FinFET based one-time programmable device and related method
AssigneeBroadcom Corporation
InventorsWei Xia, Xiangdong Chen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
According to one embodiment, a one-time programmable (OTP) device comprises a memory FinFET in parallel with a sensing FinFET. The memory FinFET and the sensing FinFET share a common source region, a common drain region, and a common channel region. The memory FinFET is programmed by having a ruptured gate dielectric, resulting in the sensing FinFET having an altered threshold voltage and an altered drain current. A method for utilizing such an OTP device comprises applying a programming voltage for rupturing the gate dielectric of the memory FinFET thereby achieving a programmed state of the memory FinFET, and detecting by the sensing FinFET the altered threshold voltage and the altered drain current due to the programmed state of the memory FinFET.
Claims20
A one-time programmable (OTP) device comprising:
- a memory FinFET in parallel with a sensing FinFET, wherein said memory FinFET and said sensing FinFET share a common source region, a common drain region, and a common channel region;
- said memory FinFET being programmed by having a ruptured gate dielectric;
- said sensing FinFET thereby having an altered threshold voltage and an altered drain current due to said memory FinFET being programmed.
A method for utilizing a two-FinFET one-time programmable (OTP) device, said two-FinFET OTP device comprising a memory FinFET in parallel with a sensing FinFET, wherein said memory FinFET and said sensing FinFET share a common source region, a common drain region, and a common channel region, said method comprising:
- applying a programming voltage for rupturing a gate dielectric of said memory FinFET, thereby achieving a programmed state of said memory FinFET;
- detecting by said sensing FinFET an altered threshold voltage and an altered drain current due to said programmed state of said memory FinFET.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.