LOW VOLTAGE METAL GATE ANTIFUSE WITH DEPLETION MODE MOSFET

• Main Author: LI YAN-ZUN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 27.12.2012
• Subjects: INFORMATION STORAGE; PHYSICS; STATIC STORES

An antifuse according to an embodiment of the invention herein can include a depletion mode metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) having a conduction channel and a metal gate overlying the conduction channel. A cathode and an anode of the antifuse can be electrically coupled to the gate and spaced apart from one another in a direction the gate extends, such that the antifuse is programmable by driving a programming current between the cathode and the anode to cause material of the metal gate to migrate away. The gate may be configured such that, under appropriate biasing conditions, when the antifuse is unprogrammed, the conduction channel is turned on unless a voltage above a first threshold voltage is applied to the gate to turn off the conduction channel. The gate can be configured such that when the antifuse has been programmed, the conduction channel remains turned on even if a voltage above the first threshold voltage is applied between the gate and a source region of the MOSFET.