Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Novatek Microelectronics Corp.

Chen-Ming Hung

Yu-Der Chih

Shao-Yu Chou

Jam-Wem Lee

Yu-Ti Su

Jen-Chou Tseng

Ming-Hsiang Song

Shu-Chuan Lee

Meng-Sheng Chang

Yao-Jen Yang

Gu-Huan Li

Sung-Chieh Lin

Chih-Yuan Hsieh

Yun-Han Chen

Kuoyuan (Peter) Hsu

Wei-Li Liao

Maung Maung Win

Li-Chun Tien

Chung-Cheng Chou

Yue-Der Chih

Chih-Jen Yen

Kuo-Yuan Hsu

Yi-Te Liu

Lan-Ting Hsu

Shao-Tung Peng

Shao-Cheng Wang

I-Fong Chen

Chun-Yun Wu

A memory circuit includes a bank of non-volatile memory (NVM) devices, a high-voltage (HV) driver, a global HV power switch configured to generate a HV power signal, and a HV power switch coupled between the global HV switch and the HV driver. The HV power switch is configured to, responsive to the HV power signal, output power and ground signals, each of the power signal and the ground signal having first and second voltage levels, and the HV driver is configured to output a HV activation signal to a column of the bank of NVM devices responsive to the power signal and the ground signal.

Non-volatile memory circuit and method

An anti-fuse array includes first through fourth adjacent anti-fuse bit columns, the anti-fuse bits of the first and second anti-fuse bit columns including portions of active areas of a first active area column, and the anti-fuse bits of the third and fourth anti-fuse bit columns including portions of active areas of a second active area column. Each row of a first set of conductive segment rows includes first and second conductive segments positioned between adjacent active areas of the first active area column and a third conductive segment positioned between adjacent active areas of the second active area column. Each row of a second set of conductive segments alternating with the first set of conductive segment rows includes a fourth conductive segment positioned between adjacent active areas of the first active area column and fifth and sixth conductive segments positioned between adjacent active areas of the second active area column.

Anti-fuse array

A memory device includes a main array comprising main memory cells; a redundancy array comprising redundancy memory cells; and write circuitry configured to perform a first programming operation on a main memory cell, to detect whether a current of the main memory cell exceeds a predefined current threshold during the first programming operation, and to disable a second programming operation for a redundancy memory cell if the current of the main memory cell exceeds the predefined current threshold during the first programming operation.

Resistive memory with enhanced redundancy writing

A memory circuit includes a bank of non-volatile memory (NVM) devices, a plurality of high-voltage (HV) drivers, a global HV power switch configured to generate a HV power signal, and a plurality of HV power switches coupled to the global HV switch. A first HV power switch of the plurality of HV power switches is coupled to each HV driver of the plurality of HV drivers, the first HV power switch of the plurality of HV power switches is configured to output a power signal responsive to the HV power signal, and each HV driver of the plurality of HV drivers is configured to output a HV activation signal to a corresponding column of the bank of NVM devices responsive to the power signal.

Non-volatile memory circuit

An IC device includes a first anti-fuse structure including a first dielectric layer between a first gate conductor and a first active area, and a second anti-fuse structure including a second dielectric layer between a second gate conductor and the first active area. A first via is electrically connected to the first gate conductor at a first location a first distance from the first active area, a second via is electrically connected to the second gate conductor at a second location a second distance from the first active area, and the first distance is approximately equal to the second distance.

Integrated circuit structure

A memory circuit includes a first bank of non-volatile memory (NVM) devices, a first plurality of decoders, a first plurality of high-voltage (HV) drivers corresponding to the first plurality of decoders, and a first plurality of HV power switches. A first HV power switch is coupled to each HV driver of the first plurality of HV drivers, and each decoder is configured to generate an enable signal corresponding to a column of the first bank of NVM devices. Each HV driver is configured to output a HV activation signal to the corresponding column of the first bank of NVM devices responsive to a power signal of the first HV power switch and to the enable signal of the corresponding decoder.

A memory device includes a memory circuit and a fuse protection circuit. The memory circuit includes a program line and a fuse. The program line is configured to receive a program voltage for programming the fuse. The fuse protection circuit is coupled to the memory circuit and is configured to prevent unintentional programming of the fuse.

Memory device with a fuse protection circuit

A method of generating an IC layout diagram includes intersecting an active region with first and second gate regions to define locations of first and second anti-fuse structures, overlying the first gate region with a first conductive region to define a location of an electrical connection between the first conductive region and first gate region, and overlying the second gate region with a second conductive region to define a location of an electrical connection between the second conductive region and second gate region. The first and second conductive regions are aligned along a direction perpendicular to a direction along which the first and second gate regions extend, and at least one of intersecting the active region with the first gate region, intersecting the active region with the second gate region, overlying the first gate region, or overlying the second gate region is executed by a processor of a computer.

Integrated circuit layout, structure, system, and methods

A memory device includes a memory circuit and a fuse protection circuit. The memory circuit includes a memory cell and a program line. The memory cell includes a fuse. The program line is configured to receive a program voltage for programming the fuse. The fuse protection circuit is coupled to the memory circuit and is configured to prevent unintentional programming of the fuse.

A circuit includes a fuse cell, a sense circuit and an output control circuit. The fuse cell includes an electrical fuse. The sense circuit is electrically coupled to the fuse cell and configured for generating a sense signal indicative of a programmed condition of the electrical fuse, at an output of the sense circuit. The output control circuit is electrically coupled to the output of the sense circuit, and the output control circuit is configured for latching the sense signal indicative of the electrical fuse having been programmed, during a read operation of the fuse cell.

Generating stabilized output signals during fuse read operations

A fuse structure comprises a first conductive layer on a first level. The first conductive layer comprises a fuse line extending in a first direction. The fuse line has a first end portion, a second end portion opposite the first end portion, and a fuse link portion connecting the first end portion and the second end portion. The first conductive layer also comprises lines parallel to the fuse line, the lines being aligned in the first direction and being separated from one another by a first distance measured in the first direction. The fuse structure also comprises a second conductive layer on a second level different from the first level and coupled with the first conductive layer. The second conductive layer has parallel lines extending in a second direction, the parallel lines being separated by a second distance measured in a third direction orthogonal to the second direction.

Fuse structure

The embodiments of methods and structures disclosed herein provide mechanisms of forming and programming a metal-via fuse. The metal-via fuse and a programming transistor form a one-time programmable (OTP) memory cell. The metal-via fuse has a high resistance and can be programmed with a low programming voltage, which expands the programming window.

Growing community of inventors

Hsinchu County, Taiwan

Chen-Ming Hung