Patent ID: 8143695

Claim:
A fuse structure for a semiconductor integrated circuit (IC), the fuse structure comprising: a first node comprising a region of a metal layer of an IC manufacturing process; a second node comprising a region of a conductive layer below the metal layer of the first node; a fuse link, comprising a conductive material, positioned substantially perpendicular to each of the metal and conductive layers, wherein an upper end of the fuse link couples to the first node and a lower end of the fuse link, that is distal to the upper end, couples to the second node; wherein the second node has rectangular surface perpendicular to the fuse link; a plurality of contacts coupled to the second node and disposed in a u-shaped arrangement, wherein: the u-shaped arrangement at least partially surrounds three sides of the fuse link, and each contact is substantially perpendicular to each of the metal and conductive layers.