The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 03, 1991
Filed:
Jan. 27, 1989
Michael Coffey, Westboro, MA (US);
Richard J Hollingsworth, Concord, MA (US);
Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, MA (US);
Abstract
An integrated circuit and a method of altering such an integrated circuit (e.g., during final testing of the circuit) are such that the method can be used to program a circuit, wire around defective portions of a circuit, or otherwise permanently alter a circuit by employing a directed energy source such as a laser to sever electrical paths in an upper layer of metallization in an integrated circuit. The integrated circuit comprises a laminated upper metallization layer, the upper layer(s) of which laminate are removed from the laser-alterable lower layer at selected locations in the metallization layer to provide laser-alteration sites in the circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the upper metallization layer comprises a two-layer laminate including an upper, relatively thick layer of an aluminum/silicon alloy and a lower, relatively thin layer of titanium nitride.