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US 6,888,398 B2Granted
Externally programmable antifuse
AssigneeIntel Corporation
InventorsSean M. Koehl, Dean Samara-Rubio, Ding Yi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An antifuse circuit includes a capacitor and a detector. The capacitor is formed using standard MOS processes in a well. The gate serves as one electrode and the well serving as another electrode of the capacitor. The antifuse is programmed by externally provided radiation that can rupture the gate oxide so that the gate and well can contact each other. The gate and well form a PN junction, transforming the capacitor into a diode. The diode provides the conductive path of the programmed antifuse.
Claims27
An antifuse circuit, comprising:
- a bus line;
- a capacitor having a first side coupled to the bus line, the capacitor having a dielectric disposed between two electrodes, wherein the capacitor is configurable to be programmed by externally provided radiation transmitted to the dielectric, the radiation configured to rupture the dielectric and cause the two electrodes to contact each other through the rupture, wherein the contacting electrodes form part of a diode coupled to conduct current between the bus line and one of the electrode;
- and
- a detector including:
- a resistor having a first end coupled to a voltage bus and a second end coupled to a second side of the capacitor;
- an inverter an input coupled to the second side of the capacitor;
- and
- a detector output coupled to an output of the inverter, the detector output to signal when the dielectric is rupture.
5 more elements
An antifuse circuit, comprising:
- a bus line;
- capacitor means, coupled to the bus line, for forming a diode when programed, wherein the capacitor means includes two electrodes and a dielectric disposed between the two electrodes, wherein the capacitor means is programmable by an externally provided radiation transmitted to the dielectric, the radiation configured to rupture the dielectric and cause the two electrodes to contact each other through the rupture, wherein the contacting electrodes form part of the diode, the diode configured to conduct current between the bus line and one of the electrodes;
- and
- a detector, coupled to the capacitor means, for detecting whether the capacitor means is programmed, the detector including:
- a resistor having a first end coupled to the voltage bus and a second end coupled to the capacitor means;
- an inverter having an input coupled to the capacitor;
- and
- a detector output coupled to an output of the inverter.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.