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. 23, 2003
Filed:
Sep. 19, 2002
Chandrasekharan Kothandaraman, Bogota, NJ (US);
S. Sundar Kumar Iyer, Beacon, NY (US);
Subramanian Iyer, Mt. Kisco, NY (US);
Chandrasekhar Narayan, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
The present invention provides a system, apparatus and method of programming via electromigration. A semiconductor fuse which includes a cathode and an anode coupled by a fuse link having an electrically conductive component, such as silicide, is coupled to a power supply. A potential is applied across the conductive fuse link via the cathode and anode in which the potential is of a magnitude to initiate electromigration of silicide from a region of the semiconductor fuse reducing the conductivity of the fuse link. The electromigration is enhanced by effectuating a temperature gradient between the fuse link and one of the cathode and anode responsive to the applied potential. Portions of the semiconductor fuse are selectively cooled in a heat transfer relationship to increase the temperature gradient. In one embodiment, a heat sink is applied to the cathode. The heat sink can be a layer of metal coupled in close proximity to the cathode while insulated from the fuse link. In another embodiment, the temperature gradient is increased by selectively varying the thickness of the underlying oxide layer such that the cathode is disposed on a thinner layer of oxide than the fuse link.