Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080217658 | ELECTRICAL ANTIFUSE WITH INTEGRATED SENSOR - The present invention provides structures for antifuses that utilize electromigration for programming. By providing a portion of antifuse link with high resistance without conducting material and then by inducing electromigration of the conducting material into the antifuse link, the resistance of the antifuse structure is changed. By providing a terminal on the antifuse link, the change in the electrical properties of the antifuse link is detected and sensed. Also disclosed are an integrated antifuse with a built-in sensing device and a two dimensional array of integrated antifuses that can share programming transistors and sensing circuitry. | 09-11-2008 |
20080217733 | ELECTRICAL FUSE STRUCTURE FOR HIGHER POST-PROGRAMMING RESISTANCE - The present invention provides an electrical fuse structure for achieving a post-programming resistance distribution with higher resistance values and to enhance the reliability of electrical fuse programming. A partly doped electrical fuse structure with undoped semiconductor material in the cathode combined with P-doped semiconductor material in the fuselink and anode is disclosed and the data supporting the superior performance of the disclosed electrical fuse is shown. | 09-11-2008 |
20080220587 | Dual Stress STI - The embodiments of the invention provide a device, method, etc. for a dual stress STI. A semiconductor device is provided having a substrate with a first transistor region and a second transistor region different than the first transistor region. The first transistor region comprises a PFET; and, the second transistor region comprises an NFET. Further, STI regions are provided in the substrate adjacent sides of and positioned between the first transistor region and the second transistor region, wherein the STI regions each comprise a compressive region, a compressive liner, a tensile region, and a tensile liner. | 09-11-2008 |
20080237786 | NON-PLANAR FUSE STRUCTURE INCLUDING ANGULAR BEND AND METHOD FOR FABRICATION THEREOF - A fuse structure includes a non-planar fuse material layer typically located over and replicating a topographic feature within a substrate. The non-planar fuse material layer includes an angular bend that assists in providing a lower severance current within the non-planar fuse material layer. | 10-02-2008 |
20080285335 | PROGRAMMABLE FUSE/NON-VOLATILE MEMORY STRUCTURES USING EXTERNALLY HEATED PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL - A programmable phase change material (PCM) structure includes a heater element formed at a transistor gate level of a semiconductor device, the heater element further including a pair of electrodes connected by a thin wire structure with respect to the electrodes, the heater element configured to receive programming current passed therethrough, a layer of phase change material disposed on top of a portion of the thin wire structure, and sensing circuitry configured to sense the resistance of the phase change material. | 11-20-2008 |
20080308900 | ELECTRICAL FUSE WITH SUBLITHOGRAPHIC DIMENSION - A photolithography mask contains at least one sublithographic assist feature (SLAF) such that the image of the fuselink shape on a photoresist contains a constructive interference portion and two neck portions. The width of the constructive interference portion is substantially the same as a critical dimension of the lithography tool and the widths of the two neck portions are sublithographic dimensions. The image on a photoresist is subsequently transferred into an underlying semiconductor layer to form an electrical fuse. The fuselink contains a constructive interference portion having a first width which is substantially the same as the critical dimension of the lithography tool and two neck portions having sublithographic widths. The inventive electrical fuse may be programmed with less voltage bias, current, and energy compared to prior art electrical fuses. | 12-18-2008 |
20080316709 | Thermally Conductive Electrical Structure and Method - An electrical structure and method of forming. The electrical structure includes a first substrate comprising a plurality of electrical components, a first thermally conductive film layer formed over and in contact with a first electrical component of the plurality of electrical components, a first thermally conductive structure in mechanical contact with a first portion of the first thermally conductive film layer, and a first thermal energy extraction structure formed over the first thermally conductive structure. The first thermal energy extraction structure is in thermal contact with the first thermally conductive structure. The first thermal energy extraction structure is configured to extract a first portion of thermal energy from the first electrical component through the first thermally conductive film layer and the first thermally conductive structure. | 12-25-2008 |
