International Business Machines Corporation
Failure prevention of chip power network

Abstract:

A semiconductor structure is provided. The structure includes a RRAM cell having a first end and a second end. The second end is connected to a first potential. The structure includes a decoupling capacitor having a first end connected in series with the first end of the RRAM cell and a second end connected to a second potential. The structure includes a FET arranged across the capacitor to form a bridged capacitor by having a FET source connected to the first end of the capacitor and a FET drain connected to the second end of the capacitor. A paired activation and subsequent deactivation of the FET enables a short protection mode of the capacitor that provides a series resistance above a threshold amount, between the second potential and the first end of the RRAM cell, responsive to a detected short of the capacitor from the supply to the first potential.