US5585663A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Self cooling electrically programmable fuse
Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc
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Filing: 1995-08-04
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Granted: 1996-12-17
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Expires: 2015-08-04
Abstract
Abstract An electrically programmable fuse buried under quartz and layers of polyimide with a specific structure to enhance its "thermal" capabilities. The fuse is designed to "blow" and cool off quickly so as not to cause damage to areas above and surrounding the fuse. A passivation layer is added above the fuse to act as a heat sink and absorb and redistribute the heat generated from one localized area to a broader and cooler area. The materials used for the fuse and the heat sink are selected to be compatible with both oxide and polyimide personalization schemes. Modeling of the fuse enables optimizing the characteristics of the fuse, particularly to transmit to the surface of the passivation layer the thermal wave created during programming of the fuse.
Inventors
- 👤 Raschid J. Bezama
- 👤 Dominic J. Schepis
- 👤 Krishna Seshan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 08:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/49; H10W20/493; H10W40/00; H10W40/20; H10W40/22; H10W40/226; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/914; Y10S438/922
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
156 words
In an integrated circuit, a buried semiconductor fuse structure comprising: a first electrical and thermal insulating layer formed on a substrate and having conductive lines formed thereon; a fuse link comprising a narrow strip and a contact positioned at each end of said narrow strip, each said contacts connecting at least one of said conductive lines; at least one second electrical and thermal insulating layer on said conductive lines and on said fuse link; a thermally conductive layer formed on said at least one second electrical and thermal insulating layer and covering said fuse link, said thermally conductive layer dissipating heat developed during electrical programming of said fuse link; and at least one electrical insulating layer formed on said thermally conductive layer and covering said fuse link, wherein said thermally conductive layer shields said at least one electrical insulating layer from excessive thermal energy generated within said fuse link during the electrical programming of said fuse.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
156 words
In an integrated circuit, a buried semiconductor fuse structure comprising: a first electrical and thermal insulating layer formed on a substrate and having conductive lines formed thereon; a fuse link comprising a narrow strip and a contact positioned at each end of said narrow strip, each said contacts connecting at least one of said conductive lines; at least one second electrical and thermal insulating layer on said conductive lines and on said fuse link; a thermally conductive layer formed on said at least one second electrical and thermal insulating layer and covering said fuse link, said thermally conductive layer dissipating heat developed during electrical programming of said fuse link; and at least one electrical insulating layer formed on said thermally conductive layer and covering said fuse link, wherein said thermally conductive layer shields said at least one electrical insulating layer from excessive thermal energy generated within said fuse link during the electrical programming of said fuse.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The buried semiconductor fuse structure as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermally conductive layer further shields areas placed above said electrical insulating layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein said thermally conductive layer is selected from a group consisting of Cu, Al, W, Si, polysilicon, and other thermally conductive materials that can be deposited as a thin-film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein an optimum thermal cooling capability for said fuse structure is obtained when ##EQU2## is maintained.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one second electrical and thermal insulating layer is SiO 2 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical insulating layer is polyimide.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
21 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical insulating layer is SiO 2 .
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein said electrical insulating layer further comprises at least one polyimide layer and at least one wiring layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The buried semiconductor fuse as recited in claim 1, wherein the bottom most of said at least one electrical insulating layer formed on top of the thermally conductive layer reaches a maximum temperature that remains below 200° C. during programming.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an integrated circuit, a buried semiconductor fuse structure comprising: a first electrical and thermal insulating layer formed on a substrate and having conductive lines formed thereon; a fuse link comprising a narrow strip and a contact positioned at each end of said narrow strip, each said contacts connecting at least one of said conductive lines; a thin SiO 2 layer on said conductive lines and on said fuse link; a thermally conductive layer formed on said thin SiO 2 layer and covering said fuse link, said thermally conductive layer dissipating heat developed during electrical programming of said fuse link; and at least one electrical insulating layer formed on said thermally conductive layer and covering said fuse link, wherein said thermally conductive layer shields said at least one electrical insulating layer from excessive thermal energy in said fuse link in the course of electrical programming said fuse.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
147 words
In an integrated circuit, a buried semiconductor fuse structure comprising: a first electrical and thermal insulating layer formed on a substrate and having conductive lines formed thereon; a fuse link comprising a narrow strip and a contact positioned at each end of said narrow strip, each said contacts connecting at least one of said conductive lines; a thin SiO 2 layer on said conductive lines and on said fuse link; a thermally conductive layer formed on said thin SiO 2 layer and covering said fuse link, said thermally conductive layer dissipating heat developed during electrical programming of said fuse link; and at least one electrical insulating layer formed on said thermally conductive layer and covering said fuse link, wherein said thermally conductive layer shields said at least one electrical insulating layer from excessive thermal energy in said fuse link in the course of electrical programming said fuse.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-12-17 | 2000-06-17 | 2000-12-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-12-17 | 2004-06-17 | 2004-12-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-12-17 | 2008-06-17 | 2008-12-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |