Semiconductor device having relief circuit for relieving defective portion

Abstract

A semiconductor device includes a relief-subject circuit, a relief circuit, and a plurality of fuse elements. The relief-subject circuit implements a predetermined function. The relief circuit is provided to relieve the relief-subject circuit in order to implement the predetermined function. The plurality of fuse elements are provided corresponding to the relief circuit in order to replace the relief-subject circuit with the relief circuit, thus storing information to specify the relief-subject circuit when this relief-subject circuit is replaced by the relief circuit.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
     
     
         10 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 a relief-subject circuit which implements a predetermined function;    a first fuse element which stores information to specify the relief-subject circuit, using a first method;    a second fuse element which stores information to specify the relief-subject circuit, using a second method; and    a relief circuit which implements the predetermined function instead of the relief-subject circuit which is specified by the information which is stored in either the first fuse element or the second fuse element, the first fuse element and the second fuse element having the relief circuit commonly.    
     
     
         11 . A semiconductor device comprising: 
 a plurality of relief-subject circuits which implement a predetermined function;    first and second relief circuits which are provided to relieve first and second defective relief-subject circuits of the plurality of relief-subject circuits, the first and second relief circuits implementing the predetermined function;    a first fuse element which stores information to specify the first defective relief-subject circuit when the first defective relief-subject circuit is replaced by the first relief circuit, the first fuse element being provided corresponding to the first relief circuit; and    a second fuse element which stores information to specify the second defective relief-subject circuit when the second defective relief-subject circuit is replaced by the second relief circuit, the second fuse element being provided corresponding to the second relief circuit.    
     
     
         12 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 the first fuse element includes metal fuses which store information which is obtained by disconnecting the metal fuse by laser; and    the second fuse element includes electrical fuses which store information which is obtained by disconnecting the electrical fuse electrically by voltage application.    
     
     
         13 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the first fuse element includes metal fuses which store information which is obtained by disconnecting the metal fuse by laser; and    the second fuse element includes electrical fuses which store information which is obtained by disconnecting the electrical fuse electrically by voltage application.    
     
     
         14 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 10 , wherein each of the first and second fuse elements has a plurality of bits, the plurality of bits including a bit which indicates that the relief-subject circuit is already replaced by the relief circuit using the fuse element.  
     
     
         15 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of bits include a bit which indicates that the relief circuit is defective.  
     
     
         16 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 15 , wherein the bit which indicates that the relief circuit is defective is included in either of the first and second fuse elements.  
     
     
         17 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a decision circuit which decides whether the relief-subject circuit is already replaced by the relief circuit using either of the first and second fuse elements.  
     
     
         18 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 11 , further comprising a decision circuit which decides whether the relief-subject circuit is already replaced by the relief circuit using either of the first and second fuse elements.  
     
     
         19 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a decision circuit which decides which one of the first and second fuse elements has been used to replace the relief-subject circuit with the relief circuit.  
     
     
         20 . The semiconductor device according to  claim 10 , further comprising a decision circuit which decides whether the relief circuit is defective.