Anti-fuse programming circuit

• US 6,150,868 A
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 11/21/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co. Ltd. (SK Hynix Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Young-Hee, Ku, Kie-Bong
• Primary Examiner(s): KIM, JUNG H
• Application Number:
  US09/342,600
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 327/525, 327/526, 365/96, 365/225.7
• US Class Current: 327/525
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 17/18 Auxiliary circuits, e.g. for writing into memory
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/5252 comprising anti-fuses, i.e. connections having their state changed from non-conductive to conductive
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00

Abstract

An anti-fuse programming circuit comprising an operation switching part for precharging the anti-fuse programming circuit with a half voltage to operate it, an anti-fuse connected to the operation switching part, the anti-fuse being subjected to a dielectric breakdown when it is supplied with an overcurrent, a sense signal input part for inputting a sense signal to verify a programmed state of the anti-fuse, a breakdown voltage supply part for supplying a source voltage for the dielectric breakdown of the anti-fuse, an output part for outputting a signal indicative of the programmed state of the anti-fuse in response to the sense signal inputted by the sense signal input part, a current blocking part for blocking a current path from the breakdown voltage supply part to the anti-fuse in response to a control signal from the output part, and a latch part for strongly stabilizing the anti-fuse at the level of the half voltage in response to the control signal from the output part. According to the present invention, the programmed state of the anti-fuse can be verified and current consumption can significantly be reduced in programming the anti-fuse.

Claims

1. An anti-fuse programming circuit comprising:

operation switching means for precharging said anti-fuse programming circuit with a half voltage to operate it;

an anti-fuse connected to said operation switching means, said anti-fuse being subjected to a dielectric breakdown when it is supplied with an overcurrent;

sense signal input means for inputting a sense signal to verify a programmed state of said anti-fuse;

breakdown voltage supply means for supplying a source voltage for the dielectric breakdown of said anti-fuse;

output means for outputting a signal indicative of the programmed state of said anti-fuse in response to said sense signal inputted by said sense signal input means;

current blocking means for blocking a current path from said breakdown voltage supply means to said anti-fuse in response to a control signal from said output means; and

latch means for strongly stabilizing said anti-fuse at the level of said half voltage in response to said control signal from said output means.

2. An anti-fuse programming circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said operation switching means includes a PMOS transistor connected between a half voltage terminal and said anti-fuse, said PMOS transistor being operated in response to a precharge signal.

3. An anti-fuse programming circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sense signal input means includes an NMOS transistor connected between said anti-fuse and a ground voltage terminal, said NMOS transistor being operated in response to said sense signal.

4. An anti-fuse programming circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said current blocking means includes a PMOS transistor connected between an output terminal of said breakdown voltage supply means and said anti-fuse, said PMOS transistor being operated in response to said control signal from said output means.

5. An anti-fuse programming circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said breakdown voltage supply means includes a PMOS transistor connected between a source voltage terminal and said current blocking means, said PMOS transistor being operated in response to a programming signal.

6. An anti-fuse programming circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said output means includes:

a first inverter connected to said anti-fuse, said first inverter supplied with said half voltage to invert an output signal from said anti-fuse and output the inverted signal as said control signal; and

a second inverter supplied with said half voltage to invert said control signal from said first inverter and output the inverted signal as said signal indicative of the programmed state of said anti-fuse.

7. An anti-fuse programming circuit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said latch means includes a PMOS transistor connected between said anti-fuse and a half voltage terminal, said PMOS transistor being operated in response to said control signal from said output means.