Crack stop between neighboring fuses for protection from fuse blow damage

Year	Description
1999	Invention patented by Chandrasekhar Narayan, Edward W. Kiewra, Carl J. Radens, and Axel C. Brintzinger on January 3rd, 1999. Abstract: A fuse structure in an integrated circuit chip is described that includes an insulated semiconductor substrate; a fuse bank integral to the insulated semiconductor substrate consisting of a plurality of parallel co-planar fuse links; and voids interspersed between each pair of the fuse links, the voids extending beyond a plane defined by the co-planar fuse links. The voids surrounding the spot to be hit by a laser beam during fuse blow operation act as a crack stop to prevent damage to adjacent circuit elements or other fuse links present. By suitably shaping and positioning the voids, a tighter pitch between fuses may be obtained.
Source: selected by the editor from original sources.

Invention: Crack stop between neighboring fuses for protection from fuse blow damage