Patent Document

This application relies for priority upon Korean Patent Application No. 2000-61257, filed on Oct. 18, 2000, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to semiconductor integrated circuit devices, and more particularly to a fuse circuit employed in a semiconductor integrated circuit. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   As the storage capacity of integrated circuit memories continues to increase through higher integration, associated memory cell defects rise accordingly, due to increased complexity in manufacturing processes, leading to degradation of production yield. In general, it is difficult to render a memory device having no defective cells. Therefore, various attempts have been made to improve the production yields of the highly integrated memory devices. 
   It is preferable to improve the manufacturing process to suppress the generation of the defective cells; but there are limitations. Thus, other ways for improving production yields in large integrated circuit memories have been proposed. One of the ways for enhancing production yield is a redundancy technique for which a constitution of the memory device is designed to repair defective regions born therein during the manufacturing process. According to the redundancy technique, a main memory cell array for storing binary data is arranged together with an array formed of redundant memory cells to implement the defective cells in rows and columns. 
   In general, a redundant cell array can be classified as a row redundant array for substituting defective cells in rows, or as a column redundant array for substituting defective cells in columns. Substituting the defective cells with redundant cells is accomplished by storing defective addresses, i.e. information on positions of the defective cells, and by determining whether or not the defective addresses are identical with external addresses. Such circuits, along with the redundant cell array, compose a redundancy circuit, providing a memory device capable of operating normally, free from invalid operations due to the defective cells. 
   In a memory device having the redundancy circuit, evaluation of production yield requires detection of detect whether a redundant array is utilized. A technique for storing the repair information is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,677,917 entitled “Integrated Circuit Memory Using Fusible Links In A Scan Chain” by Wheelus et. Al. on Oct. 14, 1997. 
     FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a fuse circuit disclosed in Wheelus. Referring to  FIG. 1 , the fuse circuit is formed of a fuse  10 , N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (NMOS) transistors  12  and  14 , and inverters  16  and  18 . The fuse  10  is made of polysilicon that is able to be cut out, or otherwise opened, by a laser, and connected between power supply voltage VDD and sensing node  15 . The NMOS transistor  12  has a gate coupled to the power supply voltage VDD, and connects the sensing node  15  to ground voltage VSS. The NMOS transistor  14  is connected between the sensing node  15  and the ground voltage VSS. The sensing node  15  is connected to the output terminal of the fuse circuit through inverters  16  and  18 . The gate of the NMOS transistor  14  is coupled to output of inverter  16  (and input of the inverter  18 ). Inverter  16  is connected to drain of NMOS transistors  12  and  14 , and to the gate of NMOS transistor  14 . Inverter  18  is connected to the output terminal of inverter  16 , and provides output signal D. 
   Operation of the fuse circuit shown in  FIG. 1  is described as follows. When the fuse  10  connects the power supply voltage VDD to the sensing node  15  so as to set the output signal D into a high level (i.e., the fuse  10  is not cut out), the power supply voltage VDD is applied to the input terminal of the inverter  16 , and then the inverter  16  provides low level. Thus, the NMOS transistor  14  maintains a non-conductive state, and the inverter  18  provides the signal D at a high level. Meanwhile, if the fuse  10  does not connect the power supply voltage VDD to the sensing node  15 , so as to set the output signal D into low level (i.e., the fuse  10  is cut out), NMOS transistor  12  pulls an output voltage of the inverter  16  down to low level. That is, the NMOS transistor  12  operates as a pull-down transistor. The inverter  16  applies a signal of high level to the gate of NMOS transistor  14  and the input terminal of the inverter  18 . Thus, NMOS transistor  14  becomes conductive to lower the input terminal of the inverter  16  down to low level, and thereby the inverter  18  generates the output signal D at a low level. 
   As described above, a voltage level of the output signal D generated from the conventional fuse circuit is dependent upon a programmed state on the fuse  10 , i.e. whether or not the fuse  10  is cut out. As semiconductor memory device density is increased to scale down topological size of circuit elements including the fuses, the cut out technique for the fuses becomes more and more of a challenge. An incorrect (or failed) cut out of the fuses results in an invalid programming in the fuse circuit, causing degradation of the production yield. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a fuse circuit embedded in semiconductor integrated circuits capable of reducing programming defects, even in the case where a fuse has not been cut out correctly. 
