Integrating 8nm Self-Aligned Tip-to-Tip to Enable 4-track Standard Cell Architecture as Scaling Booster

As further scaling of standard cells (SC) continues, new innovative techniques are required to the keep pursuing Moore’s law. Middle-of-line (MOL) scaling boosters are one of the most critical modules to scale standard cells. In this work, we present new morphological and first-time electrical data of 8 nm self-aligned tip-to-tip (T2T) of MOL metal layer as a cell boundary to enable Vertical-Horizontal-Vertical (VHV) cell architecture. This will be the key feature to further downscale standard cell height from 5 to 4 tracks. A VintB space of 8.3 nm with standard deviation of 1.6 nm was achieved. For the M0B, a T2T of 5.9 nm with a standard deviation of 1.6 nm was achieved. Electrically a M0B T2T leakage of <1e–10A/m was obtained on 14% of the measured sites for 8 nm T2T, 30% for 10 nm T2T and 40% for 12 nm T2T.