Semiconductor Fuse Array Integration Density

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional semiconductor devices face limitations in integration density due to the inability to program fuses after encapsulation, and existing e-fuse solutions require larger transistors or amplifiers to correctly recognize stored data, hindering further integration density improvements.

Innovation Solution

A semiconductor device incorporating a control signal driver, control signal latch unit, internal driver, and buffer that generates redundancy signals using a fuse data storage unit, fuse latch unit, and counter to manage and output fuse reset, set, and data signals, allowing for improved integration density by sharing amplifiers among e-fuse arrays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional fuses are used to store defect information, then the device can be programmed at wafer level, but the fuses cannot be programmed after encapsulation forming semiconductor packages

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprogramming capabilityVSAvoidpost-encapsulation programmability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the programming mechanism from electrical open/short state (conventional fuses) to threshold voltage modulation (e-fuses). By changing the physical parameter from resistance state to voltage threshold, the system enables post-encapsulation programming capability while maintaining defect information storage functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If transistor size is increased to correctly recognize data stored in e-fuses, then data recognition accuracy improves, but integration density decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata recognition accuracyVSAvoidintegration density

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple e-fuse arrays and shares amplifiers among them. By combining multiple fuse arrays and having them share common amplifier resources, the system achieves both high data recognition accuracy (through sufficient amplifier size) and high integration density (through resource sharing and reduced per-array overhead).

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The amplifiers are designed to serve multiple e-fuse arrays simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows a single amplifier to handle data recognition for several different fuse arrays, reducing the total number of amplifiers needed and thereby increasing integration density while maintaining adequate signal recognition capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Measurement precision

If transistor size is increased to correctly recognize data stored in e-fuses, then data recognition accuracy improves, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata recognition accuracyVSAvoidtransistor configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Quantity of substance

If e-fuse arrays are employed to share amplifiers, then integration density improves, but signal collision management becomes more challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveintegration densityVSAvoidsignal collision control

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by using control signal drivers and latch units before the actual fuse programming or reading operations. These control circuits prepare and manage the timing of operations across multiple fuse arrays, preventing signal collisions by ensuring that only one array is actively being programmed or read at any given time, thus enabling safe sharing of amplifiers among multiple arrays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9123426B2Semiconductor device including fuse array

Publication Date: 2015.09.01 SK HYNIX INC

AI summary

The semiconductor device includes a control signal driver, a control signal latch unit, an internal driver and a buffer. The control signal driver drives a control signal in response to a fuse reset signal, a fuse set signal and a fuse data. The control signal latch unit is suitable for latching the control signal. The internal driver drives an internal node in response to the control signal, an address signal and a write strobe signal. The buffer buffers a signal of the internal node to generate the redundancy signal.