Programmable structured arrays

• US 8,810,276 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callahan Cellular LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Yakimishu Co Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Madurawe, Raminda U.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DON P
• Application Number:
  US13/598,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20120319728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 326 37- 41
• US Class Current: 326/38
• 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 27/0207 Geometrical layout of the components, e.g. computer aided design; custom LSI, semi-custom LSI, standard cell technique
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/0688 Integrated circuits having a three-dimensional layout
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/105 including field-effect components
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/11803 using field effect technology
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/11898 Input and output buffer/driver structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1203 the substrate comprising an insulating body on a semiconductor body, e.g. SOI three-dimensional layout H01L27/0688
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1733 Controllable logic circuits H03K19/177 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1735 by wiring, e.g. uncommitted logic arrays
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/17728 Reconfigurable logic blocks, e.g. lookup tables
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 19/1776 for memories
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 10/00 Static random access memory [SRAM] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 10/18 Peripheral circuit regions
• CPC Class Codes: H10B 12/50 Peripheral circuit region structures

Abstract

A programmable semiconductor device includes a user programmable switch comprising a configurable element positioned above a transistor material layer deposited on a substrate layer.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a layer comprising a pass-gate and a configuration circuit coupled to said pass-gate, wherein said pass-gate is configured to receive an output of said configuration circuit;

a first metal line; and

a second metal line;

said pass-gate configured to electrically connect said first and second metal lines and configured to electrically disconnect said first and second metal lines, according to a state of said output.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said pass-gate and said configuration circuit comprise thin film transistors (TFTs).

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said first metal line and said second metal line are both located on one side of said layer.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein said first metal line and said second metal line are located on opposite sides of said layer.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a memory element, wherein said output comprises a control signal that has a first voltage level if said memory element has a first polarity and a second voltage level if said memory element has a second polarity.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a type of memory circuit selected from the group consisting of fuse, anti-fuse, EPROM, EEPROM, flash, ferro-electric, magnetic, SRAM, DRAM, metal optional, optical, laser fuse, photo-electric, electro-chemical, electrolytic, carbon nanotube, electro-mechanical, electro-magnetic, and resistance modulating.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first through-hole via connecting said pass-gate at one end to said first metal line; and

a second through-hole via connecting said pass-gate at another end to said second metal line.

8. A structure comprising:

a first plurality of wires including a first wire;

a second plurality of wires including a second wire; and

a plurality of pass-gates coupled to said first plurality of wires and to said second plurality of wires, said plurality of pass-gates including a pass-gate coupled at one end to said first wire and at another end to said second wire, said pass-gate also coupled to a configuration circuit, wherein said pass-gate and said configuration circuit are in a same layer of said structure;

wherein said first wire is configured to be electrically connected to and electrically disconnected from said second wire responsive to turning on and turning off said pass-gate according to a state of an output of said configuration circuit.

9. The structure of claim 8, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a memory element, wherein said output comprises a control signal that has a first voltage level if said memory element has a first polarity and a second voltage level if said memory element has a second polarity.

10. The structure of claim 8, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a type of memory circuit selected from the group consisting of:

fuse, anti-fuse, EPROM, EEPROM, flash, ferro-electric, magnetic, SRAM, DRAM, metal optional, optical, laser fuse, photo-electric, electro-chemical, electrolytic, carbon nanotube, electro-mechanical, electro-magnetic, and resistance modulating.

11. The structure of claim 8, wherein said first plurality of wires and said second plurality of wires are configured to be electrically interconnected in a pattern responsive to selectively turning on a first subset of said plurality of pass-gates and selectively turning off a second subset of said plurality of pass-gates.

12. The structure of claim 11, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a plurality of memory elements coupled to said plurality of pass-gates, wherein said first subset of pass-gates is configured to be turned on and said second subset of pass-gates is configured to be turned off according to bit values stored in said memory elements.

13. The structure of claim 12, wherein said bit values are programmable and wherein said pattern is changeable in response to a change in said bit values.

14. A structure comprising:

a first layer comprising a first plurality of wires;

a second layer comprising a second plurality of wires;

a third layer between said first layer and said second layer and comprising a plurality of pass-gates and a configuration circuit;

wherein said pass-gates are configured to be selectively turned on to enable one or more types of electrical connections, said types of electrical connections comprising;

an electrical connection between two wires in said first layer;

an electrical connection between two wires in said second layer; and

an electrical connection between a wire in said first layer and a wire in said second layer.

15. The structure of claim 14, wherein said pass-gates and said configuration circuit comprise thin film transistors (TFTs).

16. The structure of claim 14, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a type of memory circuit selected from the group consisting of:

fuse, anti-fuse, EPROM, EEPROM, flash, ferro-electric, magnetic, SRAM, DRAM, metal optional, optical, laser fuse, photo-electric, electro-chemical, electrolytic, carbon nanotube, electro-mechanical, electro-magnetic, and resistance modulating.

17. The structure of claim 14, further comprising:

a first plurality of through-hole vias coupled to pass-gates in said third layer and to wires in said first layer; and

a second plurality of through-hole vias coupled to pass-gates in said third layer and to wires in said second layer.

18. The structure of claim 14, wherein said first plurality of wires and said second plurality of wires are configured to be electrically interconnected in a pattern responsive to selectively turning on a first subset of said plurality of pass-gates and selectively turning off a second subset of said plurality of pass-gates.

19. The structure of claim 18, wherein said configuration circuit comprises a plurality of memory elements coupled to said plurality of pass-gates, wherein said first subset of pass-gates is configured to be turned on and said second subset of pass-gates is configured to be turned off in response to bit values stored in said memory elements.

20. The structure of claim 19, wherein said bit values are programmable and wherein said pattern is changeable in response to a change in said bit values.