Antifuse With Integrated Sensing Transistor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semiconductor antifuse structures require external sensing circuitry for reliability and programming, which increases complexity and current/voltage requirements, and there is a need for improved reliability in antifuse programming.
Innovation Solution
An antifuse structure utilizing an electromigration mechanism with a silicide conducting material and semiconductor material, where the middle portion of the antifuse link is made of semiconductor material and the end portions are a stack of semiconductor and conducting materials, allowing for tunable resistance changes through electrical bias, and an integrated sensing device with a transistor connected to the antifuse link for internal sensing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If external sensing circuitry is used to sense the state of antifuse elements, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and current/voltage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing device is merged with the antifuse structure by integrating a transistor directly into the antifuse cell. The transistor's gate is connected to the antifuse link, source to ground, and drain to a sensing line, allowing the antifuse structure to sense its own state through the transistor's conductance changes without requiring separate external sensing circuitry.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated transistor serves multiple functions: it acts as a sensing element that detects the antifuse state through conductance changes, and simultaneously provides signal amplification. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate sensing circuitry while maintaining measurement precision.
2Reliability
If external sensing circuitry with substantial transistors is used to handle large current and voltages, then reliability is improved, but device complexity and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensing transistor is merged into the antifuse cell structure, sharing the same physical space and eliminating the need for separate large transistors in external circuitry. This integration maintains reliability while significantly reducing the total area required for sensing operations.
3Ease of manufacture
If dielectric breakdown is induced by supplying large voltage difference across conducting structures, then programming function is achieved, but use of energy and potential damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the insulating layer from conventional dielectrics to a phase-change material (such as GST - germanium antimony telluride). This material can be switched between high-resistance and low-resistance states through controlled heating, allowing programming at lower voltage differences and reducing energy consumption compared to traditional dielectric breakdown methods.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved reliability and compactness by enabling internal sensing and tunable resistance changes, reducing the need for external circuitry and minimizing current/voltage requirements during programming.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention addresses the need for improved reliability of antifuse programming by utilizing an electromigration mechanism of a conducting material, preferably, a silicide.
Implementation Method 2
By supplying a large voltage difference across the two electrically conducting structures, a dielectric breakdown is induced and a current path between the two electrically conducting structures is formed
Implementation Method 3
U.S. Pat. No. 6,750,530 provides a mechanism for lowering the antifuse programming voltage by providing a resistive heating element adjacent to, but not in contact with, the antifuse.
Data Source
AI summary
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.