Multidirectional wiring on a single metal layer

Abstract

An integrated circuit has a metal layer that includes conductors to provide interconnectivity for components of the integrated circuit chip. The metal layer is divided into at least two sections, such that a first section has a preferred direction and the second section has a preferred wiring direction that is different from the first preferred direction. The first and second preferred directions on a single metal layer may consist of any direction. The metal layer may be divided into more than two sections, wherein each section has a preferred wiring direction. Wiring geometries for multi-level metal layers are also disclosed.

1 . An integrated circuit comprising: 
 at least one metal layer comprising a plurality of sections, each section comprising a plurality of conductors to interconnect points on the integrated circuit, wherein a preferred direction, within a section, defines a direction, relative to the boundaries of the integrated circuit, for at least fifty percent of conductors in the section;    a first section comprising a first preferred direction for the conductors deposed in the first section; and    a second section comprising a preferred diagonal wiring direction for the conductors deposed in the second section, such that the diagonal wiring preferred direction is a direction different from the first preferred direction.    
   
   
       2 - 15 . (canceled)