Crack stop between neighboring fuses for protection from fuse blow damage
US6486526B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignees
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 4, 1999 |
| Grant date | Nov 26, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 4, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/3011
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A fuse structure in an integrated circuit chip is described that includes an insulated semiconductor substrate; a fuse bank integral to the insulated semiconductor substrate consisting of a plurality of parallel co-planar fuse links; and voids interspersed between each pair of the fuse links, the voids extending beyond a plane defined by the co-planar fuse links. The voids surrounding the spot to be hit by a laser beam during fuse blow operation act as a crack stop to prevent damage to adjacent circuit elements or other fuse links present. By suitably shaping and positioning the voids, a tighter pitch between fuses may be obtained.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.