Texas Instruments Corporation

Sunil Kumar Dusa

Michael Allen Ball

Archana Venugopal

John Anthony Rodriguez

Richard Allen Bailey

Akram Ali Salman

Anand Seshadri

Kemal Tamer San

An integrated circuit (IC), comprising a fuse structure (eFuse) formed in a resistive layer over a semiconductor substrate, the eFuse subject to a change in resistance through the controlled application of a programming current from a programming voltage source connected to a first terminal of the eFuse; a blow transistor formed on or over the substrate and having a control terminal configured to cause the programming current to flow through the eFuse in response to a programming signal; an intermediate transistor formed on or over the substrate and electrically coupled in series between a second terminal of the eFuse and the blow transistor; and, control circuitry formed on or over the substrate and electrically coupled to a node between the second terminal of the eFuse and the intermediate transistor, the control circuitry configured to reduce the flow of programming current through the eFuse in the event that a voltage detected at the node reaches a threshold level.

eFUSE programming feedback circuits and methods

A fuse-programmable register or memory location having a plurality of fusible links of differing electrical characteristics in parallel. In one embodiment, three fusible links with different resistances are provided, such that application of a programming voltage non-uniformly distributes the current among the links, allowing varying voltages to selectively blow one or more of the links. Sensing of the programmed state is performed by applying a voltage across the parallel links and measuring the current in comparison with a plurality of reference currents. Reduction in the overhead chip area per bit and in the serial data communication latency are obtained.

Fusible link cell with dual bit storage

Growing community of inventors

Plano, TX, United States of America

Sunil Kumar Dusa