Electrical fuse structure and method of formation

A method comprising:

• patterning a material layer to form an anode, a cathode, and a fuse link extending between the anode and the cathode, wherein the fuse link has a first edge and a second edge that each extend along a first direction from the anode to the cathode, wherein a first width of the fuse link is defined between the first edge and the second edge and the first width is defined along a second direction that is different than the first direction;
• forming a dielectric layer over the patterned material layer;
• patterning the dielectric layer to form a first contact opening and a second contact opening over the cathode, wherein:
• the cathode includes an area defined between a first longitudinal axis and a second longitudinal axis that each extend along the first direction, wherein the first longitudinal axis is aligned with the first edge of the fuse link, the second longitudinal axis is aligned with the second edge of the fuse link, a second width of the area is defined between the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis, the second width extends along the second direction, and the second width is substantially equal to the first width, and
• a portion of the dielectric layer disposed between the first contact opening and the second contact opening overlaps the area, wherein the portion of the dielectric layer has a third width defined along the second direction and the third width is greater than the second width, such that the first contact opening is spaced a first distance along the second direction from the first longitudinal axis and the second contact opening is spaced a second distance along the second direction from the second longitudinal axis, wherein the first distance is substantially equal to the second distance;
• and
• filling the first contact opening and the second contact opening with a conductive material, thereby forming a cathode contact pair over the cathode.

A method comprising:

• patterning a material layer to form an anode, a cathode, and a fuse link extending between the anode and the cathode, wherein the fuse link has a first edge and a second edge extending along a first direction from the anode to the cathode, wherein a width of the fuse link is defined along a second direction that is orthogonal to the first direction;
• forming a dielectric layer over the patterned material layer;
• patterning the dielectric layer to form a first opening and a second opening over the cathode, wherein the first opening is spaced a distance along the second direction from a first longitudinal axis aligned with the first edge of the fuse link along the second direction and the second opening is spaced a distance along the second direction from a second longitudinal axis aligned with the second edge of the fuse link along the second direction, such that the first opening and the second opening are equidistant from the fuse link;
• patterning the dielectric layer to form a third opening that spans the first opening and the second opening;
• and
• filling the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening with a conductive material.