IP Library Granted Patent US 12690191
Granted Patent B2
US 12690191 · App. 18/326,228 · Granted Jul 21, 2026

One-time-programmable memory devices and methods for forming the same

Inventors: Yu-Der Chih (Hsinchu City, TW); Ya-Chin King (Hsinchu City, TW); Chrong Lin (Hsinchu City, TW); Jonathan Tsung-Yung Chang (Hsinchu City, TW); Yun-Sheng Chen (Hsinchu City, TW); May-Be Chen (Hsinchu City, TW); Hsin-Yuan Yu (Hsinchu City, TW)
Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
H10B20/25
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12690191
App. No.
18/326,228
Filed
May 31, 2023
Granted
Jul 21, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
2824
USPC
257/379
Abstract

A memory device is disclosed. The memory device includes a memory cell comprising: a transistor; and a plurality of pairs of resistors coupled to the transistor in series, each of the pairs of resistors including a first resistor and a second resistor. The transistor is formed along a major surface of a substrate. At least a first one of the pairs of resistors are formed in a first one of a plurality of metallization layers disposed above the transistor. At least a second one of the pairs of resistors are formed in a second one of the plurality of metallization layers, the second metallization layer being disposed above the first metallization layer.

Claims (40)

1 . A memory device, comprising:

a memory cell comprising:

a transistor; and

one or more pairs of resistors coupled to the transistor in series, each of the one or more pairs of resistors including a first resistor and a second resistor;

wherein the transistor is formed along a major surface of a substrate, and the one or more pairs of resistors are respectively formed in one or more of a plurality of metallization layers disposed above the transistor;

wherein the first resistor is formed of a first dielectric material laterally between a via structure and a first conductive line; and

wherein the second resistor is formed of a second dielectric material laterally between the via structure and a second conductive line.

2 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the memory cell is configured as a one-time-programmable memory cell, in which one of the first resistor or the second resistor is configured to permanently switch from a first resistance state to a second resistance state.

3 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein a first pair of the one or more pairs of resistors are formed in a first layer of the plurality of metallization layers, and a second pair of the one or more pairs of resistors are formed in a second layer of the plurality of metallization layers, and wherein the first layer is vertically spaced from the second layer.

4 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first conductive line and the second conductive line are formed in an identical one of the plurality of metallization layers.

5 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the via structure has a lower portion laterally interposed between the first conductive line and the second conductive line.

6 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material each include transition metal oxide.

7 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the via structure, the first conductive line, and the second conductive line each include copper.

8 . The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the transistor is part of a front-end-of-line (FEOL) network, and the one or more pairs of resistors are part of a back-end-of-line (BEOL) network.

9 . A memory device, comprising:

a memory cell comprising:

a transistor; and

a plurality of pairs of resistors coupled to the transistor in series, each of the plurality of pairs of resistors including a first resistor and a second resistor;

wherein the transistor is formed along a major surface of a substrate;

wherein at least a first pair of the plurality of pairs of resistors are formed in a first layer of a plurality of metallization layers disposed above the transistor;

wherein, for each respective pair of the plurality of pairs of resistors:

the first resistor of the respective pair is formed of a first dielectric material laterally between a via structure and a first conductive line; and

the second resistor of the respective pair is formed of a second dielectric material laterally between the via structure and a second conductive line.

10 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the memory cell is configured as a one-time-programmable memory cell, in which one of the first resistor or the second resistor is configured to permanently switch from a first resistance state to a second resistance state.

11 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the first conductive line and the second conductive line are formed in an identical one of the plurality of metallization layers.

12 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the via structure has a lower portion laterally interposed between the first conductive line and the second conductive line.

13 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the first dielectric material and the second dielectric material each include transition metal oxide.

14 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the via structure, the first conductive line, and the second conductive line each include copper.

15 . The memory device of claim 9 , wherein the via structure has an upper portion that vertically extends away from the first conductive line and the second conductive line.

16 . A memory device, comprising:

a memory cell comprising:

a transistor; and

a first resistor and a second resistor each coupled to the transistor in series;

wherein the transistor is formed along a major surface of a substrate;

wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are both formed in one metallization layer of a plurality of metallization layers disposed above the transistor; and

wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are disposed symmetrically to each other with respect to a via structure.

17 . The memory device of claim 16 ,

wherein the first resistor is formed based on a first dielectric material laterally between the via structure and a first conductive line, and the second resistor is formed based on a second dielectric material laterally between the via structure and a second conductive line; and

wherein the first conductive line and the second conductive line are disposed at the one metallization layer.

18 . The memory device of claim 16 , wherein the memory cell is configured as a one-time-programmable memory cell, in which one of the first resistor or the second resistor is configured to permanently switch from a first resistance state to a second resistance state.