Fuses for integrated circuits and semiconductor devices, methods for making
and using the same, and semiconductor devices containing the same. The semiconductor
fuse contains two conductive layers, an overlying and underlying layer, on an insulating
substrate. The underlying layer comprises titanium nitride and the overlying layer
comprises tungsten silicide. The semiconductor fuse may be fabricated during manufacture
of a local interconnect structure containing the same materials. The fuse, which
may be used to program redundant circuitry, is blown by electrical current rather
than laser beams, thus allowing the fuse width to be smaller than prior art fuses
blown by laser beams. The fuse may also be blown by less electrical current than
the current required to blow conventional polysilicon fuses having similar dimensions.
