Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Ming-Hsin Li

Harry Chuang

Yu-Hua Lee

Tse-Liang Ying

Chao-Hsiang Yang

Kuo Ching Huang

Wesley Lin

Charles Chen

Jeng-Long Huang

A fuse structure for a semiconductor device on a substrate includes a fuse having an electrically conductive fuse line of a standard fuse length formed in an electrically conductive layer disposed over the substrate, and a pair of electrically conductive, inwardly bent interconnects formed in a first plurality of electrically conductive layers disposed over the substrate, below the electrically conductive layer in which the fuse line is formed. The inwardly bent interconnects couple the fuse line to a circuit area of the substrate disposed under the fuse line. The fuse structure may further include a protective guard ring formed around the fuse. The guard ring includes a second plurality of electrically conductive interconnects.

Metal fuse structure for saving layout area

A method of forming a grooved fuse (plug fuse) in the same step that via plugs are formed in the guard ring area 14 and in product device areas. A key point of the invention is to form fuses from the via plug layer, not from the metal layers. Also, key guard rings are formed around the plug guise. The invention can include the following: a semiconductor structure is provided having a fuse area, a guard ring area surrounding the fuse area; and a device area. First and second conductive strips are formed. First and second insulating layers are formed over the first and second conductive strips. Plug contacts and fuse plugs are formed through the first and second insulating layers to the first and second conductive strips. A third insulating layer is formed over the second insulating layer. Metal lines are formed over the third insulating layer in the device area. A fuse via opening is formed in the third insulating layer. A plug fuse is formed in the fuse via opening. A fourth insulating layer is formed over the plug fuse and the third insulating layer. A fuse opening is formed at least partially though the fourth insulating layer over the fuse area.

Method for forming a fuse in integrated circuit application

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Hsinchu, Taiwan

Ming-Hsin Li