20090001506 | DUAL STRESS LINER EFUSE - A semiconductor fuse structure comprises an anode connected to a first end of a fuse link, a cathode connected to a second end of the fuse link opposite the first end of the fuse link, a compressive (nitride) liner covering the anode, and a tensile (nitride) liner covering the cathode. The compressive liner and the tensile liner are positioned to cause a net stress gradient between the cathode and the anode, wherein the net stress gradient promotes electromigration from the cathode and the fuse link to the anode. | 01-01-2009 |
20090021338 | ELECTRICAL FUSE HAVING A CAVITY THEREUPON - An electrical fuse is formed on a semiconductor substrate and a first dielectric layer is formed over the electrical fuse. At least one opening is formed by lithographic methods and a reactive ion etch in the first dielectric layer down to a top surface of the electrical fuse or down to shallow trench isolation. A second dielectric layer is deposited by a non-conformal deposition. Thickness of the second dielectric layer on the sidewalls of the at least one opening increases with height so that at least one cavity encapsulated by the second dielectric layer is formed in the at least one opening. The at least one cavity provides enhanced thermal isolation of the electrical fuse since the cavity provides superior thermal isolation than a dielectric material. | 01-22-2009 |
20090026574 | ELECTRICAL FUSE HAVING SUBLITHOGRAPHIC CAVITIES THEREUPON - An electrical fuse and a first dielectric layer thereupon are formed on a semiconductor substrate. Self-assembling block copolymers containing two or more different polymeric block components are applied into a recessed region surrounded by a dielectric template layer. The self-assembling block copolymers are then annealed to form a pattern of multiple circles having a sublithographic diameter. The pattern of multiple circles is transferred into the first dielectric layer by a reactive ion etch, wherein the portion of the first dielectric layer above the fuselink has a honeycomb pattern comprising multiple circular cylindrical holes. A second dielectric layer is formed over the circular cylindrical holes by a non-conformal chemical vapor deposition and sublithographic cavities are formed on the fuselink. The sublithographic cavities provide enhanced thermal insulation relative to dielectric materials to the fuselink so that the electrical fuse may be programmed with less programming current. | 01-29-2009 |
20090039331 | PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL STRUCTURES - Structures including a phase change material are disclosed. The structure may include a first electrode; a second electrode; a phase change material electrically connecting the first electrode and the second electrode for passing a current therethrough; and a tantalum nitride heater layer about the phase change material for converting the phase change material between an amorphous, insulative state and a crystalline, conductive state by application of a second current to the phase change material. The structure may be used as a fuse or a phase change material random access memory (PRAM). | 02-12-2009 |
20090040006 | ELECTRICAL FUSE WITH ENHANCED PROGRAMMING CURRENT DIVERGENCE - A layer of semiconductor material is patterned to form a cathode semiconductor portion, a fuselink semiconductor portion, and an anode semiconductor portion. A first metal layer is deposited on the patterned semiconductor material layer. A dielectric material layer is deposited and lithographically patterned to cover a middle portion of the fuselink, followed by a deposition of a second metal layer. A thin metal semiconductor alloy is formed in the middle of the fuselink and thick metal semiconductor alloy alloys are formed abutting the thin metal semiconductor alloy alloy. The resulting inventive electrical fuse has interfaces at which a thinner metal semiconductor alloy abuts a thicker metal semiconductor alloy in the fuselink. The divergence of electrical current is enhanced at the interfaces due to a sudden change of a cross-sectional area available for current conduction. | 02-12-2009 |
