System and method for increasing reliability of electrical fuse programming

Abstract

A system and method for achieving enhanced e-fuse programming reliability. By providing an e-fuse device with redundantly coded fuse structures each with a differing fuse size dimension, reliable encoding of a fuse with a programmed bit is enhanced. That is, for each e-fuse device, each of the multiple fuse structures and a corresponding programming devices associated with each fuse structure is dimensioned to achieve the coding redundancy such that one fuse structure of the multiple fuse structures provides for a current flow of sufficient current density to ensure programming reliability of the e-fuse device. In one embodiment, each the corresponding programming transistor device is of substantially identical size and, each fuse structure of the multiple fuse structures is of a different size. Alternately, each fuse structure is of substantially identical size and each programming transistor device is of a different size, thereby ensuring reliable coding over a programmed current range.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to semiconductor electrical fuse (e-fuse) technology, in general, and particularly to a novel method for programming e-fuses and enhancing their reliability in electronic circuits. [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] Properly programming (commonly called “blowing”) e-fuses require a carefully controlled level of programming current. Deviation of programming current from the optimal level results in “underblow” conditions where the fuse resistance is not as high as it should be or in “rupture” conditions where higher current physically disrupts the fuse structure leading to potential reliability problems during usage through the lifetime of the semiconductor chips. [0005]FIG. 1(a) illustrates a circuit 10 including an e-fuse device 15 formed by conventional CMOS processing techniques for implementation in semiconductor integrated circuits, e.g., a data memory. As known in the e...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides an e-fuse circuit structure and programming method that enables accurate programming of e-fuses regardless of the operating state of the chip or process variations during manufacture. This is achieved by providing multiple redundantly coded fuse structures with different fuse dimensions and programming transistor sizes to ensure reliable coding over a programming current range. The programming transistors are connected at the other end of the corresponding fuse structure for controlling current flow therethrough according to a received programming signal. The bit cell structures each receive one programmed information bit and are designed to ensure programming reliability with one fuse structure. This increased accuracy and reliability of coded information enables the use of e-fuses in critical applications where failure to code information is critical. The ability to program fuses independently of the chip state allows for ease of programming and opens new applications such as hot-programming.

Problems solved by technology

Deviation of programming current from the optimal level results in “underblow” conditions where the fuse resistance is not as high as it should be or in “rupture” conditions where higher current physically disrupts the fuse structure leading to potential reliability problems during usage through the lifetime of the semiconductor chips.

Since most or all fuses in such chips program outside the optimal programming window, typical circuit level redundancy solutions provide only a limited solution to the overall accuracy in the encoded data.

For example, if all fuses program in the rupture mode, all fuses are subject to the same reliability issue during the lifetime of the chips.

Since the variation of the programming current affects all fuses in the same chip the same way, conventional redundancy solution of building a multiple number of fuses, each of which are identical among themselves, for the same bit still cannot avoid the inherent e-fuse programming reliability problem.

Similarly, if all fuses program in the underblow mode, improving the accuracy of the coded information will take building substantial number of redundancy e-fuses, each of which are identical among themselves, because each of the individual fuses have a fairly substantial chance of programming with low resistance.

For this approach to be reliable, it would require a very large number of e-fuses and consequently, would require a large area of the chip for just one bit.

The problem of programming bits reliably becomes more acute when the information to be coded is critical to the chip's performance or to the performance of the equipment that the chip is controlling.

Images