Patent · US Expired

Laser fuse and antifuse structures formed over the active circuitry of an integrated circuit

US5986319A · kind A · utility

20Cited by
10References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 19, 1997
Grant dateNov 16, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 19, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

In an integrated circuit where one desires the most compact arrangement of fuses and active circuitry, an insulating layer is deposited over active circuitry which includes the associated interconnect layers. A protective layer made with a reflective material may be used as a conductive layer above the lower layers of the integrated circuit containing active circuitry which includes interconnect layers of any desired number. This protective layer is patterned below the areas that will later contain fuses (or antifuses or both). Above this protective layer another insulating layer is deposited. A fuse layer which may be metal or another conductive film is then deposited. This conductive layer is patterned to provide the desired fuses (and/or antifuses) as required, with some or all of the fuses aligned with the protective layer deposited underneath. The protective layer is patterned such that the area of the protective layer underneath the fuses will absorb and/or deflect much of the radiant energy that does not directly impinge upon the fuses.

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