Programmable anti-fuse structures, methods for fabricating programmable anti-fuse structures, and methods of programming anti-fuse structures

摘要

Programmable anti-fuse structures for semiconductor device constructions, fabrication methods for forming anti-fuse structures during semiconductor device fabrication, and programming methods for anti-fuse structures. The programmable anti-fuse structure comprises first and second terminals and an anti-fuse layer electrically coupled with the first and second terminals. An electrically-conductive diffusion layer is disposed between the first terminal and the anti-fuse layer. The diffusion layer inhibits diffusion of conductive material from the first terminal to the anti-fuse layer when the anti-fuse structure is unprogrammed, but permits diffusion of the conductive material when a programming voltage is applied between the first and second terminals during operation. Advantageously, the first terminal may be composed of metal and the anti-fuse layer may be composed of a semiconductor. The methods of fabricating the anti-fuse structure do not require an additional lithographic mask but instead rely on damascene process steps used to fabricate interconnection structures for neighboring active devices.