Abstract: An antifuse structure includes a sense pad contact region that is separate from an anode contact region and a cathode contact region. By including the sense pad contact region that is separate from the anode contact region and the cathode contact region, a programming current flow when programming the antifuse structure may travel a different pathway than a sense current flow when sensing the antifuse structure. In particular a sense current flow may avoid a depletion region created within the cathode contact region when programming the antifuse structure.

Abstract: A design structure embodied in a machine readable medium used in a design process includes an apparatus for sensing the state of a programmable resistive memory element device, the apparatus further including a latch device coupled to a fuse node and a reference node, the fuse node included within a fuse leg and the reference node configured within a reference resistance leg, the latch device configured to detect a differential signal developed between the reference node and the fuse node as the result of sense current passed through the fuse leg and the reference resistance leg; and the fuse and reference resistance legs further configured for first and second sensing modes, wherein the second sensing mode utilizes a different level of current than the first sensing mode.

Abstract: A method for determining the state of a programmable resistive memory element includes passing a first level of current through a fuse leg and a reference resistance leg of a test circuit including the programmable resistive memory element; detecting a differential signal developed between a reference node and a fuse node of the test circuit as a result of the first level of current; passing a second level of current through the fuse leg and the reference leg of a test circuit, the second level of current being higher than the first level of current so as to enable detection of trip resistance of the test circuit at a lower value than with respect to the first level of current; and detecting a differential signal developed between the reference node and the fuse node of the test circuit as a result of the second level of current.

Abstract: A system and method for achieving enhanced e-fuse programming reliability. By providing an e-fuse device with redundantly coded fuse structures each with a differing fuse size dimension, reliable encoding of a fuse with a programmed bit is enhanced. That is, for each e-fuse device, each of the multiple fuse structures and a corresponding programming devices associated with each fuse structure is dimensioned to achieve the coding redundancy such that one fuse structure of the multiple fuse structures provides for a current flow of sufficient current density to ensure programming reliability of the e-fuse device. In one embodiment, each the corresponding programming transistor device is of substantially identical size and, each fuse structure of the multiple fuse structures is of a different size. Alternately, each fuse structure is of substantially identical size and each programming transistor device is of a different size, thereby ensuring reliable coding over a programmed current range.

Abstract: A sub-circuit based extraction method which extracts a multi-finger MOS transistor directly as a sub-circuit is described. By adding three marking layers, the method provides the layout extracted netlist with a complete list of device geometric parameters corresponding to the device properties as presented in the sub-circuit model based schematic netlist. By performing a layout-versus-schematic comparison based on all geometric parameters extracted, the layout checking is performed in a complete and accurate way where each device parameter is checked against the corresponding design schematic. This complete and accurate geometric parameter comparison enhances the confidence level of the layout physical verification.