Semiconductor device with self-protecting fuse
US9070687B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 28, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jun 30, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 28, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01L2924/0002
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A semiconductor device with the metal fuse is provided. The metal fuse connects an electronic component (e.g., a transistor) and a existing dummy feature which is grounded. The protection of the metal fuse can be designed to start at the beginning of the metallization formation processes. The grounded dummy feature provides a path for the plasma charging to the ground during the entire back end of the line process. The metal fuse is a process level protection as opposed to the diode, which is a circuit level protection. As a process level protection, the metal fuse protects subsequently-formed circuitry. In addition, no additional active area is required for the metal fuse in the chip other than internal dummy patterns that are already implemented.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.