International Business Machines Corporation

Motorola Corporation

Scott A Taylor

Tam Minh Tran

Toan V Le

Two separate dummy wordlines, a read dummy wordline and a write dummy wordline, are implemented within a memory array to provide for higher frequency operation of read and write cycles within the memory array. The two dummy wordlines are utilized to activate and deactivate the wordline enable signal for the read and write portions of an access. Such an access can be a read/swap cycle.

Dummy wordline circuitry

A fuse circuit (30) uses circuitry (34, 36, 38) which is coupled between each terminal (A, B) of a fuse (32) for the purpose of maintaining each fuse terminal at the same voltage potential or within a predetermined voltage differential. When copper fuses are implemented, the fuse circuit eliminates the tendency for copper corrosion which may result in growth-back of the copper between the two fuse terminals (A, B). By fixing the voltage at each fuse terminal at a specific potential relative to the other terminal, effects of metal growth-back are eliminated. In another form, a bias scheme is used to place a fixed voltage between the fuse terminals to guarantee a minimum voltage differential across the fuse terminals after the fuse is blown. A differential in the voltage at the fuse terminals is sensed in order to indicate the status of the fuse's conductivity.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Scott A Taylor