SEMICONDUCTOR INTERLAYER STAGGERED CONTACT STRUCTURE

摘要

A method and apparatus for increasing the number of contacts provided between two conductive layers separated by an insulator in a semiconductor integrated circuit chip is disclosed. In a first row of contacts, each contact in the row is separated by a distance, L. A second row of contacts is formed parallel to the first row. Each contact in the second row is spaced a distance of L from other contacts in the row. However, the second row is staggered from the first row, such that each contact is halfway between adjacent contacts in the first row. Each contact in the second row is located a distance of L from the two closest contacts in the first row. Successive rows are formed in a similar staggered manner.