Four-terminal antifuse structure having integrated heating elements for a programmable circuit
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsByeongju Park, Subramanian S. Iyer, Chandrasekharan Kothandaraman
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Abstract
The present invention provides antifuse structures having an integrated heating element and methods of programming the same, the antifuse structures comprising first and second conductors and a dielectric layer formed between the conductors, where one or both of the conductors functions as both a conventional antifuse conductor and as a heating element for directly heating the antifuse dielectric layer during programming.
Claims20
A structure comprising an antifuse structure, said antifuse structure including:
- a first conductor configured to receive a first voltage potential (V1);
- a dielectric layer contacting said first conductor;
- and
- a second conductor located adjacent said dielectric layer and separated from said first conductor by said dielectric layer, said second conductor configured to receive a second voltage potential (V2) and a third voltage potential (V3) and to heat said dielectric layer in response to V2 and V3, wherein said second conductor comprises a doped section of a semiconductor substrate.
A programmable circuit, comprising:
- a semiconductor substrate;
- an antifuse formed on said semiconductor substrate, said antifuse including a first conductor located within said semiconductor substrate and having a first surface, a dielectric layer contacting said first surface of said first conductor, and a second conductor having a second surface that contacts said dielectric layer;
- a first conductive element contacting a first portion of said second conductor and electrically isolated from said first conductor;
- a second conductive element contacting a second portion of said second conductor and not contacting said first conductive element and electrically isolated from said first conductor;
- and
- means for applying a voltage difference across said first conductive element and said second conductive element, wherein said voltage difference induces a current I to flow in said second conductor and causes Joule heating of said second conductor.
A method operating an antifuse comprising:
- providing an antifuse located on a semiconductor substrate, said antifuse including a first conductor located within said semiconductor substrate and having a first surface, a dielectric layer contacting said first surface of said first conductor, and a second conductor having a second surface that contacts said dielectric layer;
- heating said dielectric layer by passing a first electrical current within said second conductor by Joule heating;
- and
- programming said antifuse by applying a voltage difference between said first conductor and said second conductor while said dielectric layer is heated by said Joule heating, wherein said antifuse is programmed by a dielectric breakdown across said dielectric layer by said voltage difference.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.