Patent · US Expired

Programmable CMOS circuit for use in connecting and disconnecting a semiconductor device in a redundant electrical circuit

US4605872A · kind A · utility

62Cited by
7References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 6, 1983
Grant dateAug 12, 1986
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 6, 2003

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH03K19/1733
  • WIPO fieldBasic communication processes
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A programmable circuit is described which is particularly well suited for programming or customizing redundant elements in CMOS integrated circuits. This programmable circuit, which is formed on a semiconductor substrate together with a redundant semiconductor device, uses a parasitic switching device on the semiconductor substrate to deselect the redundant semiconductor device in response to a programming signal. The programmable circuit includes an input terminal to receive the programming signal, a parasitic SCR formed on the semiconductor substrate and coupled to the input terminal and a deselect device such as a fuse or antifuse to deselect the redundant semiconductor device. The parasitic SCR is actuated in response to the programming signal and the deselect device is connected to the SCR and the semiconductor device to deselect the semiconductor device from the redundant electrical circuit in response to the actuation of the SCR by the programming signal.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.