Shallow trench antifuse and methods of making and using same

An antifuse formed in a trench in a semiconducting substrate, comprising:

• an insulating layer positioned in said trench;
• a conductive member positioned in said trench above said insulating layer, wherein said conductive member has an upper surface that is positioned below an upper surface of said substrate, said conductive member adapted to have at least one programming voltage applied thereto;
• at least one doped active region formed in said substrate adjacent said trench;
• at least one conductive contact coupled to said conductive member;
• and
• at least one conductive contact coupled to said doped active region.

An antifuse formed in a trench in a semiconducting substrate, comprising:

• an insulating layer positioned in said trench;
• a conductive member positioned in said trench above said insulating layer, wherein said conductive member has an upper surface that is positioned approximately planar with or above an upper surface of said substrate, said conductive member adapted to have at least one programming voltage applied thereto;
• at least one doped active region formed in said substrate adjacent said trench;
• at least one conductive contact coupled to said conductive member;
• and
• at least one conductive contact coupled to said doped active region.

An integrated circuit device, comprising:

• an antifuse formed in a trench in a semiconducting substrate, said antifuse comprising:
• an insulating layer positioned in said trench;
• a conductive member positioned above said insulating layer, at least a portion of said conductive member being positioned within said trench, said conductive member adapted to have at least one programming voltage applied thereto;
• at least one doped active region formed in said substrate adjacent said trench;
• at least one conductive contact coupled to said conductive member;
• and
• at least one conductive contact coupled to said doped active region.

A method of forming an antifuse, comprising:

• forming a trench in a semiconducting substrate;
• forming at least one layer of insulating material in said trench;
• forming a conductive member in said trench above said at least one layer of insulating material;
• forming at least one doped active region in said substrate adjacent said trench;
• forming at least one conductive contact that is coupled to said conductive member;
• and
• forming at least one conductive contact that is coupled to said at least one doped active region.

A method of forming an antifuse, comprising:

• forming a trench in a semiconducting substrate;
• forming a first layer comprised of silicon dioxide in said trench;
• forming a second layer comprised of silicon nitride above said first layer;
• forming a conductive member in said trench above said second layer comprised of silicon nitride;
• forming at least one doped active region in said substrate adjacent said trench;
• forming at least one conductive contact that is coupled to said conductive member;
• and
• forming at least one conductive contact that is coupled to said at least one doped active region.