An integrated circuit includes a first time delay circuit, a second time delay circuit, and a master-slave flip-flop having a gated input circuit and a transmission gate. The first time delay circuit has a first input configured to receive a first clock signal and having a first output configured to generate a second clock signal. The second time delay circuit has a second input configured to receive the second clock signal and having a second output configured to generate a third clock signal. The transmission gate is configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal to control a transmission state of the transmission gate. The gated input circuit is configured to have an input transmission state controlled by the third clock signal at the second output of the second time delay circuit.

A flip-flop is provided that includes an input latch, configured to receive a data signal and a complement and produce set and reset pulses based on a clock and a difference between the data signal and the complement; and an output latch, configured to store a data value in a first memory and a complement data value in a second memory based on the set and reset pulses and the clock. Various buffers configured to invert and amplify the set and reset pulses before provision to the output latch stages are optionally disposed between the input and output latches. The input latch includes two signal arms, two difference transistors (one gate controlled by the clock and the other by a clock complement) coupled oppositely to one another (by respective drains and sources) to the signal arms, and two regeneration inverters coupled oppositely to one another to the signal arms.

A flip-flop is provided that includes an input latch, configured to receive a data signal and a complement and produce set and reset pulses based on a clock and a difference between the data signal and the complement; and an output latch, configured to store a data value in a first memory and a complement data value in a second memory based on the set and reset pulses and the clock. Various buffers configured to invert and amplify the set and reset pulses before provision to the output latch stages are optionally disposed between the input and output latches. The input latch includes two signal arms, two difference transistors (one gate controlled by the clock and the other by a clock complement) coupled oppositely to one another (by respective drains and sources) to the signal arms, and two regeneration inverters coupled oppositely to one another to the signal arms.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming active regions, forming S/D regions, forming MD contact structures and forming gate lines resulting in corresponding transistors that define a first time delay circuit having a first input configured to receive a first clock signal and having a first output configured to generate a second clock signal from the first clock signal; and corresponding transistors that define a second time delay circuit having a second input configured to receive the second clock signal and having a second output configured to generate a third clock signal from the first clock signal; forming a first gate via-connector in direct contact with the first gate line atop the first-type active region in the first area; and forming a second gate via-connector in direct contact with the second gate line atop the second-type active region in the second area.

A method of forming a semiconductor device includes forming active regions, forming S/D regions, forming MD contact structures and forming gate lines resulting in corresponding transistors that define a first time delay circuit having a first input configured to receive a first clock signal and having a first output configured to generate a second clock signal from the first clock signal; and corresponding transistors that define a second time delay circuit having a second input configured to receive the second clock signal and having a second output configured to generate a third clock signal from the first clock signal; forming a first gate via-connector in direct contact with the first gate line atop the first-type active region in the first area; and forming a second gate via-connector in direct contact with the second gate line atop the second-type active region in the second area.

A latch and an isolation circuit are provided. The latch includes a first-level substructure and at least one second-level substructure, the number of the at least one second-level substructure is k, and k is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. The first-level substructure includes a first load having a first terminal coupled with a first port, a second load having a first terminal coupled with the first port, a first driving circuit having a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the first load and a second terminal coupled with a second port, a second driving circuit having a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the second load and a second terminal coupled with the second port. Each of the at least one second-level substructure includes a third load, a fourth load, a third driving circuit and a fourth driving circuit.

A latch and an isolation circuit are provided. The latch includes a first-level substructure and at least one second-level substructure, the number of the at least one second-level substructure is k, and k is a positive integer greater than or equal to 1. The first-level substructure includes a first load having a first terminal coupled with a first port, a second load having a first terminal coupled with the first port, a first driving circuit having a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the first load and a second terminal coupled with a second port, a second driving circuit having a control terminal coupled with a second terminal of the second load and a second terminal coupled with the second port. Each of the at least one second-level substructure includes a third load, a fourth load, a third driving circuit and a fourth driving circuit.

An integrated circuit includes a first time delay circuit, a second time delay circuit, and a master-slave flip-flop having a gated input circuit and a transmission gate. The transmission gate is configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal to control a transmission state of the transmission gate. The gated input circuit is configured to have an input transmission state controlled by the third clock signal at the second output of the second time delay circuit. The second time delay circuit further includes a second gate-conductor and a second gate via-connector in direct contact with the second gate-conductor. The second gate-conductor intersects a first-type active region structure and a second-type active region structure in a second area, and wherein at least a portion of the second gate via-connector is atop the second-type active region structure

An integrated circuit includes a first time delay circuit, a second time delay circuit, and a master-slave flip-flop having a gated input circuit and a transmission gate. The transmission gate is configured to receive the first clock signal and the second clock signal to control a transmission state of the transmission gate. The gated input circuit is configured to have an input transmission state controlled by the third clock signal at the second output of the second time delay circuit. The second time delay circuit further includes a second gate-conductor and a second gate via-connector in direct contact with the second gate-conductor. The second gate-conductor intersects a first-type active region structure and a second-type active region structure in a second area, and wherein at least a portion of the second gate via-connector is atop the second-type active region structure

A sampling circuit includes a first latch, a second latch and a signal transition detector. The first latch is disposed on an upstream side of a logic circuit. The second latch is disposed on a downstream side of the logic circuit. The first latch and the second latch respectively switch to opposite states of an opaque state or a transparent state according to trigger signals generated by a reference clock and a control clock. The signal transition detector is configured for detecting whether the signal outputted by the logic circuit is in error or not and outputting a corresponding control clock. The above-mentioned sampling circuit can delay switching the second latch to the opaque state and switching the first latch to the transparent state to correct sampling when a timing error occurs.