Patent ID: 8824114

Claim:
A circuit comprising: a first conductor coupled to a first power supply voltage terminal, wherein the first conductor is surrounded with a first barrier and the first barrier has a first opening that exposes a first area of the first conductor; a second conductor positioned from the first conductor by an insulating material, wherein: the second conductor is surrounded with a second barrier, the second barrier has a second opening that exposes a second area of the second conductor, and the second opening is aligned to the first opening at a first distance between the first conductor and the second conductor whereby a first gap is present between the first conductor and the second conductor between the first opening and the second opening; and a first detect and disconnect circuit having a first terminal coupled to the second conductor and a second terminal coupled to a second power supply voltage terminal, the first detect and disconnect circuit for detecting when the first gap between the first opening and the second opening has been closed by diffusion between the first conductor and the second conductor, wherein the first detect and disconnect circuit comprises: a logic gate having a first input for receiving an ON signal, a second input, and an output; a resistor having a first terminal coupled to the second power supply voltage terminal and a second terminal as an output of the first detect and disconnect circuit coupled to the second input of the logic gate, wherein the resistor is distinct from the first conductor and the second conductor; and a transistor having a first current electrode coupled to the second terminal of the resistor, a second current electrode coupled to the second conductor, and a control electrode coupled to the output of the logic gate.