A closed-loop system for extracting programming parameters in breakdown-based OTP memory
File(s)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Ozbek, Berkay
Constandinou, Tim
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Breakdown-based one-time-programmable (OTP) concepts such as gate-oxide antifuses are attractive for compact, logic-compatible storage of immutable security credentials and calibration data. However, dielectric breakdown exhibits strong sensitivity to oxide thickness, defect statistics, and stress history, making fixed worst case programming recipes inefficient and potentially overstress-prone. This article presents an autonomous programming-parameter extraction system that identifies a die-specific programming-voltage and pulsewidth pair using a closed-loop current-trip condition and a self-regulating high-voltage (HV) charge-pump generator. The proposed system performs an ordered 2-D search over quantized voltage and time candidates, freezes the programming word at the first verified conduction event. Fabricated in 180 nm CMOS, the prototype demonstrates quantized programming-voltage generation from 5.2 to 12.5V, programmable stress windows of 14.2, 28.2, and 56.7ms, and 363 μW full-cycle search power. Measurements using actual antifuse test structures show a breakdown event at 8.97V after 13.8ms within the second 14.2ms candidate window. With a 1mA current clamp, numerical integration over the measured 400 μs postbreakdown connected interval gives a post-trip stress energy of 0.985 μJ .
Date Issued
2026-07-10
Date Acceptance
2026-06-17
Citation
IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems, 2026
ISSN
1063-8210
Publisher
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Journal / Book Title
IEEE Transactions on Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) Systems
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2026, IEEE. This is the author’s accepted manuscript made available under a CC-BY licence in accordance with Imperial’s Research Publications Open Access policy (www.imperial.ac.uk/oa-policy)
License URL
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2026-07-10