Integrated circuit containing standard logic cells and library-compatible, NCEM-enabled fill cells, including at least Via-open-configured, AACNT-short-configured, GATE-short-configured, and TS-short-configured NCEM-enabled fill cells

Abstract

An IC includes logic cells, selected from a standard cell library, and fill cells, configured for compatibility with the standard logic cells. The fill cells contain structures configured to obtain in-line data via non-contact electrical measurements (NCEM). The IC includes such NCEM-enabled fill cells configured to enable detection and/or measurement of a variety of open-circuit and short-circuit failure modes, including at least one via-open-related failure mode, one AACNT-short-related failure mode, one GATE-short-related failure mode, and one metal-short-related failure mode.

Claims

1. A monolithic integrated circuit (IC) that includes at least a source/drain (AA) layer, a source/drain contact (AACNT) layer, a source/drain silicide (TS) layer, a gate (GATE) layer, a gate contact (GATECNT) layer, a via to interconnect stack (V0) layer, a first wiring (M1) layer, a second wiring (M2) layer, and an M1-to-M2 via (V1) layer, said IC comprising at least: (i) a plurality of logic cells selected from a standard cell library in which each logic cell has a height, supply rail configuration, and GATE pitch (CPP) configured for abutted instantiation with other logic cells in the library; and, (ii) a plurality of at least four different, non-contact electrical measurement (NCEM)-enabled fill cells, each of said NCEM-enabled fill cells having a height, supply rail configuration, and CPP configured for abutted instantiation with logic cells in the standard cell library, said plurality of NCEM-enabled fill cells including: (a) at least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell that includes standard patterning consistent with cells in the standard cell library and test area patterning configured to enable NCEM detection of at least one unintended open circuit condition that involves a via layer; (b) at least one AACNT-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell that includes standard patterning consistent with cells in the standard cell library and test gap patterning configured to enable NCEM detection of at least one unintended short circuit condition that involves the AACNT layer; (c) at least one GATE-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell that includes standard patterning consistent with cells in the standard cell library and test gap patterning configured to enable NCEM detection of at least one unintended short circuit condition that involves the GATE layer; and, (d) at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell that includes standard patterning consistent with cells in the standard cell library and test gap patterning configured to enable NCEM detection of at least one unintended short circuit condition that involves a metal layer.

2. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises a V0-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

3. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises an M1-V0-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

4. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises an AACNT-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

5. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises a V0-GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

6. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the IC additionally includes at least a third wiring (M3) layer, a fourth wiring (M4) layer, a fifth wiring (M5) layer, an M2-to-M3 via (V2) layer, an M3-M4 via (V3) layer, and an M4-to-M5 via (V4) layer, and wherein the least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises at least one of: an AACNT-TS-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a TS-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-GATE-via-open, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V0-GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V0-AACNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M2-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-AANCT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M4-V3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; and/or, an M5-V4-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

7. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the IC additionally includes at least a third wiring (M3) layer and an M2-to-M3 via (V2) layer, and wherein the at least one via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises at least one of: a V0-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V0-AACNT-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V0-GATECNT-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; and/or, a V2-M2-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

8. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one AACNT-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises a V0-AACNT-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

9. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one AACNT-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises an AACNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

10. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one AACNT-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises at least one of: an AACNT-AA-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-AA-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-AA-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-AA-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-AACNT-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; and/or, an AACNT-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

11. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one GATE-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises a TS-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

12. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one GATE-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises a GATE-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

13. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one GATE-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises at least one of: a GATECNT-GATE-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-GATE-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AACNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-GATE-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-GATE-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-AA-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-TS-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; and/or, a V0-GATE-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

14. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises an M1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

15. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises an M1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

16. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell comprises at least one of: an M1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-V0-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-V1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-V2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-V0-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-V1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-V2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-V0-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-V1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-V2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-V0-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-V1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-V2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-V0-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-V1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-V2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-GATECNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M2-M1-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M3-M2-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V1-M1-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a V2-M2-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; and/or, a V3-M3-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

17. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the (b) at least one AACNT-short-configured, (c) at least one GATE-short-configured, and (d) at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells is of the same color variety.

18. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the (b) at least one AACNT-short-configured, (c) at least one GATE-short-configured, and (d) at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells is of the different color variety.

19. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the (b) at least one AACNT-short-configured, (c) at least one GATE-short-configured, and (d) at least one metal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells includes an M1 pad.

20. A monolithic IC, as defined in claim 1, wherein the IC includes at least one additional NCEM-enabled fill cell selected from the list consisting of: a GATECNT-AA-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-TS-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATE-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-V0-AACNT-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an M1-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; a GATECNT-TS-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; an AA-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell; and, a GATECNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) To provide a more complete understanding of the present disclosure and features and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following set of figures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying description, in which:

(2) [Note regarding the figures in this application, as well as in the '463 provisional application: Those figures numbered 52[A,B,C], 53[A,B,C], et seq. are to-scale layouts of the exemplified cells. While certain detail in these layouts may be difficult to see on the application or patent as published, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the SCORE tab in USPTO's Public PAIR system provides access to the applicant's PDF drawings, as originally uploaded, which can be electronically downloaded and blown up to reveal any level of desired detail.]

(3) FIG. 1 depicts an outline of illustrative fill cells, suitable for use in connection certain embodiments of the invention;

(4) FIG. 2 depicts an exemplary standard cell logic section with (shaded) NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths;

(5) FIG. 3 depicts an exemplary standard cell logic section with a row (or portion thereof) that contains NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths;

(6) FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary standard cell logic section with a test block area (lower right portion) populated with NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths;

(7) FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary portion of a test chip/wafer comprised of NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths;

(8) FIG. 6 conceptually depicts a portion of an exemplary chip/wafer in which a region comprised only (or almost only) of NCEM-enabled fill cells is positioned between two or more standard cell regions;

(9) FIG. 7 depicts a cross-sectional, topological view of a monolithic IC structure;

(10) FIG. 8 depicts a physical layer stack for an exemplary CMOS process;

(11) FIGS. 9A-9F depict several illustrative designs for a NCEM-enabled pad, suitable for use in connection with certain embodiments of the invention;

(12) FIGS. 10-11, in conjunction with the description below, depict the overall physical structure and connectivity of short-configured (and/or leakage-configured), NCEM-enabled fill cells in accordance with certain aspects of the invention;

(13) FIGS. 12-13, in conjunction with the description below, depict the overall physical structure and connectivity of open-configured (and/or resistance-configured), NCEM-enabled fill cells in accordance with certain aspects of the invention;

(14) FIG. 14 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(15) FIG. 15 depicts another plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(16) FIG. 16 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(17) FIG. 17 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(18) FIG. 18 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(19) FIG. 19 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(20) FIG. 20 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(21) FIG. 21 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(22) FIG. 22 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(23) FIG. 23 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(24) FIG. 24 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(25) FIG. 25 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(26) FIG. 26 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(27) FIG. 27 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(28) FIG. 28 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(29) FIG. 29 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary merged-via-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(30) FIG. 30 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(31) FIG. 31 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(32) FIG. 32 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for another exemplary stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(33) FIG. 33 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(34) FIG. 34 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary metal-island-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(35) FIG. 35 depicts a cross-sectional view of exemplary test area geometry for the exemplary metal-island-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(36) FIG. 36 depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for an exemplary merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(37) FIG. 37 shows exemplary expanded test area geometry from a 1.sup.st variant of a NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(38) FIG. 38 shows exemplary expanded test area geometry from a 2.sup.nd variant of a NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(39) FIG. 39 shows the logical AND of patterning within both expanded test areas (of FIGS. 37 & 38);

(40) FIG. 40 shows the logical OR of patterning within both expanded test areas (of FIGS. 37 & 38);

(41) FIG. 41 depicts an exemplary process flow, suitable for use in connection with certain embodiments of the invention;

(42) FIG. 42 depicts an exemplary process flow for obtaining and (optionally) using measurements from mesh-style NCEM pads;

(43) FIG. 43 depicts another exemplary process flow, suitable for use in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention;

(44) FIG. 44 depicts a plan view of an exemplary M1-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(45) FIG. 45 depicts a plan view of an exemplary AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell;

(46) FIGS. 46A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary TS-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_01;

(47) FIGS. 47A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_05;

(48) FIGS. 48A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_08;

(49) FIGS. 49A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_11;

(50) FIGS. 50A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_12;

(51) FIG. 51 contains a layer legend for FIGS. 1A-C, 2A-C, 3A-C, etc., which follow;

(52) FIGS. 52A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary V0-AACNT-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S117_0009_1;

(53) FIGS. 53A-B respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) M3, V3, M4, V4, and M5 layersof an exemplary V3-M3-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type L_V54C_B_PDF_VCI_10001F6_01;

