Motorola Corporation

Stephen R Crown

Douglas Michael Reber

Suresh Venkatesan

Olubunmi O Adetutu

Alexander Barr

Stuart E Greer

Ramnath Venkatraman

David Clegg

Brian George Anthony

Gregor Braeckelmann

Rebecca G Cole

An interconnect overlies a semiconductor device substrate ( ). In one embodiment, a conductive barrier layer overlies a portion of the interconnect, a passivation layer ( ) overlies the conductive barrier layer and the passivation layer ( ) has an opening that exposes portions of the conductive barrier layer ( ). In an alternate embodiment a passivation layer ( ) overlies the interconnect, the passivation layer ( ) has an opening ( ) that exposes the interconnect and a conductive barrier layer ( ) overlies the interconnect within the opening ( ).

Method of forming semiconductor device including interconnect barrier layers

An anti-fuse useful in implementing redundancy in a memory utilizes a normal transistor characteristic that is generally considered undesirable in order to provide two easily detected states. The un-programmed state, which is the high impedance state, is achieved simply with a normal transistor in its non-conductive state. The programmed state, which is the low impedance state, is achieved by forcing a normal transistor to conduct current through its gate. This causes the gate dielectric to become permanently conductive. This programmed transistor then is conductive between its source and drain that is easily differentiated from the transistor that is held in its non-conductive state. The result is a fuse technology using an anti-fuse that provides for easily distinguishable programmed and un-programmed states achieved by electrical programming rather than by laser programming.

Anti-fuse circuit and method of operation

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Stephen R Crown