherein the total distance along the corresponding first edge is greater than two times the total distance along the corresponding first end, wherein the total distance along the corresponding first edge is greater than two times the total distance along the corresponding second end, wherein the total distance along the corresponding second edge is greater than two times the total distance along the corresponding first end, wherein the total distance along the corresponding second edge is greater than two times the total distance along the corresponding second end, wherein the corresponding first end extends from the corresponding first edge to the corresponding second edge and is located principally within a space between the corresponding first and second edges, wherein the corresponding second end extends from the corresponding first edge to the corresponding second edge and is located principally within the space between the corresponding first and second edges, the top surfaces of the at least five conductive structures co-planar with each other, each of the at least five conductive structures having a corresponding lengthwise centerline oriented in a first direction along its top surface and extending from its first end to its second end, each of the at least five conductive structures having a length as measured along its lengthwise centerline from its first end to its second end, wherein the first edge of each of the at least five conductive structures is substantially straight, wherein the second edge of each of the at least five conductive structures is substantially straight, each of the at least five conductive structures having both its first edge and its second edge oriented substantially parallel to its lengthwise centerline, each of the at least five conductive structures having a width measured in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction at a midpoint of its lengthwise centerline, each of the first direction and the second direction oriented substantially parallel to the co-planar top surfaces of the at least five conductive structures, wherein the at least five conductive structures includes a first conductive structure, the first conductive structure including a portion that forms a gate electrode of a first transistor of a first transistor type, the first conductive structure also including a portion that forms a gate electrode of a first transistor of a second transistor type, wherein the at least five conductive structures includes a second conductive structure, the second conductive structure including a portion that forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the first transistor type, wherein any gate electrode formed by the second conductive structure is of the first transistor type, wherein the at least five conductive structures includes a third conductive structure, the third conductive structure including a portion that forms a gate electrode of a second transistor of the second transistor type, wherein any gate electrode formed by the third conductive structure is of the second transistor type, wherein the first conductive structure is positioned between the second and third conductive structures in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein a gate electrode of a third transistor of the first transistor type is formed by one of the at least five conductive structures, wherein a gate electrode of a third transistor of the second transistor type is formed by one of the at least five conductive structures, wherein a gate electrode of a fourth transistor of the first transistor type is formed by one of the at least five conductive structures, wherein a gate electrode of a fourth transistor of the second transistor type is formed by one of the at least five conductive structures, wherein each transistor of the first transistor type having its gate electrode formed by any of the at least five conductive structures is included in a first collection of transistors, and wherein each transistor of the second transistor type having its gate electrode formed by any of the at least five conductive structures is included in a second collection of transistors, wherein the first collection of transistors is separated from the second collection of transistors by an inner sub-region of the region, wherein the inner sub-region does not include a source or a drain of any transistor, wherein the first and second transistors of the first transistor type are positioned adjacent to each other, wherein the first transistor of the first transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal and the second transistor of the first transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal, the first diffusion terminal of the first transistor of the first transistor type physically and electrically connected to the first diffusion terminal of the second transistor of the first transistor type, the first diffusion terminal of the first transistor of the first transistor type also electrically connected to a common node, the first diffusion terminal of the second transistor of the first transistor type also electrically connected to the common node, wherein the first and second transistors of the second transistor type are positioned adjacent to each other, wherein the first transistor of the second transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal and the second transistor of the second transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal, the first diffusion terminal of the first transistor of the second transistor type physically and electrically connected to the first diffusion terminal of the second transistor of the second transistor type, the first diffusion terminal of the first transistor of the second transistor type also electrically connected to the common node, the first diffusion terminal of the second transistor of the second transistor type also electrically connected to the common node, wherein the first transistor of the first transistor type includes a second diffusion terminal and the third transistor of the first transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal, the first diffusion terminal of the third transistor of the first transistor type electrically connected to the second diffusion terminal of the first transistor of the first transistor type, wherein the second transistor of the first transistor type includes a second diffusion terminal and the fourth transistor of the first transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal, the first diffusion terminal of the fourth transistor of the first transistor type electrically connected to the second diffusion terminal of the second transistor of the first transistor type, wherein the first transistor of the second transistor type includes a second diffusion terminal and the third transistor of the second transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal, the first diffusion terminal of the third transistor of the second transistor type electrically connected to the second diffusion terminal of the first transistor of the second transistor type, wherein the second transistor of the second transistor type includes a second diffusion terminal and the fourth transistor of the second transistor type includes a first diffusion terminal, the first diffusion terminal of the fourth transistor of the second transistor type electrically connected to the second diffusion terminal of the second transistor of the second transistor type, wherein the gate electrode of the third transistor of the first transistor type is electrically connected to the gate electrode of the fourth transistor of the second transistor type, wherein the gate electrode of the third transistor of the second transistor type electrically connected to the gate electrode of the fourth transistor of the first transistor type, wherein the first conductive structure includes an electrical connection area in physical connection with another conductive structure of the digital logic circuit, the electrical connection area of the first conductive structure being the only portion of the first conductive structure above a substrate of the semiconductor chip that is in physical connection with another conductive structure of the digital logic circuit, wherein the second conductive structure includes an electrical connection area in physical connection with another conductive structure of the digital logic circuit, the electrical connection area of the second conductive structure being the only portion of the second conductive structure above the substrate of the semiconductor chip that is in physical connection with another conductive structure of the digital logic circuit, wherein the third conductive structure includes an electrical connection area in physical connection with another conductive structure of the digital logic circuit, the electrical connection area of the third conductive structure being the only portion of the third conductive structure above the substrate of the semiconductor chip that is in physical connection with another conductive structure of the digital logic circuit, wherein any conductive structures that make physical contact with one or both of the electrical connection area of the second conductive structure and the electrical connection area of the third conductive structure form part of an electrical connection between the second conductive structure and the third conductive structure; a first interconnect conductive structure located within a first interconnect chip level of the semiconductor chip, the first interconnect chip level formed above a level of the semiconductor chip that includes the at least five conductive structures, a portion of the first interconnect conductive structure positioned above the electrical connection area of the first conductive structure, the portion of the first interconnect conductive structure electrically connected to the first conductive structure; a second interconnect conductive structure located within the first interconnect chip level of the semiconductor chip, a portion of the second interconnect conductive structure positioned above the electrical connection area of the second conductive structure, the portion of the second interconnect conductive structure electrically connected to the second conductive structure; and a third interconnect conductive structure located within the first interconnect chip level of the semiconductor chip, a portion of the third interconnect conductive structure positioned above the electrical connection area of the third conductive structure, the portion of the third interconnect conductive structure electrically connected to the third conductive structure.