(54) FIGS. 54A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AA-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type L_V54C_E_PDF_VCI_2000180_01;

(55) FIGS. 55A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-TS-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S108_0003_1;

(56) FIGS. 56A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S113_0001_1;

(57) FIGS. 57A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type D_PDF_VCI_VFILL4_12S01_0109_1;

(58) FIGS. 58A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S102_0001_1;

(59) FIGS. 59A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-GATE-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S104_0003_1;

(60) FIGS. 60A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-AA-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type D_PDF_VCI_VFILL4_12S01_0113_1;

(61) FIGS. 61A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary V0-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S117_0003_1;

(62) FIGS. 62A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S117_0001_1;

(63) FIGS. 63A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_08_2000171_01;

(64) FIGS. 64A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_16_2000106_01;

(65) FIGS. 65A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_3000134_01;

(66) FIGS. 66A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_4000160_01;

(67) FIGS. 67A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_3000134_01;

(68) FIGS. 68A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S114_0002_1;

(69) FIGS. 69A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-V0-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S122_0001_1;

(70) FIGS. 70A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary TS-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL4_9S120_0001_1;

(71) FIGS. 71A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_16_2000168_01;

(72) FIGS. 72A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S114_0001_1;

(73) FIGS. 73A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-V0-AACNT-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type I_V421_VCI_20S30001BB_001;

(74) FIGS. 74A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S116_0001_1;

(75) FIGS. 75A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL6_9S109_0001_1;

(76) FIGS. 76A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type D_PDF_VCI_VFILL4_12S01_0101_1;

(77) FIGS. 77A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_300013E_01;

(78) FIGS. 78A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-TS-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_2000104_01;

(79) FIGS. 79A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-GATE-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_2000181_01;

(80) FIGS. 80A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-TS-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type I_V421_VCI_20S10001FE_001;

(81) FIGS. 81A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S115_0003_1;

(82) FIGS. 82A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AA-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL4_9S110_0001_1;

(83) FIGS. 83A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL6_9S103_0002_1;

(84) FIGS. 84A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-TS-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_30001F2_01;

(85) FIGS. 85A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S118_0003_1;

(86) FIGS. 86A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S101_0002_1;

(87) FIGS. 87A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type I_PDF_VCI_FILL12_19S200019E;

(88) FIGS. 88A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_08_10001F5_01;

(89) FIGS. 89A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary AACNT-TS-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type D_PDF_VCI_VFILLE_12S02_0053_1;

(90) FIGS. 90A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_30001FC_01;

(91) FIGS. 91A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S112_0001_1;

(92) FIGS. 92A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type A_PDF_VCI_FILL8_9S101_0004_1;

(93) FIGS. 93A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary M1-V0-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_08_2000156_01;

(94) FIGS. 94A-B respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) V0, M1, V1, and M2 layersof an exemplary M2-V1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_2000176_01;

(95) FIGS. 95A-B respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) V1, M2, V2, and M3 layersof an exemplary M3-V2-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_200017C_01;

(96) FIGS. 96A-B respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) M3, V3, M4, V4, and M5 layersof an exemplary M4-V3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_2000180_01;

(97) FIGS. 97A-B respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) M3, V3, M4, V4, and M5 layersof an exemplary M5-V4-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_200018A_01;

(98) FIGS. 98A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary TS-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type G_V931_PDF_VCI_2000194_01;

(99) FIGS. 99A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary V0-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type I_PDF_VCI_FILL08_1952000194;

(100) FIGS. 100A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary V0-AACNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_08_2000124_01;

(101) FIGS. 101A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, and M1 layersof an exemplary V0-GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type C_V682_PDF_VCI_08_2000136_01;

(102) FIGS. 102A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, M1, V1, and M2 layersof an exemplary V1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_3000152_01;

(103) FIGS. 103A-C respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0, M1, V1, and M2 layersof an exemplary V1-M1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type L_V54C_E_PDF_VCI_10001F9_01; and,

(104) FIGS. 104A-B respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) M3, V3, M4, V4, and M5 layersof an exemplary V3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type K_V549_PDF_VCI_3000154_01.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY/PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

(105) Reference is now made to FIG. 1, which depicts an outline of illustrative fill cells suitable for use in connection certain embodiments of the invention, such fill cells are typically provided in a uniform height and various widths, traditionally multiples of the minimum contacted poly pitch (CPP) permitted by the fabrication process. FIG. 1 includes fill cells of width 4 CPP, 8 CPP, 16 CPP, 32 CPP, and 64 CPP, but any collection of widthsor just a single widthis possible. Furthermore, certain embodiments of the invention may include double or triple height fill cells, as well. As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, traditional fill cells include certain features necessary for compatibility with the logic cells used to form circuits on the chip. Such necessary features include a height that is consistent with logic cells in the library (or an integer multiple of that height), as well as power/ground rails that extend horizontally across the fill cells (traditionally, though not necessarily, at the top and bottom of each cell). Such necessary features are preferably maintained in the NCEM-enabled fill cells used in connection with the present invention.

(106) Reference is now made to FIG. 2, which depicts an exemplary standard cell logic section with (shaded) NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths. As depicted, the NCEM-enabled fill cells are preferably instantiated wherever a traditional fill cell would otherwise be placed. However, the invention places no restriction on the distribution of such NCEM-enabled fill cells. While they would typically appear in each standard cell row, they need not. The fill cell placement can be regular, semi-regular (e.g., at least one fill cell every X nm, or every Y cells), or irregular. Two fill cells can be adjacent to each other. There may be some double height (or greater) fill cells. And the logic section may include both NCEM-enabled as well as other types of fill cells.

(107) Reference is now made to FIG. 3, which depicts an exemplary standard cell logic section with a row (or portion thereof) that contains NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths. As depicted, certain embodiments of the invention may include complete row(s), or contiguous portion(s) thereof, populated entirely with NCEM-enabled fill cells. Such row(s) may include fill cells of varying or fixed widths, and such row(s) may be adjacent or separated, and may be distributed regularly, semi-regularly or irregularly throughout the logic section.

(108) Reference is now made to FIG. 4, which depicts an exemplary standard cell logic section with a test block area (lower right portion) populated with NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths. Such test block section(s) need not be entirely contiguous, need not be generally rectangular or square, may include fill cells of a single width or multiple widths, and one or multiple heights.

(109) Reference is now made to FIG. 5, which depicts an exemplary portion of a test chip/wafer comprised of NCEM-enabled fill cells, of various widths. Such test vehicles may comprise a die, a chip, a wafer, or a portion of any of these. Such test vehicles need not be entirely contiguous, may have any overall shape, and may include fill cells of a single width or multiple widths, and one or multiple heights.

(110) Reference is now made to FIG. 6, which conceptually depicts a portion of an exemplary chip/die/wafer with a region comprised only (or almost only) of NCEM-enabled fill cells positioned between two or more standard cell regions (such as those of FIGS. 2-5). As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, FIG. 6 illustrates how various embodiments of the invention may instantiate/distribute the inventive NCEM-enabled fill cells (and DOEs based on them) in any manner whatsoever, and that the distribution patternsboth regular and irregularmay vary throughout different regions of a chip or wafer.

(111) As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, the configurations of FIGS. 2-5 and 6 are mere examples of many available possibilities, and are not intended to be limiting or exhaustive. Furthermore, such skilled persons will appreciate that any given die, chip or wafer may include a combination of these and/or other possible configurations.

(112) Reference is now made to FIG. 7, which depicts cross-sectional, topological view of a monolithic IC structure to which the invention may be applied. This topological view depictsfrom bottom to topthree vertically defined portions: (i) substrate; (ii) connector stack; and (iii) interconnect stack.

(113) The substrate preferably comprises a wafer, die, or other portion of monocrystalline silicon, or another substrate suitable for forming semiconductor devices, such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI), Ge, C, GaAs, InP, GalnAs, AlAs, GaSb, (Ga,Mn)As, GaP, GaN, InAS, SiGe, SiSn, CdSe, CdTe, CdHgTe, ZnS, SiC, etc. Generally speaking, the substrate represents the object to which manufacturing steps (e.g., deposition, masking, etching, implantation) are initially applied, and is the object within which, or upon which, switching devices (e.g., FETs, bipolar transistors, photodiodes, magnetic devices, etc.) or storage devices (e.g., charged oxides, capacitors, phase change memories, etc.) are built.

(114) The connector stack is a collection of multiple layers, generally formed on top of the substrate, that supports localized connections between devices in, or on, the substrate, and/or connections to wires in an interconnect stack located above. The layers that make up the connector stack need not be strictly stacked; some can be partially or fully co-planar. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 8, which depicts a physical view of an exemplary CMOS layer stack, the source/drain contact and gate contact layers are partially co-planar because they share vertical extent, but on the bottom, the source/drain contact layer extends below the bottom of the gate contact layer, and on the top, the gate contact layer extends above the top of the source/drain contact layer. An example of full co-planarity would be where these two layers had identical vertical extent.

