Patent · US Expired

High-yield methods for programming antifuses

US5272388A · kind A · utility

56Cited by
4References
24Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 9, 1992
Grant dateDec 21, 1993
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 9, 2012

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG11C17/18
  • WIPO fieldComputer technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for programming an antifuse of a selected technology type comprises the steps of (1) applying a preselected number of programming pulses to the antifuse at a voltage less than the maximum voltage at which antifuses of that selected technology type are known to program, (2) testing to see if the antifuse has been programmed, (3) increasing the programming voltage by a preselected increment and applying the preselected number of programming pulses to the antifuse if the antifuse has not been programmed, and (4) repeating steps (2) and (3) until the antifuse has been programmed. The antifuse may be identified as defective if it does not program after a selected number of attempts.

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