Patent ID: 7009891

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 the capacitor and a second switch transistor coupled between a second voltage and a second terminal of the capacitor, the first and second switch transistors each having a voltage tolerance higher than that of the capacitor, wherein enabling the first and second switch transistors causes application of a program voltage across the capacitor oxide layer; and a read switch including plural transistors coupled to the capacitor, each read switch transistor having a voltage tolerance higher than that of the capacitor, wherein the capacitor is one-time programmable as an anti-fuse by application of the program voltage via the write switch to cause direct gate tunneling current to rupture the capacitor oxide layer to form a conductive path having resistance of approximately hundreds of ohms or less.