(115) The connector stack supports various types of connectors and jumpers, as illustrated in FIG. 7. These illustrative connectors and jumpers are not intended to represent individual physical layers, but rather conductive pathways that connect the identified elements. As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, each connector or jumper can be implemented using one or more manufactured layers, where some layers may appear as parts of multiple types of connectors/jumpers.

(116) FIG. 7. specifically illustrates the following connectors/jumpers: Control element connector A conductive pathway between (i) one or more control elements and (ii) a wire in the first (e.g., m1) layer of the interconnect stack. Control element connectors will also contact any interconnect jumpers, substrate connectors, or control element jumpers that they cross. Substrate connector A conductive pathway between (i) a portion of the substrate and (ii) a wire in the first layer of the interconnect stack. Substrate connectors will also contact any interconnect jumpers, substrate jumpers, control element connectors, or control element jumpers that they cross. Substrate jumper A conductive pathway between two portions of the substrate that would not be connected without the substrate jumper. Substrate jumpers will also contact any substrate connectorsbut not interconnect jumpersthat they cross. Interconnect jumper A conductive pathway between two wires in the first interconnect layer that would not be connected without the interconnect jumper. Interconnect jumpers will also contact any substrate connectors or control element connectors that they cross. Control element jumper A conductive pathway between two control elements. Control element jumpers will also contact any control elements, control element connectors, or substrate connectors that they cross. Non-adjacent control element jumper, not depicted in FIG. 7, but defined as follows: A conductive pathway between two control elements. Non-adjacent control element jumpers can pass over other control elements without contacting them. Non-adjacent control element jumpers will contact any control element connectors or substrate connectors that they cross.

(117) Above the connector stack lies the interconnect stack. The interconnect stack is comprised of conductive wiring layers (labeled m1, m2, etc.that need only be conductive, not necessarily metallic) with conductive vias (labeled v1, v2, etc.) that connect adjacent wiring layers. While three wiring layers are shown in FIGS. 7-8, it is understood that this number could vary from one to ten or more. Furthermore, while the vias and wiring layers in FIGS. 7-8 are shown as non-overlapping, it is possible for vias to extend into one or both of the wiring layers that they connect, or traverse more than two wiring layers.

(118) Reference is now made to FIG. 8, which depicts a (simplified) layer stack for an exemplary CMOS process, with the correspondence between major regionssubstrate, connector stack, interconnect stackand process layers indicated on the drawing. As depicted in FIG. 8, the substrate hosts the source(s)/drain(s) of the FETs, the device isolation trenches (STI), and a lower portion of the gate(s). The connector stack implements the upper portions of the gate(s), the source/drain silicide(s), source/drain contact(s), gate contact(s), and via(s) to the interconnect stack. The interconnect stack contains multiple wiring (m1, m2, . . . ) layers, with vias (v1, v2, . . . ) between adjacent wiring layers.

(119) The vendor-independent layers of FIG. 8 can be readily mapped to those of commercial CMOS processes, such as GlobalFoundries (GF) (see U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. US2014/0302660A1 and US2015/0170735A1 re the GF layers) or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) (see U.S. Pat. Pub. No. US2014/0210014A1 re the TSMC layers). Below is an exemplary mapping:

(120) TABLE-US-00001 FIG. 8 layer GF layer TSMC layer gate (GATE) PC PO source/drain (AA) RX OD source/drain silicide (TS) TS M0_OD1 gate contact(GATECNT) CB M0_PO source/drain contact (AACNT) CA Mo_OD2 via to interconnectstack (V0) V0 Via0 first wiring layer (M1) M1 M1
Indicated in parentheses are the names used to label these layers in FIGS. 44, 45, et seq. of this application. Persons skilled in the art will realize that these represent a minority of the many layers/masks/etc. used in the fabrication of modern devices. Nevertheless, these are believed to be the layers most relevant to enabling a skilled artisan to make and use the invention, and are the layers traditionally depicted in patent drawings of semiconductor structures (as shown, for example, by the cited GF and TSMC applications). In certain instances, additional layers may be added to depictions of selected NCEM-enabled fill cells.

(121) Persons skilled in the art will also understand that most of the above layers canand often arerendered in multiple patterning steps. Typically, in this application, the drawings will combine all exposures into a single depicted layer (e.g., M1=M1E1+M1E2, or M1E1+M1E2+M1E3). In most cases, such details are irrelevant to the operation of the invention, and are determined largely by requirements of the fabrication process. In certain cases (e.g., an M1-M1-stitch-overlap-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell), some potentially relevant detail(s) may be obscured by the exposure merging; however, such obscured detail(s) will nonetheless be readily apparent to the skilled artisan (by, for example, the fact that the named structure, e.g., M1-M1-stitch-overlap-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell, must contain at least one overlap test region, as per FIG. 32, that is rendered in different exposures of M1, and located on the M1 path between the NCEM pad and ground).

(122) Furthermore, short-configured cells can exist in both same color and different color varieties. For example, in a process that uses multi-patterned M1, the M1-tip-to-tip-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells would come in two varieties: M1-tip-to-tip-same-color-short-configured cells, as well as M1-tip-to-tip-different-color-short-configured cells. The same applies to other short configurations, such as side-to-side, diagonal, etc.

(123) Reference is now made to FIGS. 9A-9E, which depict several illustrative designs for a NCEM pad, suitable for use in connection with embodiments of the invention. Additional NCEM pads are disclosed in the incorporated '841 application. FIG. 9A shows a simple, solid conductive pad, typically, though not necessarily, formed in M1. FIGS. 9B-9D and 9F depict several options for a non-solid, segmented, single-conductor pad. (As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, the variety of shapes for such pads is endless.) FIG. 9E depicts an example of a presently preferred, multi-conductor, mesh-style pad. Applicants' experimentation has revealed that these mesh-style pad designswhich are more space efficient and design rule friendly than single conductor padsstill produce a usable NCEM, particularly if sampled at low resolution, as taught in the incorporated '841 application. Parent FIGS. 9G-9IIII depict additional embodiments of mesh pad structures. As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, these structures can be rendered in any size (e.g., 22, 23, 32, 33, etc.), and not just the specifically depicted 109 and 52 examples.

(124) Design of the NCEM-Enabled Fill Cells:

(125) Such fill cells preferably have certain common elements (e.g., height, supply rails, and GATE pitch (CPP) that is consistent with standard cells in the library), then vary according to the measurement type, layer(s) involved, and structure(s) to be evaluated/tested. NCEM-enabled fill cells come in two basic types: short[/leakage] and open[/resistance]. Relevant layers typically involve either a single process layer (e.g., GATE-to-GATE) or two process layers (e.g. GATECNT-to-GATE). Structural configurations are many, and include a set of standard structures (e.g., tip-to-tip, tip-to-side, side-to-side, etc.), as well as reference or ad hoc structures.

(126) As depicted in FIGS. 10-11, the general structure of a short[/leakage]-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell preferably includes four overlaid components: (i) standard patterning; (ii) a NCEM pad; (iii) test gap patterning; and (iv) pad/ground wiring. Standard patterning is that which appears in essentially all of the standard library cells, such as supply rails, and sometimes minimum contacted poly pitch (CPP) spaced rail-to-rail GATE stripes, etc. The NCEM pads can take a variety of shapes/patterns, as is non-exhaustively exemplified in FIGS. 9A-9F and Parent FIGS. 9G-9IIII. The standard structures used for test gap patterning are depicted in FIGS. 14-30, and may include tip-to-tip, tip-to-side, side-to-side, etc. (Note that a single, short-configured NCEM-enabled fill cell may include more than one test gap, with all gaps preferably wired in parallel via the pad/ground wiring; an example with multiple test gaps appears in FIG. 45). The pad/ground wiring comprises low-resistance wiring from one side of the test gap(s) to the pad, and from the other side of the test gap(s) to a permanent or virtual ground. Points of effective ground include either supply rail, as well as any electrical structure that can conduct to the substrate under appropriate e-beam charging conditions (e.g., a p+ diode to NWELL that becomes positively charged during e-beam measurement). Virtual grounding can be accomplished by connecting to a node with sufficient capacitance to avoid discharge during e-beam measurement, and thus act as a source and/or sink for electrons during the measurement.

