Fuse element assemblies
Some embodiments include a fuse element assembly having a first portion configured to rupture as materials of the first portion flow to a second portion through electromigration. The assembly has a second portion configured to accumulate the materials that have flowed from the first portion. The assembly also has a control element configured to divide the flow of materials into at least two paths along the second portion. The first portion may be a fuse-link and the second portion may be a cathode coupled to the fuse-link through a narrow neck region. The control element may be, for example, a slit, a hole, a conductive contact, etc.
1. A fuse element assembly comprising:
a cathode having a first end and an opposing second end; the cathode having a slit into the first end that spaces a first projecting portion from a second projecting portion, the first and second projecting portions being substantially parallel to each other and merging at a merge region; and
a fuse link extending from the merge region and beyond the second end of the cathode; and further comprising
a third projecting portion of the cathode and a fourth projecting portion of the cathode, the third and fourth projecting portions extending from the merge region toward the second end of the cathode on opposing sides of the fuse link.
2. The fuse element assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the cathode, and the third projecting portion of the cathode are different in width from each other, and the second projecting portion of the cathode and the fourth projecting portion of the cathode are different in width from each other.
3. The fuse element assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first projecting portion of the cathode is wider than the third projecting portion of the cathode, and the second projecting portion of the cathode is wider than the fourth projecting portion of the cathode.
4. The fuse element assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first projecting portion of the cathode and the second projecting portion of the cathode are equal in width to each other, and the third projecting portion of the cathode and the fourth projecting portion of the cathode are equal in width to each other.
5. The fuse element assembly of claim 1 , wherein the fuse link has a relatively narrow portion adjacent the merge region and a relatively wide portion further away from the merge region.
6. A fuse element assembly comprising:
a first cathode projection extending in a first direction;
a second cathode projection branching from the first cathode projection, at least a portion of the second cathode projection extending in the first direction; the first cathode projection and the at least a portion of the second cathode projection having a first offset therebetween in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; and
a third cathode projection branching from the first cathode projection, at least a portion of the third cathode projection extending in a direction opposite to the first cathode projection;
a fourth cathode projection branching from the second cathode projection and extending in a direction opposite to the second cathode projection, the third and fourth cathode projections having a second offset therebetween in the second direction.
7. The fuse element assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first offset is less than to the second offset.
8. An apparatus comprising:
a first electrode configured to be supplied with a first voltage;
a second electrode;
a third electrode; and
a fuse element assembly including a first region coupled to the first electrode, a second region coupled to the second electrode and a third region coupled to the third electrode, the fuse element assembly having a cathode that has a first end comprising the first region, the first end being divided into two projections with each projection being independently connected to the first electrode; the cathode further having a second end having two projections that independently connect to the second electrode; the fuse element assembly further comprising an anode comprising the third region and connected to the third electrode and a fuse fink extending between, the second region and the third region.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to be operated independently relative to one another.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising first, second and third contacts provided on the first, second and third electrodes, respectively.