20090042341 | ELECTRICAL FUSE WITH A THINNED FUSELINK MIDDLE PORTION - A metal layer is deposited on the patterned semiconductor material layer containing a cathode semiconductor portion, a fuselink semiconductor portion, and an anode semiconductor portion. The metal layer may be patterned so that a middle portion of the fuselink semiconductor portion has a thin metal layer, which upon annealing produces a thinner metal semiconductor alloy portion than surrounding metal semiconductor alloy portion on the fuselink semiconductor portion. Alternatively, a middle portion of the metal semiconductor alloy having a uniform thickness throughout the fuselink may be lithographically patterned and etched to form a thin metal semiconductor alloy portion in the middle of the fuselink, while thick metal semiconductor alloy portions are formed on the end portions of the fuselink. The resulting inventive electrical fuse has interfaces at which a thinner metal semiconductor alloy abuts a thicker metal semiconductor alloy in the fuselink to enhance the divergence of electrical current. | 02-12-2009 |
20090045388 | PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL STRUCTURE AND RELATED METHOD - A structure including a phase change material and a related method are disclosed. The structure may include a first electrode; a second electrode; a third electrode; a phase change material electrically connecting the first, second and third electrodes for passing a first current through two of the first, second and third electrodes; and a refractory metal barrier heater layer about the phase change material for converting the phase change material between an amorphous, insulative state and a crystalline, conductive state by application of a second current to the phase change material. The structure may be used as a fuse or a phase change material random access memory (PRAM). | 02-19-2009 |
20090051003 | Methods and Structures Involving Electrically Programmable Fuses - A method for fabricating an eFuse, the method comprising disposing a crystalline silicon eFuse on a substrate having a fuse link portion, a first contact portion, and a second contact portion, wherein the fuse link is oriented parallel to the silicon crystal { | 02-26-2009 |
20090057818 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS INVOLVING ELECTRICALLY PROGRAMMABLE FUSES - An electrically programmable fuse comprising a cathode member, an anode member, and a link member, wherein the cathode member, the anode member, and the link member each comprise one of a plurality of materials operative to localize induced electromigration in the programmable fuse. | 03-05-2009 |
20090065761 | PROGRAMMABLE FUSE/NON-VOLATILE MEMORY STRUCTURES IN BEOL REGIONS USING EXTERNALLY HEATED PHASE CHANGE MATERIAL - A programmable phase change material (PCM) structure includes a heater element formed at a BEOL level of a semiconductor device, the BEOL level including a low-K dielectric material therein; a first via in electrical contact with a first end of the heater element and a second via in electrical contact with a second end of the heater element, thereby defining a programming current path which passes through the first via, the heater element, and the second via; a PCM element disposed above the heater element, the PCM element configured to be programmed between a lower resistance crystalline state and a higher resistance amorphous state through the use of programming currents through the heater element; and a third via in electrical contact with the PCM element, thereby defining a sense current path which passes through the third via, the PCM element, the heater element, and the second via. | 03-12-2009 |
20090085151 | SEMICONDUCTOR FUSE STRUCTURE AND METHOD - An electrical structure and method of forming. The electrical structure includes a semiconductor substrate, an insulator layer formed over and in contact with the semiconductor substrate, and a semiconductor fuse structure formed over the insulator layer. The fuse structure includes a silicon layer and a continuous metallic silicide layer. The continuous metallic silicide layer includes a first section formed over and in contact with a first horizontal section of a top surface of the silicon layer, a second section formed over and in contact with a second horizontal section of the top surface of the silicon layer, and a third section formed within an opening within the top surface of the silicon layer. | 04-02-2009 |
