Abstract: An improved technique for blowing conductive links with a laser provides for a wider range of acceptable laser energies. The link in an upper interconnect level is placed on a pedestal, typically formed by etching away a thin layer of the underlying dielectric on which the conductive link is formed. A link in a lower interconnect level thereby has the thickness of the dielectric overlying it reduced. This has been found to reduce the minimum laser energy required to cleanly blow the links in both levels and to reduce the effect of link orientation on the required laser energy.