A semiconductor structure includes a semiconductor device (e.g., an e-fuse or photonic device) and a metallic heating element adjacent thereto. The heating element has a lower portion within a middle of the line (MOL) dielectric layer adjacent to the semiconductor device and an upper portion with a tapered top end that extends into a back end of the line (BEOL) dielectric layer. A method of forming the semiconductor structure includes forming a cavity such that it has both a lower section, which extends from a top surface of a MOL dielectric layer downward toward a semiconductor device, and an upper section, which extends from the top surface of the MOL dielectric layer upward and which is capped by an area of a BEOL dielectric layer having a concave bottom surface. A metallic fill material can then be deposited into the cavity (e.g., through via openings) to form the heating element.

Structures for an electronic fuse and methods of forming an electronic fuse. The structure includes a first terminal, a second terminal, and a fuse link extending from the first terminal to the second terminal. The structure further includes a silicide layer having a first portion included in the fuse link and a second portion included in the first terminal and the second terminal. The first portion of the silicide layer has a first thickness, the second portion of the silicide layer has a second thickness, and the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

A method of making a semiconductor device includes electrically connecting a component to a first side of a first fuse, wherein the first fuse is a first distance from the component. The method further includes electrically connecting the component to a first side of a second fuse, wherein the second fuse is a second distance from the component, and the second distance is different than the first distance. The method further includes electrically connecting a second side of the second fuse to a dummy vertical interconnect segment.

A semiconductor circuit and semiconductor device for determining status of a fuse element are provided. The semiconductor circuit includes a configurable reference resistor unit with a first terminal receiving a first power signal and a second terminal electrically coupled to the fuse element. The semiconductor circuit also includes a latch circuit for reading a first status signal of a first node between the configurable reference resistor unit and the fuse element. The configurable reference resistor unit includes a first resistor, a first transistor connected in parallel with the first resistor, and a first configurable unit connected to a gate of the first transistor. The first configurable unit is configured to generate a first configurable signal to be provided to the gate of the first transistor.

In a semiconductor device, a device structure is positioned over a substrate, where the device structure includes devices. A wiring structure of the semiconductor device is positioned over the substrate and coupled to at least one of the devices. The wiring structure includes at least one of programmable lines and programmable vertical interconnects, where the programmable lines extend along a top surface of the substrate and the programmable vertical interconnects extend along a vertical direction perpendicular to the top surface of the substrate. The programmable lines and the programmable vertical interconnects include a programmable material having a modifiable resistivity in that the programmable lines and the programmable vertical interconnects change between being conductive and being non-conductive in responsive to a current pattern delivered to the programmable lines and the programmable vertical interconnects.

An integrated circuit (IC) device includes a transistor and a metal fuse structure including a metal fuse electrically connected to the transistor, and a first metal line in parallel with the metal fuse and adjacent to a first portion of the metal fuse in a first direction. The first portion has a first width, and the metal fuse includes a second portion having a second width larger than the first width, and a first contour between the first and second portions and aligned with a first end of the first metal line.

Provided is a semiconductor device, including: a first electrode layer including a first wiring member and a second electrode layer including a second wiring member, the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer being disposed to face each other; a semiconductor element disposed in a gap between the first and second electrode layers, and electrically connected to the first and second electrode layers; and a via disposed in the gap between the first and second electrode layers, electrically connected to the first and second electrode layers, and configured to detect a state of the semiconductor element by being fractured at a predetermined temperature and losing electric connection.

The present application discloses a semiconductor device with a programmable unit and a method for fabricating the semiconductor device. The semiconductor device includes a substrate comprising a first region and a second region; a first semiconductor element positioned in the first region of the substrate; a second semiconductor element positioned in the first region of the substrate and electrically coupled to the first semiconductor element; and a programmable unit positioned in the second region and electrically connected to the first semiconductor element.

In the present disclosure, a semiconductor structure includes an Mx-1 layer including a first dielectric layer and first metal features, wherein the first metal features include a first set of first metal features in a first region and a second set of first metal features in a second region, wherein the first set has a first pattern density and the second set has a second pattern density being greater than the first pattern density. The structure further includes a Vx layer disposed over the Mx-1 layer, the Vx layer including first vias contacting the first set of the first metal features. The structure further includes an Mx layer disposed over the Vx layer, the Mx layer including a fuse element, wherein the fuse element has a first thickness in the first region less than a second thickness in the second region.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a one-time program memory device that includes a source-line arranged over a bottom dielectric layer. Further, a bit-line is arranged directly over the source-line in a first direction. A channel isolation structure is arranged between the source-line and the bit-line. A channel structure is also arranged between the source-line and the bit-line and is arranged beside the channel isolation structure in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A vertical gate electrode extends in the first direction from the bottom dielectric layer to the bit-line and is arranged beside the channel isolation structure in the second direction. The one-time program memory device further includes a gate dielectric layer arranged between the vertical gate electrode and the bit-line, the source-line, and the channel structure.