   In order to attain the above objects, according to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fuse circuit of a semiconductor integrated circuit, including a plurality of fuses and a plurality of transmission circuits for transferring signals in response to fuse status. 
   The plurality of fuses have an identical fusing status. Each fuse includes two ends in which one end is connected to power supply voltage. 
   The transmission circuits correspond to the fuses, and each of which includes: a transmission gate having an input terminal, an output terminal, a primary control terminal connected to the other end of a corresponding fuse, and a secondary control terminal; and an inverter having an input terminal connected to the other end of the corresponding fuse and the primary control terminal, and an output terminal connected to the secondary control terminal. 
   Here, the transmission gate includes: a first conductive transistor having a first electrode connected to the input terminal, a control electrode connected to the other end of the corresponding fuse, and a second electrode connected to the output terminal; and a second conductive transistor having a second electrode connected to the input terminal, a control electrode connected to the output terminal of the inverter, and a first electrode connected to the output terminal. Power supply voltage may be applied to the input terminal. 
   Each of the transmission circuits further comprises a resistor where one end is connected to the control electrode of the first conductive transistor and the input terminal of the inverter, and the other end is connected to the power supply voltage. 
   The fuse circuit of the invention includes programmable fuses which store the specific information of the semiconductor integrated circuit such as redundancy information, wafer lot number, die lot number, and die position on the wafer, etc. The fuse circuit in the present invention utilizes a plurality of fuses for storing identical bit information. 
   According to the fuse circuit of the invention, the fuse circuit is able to reduce programming defects, even in cases where the fuses have not been cut out correctly. Thereby, defect generation rates are remarkably decreased. 
   The present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention will be described by way of exemplary embodiments, not to be construed as limitations, illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like references denote similar elements, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a conventional fuse circuit; 
       FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of a fuse circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram showing a plurality of fuse circuits storing specific information of one-bit of a semiconductor integrated circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   It should be understood that the following description of preferred embodiments is merely illustrative and that it should not be taken in a limiting sense. In the following detailed description, several specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
     FIG. 2  is a circuit diagram of a fuse circuit according to an embodiment of the present invention 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the fuse circuit is formed of fuses F 1  and F 2 , transmission gates T 1  and T 2 , inverters I 1  and I 2 , and resistors R 1  and R 2 . The fuses F 1  and F 2  are made of polysilicon, or other metallic materials such as titanium (Ti) or titanium nitride (TiN) that can be cut out by a laser. Each of the fuses F 1  and F 2  is connected between power supply voltage VDD and sensing nodes S 1  and S 2 . The transmission gate T 1  is connected to the fuse F 1 , and includes an input terminal IN 1  connected to the power supply voltage VDD or an input signal, and an output terminal OUT 1 . The other transmission gate T 2  is connected to the fuse F 2 , and includes an input terminal IN 2  connected to the output terminal OUT 1  of the gate T 1 , and an output terminal OUT  2  providing an output signal DO. 
   More specifically, the transmission gate T 1  is formed of a first N-channel metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) transistor MN 1  and a first P-channel MOS transistor MP 1 . The first NMOS transistor MN 1  is connected to a sensing node S 1 , the input terminal IN 1 , and the output terminal OUT  1 . The first PMOS transistor MP 1  is connected to the input terminal IN 1  and the output terminal OUT 1 , and output terminal of the invert I 1 . The transmission gate T 2  includes a second NMOS transistor MN 2  and a second PMOS transistor MP 2 . The second NMOS transistor MN 2  is connected to the input terminal IN 2 , the sensing node S 2 , and the output terminal OUT 2 . The second PMOS transistor MP 2  is connected to the input terminal IN 2 , the output terminal OUT 2 , and output terminal of the inverter I 2 . 
   The inverter I 1  is connected to the sensing node S 1  and the gate of the first PMOS transistor PM 1 . The inverter I 2  is connected to the sensing node S 2  and the gate of the second PMOS transistor MP 2 . 
   The resistor R 1  includes two ends in which one end is connected to the sensing node S 1 , and the other end is connected to ground voltage VSS. The resistor R 2  includes two ends in which one end is connected to the sensing node S 2 , and the other end is connected to the ground voltage VSS. 
