A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a semiconductor substrate having a first protected circuit, and forming a first guard ring around the first protected circuit including: forming a first wall configured to provide a first reference voltage; and forming a second wall configured to provide a second reference voltage different than the first reference voltage.

A method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a semiconductor substrate having a first protected circuit, and forming a first guard ring around the first protected circuit including: forming a first wall configured to provide a first reference voltage; and forming a second wall configured to provide a second reference voltage different than the first reference voltage.

A layout method and a semiconductor device are disclosed. The layout method includes: generating a design layout by placing a cell, wherein the cell includes: a first conductive segment overlapping a source/drain region and disposed immediately adjacent to a first power rail, wherein the first conductive segment has a length substantially equal to a cell length; a second conductive segment; and a third conductive segment between the first and second conductive segments. The layout method further includes: providing a fourth conductive segment and a fifth conductive segment to the design layout, wherein the fourth and fifth conductive segments are aligned in a first direction.

A layout method and a semiconductor device are disclosed. The layout method includes: generating a design layout by placing a cell, wherein the cell includes: a first conductive segment overlapping a source/drain region and disposed immediately adjacent to a first power rail, wherein the first conductive segment has a length substantially equal to a cell length; a second conductive segment; and a third conductive segment between the first and second conductive segments. The layout method further includes: providing a fourth conductive segment and a fifth conductive segment to the design layout, wherein the fourth and fifth conductive segments are aligned in a first direction.

A standard cell in a Place and Route (PNR) library of standard cells includes a cell boundary and cell configuration information. The cell boundary includes a first edge and a second edge that is opposite the first edge. The cell configuration information indicates a power connection configuration to be used with a second standard cell when the standard cell is placed next to the second standard cell in a layout in a PNR environment, such that at least one transistor source electrode is physically shared between the standard cell and the second standard cell. The cell configuration information may be edge identifier information for the first edge and/or the second edge of the first standard cell. The power connection configuration may also indicate that the power connection configuration for the first edge and/or the second edge is outside the cell boundary for the standard cell.

A standard cell in a Place and Route (PNR) library of standard cells includes a cell boundary and cell configuration information. The cell boundary includes a first edge and a second edge that is opposite the first edge. The cell configuration information indicates a power connection configuration to be used with a second standard cell when the standard cell is placed next to the second standard cell in a layout in a PNR environment, such that at least one transistor source electrode is physically shared between the standard cell and the second standard cell. The cell configuration information may be edge identifier information for the first edge and/or the second edge of the first standard cell. The power connection configuration may also indicate that the power connection configuration for the first edge and/or the second edge is outside the cell boundary for the standard cell.

A system and method for the automatic placement of superconducting devices determines an arrangement of a series of Josephson junctions between a start point and an end point of an inductive wiring run on a superconducting circuit layout having a plurality of discrete Josephson junction placement sites by determining costs of placing each Josephson junction of the series of Josephson junctions at the plurality of discrete Josephson junction placement sites between the start point and the end point of the inductive wiring run based at least on a comparison of a target inductance value to inductances of wires connecting to the Josephson junction and selecting sites from the plurality of discrete Josephson junction placement sites to place each Josephson junction corresponding to the arrangement of the series of Josephson junctions with the least determined cost for the inductive wiring run.

A system and method for the automatic placement of superconducting devices determines an arrangement of a series of Josephson junctions between a start point and an end point of an inductive wiring run on a superconducting circuit layout having a plurality of discrete Josephson junction placement sites by determining costs of placing each Josephson junction of the series of Josephson junctions at the plurality of discrete Josephson junction placement sites between the start point and the end point of the inductive wiring run based at least on a comparison of a target inductance value to inductances of wires connecting to the Josephson junction and selecting sites from the plurality of discrete Josephson junction placement sites to place each Josephson junction corresponding to the arrangement of the series of Josephson junctions with the least determined cost for the inductive wiring run.

A system including computer readable storage media including executable instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the executable instructions to obtain a schematic netlist and a performance specification for an integrated circuit, determine electrical constraints for nets in the schematic netlist based on the performance specification, determine physical constraints from the electrical constraints, rout the nets in the schematic netlist based on the electrical constraints and the physical constraints, and provide a data file of a layout.

A system including computer readable storage media including executable instructions and one or more processors configured to execute the executable instructions to obtain a schematic netlist and a performance specification for an integrated circuit, determine electrical constraints for nets in the schematic netlist based on the performance specification, determine physical constraints from the electrical constraints, rout the nets in the schematic netlist based on the electrical constraints and the physical constraints, and provide a data file of a layout.