NON-VOLATILE MEMORY CELL HAVING MULRTIPLE SIGNAL PATHWAYS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO AN ANTIFUSE OF THE MEMORY CELL

摘要

A non-volatile memory cell, having an antifuse for storing data, is disclosed for use in a non-volatile data storage device. The non-volatile memory cell includes multiple redundant signal pathways to provide redundant access to the antifuse. During operation, the non-volatile memory cell can access the antifuse using a first signal pathway from among the multiple redundant signal pathways. However, when the first signal pathway is inoperable, the non-volatile memory cell is able to access the antifuse using a second signal pathway from among the multiple redundant signal pathways. The non-volatile memory cell is fabricated using a continuous region of one or more diffusion layers to allow efficient connection to other non-volatile memory cells to form an array of memory cells for the non-volatile data storage device.

主权项

1. A memory cell, comprising:
an antifuse; and memory access circuitry having a first biasing transistor and a second biasing transistor serially coupled to the antifuse and a first access transistor and a second access transistor serially coupled to the first biasing transistor and the second biasing transistor, respectively, wherein the first access transistor and the first biasing transistor form a first signal pathway and the second access transistor and the second biasing transistor form a second signal pathway, and wherein the antifuse is configured to be programmed by rupturing the antifuse causing current to flow from the antifuse through the first signal pathway or through the second signal pathway.