US6124193A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Raised tungsten plug antifuse and fabrication processes
Assignee: Microsemi SoC Corp
•
Filing: 1998-04-17
•
Granted: 2000-09-26
•
Expires: 2018-04-17
Abstract
Abstract An antifuse comprises a lower electrode formed from a metal layer in a microcircuit. A interlayer dielectric layer is disposed over the lower electrode and has an aperture formed therein. A conductive plug, formed from a material such as tungsten, is formed in the aperture. The upper surface of the interlayer dielectric is etched back to create a raised portion of the plug. The upper edges of the plug are rounded. An antifuse layer, preferably comprising a silicon nitride, amorphous silicon, silicon nitride sandwich incorporating a thin silicon dioxide layer above or below the amorphous silicon layer or such a sandwich structure covered by a titanium nitride layer, is disposed above the plug. An upper electrode, preferably comprising a metal layer is disposed over the antifuse layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Frank W. Hawley
- 👤 John L. McCollum
- 👤 Ying Go
- 👤 Abdelshafy Eltoukhy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:17
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10W; H10W20/00; H10W20/40; H10W20/49; H10W20/491; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/60; H10P14/69; H10P14/692; H10P14/6921; H10P14/69215; H10W20/41; H10W20/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of forming an antifuse, said method comprising: forming a lower conductive layer; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over said lower conductive layer with an aperture communicating with said lower conductive layer; forming a conductive plug in said aperture, said conductive plug with a rounded outer edge raised above said interlayer dielectric layer and contacting said lower conductive layer; forming an antifuse layer over all of said conductive plug and over at least a portion of said interlayer dielectric layer; and forming an upper electrode over said antifuse layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
90 words
A method of forming an antifuse, said method comprising: forming a lower conductive layer; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over said lower conductive layer with an aperture communicating with said lower conductive layer; forming a conductive plug in said aperture, said conductive plug with a rounded outer edge raised above said interlayer dielectric layer and contacting said lower conductive layer; forming an antifuse layer over all of said conductive plug and over at least a portion of said interlayer dielectric layer; and forming an upper electrode over said antifuse layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein forming said antifuse layer includes: forming a first layer of silicon nitride; forming a second layer of amorphous silicon; and forming a third layer of silicon nitride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 2 wherein forming said first layer, said second layer and said third layer create a substantially vertical wall and further forming an oxide spacer in contact with said vetical wall.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising forming a layer of silicon dioxide between said second layer and one of said first and third layers.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of forming an antifuse, said method comprising: forming a lower conductive layer; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over said lower conductive layer with an aperture communicating with said lower conductive layer; forming a conductive plug in said aperture, said conductive plug with a rounded outer edge raised above said interlayer dielectric layer and contacting said lower conductive layer; forming an antifuse layer over all of said conductive plug and over at least a portion of said interlayer dielectric layer; forming a layer of titanium nitride over said antifuse layer; and forming an upper electrode over said antifuse layer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of forming an antifuse, said method comprising: forming a lower conductive layer; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over said lower conductive layer with an aperture communicating with said lower conductive layer; forming a conductive plug in said aperture, said conductive plug with a rounded outer edge raised above said interlayer dielectric layer and contacting said lower conductive layer; forming an antifuse layer over all of said conductive plug and over at least a portion of said interlayer dielectric layer; forming a layer of titanium nitride over said antifuse layer; and forming an upper electrode over said antifuse layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 5, wherein forming said antifuse layer includes: forming a first layer of silicon nitride; forming a second layer of amorphous silicon; and forming a third layer of silicon nitride.