An integrated circuit includes a first-voltage power rail and a second-voltage power rail in a first connection layer, and includes a first-voltage underlayer power rail and a second-voltage underlayer power rail below the first connection layer. Each of the first-voltage and second-voltage power rails extends in a second direction that is perpendicular to a first direction. Each of the first-voltage and second-voltage underlayer power rails extends in the first direction. The integrated circuit includes a first via-connector connecting the first-voltage power rail with the first-voltage underlayer power rail, and a second via-connector connecting the second-voltage power rail with the second-voltage underlayer power rail.

An integrated circuit is disclosure. The integrated circuit includes a first pair of power rails, a set of conductive lines arranged in the first layer parallel to the first pair of power rails, a first set of active areas. The integrated circuit further includes a first gate arranged along the second direction, between the first pair of power rails, and crossing the first set of active areas in a layout view, wherein the first gate is configured to be shared by a first transistor of a first type and a second transistor of a second type; and a second gate and a third gate, in which the second gate is configured to be a control terminal of a third transistor, and the third gate is configured to be a control terminal of a fourth transistor which is coupled to the control terminal of the third transistor.

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit structure includes placing a first set of conductive structure layout patterns on a first layout level, placing a second set of conductive structure layout patterns on a second layout level, placing a first set of via layout patterns between the second set of conductive structure layout patterns and the first set of conductive structure layout patterns, and manufacturing the integrated circuit structure based on at least one of the layout patterns of the integrated circuit. At least one of the layout patterns is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, and at least one of the placing operations is performed by a hardware processor. The first set of conductive structure layout patterns extends in a first direction. The second set of conductive structure layout patterns extends in the second direction, and overlap the first set of conductive structure layout patterns.

An IC device includes first and second cells adjacent each other and over a substrate. The first cell includes a first IO pattern along a first track among a plurality of tracks in a first metal layer, the plurality of tracks elongated along a first axis and spaced from each other along a second axis. The second cell includes a plurality of conductive patterns along corresponding different tracks among the plurality of tracks in the first metal layer, each of the plurality of conductive patterns being an IO pattern of the second cell or a floating conductive pattern. The first metal layer further includes a first connecting pattern along the first track and connects the first IO pattern and a second IO pattern of the second cell. The second IO pattern is one of the plurality of conductive patterns of the second cell and is along the first track.

A semiconductor device includes a substrate having a first active region disposed in a first region of a substrate and a second active region disposed in a second region of the substrate. A first gate stack is disposed over the first active region and a second gate stack is disposed over the second active region, the first and second gate stacks having elongated shapes oriented in a first direction. A first metal layer is disposed over the first gate stack and the second gate stack. The first metal layer includes first metal layer structures oriented in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A second metal layer disposed over the first metal layer. The second metal layer includes second metal layer structures oriented in the first direction. A third metal layer is disposed over the second metal layer. The third metal layer includes a third metal layer structures oriented in the second direction.

A method and layout for forming word line decoder devices and other devices having word line decoder cells provides for forming metal interconnect layers using non-DPL photolithography operations and provides for stitching distally disposed transistors using a lower or intermediate metal layer or a subjacent conductive material. The transistors may be disposed in or adjacent longitudinally arranged word line decoder or other cells and the conductive coupling using the metal or conductive material lowers gate resistance between transistors and avoids RC signal delays.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to an integrated chip having an inter-tier interconnecting structure having horizontal components, which is arranged within a semiconductor substrate and configured to electrically couple a first device tier to a second device tier. The integrated chip has a first device tier with a first semiconductor substrate. A first inter-tier interconnecting structure is disposed inside the first semiconductor substrate. The first inter-tier interconnecting structure has a first segment extending in a first direction and a second segment protruding outward from a sidewall of the first segment in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. A second device tier is electrically coupled to the first device tier by the first inter-tier interconnecting structure.

A method of fabricating an integrated circuit includes placing a first set of conductive feature patterns on a first level, placing a second set of conductive feature patterns on a second level, placing a first set of via patterns between the second set of conductive feature patterns and the first set of conductive feature patterns, placing a third set of conductive feature patterns on a third level different from the first level and the second level, placing a second set of via patterns between the third set of conductive feature patterns and the second set of conductive feature patterns, and manufacturing the integrated circuit based on at least one of the above patterns of the integrated circuit.

A method is provided, and including operations as below: forming multiple active areas extending in a first direction; forming multiple conductive patterns extending in a second direction different from the first direction and arranged in a first layer above the active areas; forming multiple gates extending parallel to the conductive patterns; and forming a first set of conductive lines extending in the first direction and arranged in three first metal tracks that are in a second layer above the first layer, wherein one of the first set of conductive lines is arranged in a middle track of the three first metal tracks, coupled to one of the gates and overlap a first shallow trench region between two of the active areas.

An integrated circuit includes a first standard cell including a first first-type transistor, a first second-type transistor, a third second-type transistor, and a third first-type transistor, a second standard cell including a second first-type transistor, a second second-type transistor, a fourth second-type transistor and a fourth first-type transistor, a plurality of wiring layers which are disposed on the first and second standard cells and includes a first wiring layer, a second wiring layer, and a third wiring layer sequentially stacked. A source contact of the first first-type transistor and a source contact of the second first-type transistor are electrically connected through a first power rail of the plurality of wiring layers, and a source contact of the third first-type transistor and a source contact of the fourth first-type transistor are electrically connected through a second power rail of the plurality of wiring layers.