20090090993 | SINGLE CRYSTAL FUSE ON AIR IN BULK SILICON - An integrated eFUSE device is formed by forming a silicon “floating beam” on air, whereupon the fusible portion of the eFUSE device resides. This beam extends between two larger, supporting terminal structures. “Undercutting” techniques are employed whereby a structure is formed atop a buried layer, and that buried layer is removed by selective etching. Whereby a “floating” silicide eFUSE conductor is formed on a silicon beam structure. In its initial state, the eFUSE silicide is highly conductive, exhibiting low electrical resistance (the “unblown state of the eFUSE). When a sufficiently large current is passed through the eFUSE conductor, localized heating occurs. This heating causes electromigration of the silicide into the silicon beam (and into surrounding silicon, thereby diffusing the silicide and greatly increasing its electrical resistance. When the current source is removed, the silicide remains permanently in this diffused state, the “blown” state of the eFUSE. | 04-09-2009 |
20090090994 | ELECTROMIGRATION FUSE AND METHOD OF FABRICATING SAME - Fuses and methods of forming fuses. The fuse includes: a dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate; a cathode stack on the dielectric layer, a sidewall of the cathode stack extending from a top surface of the cathode stack to a top surface of the dielectric layer; a continuous polysilicon layer comprising a cathode region, an anode region, a link region between the cathode and anode regions and a transition region between the cathode region and the link region, the transition region proximate to the sidewall of the cathode stack, the cathode region on a top surface of the cathode stack, the link region on a top surface of the dielectric layer, both a first thickness of the cathode region and a second thickness of the link region greater than a third thickness of the transition region; and a metal silicide layer on a top surface of the polysilicon layer. | 04-09-2009 |
20090096059 | FUSE STRUCTURE INCLUDING MONOCRYSTALLINE SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIAL LAYER AND GAP - A fuse structure, a method for fabricating the fuse structure and a method for programming a fuse within the fuse structure each use a fuse material layer that is used as a fuse, and located upon a monocrystalline semiconductor material layer in turn located over a substrate. At least part of the monocrystalline semiconductor material layer is separated from the substrate by a gap. Use of the monocrystalline semiconductor material layer, as well as the gap, provides for enhanced uniformity and reproducibility when programming the fuse. | 04-16-2009 |
20090101989 | METAL GATE COMPATIBLE ELECTRICAL FUSE - A dielectric material layer is formed on a metal gate layer for a metal gate electrode, and then lithographically patterned to form a dielectric material portion, followed by formation of a polycrystalline semiconductor layer thereupon. A semiconductor device employing a metal gate electrode is formed in a region of the semiconductor substrate containing a vertically abutting stack of the metal gate layer and the polycrystalline semiconductor layer. A material stack in the shape of an electrical fuse is formed in another region of the semiconductor substrate containing a vertical stack of the metal gate layer, the dielectric material portion, and the polycrystalline semiconductor layer. After metallization of the polycrystalline semiconductor layer, an electrical fuse containing a polycrystalline semiconductor portion and a metal semiconductor alloy portion is formed over the dielectric material portion that separates the electrical fuse from the metal gate layer. | 04-23-2009 |
20090108396 | ELECTRICAL FUSE HAVING A FULLY SILICIDED FUSELINK AND ENHANCED FLUX DIVERGENCE - A contiguous block of a stack of two heterogeneous semiconductor layers is formed over an insulator region such as shallow trench isolation. A portion of the contiguous block is exposed to an etch, while another portion is masked during the etch. The etch removes an upper semiconductor layer selective to a lower semiconductor layer in the exposed portion. The etch mask is removed and the entirety of the lower semiconductor layer within the exposed region is metallized. A first metal semiconductor alloy vertically abutting the insulator region is formed, while exposed surfaces of the stack of two heterogeneous semiconductor layers, which comprises the materials of the upper semiconductor layer, are concurrently metallized to form a second metal semiconductor alloy. An inflection point for current and, consequently, a region of flux divergence are formed at the boundary of the two metal semiconductor alloys. | 04-30-2009 |
