Electrical fuse device based on a phase-change memory element and corresponding programming method

A one-time-programmable storage device, comprising

• a plurality of fuse devices, each fuse device including:
• a fuse element having a first terminal;
• a second terminal;
• a phase-change region, including an electrically breakable region of phase-change material configured to undergo breaking as a result of the supply of a programming electrical quantity;
• and a heating element of conductive material in contact with said first terminal, said electrically breakable region being arranged at a contact area at which said heating element contacts said phase-change region, wherein said heating element has a first side and a second side, the first side being in contact at the contact area with the phase-change region and being positioned vertically with respect to the contact area, and the first and second sides being horizontally spaced apart from one another;
• a selector element electrically connected to said fuse element and configured to enable the supply of said programming electrical quantity to said fuse element, the selector element including a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal;
• and
• a conductive first contact element extending vertically between a bottom surface of the second side of the heater element and the second conduction terminal of the selector element and being entirely spaced apart horizontally with respect to the first side of the heater element.

A process for manufacturing a fuse device, comprising:

• forming a fuse element using steps including:
• forming a first terminal and a second terminal;
• and
• forming an electrically breakable region between said first terminal and said second terminal, wherein forming the electrically breakable region comprises forming a region of phase-change material configured to undergo permanent physical breaking as a result of the supply of a programming electrical quantity;
• and
• forming a heating element of conductive material in contact with said first terminal, said electrically breakable region being arranged at a contact area at which said heating element contacts said electrically breakable region, wherein said heating element has a rectangular ring shape having a first side portion extending longitudinally in a first direction, a second side portion extending longitudinally in a second direction that is substantially parallel to the first direction, a third side portion extending longitudinally in a third direction from the first side portion to the second side portion, and a fourth side portion extending longitudinally in a fourth direction from the first side portion to the second side portion, the third and fourth directions being substantially perpendicular to the first and second directions, the first side portion having a surface in contact at the contact area with the phase-change region and being positioned in a fifth direction with respect to the contact area, and the first and second side portions being spaced apart from one another in the third and fourth directions, the fifth direction being substantially perpendicular to the first direction;
• forming a selector element electrically connected to said fuse element and configured to enable the supply of said programming electrical quantity to said fuse element, wherein the selector element includes a first conduction terminal and a second conduction terminal;
• and
• forming an electrical connection element contacting the second side portion of the heating element and the second conduction terminal of the selector element, the electrical connection element being entirely spaced apart in a sixth direction with respect to the first side portion of the heating element, the sixth direction being substantially parallel to the third and fourth directions.