Patent · US Expired

Optimized metal fuse process

US6687973B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by
4References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 30, 2001
Grant dateFeb 10, 2004
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 24, 2022

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10T29/49156
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A metal fuse process that uses a thinner (e.g., 6000 å) oxide (108) over the top interconnect (102). The oxide (108) is removed over the probe pads (106) for testing but is not removed over the fuses (104). Because the oxide (108) is thin at the upper corners of the fuse (104), the oxide (108) cracks over the fuse (104) during a laser pulse (114). A wet etch is then used to dissolve the exposed fuses (104).

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