Method to electrically program antifuses

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for decoding antifuses without requiring a local address decode at the antifuse bank. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a separate antifuse is provided for each global column decode line. Therefore, setting only one column decoder high (e.g., for each read or write cycle, or for an address entered by an operator through the pad during pre-conditioning) not only activates the corresponding column of the memory cell array, but also provides the enable signal to decode the corresponding antifuse sitting on that same global select line. Thereafter, a “pop voltage” (i.e., the voltage required to blow the antifuse) is routed to that particular antifuse from a source that is external to the antifuse bank.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.