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EP0388341A2
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Method and apparatus for causing an open circuit in a conductive line
Assignee: International Business Machines Corp
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Filing: 1990-01-19
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-01-19
Abstract
Abstract A method for causing an open circuit in an electrical conductor (28') is provided, including the steps of: conducting a direct current through the conductor; and applying heat at a selected location (46) on the conductor whereat it is desired to cause the open circuit of the conductor.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith Fowler Beckham
- 👤 David Carroll Challener
- 👤 Arunava Gupta
- 👤 Joseph Matthew Harvilchuck
- 👤 James Marc Leas
- 👤 James Robert Lloyd
- 👤 David Clifford Long
- 👤 Horatio Quinones
- 👤 Krishna Seshan
- 👤 Morris Shatzkes
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 13:37
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/49; H10W20/493
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
44 words
Apparatus for causing an open circuit in an electrical conductor comprising: means for conducting a direct current through said conductor; and means for applying heat at a selected location on said conductor whereat it is desired to cause the open circuit of said conductor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus for causing an open circuit in an electrical conductor comprising: means for conducting a direct current through said conductor; and means for applying heat at a selected location on said conductor whereat it is desired to cause the open circuit of said conductor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said conductor has a cross-sectional area in the range of about 0,05-1500 square microns.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein said direct current is in the range of about 1x10⁵-1x10⁷ amperes/cm².
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said heat is at a temperature less than the melting point of said conductor carrying said current and applied to a length of said conductor approximately equal to the square root of the cross-sectional area of said conductor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein said conductor is situated on a supportive substrate comprising semiconductor material.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims wherein said applying means includes means selected in the group comprising means for impinging a laser beam onto said conductor, means for applying resistance heat to said conductor, and means for impinging an ion beam onto said conductor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims wherein said conductor comprises a metal, a polysilicon, or a polycide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 5 to 7 wherein said heat is selected to have a wavelength which is absorbed more readily by said conductor than by said substrate, and to comprise a laser beam having a wavelength generally in the red or the infrared ranges and being directed so as to impinge on a larger area of said substrate than just that area occupied by said conductor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein said laser beam is focussed onto said conductor such that substantially all of the energy in said laser beam is absorbed by said conductor.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein said conductor is tinted such that it is highly absorptive to the energy of said laser beam.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus in accordance with any one of the preceding claims and further including: means for monitoring the resistance through said conductor; and means for automatically terminating the operation of said apparatus for causing an open circuit when said monitoring means indicates said open circuit has been caused.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
99 words
Apparatus in accordance with anyone of the preceding claims wherein said conducting and applying means includes a probe, comprising: a body; a first conductor supported on said body; a second conductor insulated from said first conductor and supported on said body generally opposite said first conductor, and means for applying an A.C. current between said first and second conductors so as to produce radiant heat from said conductors; whereby said probe is positionable on a third conductor so as to conduct a current through said first, second, and third conductors while applying said radiant heat to said third conductor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein said conducting and applying means include a probe, comprising : a body; a first conductor supported on said body; a second conductor insulated from said first conductor and supported on said body generally opposite said first conductor; and means for conducting light energy to the area between said first and second conductors; whereby said probe is positionable on a third conductor so as to conduct a current through said first, second, and third conductors while applying light energy to said third conductor.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The probe of claim 12 or 13 wherein said body defines a hollow interior passage.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
The probe of claim 14 wherein said light energy conducting means includes an optical fiber supported in said passage, and further including means for applying a D.C. current between said first and second conductors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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