20090135640 | ELECTROMIGRATION-PROGRAMMABLE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE WITH BIDIRECTIONAL RESISTANCE CHANGE - An electromigration-programmable semiconductor device may be programmed to increase the resistance or to decrease the resistance by selecting the amount of current passed through the electromigration-programmable semiconductor device. The electromigration-programmable semiconductor device comprises an anode, a cathode, and a link, each having a semiconductor portion and a metal semiconductor alloy portion. The metal semiconductor alloy portion of the link comprises two disjoined sub-portions with a gap therebetween. A low programming current fills the gap by electromigrating a small amount of metal semiconductor alloy from the cathode, A high programming current forms a large metal-semiconductor-alloy-deleted area in the cathode to increase the resistance. A tri-state programming is achieved by selecting the programming current level. | 05-28-2009 |
20090141533 | METAL GATE COMPATIBLE ELECTRICAL ANTIFUSE - A metal layer and a semiconductor layer are sequentially deposited on a substrate. The semiconductor layer and the metal layer are lithographically patterned to form a stack of a semiconductor portion and a metal gate portion, which is preferably performed concurrently with formation of at least one metal gate stack. In one embodiment, the size of the semiconductor portion is reduced and a metal semiconductor alloy portion is formed on the semiconductor portion by metallization. In a first electrical antifuse formed thereby, the metal semiconductor alloy portion may be electromigrated to form a short between the metal semiconductor alloy portion and the metal gate portion. In another embodiment, two disjoined metal semiconductor alloy portions are formed on the semiconductor portion. In a second electrical antifuse formed thereby, the metal semiconductor alloy portion may be electromigrated to form a short between the two previously disjoined metal semiconductor alloy portions. | 06-04-2009 |
20090159947 | SIMPLIFIED VERTICAL ARRAY DEVICE DRAM/eDRAM INTEGRATION - The present invention provides a semiconductor structure that includes an active wordline located above a semiconductor memory device and a passive wordline located adjacent to said active wordline and above an active area of a substrate. In accordance with the present invention, the passive wordline is separated from the active area by a pad nitride. The present invention also provides a design structure of the semiconductor structure, wherein the design structure is embodied in a machine readable medium. | 06-25-2009 |
20090256211 | METAL GATE COMPATIBLE FLASH MEMORY GATE STACK - A first gate stack comprising two stacked gate electrodes in a first device region, a second gate stack comprising a metal gate electrode in a second device region, and a third gate stack comprising a semiconductor gate electrode in a third device region are formed by forming and removing portions of a silicon-oxide based gate dielectric layer, a first doped semiconductor layer, an interfacial dielectric layer, a high-k gate dielectric layer, a metal gate layer, and an optional semiconductor material layer in various device regions. The first gate stack may be employed to form a flash memory, and the second and third gate stacks may be employed to form a pair of p-type and n-type field effect transistors. | 10-15-2009 |
20090283840 | METAL GATE INTEGRATION STRUCTURE AND METHOD INCLUDING METAL FUSE, ANTI-FUSE AND/OR RESISTOR - A semiconductor structure and a method for fabricating the semiconductor structure provide a field effect device located and formed upon an active region of a semiconductor substrate and at least one of a fuse structure, an anti-fuse structure and a resistor structure located and formed at least in part simultaneously upon an isolation region laterally separated from the active region within the semiconductor substrate. The field effect device includes a gate dielectric comprising a high dielectric constant dielectric material and a gate electrode comprising a metal material. The at least one of the fuse structure, anti-fuse structure and resistor structure includes a pad dielectric comprising the same material as the gate dielectric, and optionally, also a fuse, anti-fuse or resistor that may comprise the same metal material as the gate electrode. | 11-19-2009 |
20090302417 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD TO FORM DUAL SILICIDE E-FUSE - An e-fuse structure and method has anode, a fuse link, and a cathode. The first end of the fuse link is connected to the anode and the second end of the fuse link opposite the first end is connected to the cathode. This structure also includes a first silicide layer on the anode and the fuse link and a second silicide layer, different than the first silicide layer, on the cathode. The difference between the first silicide layer and the second silicide layer causes an enhanced flux divergence region at the second end of the fuse link. | 12-10-2009 |
