Patent ID: 6172547
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: H01L,H03K

Abstract:
A semiconductor integrated circuit having an internal core area in which a first set of transistors are arranged in longitudinal and lateral directions to constitute at least one circuit, and a peripheral area in which a second set of transistors, having driving force larger than said first set of transistors, are arranged, the second set of transistors including a first group of transistors which serve as input/output circuits for receiving and transmitting signals between the at least one circuit and an external device located outside the semiconductor integrated circuit,wherein said second set of transistors arranged in said peripheral area include a second group of transistors that are not used to constitute said input/output circuits, said second group of transistors constituting at least one driver for amplifying a clock signal outputted from said internal core area and outputting the amplified clock signal to at least one of the circuits constituted by said first set of transistors arranged in said internal core area,and wherein said peripheral area includes a first area in which said first group of transistors constitute output buffers for transmitting at least one signal from said internal core area to the external device, and a second area in which said first group of transistors constitute input buffers for transmitting at least one signal from said external device to said internal core area and pre-drivers for driving said output buffers.