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:
Mar. 21, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 04, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Assignee:
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
257390 ; 257391 ; 257392 ; 257393 ; 257356 ;
Abstract
A least one one-time programmable nonvolatile (NV) memory element uses a field-effect transistor (FET) as a selectively programmed element. A short duration applied drain voltage exceeding the FET's drain-to-source breakdown voltage results in a drain source resistance which is substantially unaffected by the voltages typically applied at the gate terminal. Since the programmed resistance is less than 200 ohms and a high programming voltage is not required, the present invention compares favorably with antifuse nonvolatile memory techniques. The nonvolatile memory element is implemented without adding complexity to a very large scale integrated (VLSI) circuit process.