Patent ID: 8173491

Claim:
A method for forming an integrated circuit using standard cells, comprising: defining a circuit function by selecting circuit components from a standard cell library; forming a plurality of standard cell layouts to implement the circuit function in a semiconductor device, the plurality of standard cell layouts being formed in an electronic design automation tool by: forming a first standard cell area having a cell boundary extending in a first direction and in a second direction; forming a first active area in the first standard cell area; forming a plurality of gate electrode strips in the first standard cell area overlying the first active area, the gate electrode strips having a uniform pitch, a uniform width, and aligned in the first direction; forming in a conductive layer a first plurality of conductors in the first standard cell area, at least two portions of the first plurality of conductors being spaced apart by a minimum spacing distance, at least one portion of the first plurality of conductors being spaced from the cell boundary by a distance that is substantially less than half the minimum spacing distance; forming a second standard cell area extending in the first direction and the second direction and having a second cell boundary including a common cell boundary with the first standard cell area; forming a second active area in the second standard cell area; forming a second plurality of gate electrode strips in the second standard cell area overlying the second active area, having a uniform pitch, a uniform width, and aligned in the first direction; and forming in the conductive layer a second plurality of conductors in the second standard cell area, at least one portion of the second plurality of conductors being disposed adjacent the portion of the conductive layer in the first standard cell area and being spaced from a common cell boundary by a second distance that is substantially greater than half of the minimum spacing distance; wherein the sum of the first and second distance is at least as great as the minimum spacing distance.