Patent ID: 7345904
Filing Date: 2008-03-18
Classification: G11C,H01L

Abstract:
1. A method of programming an electronically programmable semiconductor fuse, comprising steps of: providing a semiconductor fuse structure including a first conductive area and a second conductive area coupled by a fuse link; providing a current supply operatively coupled to the semiconductor fuse, the current supply being capable of producing a gate voltage and a programming voltage; and applying a programming current from the current supply to the semiconductor fuse as series of multiple pulses, wherein: the fuse link has a nominal maximum programming current and, for a given programming voltage, a nominal maximum gate voltage associated with the nominal maximum programming current; a first programming current pulse is generated using a gate voltage which is less than the nominal maximum gate voltage; and a subsequent programming current pulse is generated using a gate voltage which is greater than the nominal maximum gate voltage.