(127) As depicted in FIGS. 12-13, the general structure of an open[/resistance]-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell preferably includes four overlaid components: (i) standard patterning; (ii) a NCEM pad; (iii) test area patterning; and (iv) pad/ground wiring. As with the shorts, standard patterning is that which appears in essentially all of the standard library cells, such as supply rails, etc. Similarly, the NCEM pads can take a variety of shapes/patterns, as is non-exhaustively exemplified in FIGS. 9A-9F and Parent FIGS. 9G-9IIII. Standard structures used for test structure patterning are depicted in FIGS. 28-36, and may include snake, overlap, stitch, etc. As with the shorts, the pad/ground wiring for opens comprises low-resistance wiring from one side of the test structure patterning to the pad, and from the other side of the test structure patterning to a permanent or virtual ground. Open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells can, and often do, include multiple test areas, in which case the pad/ground wiring connects all relevant test structures in a series-connected chain.

(128) In cases where the NCEM-enabled fill cells will be used with a highly regular style cell library, an additional constraint on the NCEM-enabled fill cells is that they preferably conform, as closely as reasonably possible, to the regular patterns used for the library's functional cells. Preferred methods for measuring compliance with regular patterns, and/or constructing pattern-compliant cells, are described in U.S. Pat. Applic. No. 61/887,271 (Template Based Design with LibAnalyzer) and 62/186,677 (Template Based Design with LibAnalyzer), both to Langnese et al., and both incorporated by reference herein. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, close, if not perfect, pattern compliance is feasible for those portions of the fill cell that do not affect the structure(s) or fail mode(s) to be evaluated. In general, however, perfect pattern compliance will prove infeasible for a several reasons. First, the structure to-be-evaluated may not, itself, be an allowable pattern (e.g., the pattern rules for the library may not allow any structure that spaces a GATE tip from a GATECNT side at minimum design rule dimensions, thus dictating that the GATE-GATECNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell will necessarily include at least one pattern violation). Second, DOEs typically involve several small variations in at least one minimum-spaced dimension, whereas regular patterning rules will typically only permit one of the variants. And third, the patterning used for the NCEM pad is preferably selected to match the operational capabilities of the scanner, but may well violate the library's pattern regularity constraints. Thus, ignoring these necessary pattern regularity violations, NCEM-enabled fill cells for use with highly regular libraries will preferably contain very few, if any, additional pattern regularity violations.

(129) Reference is now made to FIGS. 14-15, which depict plan views of two exemplary test area geometries for tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize these geometric configurations may include: AA-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 82A-C and Parent FIGS. 1299-1326]; AACNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 83A-C and Parent FIGS. 1328-1405]; AACNT-AA-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-TS-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 84A-C and Parent FIGS. 1407-1412]; TS-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 85A-C and Parent FIGS. 1414-1461]; GATECNT-GATE-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 86A-C and Parent FIGS. 1463-1548]; GATECNT-AACNT-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 87A-C and Parent FIGS. 1550-1556]; V0-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-V0-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-M1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-V1-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M3-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-V2-tip-to-tip-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. [As persons skilled in the art will understand, for interconnect layers 2 and higher, any NCEM-enabled fill cell of type M.sub.x- . . . can also be formed as a corresponding M.sub.(x+n)- . . . cell, any V.sub.x- . . . cell can also be formed as a corresponding V.sub.(x+n)- . . . cell, any M.sub.x-V.sub.(x+1)- . . . cell can also be formed as a corresponding M.sub.(x+n)-V.sub.(x+n+1)- . . . cell, and any M.sub.x-V.sub.(x1)- . . . cell can also be formed as a corresponding M.sub.(x+n)-V.sub.(x+n1)- . . . cell, assuming that the process-in-question supports the referenced interconnect layers. The present description should be read as including all such possible higher interconnect layer, and layer combination, cells, in all available failure types and geometric configurations.]
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., lateral and/or gap dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(130) Reference is now made to FIG. 16, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIG. 45]; AACNT-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 49, 50, 75 and Parent FIGS. 1085-1119]; GATECNT-GATE-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 79A-C and Parent FIGS. 1202-1238]; GATECNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 76A-C and Parent FIGS. 1121-1149]; TS-GATECNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 80A-C and Parent FIGS. 1240-1263]; GATECNT-AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [FIGS. 77A-C and Parent FIGS. 1151-1188]; GATECNT-AACNT-TS-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [FIGS. 78A-C and Parent FIGS. 1190-1200]; M1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 81A-C and Parent FIGS. 1265-1297]; V0-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-V0-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-M1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-V1-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M3-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-V2-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., lateral and/or gap dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(131) Reference is now made to FIG. 17, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: AA-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 62A-C and Parent FIGS. 787-804]; AACNT-AA-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 63A-C and Parent FIGS. 806-832]; GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 64A-C and Parent FIGS. 834-859]; GATECNT-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 67A-C and Parent FIGS. 887-903]; TS-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 70A-C and Parent FIGS. 938-1040]; GATECNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 65A-C and Parent FIGS. 861-872]; GATECNT-AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 47(a)-(c), 66A-C and Parent FIGS. 874-885]; M1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 68A-C and Parent FIGS. 905-928]; V0-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-V0-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 69A-C and Parent FIGS. 930-936]; V1-M1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-V1-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M3-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-V2-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., lateral and/or gap dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(132) Reference is now made to FIGS. 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22, each of which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize these geometric configurations may include: AA-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-AA-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-AA-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-TS-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-GATE-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-AA-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-TS-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-AACNT-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-AA-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-TS-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-AACNT-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-GATE-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-GATECNT-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-AACNT-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-GATECNT-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-V0-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-M1-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-V0-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-M1-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-V1-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-V1-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M3-M2-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-V2-L-shape-interlayer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area, or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(133) Reference is now made to FIG. 23, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: AA-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; TS-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-AA-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-GATE-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 57A-C and Parent FIGS. 496-554]; GATECNT-AACNT-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 58A-C and Parent FIGS. 556-632]; M1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-V0-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-M1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-V1-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M3-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-V2-diagonal-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., gap dimension and/or gap angle), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(134) Reference is now made to FIGS. 24, 25, and 26, each of which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. These configurations differ from the diagonal configuration because, in these corner configurations, at least one of the first and/or second features is non-rectangular. Cells that utilize these geometric configurations may include: AA-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-AA-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-GATE-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-TS-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 55A-C and Parent FIGS. 288-685]; GATECNT-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-AA-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 54A-C and Parent FIGS. 264-286]; GATECNT-AACNT-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 56A-C and Parent FIGS. 417-494]; V0-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-V0-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-M1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-V1-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M3-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-V2-corner-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., gap dimension and/or gap angle), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(135) Reference is now made to FIG. 27, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: GATE-AA-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 60A-C and Parent FIGS. 693-734]; GATE-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 59A-C and Parent FIGS. 634-691]; GATE-TS-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-TS-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-AA-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-AA-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-TS-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-GATE-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-GATECNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-AACNT-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-V0-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-M1-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-V1-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-M2-interlayer-overlap-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., major and/or minor dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(136) Reference is now made to FIG. 28, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: V0-GATECNT-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-AACNT-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 52A-C and Parent FIGS. 53-256]; V1-M1-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, V3-M3-via-chamfer-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 53A-B and Parent FIGS. 258-262].
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., gap and/or lateral dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(137) Reference is now made to FIG. 29, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for merged-via-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: V0-merged-via-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-merged-via-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, V2-merged-via-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., gap and/or lateral dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(138) Reference is now made to FIG. 30, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: AA-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; TS-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATE-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 71A-C and Parent FIGS. 1042-1048]; GATECNT-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 44, 72, and Parent FIGS. 1050-1066]; M1-V0-AACNT-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 73A-C and Parent FIGS. 1068-1071]; V1-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., length, width, spacing, etc.), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(139) Reference is now made to FIGS. 31-32, which each depict plan views of exemplary test area geometries for stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize these geometric configurations may include: AA-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; TS-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; AACNT-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; GATECNT-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 74A-C and Parent FIGS. 1073-1083]; V1-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-stitch-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., major and/or minor dimension), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(140) Reference is now made to FIG. 33, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: AACNT-TS-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 89A-C and Parent FIGS. 1630-1673]; AACNT-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [FIGS. 88A-C and Parent FIGS. 1558-1628]; TS-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 98A-C and Parent FIGS. 2316-2330]; GATECNT-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 48, 92, and Parent FIGS. 1700-2005]; GATECNT-AACNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 90A-C and Parent FIGS. 1675-1682]; GATECNT-AACNT-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 91A-C and Parent FIGS. 1684-1698]; V0-GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 101A-C and Parent FIGS. 2376-2439]; V0-AA-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-TS-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-AACNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 100A-C and Parent FIGS. 2346-2374]; V0-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 99A-C and Parent FIGS. 2332-2344]; M1-V0-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 93A-C and Parent FIGS. 2007-2200]; V1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 102A-C and Parent FIGS. 2441A-C]; V1-M1-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 103A-C and Parent FIGS. 2443-2459]; V1-M2-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 94A-B and Parent FIGS. 2222-2256]; M1-GATECNT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M1-AANCT-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M2-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-M3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 95A-B and Parent FIGS. 2258-2274]; V3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 104A-B and Parent FIGS. 2461A-B]; M4-V3-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 96A-B and Parent FIGS. 2276-2296]; and, M5-V4-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 97A-B and Parent FIGS. 2298-2314].
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., upper extension, lower extension, and/or via size/shape), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(141) Reference is now made to FIGS. 34 and 35, which respectively depict plan and cross-sectional views of exemplary test area geometry for metal-island-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: M1-metal-island-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; M2-metal-island-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, M3-metal-island-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., major extension, minor extension, and/or size(s)/shape(s) of lower and/or upper stacked vias), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(142) Reference is now made to FIG. 36, which depicts a plan view of exemplary test area geometry for merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells. Cells that utilize this geometric configuration may include: V0-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells [e.g., FIGS. 61A-C and Parent FIGS. 736-785]; V0-AACNT-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V0-GATECNT-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V2-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; V1-M1-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells; and, V2-M2-merged-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cells.
DOEs of these structures are preferably constructed by varying the dimensional parameters that define the test area (e.g., gap dimension, lateral dimension, and/or size/shape of one or both vias), or by varying other, same- or adjacent-layer patterning within the expanded test area.

