Pulse Shifting Circuit for Sequential Anti-Fuse Rupture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional semiconductor integrated circuits require multiple anti-fuse setting units for rupturing fuses, leading to increased area usage and potential degradation in fuse rupture reliability due to the need for high voltage application.
Innovation Solution
A semiconductor integrated circuit with a rupture instructing pulse generation unit, anti-fuse rupture units, and pulse shifting units that delay and generate delayed rupture instructing pulse signals, allowing for efficient rupture of multiple anti-fuses with reduced hardware requirements and improved reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple anti-fuse setting units are used to rupture multiple fuses, then fuse rupture reliability is improved, but the area of the semiconductor integrated circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple anti-fuse setting units into a single unified unit that can sequentially rupture multiple anti-fuses. The pulse shifting unit generates delayed rupture instructing pulse signals to enable one setting unit to control multiple anti-fuses at different time points, thereby reducing the number of hardware components and decreasing circuit area while maintaining fuse rupture reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces temporal dynamics by using a pulse shifting unit to generate delayed rupture instructing pulse signals. This allows a single anti-fuse setting unit to dynamically control multiple anti-fuses at different time points, transforming a static spatial arrangement into a dynamic temporal sequence, thereby reducing hardware requirements and circuit area
2Reliability
If high voltage is applied to rupture a fuse, then fuse rupture reliability is improved, but the complexity of the circuit increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the anti-fuse setting unit to self-configure for different anti-fuses by using a pulse shifting unit that automatically generates delayed rupture instructing pulse signals. This self-service mechanism eliminates the need for separate dedicated setting units for each anti-fuse, reducing circuit complexity while maintaining the high voltage rupture capability for reliability
3Productivity
If multiple anti-fuse setting units are used, then multiple fuses can be ruptured simultaneously, but the number of hardware components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses periodic action by generating a series of delayed rupture instructing pulse signals at different time points. The pulse shifting unit creates this periodic sequence of pulses, allowing a single anti-fuse setting unit to sequentially rupture multiple anti-fuses, thereby maintaining productivity while reducing the number of hardware components through temporal multiplexing
Data Source
AI summary
A semiconductor integrated circuit includes a rupture instructing pulse generation unit configured to generate a rupture instructing pulse signal in response to a fuse rupture command signal and an address; a first anti-fuse rupture unit configured to perform an operation for rupturing a first anti-fuse during an enable period of the rupture instructing pulse signal, and generate rupture information of the first anti-fuse; a pulse shifting unit configured to delay the rupture instructing pulse signal and generate a delayed rupture instructing pulse signal; and a second anti-fuse rupture unit configured to perform an operation for rupturing a second anti-fuse during an enable period of the delayed rupture instructing pulse signal, and generate rupture information of the second anti-fuse.