The diffusion structures in CMOS devices can be changed to minimize the
effects of IR drop on those devices. A simulation can be run before
tape-off to determine which transistors are at risk. The area of the
source region and/or the width of the drain region of the at-risk
transistor(s) can be adjusted to change the capacitive and/or resistive
capability of the transistor(s). These altered diffusion structures can
reduce the peak IR drop value, such as by an amount in the range of
8%-30% of the original peak noise, to prevent the chip from
malfunctioning due to the resultant noise. The reduction in IR drop can
be balanced with the timing delays introduced by the increased
capacitance of the source area. An optimal combination of source area and
drain width can be obtained and instituted during the simulation and
testing processes.