(143) Reference is now made to FIG. 37, which shows exemplary expanded test area geometry from a 1.sup.st variant of a NCEM-enabled fill cell, and to FIG. 38, which shows exemplary expanded test area geometry from a 2.sup.nd variant of a NCEM-enabled fill cell. These figures, and the two that follow, illustrate the computation of the PSR between (the depicted layer, which could be any layer, of) the 1.sup.st variant and the 2.sup.nd variant. FIG. 39 shows the logical AND of (depicted layer) patterning within both expanded test areas (of FIGS. 37 & 38). FIG. 40 shows the logical OR of patterning within both expanded test areas (of FIGS. 37 & 38). The PSR (pattern similarity ratio) is then defined as the area ratio of the AND patterns to the OR patterns. Conceptually, PSR is a measure of how much of the patterning within the common expanded test areas is new. In other words, if the two cells are identical (within the layer(s)-at-issue, and within the common expanded test area), then the PSR will be 1.0. Conversely, if they share no common patterning (within the layer(s)-at-issue, and within the common expanded test area), then the AND patterns will be nil, and the PSR will be 0.0.

(144) Reference is now made to FIG. 41, which depicts an exemplary process flow, suitable for use in connection with certain embodiments of the invention. At FF1, an initial set of product masks is produced (or otherwise obtained); these initial product masks include a first collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells.

(145) At FF2, processing of wafers is initiated using the initial product masks. Such processing preferably includes at least FEOL and/or MOL processing, but may also include BEOL processing. Before FF3, NCEM measurements are preferably obtained from some or all of the NCEM-enabled fill cells on the partially-processed initial product wafers.

(146) At FF3, some or all of the obtained NCEM measurements are used to continue processing of the initial product wafers. Such use may include determining whether to continue or abandon processing of one or more of the wafers, modifying one or more processing, inspection or metrology steps in the continued processing of one or more of the wafers (and/or other product wafers currently being manufactured using process flows relevant to observed manufacturing failures), and/or performing additional processing, metrology or inspection steps on one or more of the wafers (and/or other product wafers currently being manufactured using process flows relevant to observed manufacturing failures).

(147) At FF4, final product masks are produced (or otherwise obtained) using at least some of the NCEM measurements obtained during the processing of initial product wafers. Here, such use preferably includes selecting and instantiating a second collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells that is better and/or optimally matched to failure modes observed during processing of the initial product wafers. For example, if the first collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells included GATE-side-to-side-short-configured cells, yet no GATE side-to-side shorts were observed during processing of the initial product wafers, then the second collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells would preferably omit GATE-side-to-side-short-configured cells, and instead replace them with other NCEM-enabled fill cells that are better matched to the observed or expected failure modes on the final product wafers.

(148) At FF5, processing of wafers is initiated using the final product masks. Such processing preferably includes at least FEOL and/or MOL processing, but may also include BEOL processing. Before FF6, NCEM measurements are preferably obtained from some or all of the NCEM-enabled fill cells on the partially-processed final product wafers.

(149) At FF6, some or all of the obtained NCEM measurements are used to continue processing of the final product wafers. Such use may include determining whether to continue or abandon processing of one or more of the wafers, modifying one or more processing, inspection or metrology steps in the continued processing of one or more of the wafers (and/or other product wafers currently being manufactured using process flows relevant to observed manufacturing failures), and/or performing additional processing, metrology or inspection steps on one or more of the wafers (and/or other product wafers currently being manufactured using process flows relevant to observed manufacturing failures).

(150) Reference is now made to FIG. 42, which depicts an exemplary process flow for obtaining and (optionally) using measurements from mesh-style NCEM pads. As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, this process can be utilized either with or without NCEM-enabled fill cells; in other words, the mesh-style NCEM pads can be instantiated within NCEM-enabled fill cells, but can also be instantiated anywhere on a chip, die, or wafer. Furthermore, as persons skilled in the art will also appreciate, the order of steps FF7 & FF8 can be reversed, or performed simultaneously, to accommodate processes where the order of AACNT & GATECNT patterning is different.

(151) Reference is now made to FIG. 43, which depicts another exemplary process flow, suitable for use in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention. At GG1, test mask (e.g., masks to produce a test or engineering wafer) are produced or otherwise obtained; such test masks include a first collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells.

(152) At GG2, processing of the test wafer(s) is initiated. Such processing preferably includes FEOL and/or MOL processing, but may also include BEOL processing.

(153) At GG3, NCEM measurements are obtained from NCEM-enabled fill cells on the partially-processed test wafer(s).

(154) At GG4, the obtained measurements are used to select a second collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells (preferably a subset of the first collection) for instantiation on product wafers. Here, such use preferably includes selecting a second collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells that, given the available fill cell space on the product wafers, is optimally matched to failure modes observed during processing of the test product wafers. For example, if the first collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells included GATE-side-to-side-short-configured cells, yet no GATE side-to-side shorts were observed during processing of test wafers, then the second collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells would preferably omit GATE-side-to-side-short-configured cells.

(155) At GG5, product masks that include the second collection of NCEM-enabled fill cells are produced, or otherwise obtained.

(156) At GG6, processing of the product wafer(s) is initiated. Such processing preferably includes at least FEOL and/or MOL processing, but may also include BEOL processing. Prior to GG7, NCEM measurements are obtained from at least some of the NCEM-enabled fill cells on the partially-processed product wafer(s).

(157) At GG7, some or all of the obtained NCEM measurements are used to continue processing of the product wafer(s). Such use may include determining whether to continue or abandon processing of one or more of the product wafers, modifying one or more processing, inspection or metrology steps in the continued processing of one or more of the product wafers (and/or other product wafers currently being manufactured using process flows relevant to observed manufacturing failures), and/or performing additional processing, metrology or inspection steps on one or more of the product wafers (and/or other product wafers currently being manufactured using process flows relevant to observed manufacturing failures).

(158) In certain embodiments, FF1-3 and/or GG5-7 could be practiced as stand-alone process flows.

(159) Reference is now made to FIG. 44, which depicts a plan view of an exemplary M1-snake-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell. This cell contains a left-facing-E-shaped NCEM pad, a snake-open-configured test area, and is NCEM-enabled to detect the following failure mode: M1 snake open. In the depicted configuration, a passing response is grounded metal=bright NCEM, whereas a failing response is floating pad=dark NCEM.

(160) Reference is now made to FIG. 45, which depicts a plan view of an exemplary AACNT-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell. This cell contains four test areas, and an E-shaped NCEM pad that overlies the test areas. It is NC-configured for inline measurement of the following failure mode: AACNT tip-to-side short. In the depicted configuration, a passing response is floating AA contacts=dark NCEM, whereas a failing response is a short to grounded contact layer=bright NCEM.

(161) Reference is now made to FIGS. 46A-C, which respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary TS-GATE-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_01. This cell utilizes a composite NCEM pad, as depicted in FIG. 9E.

(162) Reference is now made to FIGS. 47A-C, which respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-AACNT-side-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_05. This cell also utilizes a composite NCEM pad.

(163) Reference is now made to FIGS. 48A-C, which respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATECNT-GATE-via-open-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_08. This cell also utilizes a composite NCEM pad.

(164) Reference is now made to FIGS. 49A-C, which respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof an exemplary GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_11. This cell also utilizes a composite NCEM pad.

(165) Reference is now made to FIGS. 50(A)-(C), which respectively depict plan views of(A) all layers; (B) NWELL, AA, GATE, GATECNT, TS, and AACNT layers; (C) V0 and M1 layersof another exemplary GATE-AA-tip-to-side-short-configured, NCEM-enabled fill cell of type PDF_D_VCI_V16_14S1_12. This cell also utilizes a composite NCEM pad.

