Patent · US Active

Method of operating transistors and structures thereof for improved reliability and lifetime

US8159814B2 · kind B2 · utility

9Cited by
7References
27Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJan 19, 2009
Grant dateApr 17, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 17, 2030

Classification

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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a semiconductor device that includes a transistor device having a first, a second, and a third node; and an interconnect structure having at least one wire and the wire having a first and a second end with the first end of the wire being connected to one of the first, the second, and the third node of the transistor device. The wire is conductive and adapted to provide an operating current in a first direction during a normal operating mode, and adapted to provide a repairing current in a second direction opposite to the first direction during a repair mode of the semiconductor device. In one embodiment the transistor device is a bipolar transistor with the first, second, and third nodes being an emitter, a base, and a collector of the bipolar transistor. The wire is connected to one of the emitter and the collector. Method of operating the semiconductor device and current supplying circuit for the semiconductor device are also disclosed.

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