20090309184 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD TO FORM E-FUSE WITH ENHANCED CURRENT CROWDING - An e-fuse structure and method has an anode; a fuse link (a first end of the fuse link is connected to the anode); a cathode (a second end of the fuse link opposite the first end is connected to the cathode); and a silicide layer on the fuse link. The silicide layer has a first silicide region adjacent the anode and a second silicide region adjacent the cathode. The second silicide region comprises an impurity not contained within the first silicide region. Further, the first silicide region is thinner than the second silicide region. | 12-17-2009 |
20100005649 | ELECTRICAL FUSE HAVING SUBLITHOGRAPHIC CAVITIES THEREUPON - An electrical fuse and a first dielectric layer thereupon are formed on a semiconductor substrate. Self-assembling block copolymers containing two or more different polymeric block components are applied into a recessed region surrounded by a dielectric template layer. The self-assembling block copolymers are then annealed to form a pattern of multiple circles having a sublithographic diameter. The pattern of multiple circles is transferred into the first dielectric layer by a reactive ion etch, wherein the portion of the first dielectric layer above the fuselink has a honeycomb pattern comprising multiple circular cylindrical holes. A second dielectric layer is formed over the circular cylindrical holes by a non-conformal chemical vapor deposition and sublithographic cavities are formed on the fuselink. The sublithographic cavities provide enhanced thermal insulation relative to dielectric materials to the fuselink so that the electrical fuse may be programmed with less programming current. | 01-14-2010 |
20100181643 | EFUSE WITH PARTIAL SIGE LAYER AND DESIGN STRUCTURE THEREFOR - A fuse includes a fuse link region, a first region and a second region. The fuse link region electrically connects the first region to the second region. A SiGe layer is disposed only in the fuse link region and the first region. | 07-22-2010 |
20100237460 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS INVOLVING ELECTRICALLY PROGRAMMABLE FUSES - An electrically programmable fuse comprising a cathode member, an anode member, and a link member, wherein the cathode member, the anode member, and the link member each comprise one of a plurality of materials operative to localize induced electromigration in the programmable fuse. | 09-23-2010 |
20100330783 | ELECTRICAL FUSE HAVING A FULLY SILICIDED FUSELINK AND ENHANCED FLUX DIVERGENCE - A contiguous block of a stack of two heterogeneous semiconductor layers is formed over an insulator region such as shallow trench isolation. A portion of the contiguous block is exposed to an etch, while another portion is masked during the etch. The etch removes an upper semiconductor layer selective to a lower semiconductor layer in the exposed portion. The etch mask is removed and the entirety of the lower semiconductor layer within the exposed region is metallized. A first metal semiconductor alloy vertically abutting the insulator region is formed, while exposed surfaces of the stack of two heterogeneous semiconductor layers, which comprises the materials of the upper semiconductor layer, are concurrently metallized to form a second metal semiconductor alloy. An inflection point for current and, consequently, a region of flux divergence are formed at the boundary of the two metal semiconductor alloys. | 12-30-2010 |
20110272779 | EFUSE CONTAINING SIGE STACK - An eFuse, includes: a substrate and an insulating layer disposed on the substrate; a first layer including a single crystal or polycrystalline silicon disposed on the insulating layer; a second layer including a single crystal or polycrystalline silicon germanium disposed on the first layer, and a third layer including a silicide disposed on the second layer. The Ge has a final concentration in a range of approximately five percent to approximately twenty-five percent. | 11-10-2011 |
20120214301 | STRUCTURE AND METHOD TO FORM E-FUSE WITH ENHANCED CURRENT CROWDING - An e-fuse structure and method has an anode; a fuse link (a first end of the fuse link is connected to the anode); a cathode (a second end of the fuse link opposite the first end is connected to the cathode); and a silicide layer on the fuse link. The silicide layer has a first silicide region adjacent the anode and a second silicide region adjacent the cathode. The second silicide region comprises an impurity not contained within the first silicide region. Further, the first silicide region is thinner than the second silicide region. | 08-23-2012 |