(166) FIGS. 52A-C, 53A-C, 54A-C, et seq., which depict additional examples of NCEM-enabled fill cells, utilize the same layer shadings/patterns depicted in FIG. 51.

(167) Parent FIGS. 160-162 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 161(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(168) Parent FIGS. 163-165 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 164(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(169) Parent FIGS. 166-168 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 167(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(170) Parent FIGS. 169-171 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 170(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(171) Parent FIGS. 172-173 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 173(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(172) Parent FIGS. 174-175 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 175(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(173) Parent FIGS. 176-177 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 177(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(174) Parent FIGS. 178-179 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 179(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(175) Parent FIGS. 180-181 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 181(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(176) Parent FIGS. 182-183 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 183(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(177) Parent FIGS. 184-185 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 184(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(178) Parent FIGS. 191-193 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 192(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(179) Parent FIGS. 194-196 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 195(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(180) Parent FIGS. 197-199 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 198(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(181) Parent FIGS. 200-202 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 201(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(182) Parent FIGS. 203-205 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 204(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(183) Parent FIGS. 206-208 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 207(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(184) Parent FIGS. 209-211 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 210(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(185) Parent FIGS. 212-214 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 213(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(186) Parent FIGS. 215-217 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 216(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(187) Parent FIGS. 218-220 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 219(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(188) Parent FIGS. 221-223 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 222(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(189) Parent FIGS. 224-226 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 225(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(190) Parent FIGS. 227-229 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 228(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(191) Parent FIGS. 230-232 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 231(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(192) Parent FIGS. 233-235 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 234(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(193) Parent FIGS. 236-238 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 237(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(194) Parent FIGS. 239-241 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 240(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(195) Parent FIGS. 242-244 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 243(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(196) Parent FIGS. 245-247 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 246(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(197) Parent FIGS. 248-250 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 249(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(198) Parent FIGS. 251-253 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 252(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(199) Parent FIGS. 254-256 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 255(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(200) Parent FIGS. 257-259 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 258(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(201) Parent FIGS. 260-262 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 261(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(202) Parent FIGS. 263-265 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 264(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(203) Parent FIGS. 266-268 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 267(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(204) Parent FIGS. 269-271 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 219(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(205) Parent FIGS. 272-274 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 273(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(206) Parent FIGS. 275-277 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 276(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(207) Parent FIGS. 278-280 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 279(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(208) Parent FIGS. 281-283 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2821(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(209) Parent FIGS. 284-286 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 285(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(210) Parent FIGS. 363-365 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 363(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(211) Parent FIGS. 366-368 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 367(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(212) Parent FIGS. 369-371 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 369(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(213) Parent FIGS. 372-374 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 372(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(214) Parent FIGS. 377-379 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 378(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(215) Parent FIGS. 380-382 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 381(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(216) Parent FIGS. 383-385 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 384(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(217) Parent FIGS. 386-388 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 387(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(218) Parent FIGS. 389-391 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 390(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(219) Parent FIGS. 392-394 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 393(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(220) Parent FIGS. 395-397 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 396(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(221) Parent FIGS. 398-400 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 399(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(222) Parent FIGS. 401-403 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 402(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(223) Parent FIGS. 404-406 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 405(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(224) Parent FIGS. 407-409 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 408(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(225) Parent FIGS. 410-412 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 411(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(226) Parent FIGS. 413-415 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 414(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(227) Parent FIGS. 476-477 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 477(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(228) Parent FIGS. 478-479 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 479(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(229) Parent FIGS. 480-481 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 481(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(230) Parent FIGS. 482-483 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 483(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(231) Parent FIGS. 487-489 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 488(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(232) Parent FIGS. 492-494 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 493(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(233) Parent FIGS. 519-533 depict variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 519(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(234) Parent FIGS. 522-536 depict variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 522(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(235) Parent FIGS. 525-539 depict variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 525(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(236) Parent FIGS. 528-542 depict variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 528(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(237) Parent FIGS. 543-545 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 544(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(238) Parent FIGS. 546-548 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 547(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(239) Parent FIGS. 549-551 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 550(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(240) Parent FIGS. 552-554 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 553(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(241) Parent FIGS. 599-601 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 600(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(242) Parent FIGS. 602-604 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 603(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(243) Parent FIGS. 605-607 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 606(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(244) Parent FIGS. 608-610 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 609(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(245) Parent FIGS. 611-613 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 612(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(246) Parent FIGS. 614-616 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 615(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(247) Parent FIGS. 617-619 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 618(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(248) Parent FIGS. 621-623 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 622(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(249) Parent FIGS. 624-626 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 625(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(250) Parent FIGS. 627-629 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 628(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(251) Parent FIGS. 630-632 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 631(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(252) Parent FIGS. 668-670 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 669(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(253) Parent FIGS. 756-758 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 757(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(254) Parent FIGS. 759-760 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 759(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(255) Parent FIGS. 762-764 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 764(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(256) Parent FIGS. 765-767 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 766(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(257) Parent FIGS. 768-770 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 769(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(258) Parent FIGS. 771-773 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 772(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(259) Parent FIGS. 774-776 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 774(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(260) Parent FIGS. 777-779 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 779(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(261) Parent FIGS. 780-782 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 780(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(262) Parent FIGS. 783-785 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 785(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(263) Parent FIGS. 799-801 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 800(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(264) Parent FIGS. 802-804 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 803(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(265) Parent FIGS. 805-807 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 806(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(266) Parent FIGS. 808-810 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 809(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(267) Parent FIGS. 811-813 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 812(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(268) Parent FIGS. 814-816 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 815(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(269) Parent FIGS. 817-819 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 818(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(270) Parent FIGS. 820-822 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 821(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(271) Parent FIGS. 830-832 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 831(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(272) Parent FIGS. 860-862 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 861(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(273) Parent FIGS. 863-865 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 864(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(274) Parent FIGS. 866-867 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(275) Parent FIGS. 868-869 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(276) Parent FIGS. 870-872 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 871(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(277) Parent FIGS. 873-875 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 874(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(278) Parent FIGS. 876-878 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 877(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(279) Parent FIGS. 880-882 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 881(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(280) Parent FIGS. 883-885 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 884(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(281) Parent FIGS. 886-888 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 887(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(282) Parent FIGS. 889-891 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 890(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(283) Parent FIGS. 892-894 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 893(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(284) Parent FIGS. 895-897 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 896(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(285) Parent FIGS. 898-900 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 899(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(286) Parent FIGS. 901-903 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 902(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(287) Parent FIGS. 1003-1005 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1004(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(288) Parent FIGS. 1006-1008 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1007(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(289) Parent FIGS. 1009-1011 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1010(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(290) Parent FIGS. 1081-1082 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1081(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(291) Parent FIGS. 1096-1098 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1097(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(292) Parent FIGS. 1099-1101 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1100(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(293) Parent FIGS. 1102-1104 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1103(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(294) Parent FIGS. 1105-1107 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1106(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(295) Parent FIGS. 1108-1110 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1109(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(296) Parent FIGS. 1111-1113 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1112(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(297) Parent FIGS. 1114-1116 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1115(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(298) Parent FIGS. 1117-1119 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1118(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(299) Parent FIGS. 1138-1140 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1139(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(300) Parent FIGS. 1141-1143 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1142(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(301) Parent FIGS. 1144-1145 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(302) Parent FIGS. 1146-1147 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(303) Parent FIGS. 1150-1152 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1151(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(304) Parent FIGS. 1153-1155 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1154(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(305) Parent FIGS. 1156-1158 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1157(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(306) Parent FIGS. 1159-1161 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1160(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(307) Parent FIGS. 1162-1164 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1163(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(308) Parent FIGS. 1165-1167 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1166(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(309) Parent FIGS. 1168-1170 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1169(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(310) Parent FIGS. 1171-1173 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1172(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(311) Parent FIGS. 1174-1176 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1175(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(312) Parent FIGS. 1177-1179 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1178(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(313) Parent FIGS. 1189-1191 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1190(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(314) Parent FIGS. 1192-1194 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1193(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(315) Parent FIGS. 1195-1197 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1196(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(316) Parent FIGS. 1198-1200 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1199(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(317) Parent FIGS. 1201-1203 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1202(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(318) Parent FIGS. 1204-1206 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1205(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(319) Parent FIGS. 1207-1209 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1207(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(320) Parent FIGS. 1210-1212 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1210(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(321) Parent FIGS. 1213-1215 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1213(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(322) Parent FIGS. 1216-1218 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1216(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(323) Parent FIGS. 1219-1221 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1220(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(324) Parent FIGS. 1222-1224 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1223(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(325) Parent FIGS. 1225-1227 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1226(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(326) Parent FIGS. 1228-1230 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1229(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(327) Parent FIGS. 1231-1233 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1232(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(328) Parent FIGS. 1236-1238 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1237(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(329) Parent FIGS. 1239-1242 depict variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1242(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(330) Parent FIGS. 1240-1241 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1240(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(331) Parent FIGS. 1249-1251 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1250(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(332) Parent FIGS. 1252-1254 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1253(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(333) Parent FIGS. 1255-1257 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1256(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(334) Parent FIGS. 1258-1260 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1259(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(335) Parent FIGS. 1261-1263 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1262(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(336) Parent FIGS. 1293-1294 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1294(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(337) Parent FIGS. 1295-1296 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1296(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(338) Parent FIGS. 1367-1368 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1368(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(339) Parent FIGS. 1369-1370 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1370(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(340) Parent FIGS. 1371-1372 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1372(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(341) Parent FIGS. 1373-1375 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1374(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(342) Parent FIGS. 1376-1377 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1377(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(343) Parent FIGS. 1378-1379 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1379(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(344) Parent FIGS. 1386-1387 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1386(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(345) Parent FIGS. 1388-1389 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1389(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(346) Parent FIGS. 1390-1391 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(347) Parent FIGS. 1392-1394 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1392(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(348) Parent FIGS. 1399-1401 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1400(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(349) Parent FIGS. 1402-1404 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1403(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(350) Parent FIGS. 1406-1407 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1407(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(351) Parent FIGS. 1410-1412 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1411(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(352) Parent FIGS. 1451-1452 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1452(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(353) Parent FIGS. 1456-1458 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1457(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(354) Parent FIGS. 1510-1512 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1511(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(355) Parent FIGS. 1513-1515 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1514(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(356) Parent FIGS. 1516-1518 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1517(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(357) Parent FIGS. 1522-1524 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1523(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(358) Parent FIGS. 1525-1527 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1526(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(359) Parent FIGS. 1528-1530 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1528(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(360) Parent FIGS. 1531-1533 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1531(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(361) Parent FIGS. 1534-1536 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1534(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(362) Parent FIGS. 1537-1539 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1537(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(363) Parent FIGS. 1543-1545 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1544(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(364) Parent FIGS. 1546-1548 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1547(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(365) Parent FIGS. 1553-1554 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1554(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(366) Parent FIGS. 1555-1556 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1556(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(367) Parent FIGS. 1557-1559 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1558(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(368) Parent FIGS. 1560-1562 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1561(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(369) Parent FIGS. 1563-1565 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1564(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(370) Parent FIGS. 1566-1568 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1567(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(371) Parent FIGS. 1569-1571 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1570(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(372) Parent FIGS. 1572-1574 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1573(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(373) Parent FIGS. 1575-1577 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1576(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(374) Parent FIGS. 1578-1580 