   The fuse circuit having the foregoing configuration stores one bit of the specific information of the semiconductor integrated circuit, and the fuses F 1  and F 2  are established in the identical status substantially. Briefly, the output signal DO is programmed to high level when the fuses F 1  and F 2  are not cut out, while the output signal DO is programmed to low level when the fuses F 1  and F 2  are cut out. 
   When both the fuses F 1  and F 2  are not cut out to establish high-leveled programmed status, the power supply voltage VDD is applied to the gate of the first NMOS transistor MN 1  and to the input terminal of the inverter I 1 , through the fuse F 1 , and then the inverter I 1  generates low level. Thus, the transmission gate T 1  is enabled, so that the power supply voltage VDD or an input signal applied to the input terminal IN 1  is transferred to the output terminal OUT 1 . Meanwhile, the power supply voltage VDD is applied to the gate of the second NMOS transistor MN 2  and to the input terminal of the inverter  12 , through the fuse F 2 , and then the inverter I 2  generates low level. Similarly, if both fuses F 1  and F 2  connect the power supply voltage VDD to the sensing nodes S 1  and S 2  to set the output signal DO into high level, the power supply voltage VDD, or an input signal, is provided to the output signal DO by way of the transmission gates T 1  and T 2 . 
   When both the fuses F 1  and F 2  are cut out to establish low-leveled programmed status, the gates of the first and second NMOS transistors MN 1  and MN 2 , and the input terminals of the inverters I 1  and I 2  are respectively connected to the ground voltage VSS through the resistors R 1  and R 2 . Thus, the transmission gates T 1  and T 2  are disabled, so that the signals provided from the input terminals thereof are not transferred to the output terminals. 
   The resistors R 1  and R 2 , having large resistance values, prevent the gates of the NMOS transistors MN 1  and MN 2 , and the input terminals of the inverters I 1  and I 2  from being situated in floating states. 
   If only one of the two fuses F 1 , F 2 , e.g., fuse F 1 , is cut out, the operation is as follows. Due to the fuse F 1  being cut out, the gate of the first NMOS transistor MN 1  and the input terminal of the inverter I 1  are connected to the ground voltage VSS through resistor R 1 . Thus, the transmission gate T 1  does not transfer an input signal provided through the input terminal IN 1  to the output terminal OUT 1 . While, as the fuse F 2  is not cut out, the power supply voltage VDD is applied to the gate of the second NMOS transistor MN 2  and to the input terminal of the inverter I 2 . Thus, the transmission gate T 2  provides an input signal provided through the input terminal IN 2  to the output terminal OUT 2 . However, the power supply voltage VDD or the input signal is not provided as the output signal DO because of the transmission gate T 1  being disabled. 
   The conventional fuse circuit storing specific information of the semiconductor integrated circuit stores only one-bit information in one fuse. Therefore, if the fuse is supposed to be cut, but is not, the output signal becomes invalid to cause a malfunction for mode establishment, and there is no way to correct to the disorder. 
   However, the fuse circuit of the present invention employs two redundant fuses F 1  and F 2  to store the one-bit information. If at least one of the fuses F 1  and F 2  is cut out, the input signal is not provided as the output signal. Hence, the process of fuse cutting is considered to be accomplished with substantial mitigation of, or complete elimination of, error. In other words, the fuse circuit of the present invention reduces defect generation rates for defects arising from the process of fuse cutting, as compared to the defect rates in conventional fuse configurations ( FIG. 1 ) that are dependent on proper cutting of a single, unique fuse. 
   While the fuse circuit shown in  FIG. 2  is used for storing one-bit information, it is possible to increment the number of the fuse circuits (e.g., N-numbered fuse circuits) in order to store a multiplicity of information bits (e.g., N-bit information) 
     FIG. 3  is a circuit diagram showing a plurality of fuse circuits storing specific information of one-bit of the semiconductor integrated circuit according to another embodiment of the present invention. In the fuse circuit shown in  FIG. 3 , a plurality of fuses F 1  through Fn store the identical bit information. Comparing to the fuse circuit employing two fuses F 1  and F 2  shown  FIG. 2 , the plurality of fuses F 1 ˜Fn reduce the error generation rates even further. 
   According to the present invention, in a fuse circuit storing the specific information of the semiconductor integrated circuit, programming defects arising from the process of cutting of fuses can be reduced. 
   Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention can be practiced in a manner other than as specifically described herein.

Technology Category: g