Electronically programmable antifuse and circuits made therewith
First Claim
1. An antifuse device operable at a voltage thereacross, comprising:
- (a) a first element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said first element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device;
(b) a second element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said second element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device; and
(c) an output node electrically coupled between said first element and said second element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An antifuse device (120) that includes a bias element (124) and an programmable antifuse element (128) arranged in series with one another so as to form a voltage divider having an output node (F) located between the bias and antifuse elements. When the antifuse device is in its unprogrammed state, each of the bias element and antifuse element is non-conductive. When the antifuse device is in its programmed state, the bias element remains non-conductive, but the antifuse element is conductive. The difference in the resistance of the antifuse element between its unprogrammed state and programmed state causes the difference in voltages seen at the output node to be on the order of hundreds of mili-volts when a voltage of 1 V is applied across the antifuse device. This voltage difference is so high that it can be readily sensed using a simple sensing circuit (228).
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An antifuse device operable at a voltage thereacross, comprising:
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(a) a first element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said first element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device;
(b) a second element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said second element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device; and
(c) an output node electrically coupled between said first element and said second element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A programmable antifuse device, comprising:
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(a) a first element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said first element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device;
(b) a second element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said second element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device; and
(c) a programming circuit in electrical communication with said second element and operatively configured to cause said tunneling region of said second element to become conductive when said programming circuit is energized. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 23, 24)
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21. An integrated circuit chip, comprising:
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(a) functional circuitry;
(b) at least one antifuse device operatively connected to said fictional circuitry, said at least one antifuse device comprising;
(i) a first element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said first element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device;
(ii) a second element having a first conductive region, a second conductive region and a tunneling region located between said first and second conductive regions, said tunneling region operatively configured so that a tunneling current is present between said first and second conductive regions of said second element when the voltage is applied across the antifuse device; and
(iii)an output node electrically coupled between said first element and said second element; and
(c) a programming circuit in electrical communication with said second element and operatively configured to cause said tunneling region of said second element to become conductive when said programming circuit is energized. - View Dependent Claims (22)
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Specification