# US 2018/0025980 A1 · Electrical antifuse having airgap or solid core > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0025980 A1 - Document ID: US20180025980A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/703,279 - Filed: 2017-09-13 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-20 - Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation - Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation - Inventors: Chih-Chao Yang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180025980A1 ## CPC - H10W 20/491: {Antifuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from non-conductive to conductive} - H10D 1/00: Resistors, capacitors or inductors - H10W 20/057: {by selectively depositing, e.g. by using selective CVD or plating} - H10W 20/064: {by modifying the conductivity of conductive parts, e.g. by alloying} - H10W: GENERIC PACKAGES, INTERCONNECTIONS, CONNECTORS OR OTHER CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - H10D: INORGANIC ELECTRIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES ## Abstract An antifuse structure including an opening through a dielectric material to a contact surface and an antifuse material layer present within the opening. The antifuse material layer may be a phase change material alloy of tantalum and nitrogen, wherein at least a base surface of the antifuse material layer is present on the contact surface and sidewall surfaces of the antifuse material layer are present on sidewalls of the opening through the dielectric material. An airgap or solid material core may be in the opening atop the base surface of the phase change material alloy. An electrically conductive material may be in direct contact with at least the antifuse material layer. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An antifuse structure comprising: an antifuse material layer present within the opening in a dielectric material, the antifuse material layer comprising a phase change material alloy, wherein at least a base surface of the antifuse material layer is present on the contact surface; a solid material core present in the opening atop the base surface of the phase change material alloy; and an electrically conductive material in contact with at least the antifuse material layer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The antifuse structure of claim 1, wherein the phase change material alloy has dielectric properties and an orthorhombic phase prior to said antifuse structure being programmed. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The antifuse structure of claim 2, wherein the phase change material having said dielectric properties is comprised of a metal nitride material having a cubic phase when electrically conductive. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The antifuse structure of claim 1, wherein the phase change material alloy has electrically conductive properties and a cubic or hexagonal phase following said antifuse structure being programmed. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The antifuse structure of claim 4, wherein the phase change material alloy includes tantalum. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The antifuse structure of claim 4, wherein the phase change material alloy has electrically conductive properties and a cubic phase following said antifuse structure being programmed. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The antifuse structure of claim 1, wherein the solid material core has a composition selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbon boron nitride, hafnium oxynitride, aluminum oxynitride, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, copper, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 8 A method of forming an antifuse: forming at least one opening through an interlevel dielectric layer that extends to a contact for an electrical device; depositing antifuse material layer comprising a phase change material alloy, wherein the antifuse material layer fills at least a portion of the opening, wherein the phase change material is programmed thermally; patterning a opening in the antifuse material layer; and depositing an electrically conductive material atop the opening, wherein a core of the antifuse is a solid material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the solid material is from the group consisting of silicon oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbon boron nitride, hafnium oxynitride, aluminum oxynitride, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, copper and combinations thereof ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the phase change material alloy is an insulator before programming. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein depositing the antifuse material comprises a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, wherein the CVD process includes a nitrogen containing gas with a flow rate ranging from 500 sccm to 5000 sccm. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein said programmed thermally comprises heating the antifuse material layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein said heating for programming is to a temperature ranging from 500° C. to 900° C. ### Claim 14 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising an electrically conductive material is in direct contact with the phase change material alloy. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the electrically conductive material may thermally heat the antifuse material. ### Claim 16 An antifuse structure comprising: an antifuse material layer present within the opening in a dielectric material, the antifuse material layer comprising a phase change material alloy, wherein at least a base surface of the antifuse material layer is present on the contact surface; and a solid material core present in the opening atop the base surface of the phase change material alloy. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The antifuse structure of claim 16, wherein the phase change material alloy has dielectric properties and an orthorhombic phase prior to said antifuse structure being programmed. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The antifuse structure of claim 17, wherein the phase change material having said dielectric properties is comprised of a metal nitride material having a cubic phase when electrically conductive. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The antifuse structure of claim 18, wherein the phase change material alloy has electrically conductive properties and a cubic or hexagonal phase following said antifuse structure being programmed. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The antifuse structure of claim 18, wherein the solid material core has a composition selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, hafnium oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride, silicon carbon boron nitride, hafnium oxynitride, aluminum oxynitride, tungsten, titanium, aluminum, copper, and combinations thereof.