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1579(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(375) Parent FIGS. 1581-1583 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1582(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(376) Parent FIGS. 1584-1586 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1585(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(377) Parent FIGS. 1587-1589 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1588(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(378) Parent FIGS. 1590-1592 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1591(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(379) Parent FIGS. 1593-1595 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1594(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(380) Parent FIGS. 1596-1598 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1597(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(381) Parent FIGS. 1599-1601 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1600(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(382) Parent FIGS. 1602-1604 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1603(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(383) Parent FIGS. 1605-1607 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1606(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(384) Parent FIGS. 1608-1610 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1609(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(385) Parent FIGS. 1611-1613 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1612(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(386) Parent FIGS. 1614-1616 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1615(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(387) Parent FIGS. 1617-1619 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1618(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(388) Parent FIGS. 1620-1622 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1621(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(389) Parent FIGS. 1623-1625 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1624(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(390) Parent FIGS. 1626-1628 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1627(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(391) Parent FIGS. 1646-1647 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1646(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(392) Parent FIGS. 1648-1649 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1648(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(393) Parent FIGS. 1650-1652 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1651(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(394) Parent FIGS. 1653-1655 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1654(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(395) Parent FIGS. 1656-1658 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1657(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(396) Parent FIGS. 1659-1661 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1660(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(397) Parent FIGS. 1663-1664 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1663(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(398) Parent FIGS. 1665-1667 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1666(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(399) Parent FIGS. 1669-1670 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1669(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(400) Parent FIGS. 1671-1673 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1672(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(401) Parent FIGS. 1674-1676 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1675(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(402) Parent FIGS. 1677-1679 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1678(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(403) Parent FIGS. 1680-1682 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1681(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(404) Parent FIGS. 1687-1689 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1688(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(405) Parent FIGS. 1690-1692 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1691(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(406) Parent FIGS. 1693-1695 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1694(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(407) Parent FIGS. 1696-1698 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1697(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(408) Parent FIGS. 1715-1717 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1716(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(409) Parent FIGS. 1718-1720 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1719(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(410) Parent FIGS. 1800-1802 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1801(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(411) Parent FIGS. 1813-1815 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1814(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(412) Parent FIGS. 1816-1818 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1817(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(413) Parent FIGS. 1819-1821 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1820(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(414) Parent FIGS. 1822-1824 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1823(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(415) Parent FIGS. 1825-1827 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1826(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(416) Parent FIGS. 1828-1830 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1829(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(417) Parent FIGS. 1831-1832 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1831(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(418) Parent FIGS. 1833-1835 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1833(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(419) Parent FIGS. 1836-1838 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1836(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(420) Parent FIGS. 1839-1841 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1839(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(421) Parent FIGS. 1842-1844 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1842(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(422) Parent FIGS. 1845-1847 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1845(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(423) Parent FIGS. 1848-1849 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1848(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(424) Parent FIGS. 1850-1852 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1850(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(425) Parent FIGS. 1853-1855 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1853(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(426) Parent FIGS. 1856-1858 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1856(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(427) Parent FIGS. 1859-1861 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1859(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(428) Parent FIGS. 1867-1869 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1868(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(429) Parent FIGS. 1870-1872 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1871(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(430) Parent FIGS. 1873-1875 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1874(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(431) Parent FIGS. 1876-1878 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1877(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(432) Parent FIGS. 1879-1881 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1880(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(433) Parent FIGS. 1882-1884 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1883(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(434) Parent FIGS. 1885-1887 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1886(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(435) Parent FIGS. 1888-1890 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1889(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(436) Parent FIGS. 1891-1893 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1892(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(437) Parent FIGS. 1894-1896 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1895(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(438) Parent FIGS. 1897-1899 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1898(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(439) Parent FIGS. 1900-1902 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1901(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(440) Parent FIGS. 1903-1905 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1904(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(441) Parent FIGS. 1906-1908 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1907(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(442) Parent FIGS. 1909-1911 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1910(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(443) Parent FIGS. 1912-1914 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1913(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(444) Parent FIGS. 1915-1917 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1916(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(445) Parent FIGS. 1918-1920 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1919(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(446) Parent FIGS. 1921-1923 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1922(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(447) Parent FIGS. 1924-1926 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1925(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(448) Parent FIGS. 1927-1929 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1928(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(449) Parent FIGS. 1930-1932 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1931(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(450) Parent FIGS. 1933-1935 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1934(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(451) Parent FIGS. 1936-1938 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1937(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(452) Parent FIGS. 1939-1941 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1940(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(453) Parent FIGS. 1943-1944 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1943(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(454) Parent FIGS. 1945-1947 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1946(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(455) Parent FIGS. 1948-1950 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1949(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(456) Parent FIGS. 1951-1953 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1952(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(457) Parent FIGS. 1954-1956 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1955(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(458) Parent FIGS. 1957-1959 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1958(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(459) Parent FIGS. 1960-1962 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1961(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(460) Parent FIGS. 1963-1965 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1964(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(461) Parent FIGS. 1966-1968 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1967(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(462) Parent FIGS. 1969-1971 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1970(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(463) Parent FIGS. 1972-1974 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1973(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(464) Parent FIGS. 1975-1977 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1976(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(465) Parent FIGS. 1978-1980 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1979(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(466) Parent FIGS. 1981-1983 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1982(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(467) Parent FIGS. 1984-1986 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1985(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(468) Parent FIGS. 1987-1989 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1988(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(469) Parent FIGS. 1990-1993 depict variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1991(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(470) Parent FIGS. 1994-1996 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1995(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(471) Parent FIGS. 1997-1999 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 1998(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(472) Parent FIGS. 2000-2002 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2001(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(473) Parent FIGS. 2003-2005 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2003(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(474) Parent FIGS. 2006-2008 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2007(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(475) Parent FIGS. 2009-2011 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2010(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(476) Parent FIGS. 2012-2014 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2013(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(477) Parent FIGS. 2015-2017 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2016(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(478) Parent FIGS. 2018-2020 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2019(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(479) Parent FIGS. 2021-2023 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2022(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(480) Parent FIGS. 2024-2026 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2025(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(481) Parent FIGS. 2027-2029 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2028(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(482) Parent FIGS. 2030-2032 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2031(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(483) Parent FIGS. 2033-2035 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2034(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(484) Parent FIGS. 2036-2038 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2037(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(485) Parent FIGS. 2039-2041 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2040(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(486) Parent FIGS. 2042-2044 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2043(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(487) Parent FIGS. 2045-2047 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2046(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(488) Parent FIGS. 2048-2050 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2049(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(489) Parent FIGS. 2051-2053 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2052(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(490) Parent FIGS. 2054-2056 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2055(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(491) Parent FIGS. 2057-2059 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2058(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(492) Parent FIGS. 2111-2113 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2112(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(493) Parent FIGS. 2114-2116 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2115(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(494) Parent FIGS. 2117-2118 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(495) Parent FIGS. 2219-2220 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(496) Parent FIGS. 2121-22123 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2122(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(497) Parent FIGS. 2124-2126 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2125(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(498) Parent FIGS. 2127-2129 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2128(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(499) Parent FIGS. 2130-2132 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2131(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(500) Parent FIGS. 2133-2135 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2133(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(501) Parent FIGS. 2136-2138 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2136(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(502) Parent FIGS. 2138-2139 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2138(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(503) Parent FIGS. 2140-2141 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2140(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(504) Parent FIGS. 2142-2143 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2142(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(505) Parent FIGS. 2144-2145 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2144(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(506) Parent FIGS. 2146-2147 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2146(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(507) Parent FIGS. 2148-2150 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2148(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(508) Parent FIGS. 2151-2153 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2151(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(509) Parent FIGS. 2154-2156 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2154(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(510) Parent FIGS. 2157-2159 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2158(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(511) Parent FIGS. 2160-2162 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2161(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(512) Parent FIGS. 2163-2165 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2164(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(513) Parent FIGS. 2166-2168 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2167(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(514) Parent FIGS. 2171-2173 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2172(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(515) Parent FIGS. 2174-2176 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2175(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(516) Parent FIGS. 2177-2179 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2178(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(517) Parent FIGS. 2180-2182 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2181(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(518) Parent FIGS. 2183-2185 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2184(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(519) Parent FIGS. 2186-2188 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2187(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(520) Parent FIGS. 2189-2191 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2190(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(521) Parent FIGS. 2192-2194 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2193(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(522) Parent FIGS. 2195-2197 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2196(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(523) Parent FIGS. 2200-2202 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2201(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(524) Parent FIGS. 2203-2205 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2204(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(525) Parent FIGS. 2206-2208 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2207(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(526) Parent FIGS. 2209-2211 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2210(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(527) Parent FIGS. 2212-2214 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2213(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(528) Parent FIGS. 2215-2217 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2216(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(529) Parent FIGS. 2218-2220 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2219(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(530) Parent FIGS. 2221-2223 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2222(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(531) Parent FIGS. 2224-2226 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2225(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(532) Parent FIGS. 2227-2229 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2228(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(533) Parent FIGS. 2230-2232 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2231(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(534) Parent FIGS. 2233-2235 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2234(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(535) Parent FIGS. 2236-2238 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2237(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(536) Parent FIGS. 2239-2241 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2240(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(537) Parent FIGS. 2242-2244 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2243(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(538) Parent FIGS. 2245-2247 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2246(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(539) Parent FIGS. 2248-2250 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2249(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(540) Parent FIGS. 2251-2253 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2252(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(541) Parent FIGS. 2254-2256 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2255(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(542) Parent FIGS. 2257-2259 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2258(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(543) Parent FIGS. 2260-2262 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2261(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(544) Parent FIGS. 2263-2265 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2264(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(545) Parent FIGS. 2266-2268 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2267(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(546) Parent FIGS. 2269-2271 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2270(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(547) Parent FIGS. 2272-2274 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2273(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(548) Parent FIGS. 2275-2277 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2276(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(549) Parent FIGS. 2278-2280 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2279(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(550) Parent FIGS. 2281-2282 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2282(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(551) Parent FIGS. 2283-2285 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2284(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(552) Parent FIGS. 2286-2288 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2287(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(553) Parent FIGS. 2289-2290 depict two variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2290(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(554) Parent FIGS. 2291-2293 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2292(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(555) Parent FIGS. 2294-2296 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2295(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(556) Parent FIGS. 2297-2299 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2298(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(557) Parent FIGS. 2300-2302 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2301(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(558) Parent FIGS. 2303-2305 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2304(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(559) Parent FIGS. 2306-2308 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2307(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(560) Parent FIGS. 2309-2311 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2310(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(561) Parent FIGS. 2312-2314 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2313(A)-(B) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(562) Parent FIGS. 2345-2347 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2346(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(563) Parent FIGS. 2348-2350 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2349(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(564) Parent FIGS. 2351-2353 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2351(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(565) Parent FIGS. 2354-2356 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2354(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(566) Parent FIGS. 2357-2359 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2358(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(567) Parent FIGS. 2360-2362 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2361(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(568) Parent FIGS. 2363-2365 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2364(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(569) Parent FIGS. 2366-2368 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2367(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(570) Parent FIGS. 2369-2371 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2370(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(571) Parent FIGS. 2372-2374 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2373(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(572) Parent FIGS. 2375-2377 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2376(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(573) Parent FIGS. 2378-2380 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2379(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(574) Parent FIGS. 2381-2383 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2382(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(575) Parent FIGS. 2384-2386 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2385(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(576) Parent FIGS. 2387-2389 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2388(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(577) Parent FIGS. 2390-2392 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2391(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(578) Parent FIGS. 2399-2401 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2399(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(579) Parent FIGS. 2402-2403 depict two variants of the same cell. The figure set represents intentionally misaligned conditions.

