Patent ID: 7429780

Claim:
A semiconductor device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; and a fuse circuit disposed on the semiconductor substrate, and which comprises a first conductive region and a second conductive region, wherein the first conductive region has a multi-layered structure, and the second conductive region has a less layered structure than the first conductive region; wherein the first conductive region include a plurality of conductive layers, and a respective interlayer insulating layer disposed between respective adjacent ones of the conductive layers; wherein said fuse circuit comprises first and second electrode pads, and a conductive line extending from said first electrode pad to said second electrode pad, said first conductive region and said second conductive region collectively forming said conductive line, and being disposed between said first and second electrode pads; and wherein electric current flows from said first conductive pad, through the conductive line, and to said second conductive pad, respectively, and wherein when the electric current exceeds a threshold level, the second conductive region melts, to prevent the flow of the electric current.