Back to results
US 9,431,354 B2Granted
Activating reactions in integrated circuits through electrical discharge
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsCyril Cabral, Jr., Gregory M. Fritz, Conal E. Murray, Kenneth P. Rodbell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide integrated circuits and methods for activating reactions in integrated circuits. In one embodiment, an integrated circuit is provided having reactive material capable of being activated by electrical discharge, without requiring a battery or similar external power source, to produce an exothermic reaction that erases and/or destroys one or more semiconductor devices on the integrated circuit.
Claims9
An integrated circuit comprising:
- a semiconductor build;
- a first dielectric layer deposited onto the semiconductor build;
- reactive material deposited into a trench in the first dielectric layer, wherein the reactive material comprises a plurality of alternating layers of metals that are configured to undergo exothermic reaction upon being activated by electrical discharge;
- a barrier disposed atop the reactive material, wherein the barrier is configured to undergo dielectric breakdown upon application of voltage to the barrier;
- and
- metallization disposed atop the barrier, wherein at least a portion of the metallization is configured to carry electrical current to the barrier.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.