Granted Patent B2

US 12,740,404 · App. 18/213,612 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Inventor: Reginald D. Bean (Center Point, IA)

Assignee: Rockwell Collins, Inc.

H10W20/491

Abstract

Claims (69)

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

at least one layer of a dielectric material deposited above a first and a second conductive pad set into a substrate, the first conductive pad electrically coupled to an integrated circuit (IC) input, the first and second conductive pads not otherwise electrically coupled to each other;

at least one layer of a conductive alloy deposited above the dielectric layer;

and

at least one layer of an energetic material deposited above the conductive alloy layer, the energetic material coupled to an ignition circuit;

wherein the ignition circuit is configured to trigger a thermal reaction in the energetic material, the thermal reaction generating a thermal energy causing:

1) At least one of melting and removing the at least one dielectric layer;

2) Melting the at least one conductive alloy layer;

and

3) Electrically bridging the first and second conductive pads via the conductive alloy layer;

and wherein the thermal energy generated by the thermal reaction is insufficient to damage the substrate.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the second conductive pad is electrically coupled to a ground;

and

the thermal reaction is configured to ground the IC input by electrically bridging the first and second conductive pads.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the second conductive pad is electrically coupled to a ground;

the IC input is electrically coupled to at least one second IC output via the first conductive pad;

and

the thermal reaction is capable of 1) disabling the electrical coupling of the IC input and the IC output by grounding the at least one second IC output.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:

the IC input is associated with a first IC;

the second conductive pad is electrically coupled to a second IC;

and

the electrical bridge between the first and second ICs is capable of enabling input/output (I/O) between the first and second ICs.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dielectric layer is deposited via at least one of aerosol jet printing, inkjet printing, or screen printing.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dielectric layer is deposited between the first and the second conductive pads.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one dielectric layer is deposited over the first and the second conductive pads.

8 . An apparatus, comprising:

a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad set into a substrate, the first conductive pad electrically coupled to an integrated circuit (IC) input, the first and second conductive pads not otherwise electrically coupled to each other;

at least one layer of a dielectric material deposited above the first and second conductive pads;

at least one layer of an energetic material deposited above the dielectric layer, the energetic material coupled to an ignition circuit;

and

at least one layer of a conductive alloy deposited above the energetic layer;

wherein the ignition circuit is configured to trigger a thermal reaction in the energetic material, the thermal reaction generating a thermal energy causing:

1) At least one of melting and removing the at least one dielectric layer and the at least one energetic layer;

2) Melting the at least one conductive alloy layer;

and

3) Electrically bridging the first and second conductive pads via the conductive alloy layer;

and

wherein the thermal energy generated by the thermal reaction is insufficient to damage the substrate.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the second conductive pad is electrically coupled to a ground;

and

the thermal reaction is configured to ground the IC input by electrically bridging the first and second conductive pads.

10 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the second conductive pad is electrically coupled to a ground;

the IC input is electrically coupled to at least one second IC output via the first conductive pad;

and

the thermal reaction is capable of 1) disabling the electrical coupling of the IC input and the IC output by grounding the at least one second IC output.

11 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein:

the IC input is associated with a first IC;

the second conductive pad is electrically coupled to a second IC;

and

the electrical bridge between the first and second ICs is capable of enabling input/output (I/O) between the first and second ICs.

12 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one dielectric layer is deposited via at least one of aerosol jet printing, inkjet printing, or screen printing.

13 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one dielectric layer is deposited between the first and the second conductive pads.

14 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the at least one dielectric layer is deposited over the first and the second conductive pads.

15 . A method for forming an anti-fuse on an apparatus, the method comprising:

depositing a layer of a dielectric material over a portion of a substrate, the portion including a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad set thereinto, the first conductive pad electrically coupled to an integrated circuit (IC) input, the first and second conductive pads not otherwise electrically coupled to each other;

depositing a layer of a conductive alloy over the dielectric layer;

depositing, via an additive manufacturing method, at least one layer of an energetic material over a portion of the conductive alloy layer;

connecting the at least one layer of the energetic material to an ignition circuit, the ignition circuit configured to trigger a thermal reaction in the at least one energetic layer, the thermal reaction generating a thermal energy causing:

1) At least one of melting and removing the at least one dielectric layer;

2) Melting the at least one conductive alloy layer;

and

3) Electrically bridging the first and second conductive pads via the conductive alloy layer:

and

wherein the thermal energy generated by the thermal reaction is insufficient to damage the substrate.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (25)