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:
Sep. 03, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2000
Patrick J. Mullarkey, Meridian, ID (US);
Casey R. Kurth, Eagle, ID (US);
Jason Graalum, Boise, ID (US);
Daryl L. Habersetzer, Boise, ID (US);
Micron Technology, Inc., Boise, ID (US);
Abstract
A method of verifying whether unprogrammed antifuses are leaky in a semiconductor memory. The method involves the steps of: connecting the antifuse in series with a node; providing current to the node, the current being sufficient to charge the node from a first to a second voltage; detecting whether the voltage at the node charges to the second voltage, or remains at the first voltage to indicate that the antifuse is leaky; outputting signals indicating the result of the detection; and detecting the voltage at the node remains at the first voltage indicates that the antifuse is leaky. In another embodiment, a method of verifying whether antifuses have been programmed properly in a semiconductor memory. The method includes the steps of: connecting the antifuse in series with a node; providing current to the node through a parallel combination of a first transistor and a second transistor that is sufficient to charge the node from a first voltage to a second voltage; and detecting whether the voltage at the node charges to the second voltage or remain at the first voltage to indicate that the antifuse is programmed properly; outputting first and second signals indicating the result of the detection; and detecting the voltage at the node remains at the first voltage indicates that the antifuse is programmed properly.