(580) Parent FIGS. 2404-2406 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2405(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(581) Parent FIGS. 2407-2409 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2408(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(582) Parent FIGS. 2410-2412 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2411(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(583) Parent FIGS. 2413-2415 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2414(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(584) Parent FIGS. 2416-2418 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2417(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(585) Parent FIGS. 2419-2421 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2420(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(586) Parent FIGS. 2422-2424 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2423(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(587) Parent FIGS. 2425-2427 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2426(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(588) Parent FIGS. 2428-2430 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2429(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(589) Parent FIGS. 2431-2433 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2432(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(590) Parent FIGS. 2434-2436 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2435(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(591) Parent FIGS. 2437-2439 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2438(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(592) Parent FIGS. 2442-2444 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2443(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(593) Parent FIGS. 2445-2447 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2446(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(594) Parent FIGS. 2448-2450 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2449(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(595) Parent FIGS. 2451-2453 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2452(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(596) Parent FIGS. 2454-2456 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2455(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(597) Parent FIGS. 2457-2459 depict three variants of the same cell. Parent FIGS. 2458(A)-(C) show the nominal case, whereas the other figures represent intentionally misaligned conditions.

(598) Parent FIGS. 203-223, 236-286, 389-397, 404-409, 485-494, 546-548, 552-554, 621-632, 682, 691, 731-734, 762-785, 848-859, 880-903, 1014-1040, 1096-1119, 1189-1200, 1222-1224, 1234-1238, 1249-1263, 1543-1548, 1687-1698, 1870-1872, 1876-1881, 1885-1902, 1912-1947, 1954-1980, 1984-1993, 2003-2005, 2157-2314, 2343-2344, 2357-2374, and 2404-2461 show depictions of NCEM-enabled fill cells without NCEM pads. Persons skilled in the art will understand that pads of any design (e.g., FIGS. 9A-9F and Parent FIGS. 9G-9IIII, etc.) would be added, either at the left edge with a corresponding leftward extension of the supply rails, or overlying or partially overlying the depicted portion of the cells.

(599) Certain of the claims that follow may contain one or more means-plus-function limitations of the form, a <cell name> means for enabling NC detection of a GATE-tip-to-tip short. It is applicant's intent that such limitations be construed, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f), as the structure of the named cell, or an equivalent structure, that enables detection of a GATE-tip-to-tip short by non-contact measurement.

(600) Additionally, certain of the claims that follow may contain one or more step-plus-function limitations of the form, a <cell name> step for enabling NC detection of a GATE-tip-to-tip short. It is applicant's intent that such limitations be construed, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 112(f), as enabling voltage contrast detection of a GATE-tip-to-tip short by patterning an instance of the named cell, or an equivalent cell.

(601) While the invention has been illustrated with respect to one or more specific implementations, numerous alterations and/or modifications can be made to the illustrated examples without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other implementations as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms including, includes, having, has, with, or variants thereof are used in either the detailed description or the claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term comprising. As used herein, the phrase X comprises one or more of A, B, and C means that X can include any of the following: either A, B, or C alone; or combinations of two, such as A and B, B and C, and A and C; or combinations of three A, B and C.