Patent EP0599388B1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0599388B1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Semiconductor device provided with a programmable element
Assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
•
Filing: 1993-11-16
•
Granted: 2000-08-02
•
Expires: 2013-11-16
Abstract
No abstract record available.
Inventors
- 👤 Jan Willem Slotboom
- 👤 Pierre Hermanus Woerlee
- 👤 Reinout Woltjer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 09:51
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/49; H10W20/491; G; G11; G11C; G11C17/00; G11C17/14; G11C17/16
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A semiconductor device with a programmable element comprising a doped
semiconductor region (4) and a conductor region (6) which are separated from one another by
at least a portion of an insulating layer (5), said insulating layer having a thickness such
that, during programming, breakdown may occur in the insulating layer upon applying a
voltage between the conductor region (6) and the semiconductor region (4), the conductor
region (6) comprising a material which is suitable for forming a rectifying junction with the
material of the semiconductor region (4), the programmable element further comprising
a contact region (3) which forms an ohmic contact with the semiconductor region (4) and
which has a comparatively low electrical resistivity compared therewith, characterized
in that the contact region (3) is provided at a side of the semiconductor region (4) remote from
the insulating layer (5) and is separated from the insulating layer (5) by the semiconductor
region (4), and in that both the semiconductor region (4) and the contact region (3) are together laterally
bounded by a dielectric isolation region (7) at mutually opposing sides.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the
isolation region comprises a groove which bounds the semiconductor region and the
contact region laterally and which is coated with at least an insulating layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that the
groove is filled up with a suitable filler.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
66 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in any one of the Claims 1 to 3,
characterized in that both the semiconductor region and the contact region form part of
a first strip-shaped conductor track which is laterally bounded by the isolation region
and in that the conductor region forms part of a second strip-shaped conductor track
which extends transverse to the direction of the first conductor track.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
46 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that the
first conductor track is formed by a first semiconductor track of a first conductivity
type, and in that the contact region comprises a comparatively heavily doped buried
semiconductor zone of the first conductivity type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the
second conductor track comprises a second semiconductor track of a second, opposite
conductivity type which is provided over the first semiconductor track.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the
second conductor track comprises a material which is suitable for forming a rectifying
Schottky junction with the first conductor track.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
73 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 5, 6 or 7, characterized in
that the first semiconductor track is situated on a semiconductor substrate, in that the
first conductor track forms a pn junction at least with a surface region of the
semiconductor substrate, which pn junction is reverse biased during operation, and in
that the isolating region which laterally bounds the first semiconductor track extends at
least up to the surface region.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in any one of the Claims 4 to 7,
characterized in that the first conductor track is provided on a dielectric intermediate
layer which separates the first conductor track from a subjacent semiconductor
substrate, and in that the isolating region which laterally bounds the first conductor
track extends down to the dielectric intermediate layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
66 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 9, characterized in that the
first conductor track is formed by a composite layer comprising a bottom layer
containing metal which bottom layer adjoins the dielectric intermediate layer and of
which the contact region forms part, and comprising a top layer of semiconductor
material which top layer adjoins the insulating layer and of which the semiconductor
region forms part.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
102 words
A semiconductor device provided with a matrix of memory cells which
each comprise a programmable element as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims,
characterized in that the matrix is composed of a number (n) of parallel first conductor
tracks which extend in a first direction and by a number (m) of parallel second
conductor tracks which extend in a second direction transverse to the first direction, in
that the first conductor tracks are laterally bounded by strip-shaped isolating regions,
and in that the first conductor tracks and the second conductor tracks are separated from
one another by the insulating layer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
43 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 11, characterized in that the
matrix is separated from a subjacent semiconductor body by a dielectric intermediate
layer, and in that at least a semiconductor switching element is provided below the
matrix in the semiconductor body.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
A semiconductor device as claimed in Claim 12, characterized in that the
dielectric intermediate layer is locally provided with an opening and in that a main
electrode of the semiconductor switching element and a conductor track of the matrix
are electrically interconnected through said opening.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.