US 5,856,775 AGranted

Programmable thin film filament resistor and method of constructing same

AssigneePico Systems, Inc.

InventorHerbert Stopper

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention includes a programmable thin film filament resistor and method of constructing same. The finished construction includes: a core member of hydrogenated amorphous silicon; upper and lower electrodes made of a barrier metal such as molybdenum or tungsten applied to the upper and lower surfaces of the core member; and, backing layers, typically made of aluminum, applied to the outside surfaces of the electrodes. An insulator may be added to the upper surface of the core member. A programming voltage is applied to the electrodes, creating a discharge path between the upper and lower electrodes. When a critical current is reached, a filament is formed as the aluminum of the backing layers, the barrier metal of the electrodes, and the amorphous silicon are fused together. The result is a filament resistor with linear properties within a defined operating range. In an alternate embodiment, the upper and lower electrodes are overlapped in an alternating pattern, creating fusion zones. When the programming voltage is applied, an electric field forms within the fusion zones which creates multiple filaments with linear resistive qualities.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A thin programmable filament resistor, said resistor comprising:

a substrate having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a conductive lower trace, said conductive lower trace having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least a portion of said lower surface of said conductive lower trace being in physical contact with said upper surface of said substrate;
a core member, said core member having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least a portion of said lower surface of said core member being in physical contact with said upper surface of said conductive lower trace;
an insulator, said insulator having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least a portion of said lower surface of said insulator being in physical contact with at least a portion of said upper surface of said core member, said insulator having an aperture therethrough exposing a portion of said upper surface of said core member;
a conductive upper trace, said conductive upper trace having an upper surface and a lower surface, at least a portion of said lower surface of said conductive upper trace being in physical contact with at least a portion of said upper surface of said insulator, at least a portion of said lower surface of said conductive upper trace further being in physical contact with said exposed portion of said core member;
and
a programmable filament, said programmable filament comprising an alloy of said conductive upper trace, conductive lower trace and core member,
said programmable filament extending from said upper surface of said conductive lower trace through said core member to said lower surface of said conductive upper trace.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/665,432Filed 18 Jun 1996
Granted: 5 Jan 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification4 codes

H10W 20/493
Adaptable interconnections, e.g. fuses or antifuses: fuses, i.e. interconnections changeable from conductive to non-conductive
H10W 70/611
Insulating or insulated package substrates; Interposers; Redistribution layers: for connecting multiple chips together
H10W 70/641
Characterised by their interconnections: adaptable interconnections, e.g. fuses or antifuses
H10W
Generic packages, interconnections, connectors or other constructional details of devices covered by