Patent ID: 6960819

Claim:
A one-time programming memory element, capable of being manufactured in a 0.13 μm or below CMOS technology, comprising: a capacitor having an oxide layer capable of passing direct gate tunneling current; a write switch including a first switch transistor coupled between a first voltage and a first terminal of said capacitor and a second switch transistor coupled between a second voltage and a second terminal of said capacitor, said first and second switch transistors each having a gate oxide layer that is thicker than said capacitor oxide layer so as to have a voltage tolerance higher than that of said capacitor oxide layer, wherein closing said first and second switch transistors causes application of a voltage across said capacitor oxide layer; and a read switch including plural transistors coupled to said capacitor, each read switch transistor having a gate oxide layer that is thicker than said capacitor oxide layer so as to have a voltage tolerance higher than that of said capacitor oxide layer; wherein said capacitor is one-time programmable as an anti-fuse by application of said voltage across said capacitor oxide layer via said write switch transistors to cause direct gate tunneling current to rupture said capacitor oxide layer to form a conductive path having resistance of approximately hundreds of ohms or less.