Method for fabrication of a semiconductor element and structure thereof
Re-programmable antifuses and structures utilizing re-programmable antifuses are presented herein. Such structures include a configurable interconnect circuit having at least one re-programmable antifuse, wherein the at least one re-programmable antifuse is configured to be programmed to conduct by applying a first voltage across it and is configured to be re-programmed not to conduct by applying second voltage across it, wherein the second voltage is higher than the first voltage. Additionally, the re-programmable antifuses may be configured to a permanently conductive state by applying an even higher voltage across it.
1. An integrated circuit device comprising:
a configurable interconnect circuit comprising at least one antifuse;
wherein the at least one antifuse is configured to be programmed to be conducting by applying a first voltage across it and is configured to be re-programmed to be non-conducting by applying second voltage across it; and
wherein the at least one antifuse is further configured to be permanently conducting by applying a third voltage across it;
wherein the third voltage is higher than the first voltage or the second voltage.
2. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the configurable interconnect circuit further comprises:
a first layer of conductive first strips;
an insulation layer; and
a second layer of conductive second strips;
wherein the conductive second strips are arranged in a substantially perpendicular orientation to the conductive first strips.
3. The integrated circuit device of claim 2 , wherein the insulation layer includes the at least one antifuse; and
wherein the at least one antifuse is in a region directly above the conductive first strips and directly below the conductive second strips.
4. The integrated circuit device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one antifuse comprises SiO x ; and
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2.
5. The integrated circuit device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one antifuse comprises more than one layer of SiO x ;
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2; and
wherein the value of x is not the same in each layer of SiO x .
6. The integrated circuit device of claim 3 , wherein the at least one antifuse comprises carbon.
7. The integrated circuit device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one antifuse further comprises a sacrificial layer.
8. The integrated circuit device of claim 2 , wherein the second layer of conductive second strips further comprises at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to the conductive second strips.
9. The integrated circuit device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse comprises SiO x ;
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2.
10. The integrated circuit device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse comprises more than one layer of SiO x ;
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2; and
wherein the value of x is not the same in each layer of SiO x .
11. The integrated circuit device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse comprises carbon.
12. The integrated circuit device of claim 11 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse further comprises a sacrificial layer.
13. The integrated circuit device of claim 1 , wherein the second voltage is higher than the first voltage.
14. An integrated circuit device comprising:
a configurable interconnect circuit arranged to be configurable by at least one antifuse;
wherein the at least one antifuse is configured to be activated by applying a first voltage across it and to be programmed to be conducting by then applying a second voltage across it;
wherein the at least one antifuse is further configured be re-programmed to be non-conducting by applying a third voltage across it; and
wherein the at least one antifuse is further configured to be permanently conducting by applying a fourth voltage across it;
wherein the fourth voltage is higher than the first voltage, the second voltage or the third voltage.
15. The integrated circuit device of claim 14 , wherein the configurable interconnect circuit further comprises:
a first layer of conductive first strips;
an insulation layer; and
a second layer of conductive second strips;
wherein the conductive second strips are arranged in a substantially perpendicular orientation with respect to the conductive first strips.
16. The integrated circuit device of claim 15 , wherein the insulation layer includes the at least one antifuse; and
wherein the at least one antifuse is in a region directly above the conductive first strips and directly below the conductive second strips.
17. The integrated circuit device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one antifuse comprises SiO x ; and
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2.
18. The integrated circuit device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one antifuse comprises more than one layer of SiO x ;
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2; and
wherein the value of x is not the same in each layer of SiO x .
19. The integrated circuit device of claim 16 , wherein the at least one antifuse comprises carbon.
20. The integrated circuit device of claim 19 , wherein the at least one antifuse further comprises a sacrificial layer.
21. The integrated circuit device of claim 15 , wherein the second layer further comprises at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse oriented substantially perpendicular with respect to the conductive second strips.
22. The integrated circuit device of claim 21 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse comprises SiO x ;
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2.
23. The integrated circuit device of claim 21 , wherein the at least one re-programmable antifuse comprises more than one layer of SiO x ;
wherein x has a value higher than 1 and less than or equal to 2; and
wherein the value of x is not the same in each layer of SiO x .
24. The integrated circuit device of claim 21 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse comprises carbon.
25. The integrated circuit device of claim 24 , wherein the at least one strip of re-programmable antifuse further comprises a sacrificial layer.
26. The integrated circuit device of claim 14 , wherein the first voltage is higher than the third voltage; and
wherein the third voltage is higher than the second voltage.