Programmable low impedance anti-fuse element
AssigneeActel Corporation
InventorsAmr M. Mohsen, Esmat Z. Hamdy, John L. McCullum
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Abstract
An electrically programmable low impedance circuit element is disclosed having capacitor-like structure with very low leakage before programming and a low resistance after programming. The electrically programmable low impedance circuit element of the present invention includes a lower conductive electrode which may be formed of a metal or semiconductor material, an insulating layer, which, in a preferred embodiment includes a first layer of silicon dioxide, a second layer of silicon nitride and a third layer of silicon dioxide. An upper electrode formed of a metal or of a semiconductor material of the same conductivity type of the lower electrode or a sandwich of both completes the structure.
Claims29
An electrically programmable semiconductor device comprising a plurality of elements each of which comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, a multilayer dielectric comprising at least two dielectric layers of different dielectric constant disposed between the first electrode and the second electrode, and wherein at least one element has a conductive filament passing through the multilayer dielectric ohmically connecting the first electrode to the second electrode.
A plurality of electrically-programmable lowimpedance anti-fuse elements, each of said elements including:
- a semiconductor substrate,
- a first electrode comprising a heavily-doped region disposed within a selected portion of said substrate,
- an insulator covering said heavily-doped region, said insulator having a first layer of silicon dioxide, and a second layer of silicon nitride over said first layer, and
- a second electrode comprising a heavily-doped polysilicon layer over said insulating layer,
- at least one of said elements further including a conductive filament in said insulator electrically connecting said first electrode and said second electrode.
A plurality of electrically-programmable low-impedance anti-fuse elements disposed on a first insulator over a semiconductor substrate, each of said elements including:
- a first electrode, including a heavily-doped polysilicon layer over said first insulator, and a metal silicide layer over said polysilicon layer,
- a second insulator over said metal silicide layer, said second insulator having a first layer of silicon dioxide and a second layer of silicon nitride over said first layer,
- a barrier metal layer over said second insulator, and
- a second electrode comprised of a metal over said barrier metal layer,
- at least one of said elements further including a conductive filament in said second insulator electrically connecting said first electrode in second electrode.
A plurality of electrically programmable low-impedance anti-fuse elements disposed on a first insulator over a semiconductor substrate, each of said elements including:
- a first electrode comprised of a metal layer over said first insulator and a layer of barrier metal over said metal layer,
- a metal silicide layer over said first electrode,
- a second insulator over said metal silicide layer, said second insulator having a first layer of silicon dioxide and a second layer of silicon nitride over said first layer,
- a barrier metal layer over second insulator, and
- a second electrode comprised of a metal over said barrier metal layer,
- at least one of said elements further including a conductive filament in said insulator electrically connecting said first electrode and second electrode.
A plurality of electrically-programmable, low-impedance anti-fuse elements, each of said elements including:
- a semiconductor substrate,
- a first electrode comprising a heavily-doped region disposed within a selected portion of said substrate,
- an insulator covering said heavily-doped region, said insulator having a first layer of silicon dioxide, having a thickness in the range of approximately 20-45.ANG., a second layer of silicon nitride over said first layer having a thickness in the range of approximately 45-80.uparw., and a third layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness in the range of approximately 1-20.ANG., and,
- a second electrode comprising a heavily-doped polysilicon layer over said insulating layer,
- at least one of said elements further including a conductive filament in said insulator electrically connecting said first electrode and said second electrode.
A plurality of electrically-programmable low-impedance anti-fuse elements disposed on a first insulator over a semiconductor substrate, each of said elements including:
- a first electrode, including a heavily-doped polysilicon layer over said first insulator, and a metal silicide layer over said polysilicon layer,
- a second insulator over said metal silicide layer, said insulator having a first layer of silicon dioxide, having a thickness in the range of approximately 20-45.ANG., a second layer of silicon nitride over said first layer having a thickness in the range of approximately 45-80.ANG., and a third layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness in the range of approximately 1-20.ANG.,
- a barrier metal layer over said second insulator, and
- a second electrode comprised of a metal over said barrier metal layer,
- at least of one said elements further including a conductive filament in said second insulator electrically connecting said first electrode in second electrode.
A plurality of electrically-programmable low impedance anti-fuse elements disposed on a first insulator over a semiconductor substrate, each of said elements including:
- a first electrode comprised of a metal layer over said first insulator and a layer of barrier metal over said metal layer,
- a metal silicide layer over said first electrode,
- a second insulator over said metal silicide layer, said insulator having a first layer of silicon dioxide, having a thickness in the range of approximately 20-45.ANG., a second layer of silicon nitride over said first layer having a thickness in the range of approximately 45-80.ANG., and a third layer of silicon dioxide having a thickness in the range of approximately 1-20.ANG.,
- a barrier metal layer over second insulator, and
- a second electrode comprised of a metal over said barrier metal layer,
- at least one of said elements further including a conductive filament in said insulator electrically connecting said first electrode and second electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.