TSMC was granted a patent for a compact CFET power-grid design

{
  "signal_id": "13fe3f64-68da-572f-a7ba-af94574abb73",
  "signal_type": "patents-company",
  "signal_subtype": "patentGrant",
  "detected_at": "2026-09-30T17:48:35+00:00",
  "company": {
    "name": "TSMC",
    "domain": "tsmc.com"
  },
  "data": {
    "cpc": [
      {
        "code": "H10W 20/20"
      },
      {
        "code": "H10D 84/017",
        "label": "Inorganic electric semiconductor devices (2025 CPC reorg of parts of H01L)"
      },
      {
        "code": "H10D 84/0186",
        "label": "Inorganic electric semiconductor devices (2025 CPC reorg of parts of H01L)"
      },
      {
        "code": "H10D 84/038",
        "label": "Inorganic electric semiconductor devices (2025 CPC reorg of parts of H01L)"
      },
      {
        "code": "H10D 84/85",
        "label": "Inorganic electric semiconductor devices (2025 CPC reorg of parts of H01L)"
      }
    ],
    "tags": [
      "Intellectual Property",
      "Research & Development",
      "Engineering",
      "Manufacturing Operations"
    ],
    "detail": "In September 2026 TSMC patented a semiconductor layout that routes power through upper metal layers, supporting dense logic-chip manufacturing.",
    "summary": "TSMC was granted a patent for a compact CFET power-grid design",
    "event_at": "2026-09-29",
    "inventors": [
      {
        "name": "Kuan Yu Chen",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": true,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/kuan-yu-chen-15a90157"
      },
      {
        "name": "Chun-Yen Lin",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/yenchunlin24"
      },
      {
        "name": "Wei-Cheng Tzeng",
        "status": "unresolved",
        "is_primary": false
      },
      {
        "name": "Wei-Cheng Lin",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/wei-cheng-lin-b9a871a0"
      },
      {
        "name": "Shih-Wei Peng",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/shih-wei-peng-a1242011a"
      },
      {
        "name": "Jiann-Tyng Tzeng",
        "status": "resolved",
        "is_primary": false,
        "linkedin_url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/jiann-tyng-tzeng-bb36b043"
      }
    ],
    "event_kind": "grant_date",
    "grant_date": "2026-09-29",
    "source_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12751268",
    "cpc_primary": {
      "code": "H10W 20/20"
    },
    "patent_title": "Device having CFET with power grid rails in second metallization layer and method of manufacturing same",
    "patent_number": "US12751268",
    "uspto_assignee": "TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.",
    "patent_abstract": "A device includes: an active region extending in a first direction; a first metal-to-S/D (MD) contact structure extending in a perpendicular second direction, and over and coupled to the active region; a first layer of metallization over the first MD contact structure and having M_1st segments extending in the first direction and each having a substantially same width relative to the second direction, the M_1st segments including M_1st routing segments, and an M_1st power grid (PG) segment having a portion over and coupled to the first MD contact structure; a second layer of metallization over the first layer of metallization and having M_2nd segments that extend in the second direction and include an M_2nd PG rail configured for a first reference voltage, a portion thereof being over and coupled to the M_1st PG segment. the M_2nd PG rail extending across multiple cell regions.",
    "precision_class": "structural",
    "invention_explanation": "A chip structure that places power rails in a higher wiring layer above vertically stacked transistors, helping deliver power without taking as much space near the devices.",
    "technologies_mentioned": [
      "CFETs",
      "semiconductor manufacturing",
      "power-grid routing",
      "metal interconnects"
    ]
  }
}

curl https://signals.autobound.ai/v1/signals/13fe3f64-68da-572f-a7ba-af94574abb73 \
  -H "X-API-KEY: $AUTOBOUND_API_KEY"

curl -X POST https://signals.autobound.ai/v1/companies/enrich \
  -H "X-API-KEY: $AUTOBOUND_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"domain":"tsmc.com","limit":20}'