Fuse area structure having guard ring surrounding fuse opening in semiconductor device and method of forming the same

A method of forming a fuse area, comprising the steps of:

• forming a fuse line;
• forming a first interlayer dielectric film on the fuse line;
• forming a fuse opening etching stop film in an area where the fuse opening is to be formed and a ring-shaped guard ring opening etching stop film which surrounds the fuse opening etching stop film on the first interlayer dielectric film using a predetermined conductive layer of a semiconductor device to be formed;
• forming a second interlayer dielectric film on the fuse opening etching stop film and the guard ring opening etching stop film;
• forming a lower interconnection layer on the second interlayer dielectric film in a region excluding the fuse area of the semiconductor device;
• forming a third interlayer dielectric film on the lower interconnection layer;
• forming a contact hole which exposes the lower interconnection layer by etching the third interlayer dielectric film and forming a fuse opening which exposes the fuse opening etching stop film and a guard ring opening which exposes the guard ring opening etching stop film by sequentially etching the third and second interlayer dielectric films at the same time;
• forming a conductive material layer which will form an upper interconnection layer of the semiconductor device on the entire surfaces of the contact hole, the fuse opening, the guard ring opening, and the third interlayer dielectric film;
• forming an upper interconnection layer by patterning the conductive material layer and removing the conductive material layer formed on the fuse opening and the guard ring opening;
• removing the fuse opening etching stop film and the guard ring opening etching stop film which are exposed to the fuse opening and the guard ring opening, respectively;
• forming a guard ring and the sidewall protection film of the fuse opening by depositing a passivation film on the entire surfaces of the upper interconnection layer, the guard ring opening, and the third interlayer dielectric film;
• and
• removing the passivation film formed on the bottom of the fuse opening.