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 6 wherein forming said first layer, said second layer and said third layer creates a substantially vertical wall and further forming an oxide spacer in contact with said vertical wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 6, further comprising forming a layer of silicon dioxide between said second layer and one of said first and second layers.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of forming an antifuse, said method comprising: forming a lower conductive layer; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over said lower conductive layer with an aperture communicating with said lower conductive layer; forming a conductive plug in said aperture, said conductive plug with a rounded outer edge raised above said interlayer dielectric layer and contacting said lower conductive layer; forming a first titanium nitride layer over all of said conductive plug and over at least a portion of said interlayer dielectric layer; forming an antifuse layer over said first titanium nitride layer; forming a second titanium nitride layer over said antifuse layer; and forming an upper electrode over said antifuse layer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of forming an antifuse, said method comprising: forming a lower conductive layer; forming an interlayer dielectric layer over said lower conductive layer with an aperture communicating with said lower conductive layer; forming a conductive plug in said aperture, said conductive plug with a rounded outer edge raised above said interlayer dielectric layer and contacting said lower conductive layer; forming a first titanium nitride layer over all of said conductive plug and over at least a portion of said interlayer dielectric layer; forming an antifuse layer over said first titanium nitride layer; forming a second titanium nitride layer over said antifuse layer; and forming an upper electrode over said antifuse layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein forming said antifuse layer includes: forming a first layer of silicon nitride; forming a second layer of silicon nitride; and forming a third layer of silicon nitride.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein forming said first layer, said second layer and said third layer creates a substantially vertical wall and further forming an oxide spacer in contact with said vertical wall.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising forming a layer of silicon dioxide between said second layer and one of said first and third layers.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3675090A
Cited
US3717852A
Cited
FR2367352A1
Cited
US4177473A
Cited
US4361599A
Cited
US4441247A
Cited
US4489481A
Cited
US4847732A
Cited
US4796075A
Cited
EP0162529B1
Cited
US4651409A
Cited
US4751197A
Cited
US4912066A
Cited
US4748490A
Cited
US4647340A
Cited
US5412244A
Cited
US4899205A
Cited
US4943538A
Cited
US5266829A
Cited
US5134457A
Cited
US4740485A
Cited
US4732865A
Cited
US4981813A
Cited
US4800176A
Cited
EP0323078B1
Cited
US4822753A
Cited
GB2222024B
Cited
US5093711A
Cited
US4920072A
Cited
US5010039A
Cited
US4914055A
Cited
EP0414361A2
Cited
EP0671767A3
Cited
US5468681A
Cited
EP0416903A3
Cited
EP0436387B1
Cited
US5866937A
Cited
EP0452091B1
Cited
US5387812A
Cited
US5404029A
Cited
US5181096A
Cited
US5411917A
Cited
US5070384A
Cited
US5780323A
Cited
US5770885A
Cited
US5763898A
Cited
US5272101A
Cited
EP0455414A1
Cited
US5095362A
Cited
US5493147A
Cited
US5384481A
Cited
US5163180A
Cited
US5166556A
Cited
EP0501120A3
Cited
EP0500034A1
Cited
US5100827A
Cited
EP0501687A3
Cited
US5527745A
Cited
US5322812A
Cited
US5372832A
Cited
US5319238A
Cited
US5196724A
Cited
US5557136A
Cited
US5362676A
Cited
US5233217A
Cited
US5290734A
Cited
US5242851A
Cited
US5258643A
Cited
EP0528417B1
Cited
US5241496A
Cited
EP0529820B1
Cited
US5328865A
Cited
US5286993A
Cited
US5318924A
Cited
US5451811A
Cited
US5353246A
Cited
US5272666A
Cited
EP0539197A1
Cited
US5171715A
Cited
US5233206A
Cited
US5510646A
Cited
US5298784A
Cited
US5493144A
Cited
US5329153A
Cited
US5434448A
Cited
EP0583119B1
Cited
US5475253A
Cited
US5502000A
Cited
EP0592078A1
Cited
US5525830A
Cited
US5464790A
Cited
US5381035A
Cited
US5284788A
Cited
US5248632A
Cited
US5308795A
Cited
US5395797A
Cited
EP0602836A1
Cited
US5482884A
Cited
US5412245A
Cited
US5373169A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-09-26 | 2004-03-27 | 2004-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-09-26 | 2008-03-27 | 2008-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-09-26 | 2012-03-27 | 2012-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |