Patent ID: 8350264

Claim:
An antifuse, comprising: a unitary monocrystalline semiconductor body including first and second semiconductor regions each having the same first conductivity type being one of n-type or p-type, and a third semiconductor region between the first and second semiconductor regions having a second conductivity type being one of n-type or p-type, the second conductivity type being opposite the first conductivity type; an anode and a cathode electrically connected with the first semiconductor region; a region including at least one of a metal, a conductive compound or an alloy of a metal contacting the first semiconductor region and extending between the cathode and anode; and a contact electrically connected with the second semiconductor region, the antifuse being adapted such that application of a programming voltage between the anode and the cathode heats the first semiconductor region sufficiently to reach a temperature which drives a dopant outwardly therefrom, causing an edge of the first semiconductor region to move closer to an adjacent edge of the second semiconductor region, thus permanently reducing electrical resistance between the first and second semiconductor regions by one or more orders of magnitude.