Integrated circuit memory having a fuse detect circuit and method therefor
US6157583A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 2, 1999 |
| Grant date | Dec 5, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 2, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG11C29/44
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Fuses and detect circuits (124) in an integrated circuit memory (100) include a copper fuse (208) and a fuse state detect stage (202) for detecting the open circuit state or the closed circuit state of the fuse (208). The fuse detect circuit (124) provides an output signal corresponding to the state of the fuse and during detecting, limits a voltage drop across the fuse to an absolute value independent of a power supply voltage applied to the integrated circuit memory. The fuse detect circuit (124) operates at power up of the integrated circuit memory (100) and is disabled after the state of the fuse is detected and latched, and the power supply is sufficient for reliable operation of the integrated circuit memory (100). By limiting the voltage drop across a blown copper fuse (208), a potential electro-migration problem is reduced.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.