Rupture Control Device for Semiconductor Yield Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing defect density in semiconductor memory devices, particularly in DRAM, leads to reduced yield and operational efficiency due to the need for frequent rupture operations on fuses, which are often unnecessary and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A rupture control device that generates and manages rupture addresses and enables fuse operations based on a rupture mask signal, reducing unnecessary rupture operations by fixing the counting signal during inactive periods and performing a preset number of operations on the same address, thereby optimizing the redundancy operation in semiconductor devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple rupture operations are performed on fuses to repair defective cells, then the reliability of the semiconductor device is improved, but the time required for repair operations increases and unnecessary operations are performed
Solution Approach 1:
The rupture control device performs preliminary actions by first determining whether a fuse needs to be ruptured based on the rupture mask signal before actually performing the rupture operation. This preliminary check prevents unnecessary rupture operations and reduces the time required for repair by skipping already-repaired fuses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the rupture mask signal as feedback information to control the rupture counter's operation. The rupture mask signal indicates whether a fuse has been successfully ruptured, and this feedback is used to determine whether to perform another rupture operation, thereby avoiding redundant operations and reducing overall repair time.
2Ease of manufacture
If the rupture counter continuously performs rupture operations, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the number of unnecessary rupture operations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rupture control device uses the rupture mask signal as feedback to control the rupture counter. When the rupture mask signal indicates that a fuse has been successfully ruptured, the system stops the rupture counter from performing further operations on that fuse, thereby reducing the total number of rupture operations while maintaining process simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the rupture counter's operation based on the rupture mask signal. Instead of continuously performing rupture operations, the counter is activated or deactivated depending on the state of the fuse, allowing the system to adapt the number of operations to the actual needs of each fuse.
3Speed
If fuse rupture operations are performed without checking the rupture mask signal, then the operation process is faster, but the yield of the semiconductor device decreases due to unnecessary operations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs a preliminary check of the rupture mask signal before initiating a rupture operation. This preliminary action filters out unnecessary operations that would reduce yield, while the actual rupture operation is performed quickly once the fuse needs repair, thus balancing speed and yield.
Solution Approach 2:
The rupture mask signal provides feedback that controls whether a rupture operation should be performed. By using this feedback mechanism, the system avoids unnecessary operations that would reduce yield while maintaining fast operation speeds for the necessary repair operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A rupture control device may include an address control circuit configured to generate a rupture address in response to a first rupture command signal, a rupture mask signal and an external address, wherein the rupture address is generated according to whether the rupture mask signal is activated, and wherein an address and fuse data are compared, and a rupture mask signal indicating whether a fuse is ruptured is determined. Further, a fuse array configured to perform a rupture operation in response to the rupture address when a rupture enable signal is activated, and output the fuse data in response to a read enable signal.