Silicide agglomeration device
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsMark T. Bohr, Mohsen Alavi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fusible link device disposed on a semiconductor substrate for providing discretionary electrical connections. The fusible link device of the invention includes a silicide layer and a polysilicon layer formed on the silicide layer and has a first unprogrammed resistance. The silicide layer agglomerates to form an electrical discontinuity in response to a predetermined programming potential being applied across the silicide layer, such that the resistance of the fusible link device can be selectively increased to a second programmed resistance
Claims28
A fusible link device for providing discretionary electrical connections, the fusible link device comprising:
- a semiconductor layer having a first resistance and a first thickness;
- and
- a suicide layer formed on the semiconductor layer, the silicide layer having a second resistance lower than the first resistance and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are selected to cause the silicide layer to be agglomerable to form an electrical discontinuity in the silicide layer in response to a programming potential being applied across the silicide layer.
A fuse for die identification, governing circuit speed or providing redundancy, the fuse having a first un-programmed resistance, the fuse comprising:
- a semiconductor layer having a first thickness;
- and
- a silicide layer formed on the semiconductor layer and having a second thickness, the first and second thicknesses being selected such that the silicide layer is agglomerable to form an electrical discontinuity in the silicide layer in response to a programming potential being applied across the silicide layer to selectively increase the resistance of the fuse to a second programmed resistance.
A fusible link device in a integrated circuit for providing discretionary electrical connections, the fusible link device comprising:
- a semiconductor layer having a first resistance and a first thickness;
- a silicide layer formed on the semiconductor layer, the silicide layer having a second resistance lower than the first resistance and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness, wherein the first thickness and the second thickness are selected to cause the silicide layer to be agglomerable to form an electrical discontinuity in the silicide layer in response to a programming potential being applied across the silicide layer;
- and
- at least one contact at an end of the silicide layer to provide for electrical coupling of the fuse device to other parts of the integrated circuit.
A fusible link device in a multi-level integrated circuit for providing discretionary electrical connections, the fusible link device comprising:
- a semiconductor layer having a first resistance and a first thickness;
- a silicide layer formed on the semiconductor layer, the silicide layer having a second resistance lower than the first resistance, and a second thickness smaller than the first thickness, wherein the first and second thicknesses are selected to cause the silicide layer to be agglomerable to form an electrical discontinuity in the silicide layer in response to a programming potential being applied across the silicide layer;
- and
- a dielectric layer formed on the silicide layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.