Patent ID: 6913954

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a programmable electronic device, comprising the steps of: providing a transistor, comprising a source, drain, a channel extending between said source and drain and a gate, the source and drain comprising semiconductor material heavily doped with a first dopant within a workpiece, and the gate having a first end, a second end and a region of conductive material disposed between said first end and said second end; coupling a first gate contact to the first end of the gate; coupling a second gate contact to the second end of the gate, such that a selected current passing from the first gate contact through the region of conductive material to the second gate contact will heat the gate and the channel extending between said source and drain to cause outdiffusion of the first dopant from the source and drain into said chancel to permanently alter said channel by forming a conductive region or short between said source and drain; and determining whether a current flows from the source to the drain in the absence of a voltage potential applied to the gate.