Back to results
US 5,086,331 AGranted
Integrated circuit comprising a programmable cell
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsCornelis D. Hartgring, Roger Cuppens
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeU.S. Philips Corporation
InventorsCornelis D. Hartgring, Roger Cuppens
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to an integrated circuit having a programmable cell, more particularly for use in an electronic card. The cell is provided with a programmable element (P) having two conductive layers (51, 52), which are separated from each other by a dielectric layer (53). The element can be programmed by applying between the layers 51, 52 a programming voltage such that an electric breakdown is produced in the dielectric layer (53), as a result of which the element passes permanently from an electrically non-conducting state to an electrically conducting state. According to the invention, the programmable cell comprises an asymmetric bistable trigger circuit (I,II). The trigger circuit (I,II) is loaded with the element (P) in such a manner that during operation it is in a first state if the element is electrically non-conducting and is in a second state if the element is electrically conducting.
An integrated circuit comprising a programmable cell provided with a programmable element having a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer and a dielectric layer arranged between them, the cell being programmed by producing an electric breakdown in the dielectric layer, as a result of which the programmable element passes permanently from the electrically non-conducting capacitive state to an electrically conducting state, the programmable cell comprising an asymmetrical bistable trigger circuit, capacitance means for initially setting said trigger circuit to a first state in operation and comprising said programmable element being in said non-conducting capacitance state, and conductive means for subsequently permanently setting said trigger circuit to a second state in operation and comprising said programmable element being in the permanent electrically conducting state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.