Circuits associated with fusible elements for establishing and detecting of the states of those elements
US7084696B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 7, 2004 |
| Grant date | Aug 1, 2006 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 8, 2024 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A state detection circuit for a fusible element includes a differential sensing circuit that compares voltage at a detection point in a path containing the fusible element with that at a reference point in a path establishing a non-zero reference voltage. The paths are similarly configured except one contains the fusible element while the other contains a device establishing the reference voltage. The two paths in any given sensing circuit are located in close proximity to each other so that even though element parameters in the paths of different sensing circuits may vary significantly, those values track each other in the given sensing circuit. As a result, the normal non-zero value of the voltage at the reference point maintains a relationship to that at the detection point that enables the differential sensing circuit to detect between a fused and an unfused element irrespective of variation in circuit element parameters. In order to prevent detection circuits and other circuits on the chip being damaged, during blowing of the fusible elements, voltage level of the sensing circuits are chosen to isolate the detection circuits from the other circuits on the semiconductor chip an…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.