Patent ID: 6307252
Filing Date: 2001-10-23
Classification: H01L

Abstract:
An integrated circuit (IC) comprising:(a) a signal conductor lying in a first metal layer in the IC and configured to carry a given signal;(b) a pair of adjacent shielding conductors in the first metal layer, lying on either side of and running parallel to the signal conductor; and(c) a subtending planar shielding conductor, lying directly below the signal conductor and the pair of adjacent shielding conductors, in a second metal layer in the IC immediately below the first metal layer, wherein the three shielding conductors isolate the given signal in the signal conductor from electromagnetic coupling with one or more other signals in the IC, wherein:each shielding conductor is directly connected to a return of a signal source at a source end of the shielding conductor and to a return of a signal termination at a destination end of the shielding conductor; andthe destination end of the shielding conductor is different from the source end of the shielding conductor.