Patents by Inventor Kook Whee Kwak

Kook Whee Kwak has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8373255
    Abstract: A diode comprises a P-type well formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least one N-type impurity doping area formed in the P-type well, an isolation area formed to surround the N-type impurity doping area, a P-type impurity doping area formed to surround the isolation area, first contacts formed in the N-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, and second contacts formed in the P-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, wherein pin resistance can be adjusted through changing any one of a distance between the N-type impurity doping area and the P-type impurity doping area, a contact pitch between the first contacts, and a contact pitch between the second contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: SK Hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Publication number: 20120292737
    Abstract: A diode comprises a P-type well formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least one N-type impurity doping area formed in the P-type well, an isolation area formed to surround the N-type impurity doping area, a P-type impurity doping area formed to surround the isolation area, first contacts formed in the N-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, and second contacts formed in the P-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, wherein pin resistance can be adjusted through changing any one of a distance between the N-type impurity doping area and the P-type impurity doping area, a contact pitch between the first contacts, and a contact pitch between the second contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: SK HYNIX INC.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 8253223
    Abstract: A diode comprises a P-type well formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least one N-type impurity doping area formed in the P-type well, an isolation area formed to surround the N-type impurity doping area, a P-type impurity doping area formed to surround the isolation area, first contacts formed in the N-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, and second contacts formed in the P-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, wherein pin resistance can be adjusted through changing any one of a distance between the N-type impurity doping area and the P-type impurity doping area, a contact pitch between the first contacts, and a contact pitch between the second contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: SK hynix Inc.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Publication number: 20120119320
    Abstract: A diode comprises a P-type well formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least one N-type impurity doping area formed in the P-type well, an isolation area formed to surround the N-type impurity doping area, a P-type impurity doping area formed to surround the isolation area, first contacts formed in the N-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, and second contacts formed in the P-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, wherein pin resistance can be adjusted through changing any one of a distance between the N-type impurity doping area and the P-type impurity doping area, a contact pitch between the first contacts, and a contact pitch between the second contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 8050003
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electrostatic discharge protection circuit. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit of the present invention includes a transfer unit that transfers electrostaticity from at least one of a plurality of input/output pads to a boost bus line, a trigger unit that responds to the electrostaticity transferred via the boost bus line to detect a trigger voltage and apply it to a trigger bus line, and a plurality of clamp units that are connected between the input/output pads and an internal circuit. The clamp units are triggered by the trigger voltage of the trigger unit to discharge electrostaticity of the input/output pads to a first or second power supply voltage line, thereby safely protecting the internal circuit from electrostatic damage and lowering the operating voltage of the clamp unit with minimum costs without increasing an area of the electrostatic discharge protective circuit within a semiconductor integrated circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 8035937
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge device has relatively superior characteristics for protecting a gate insulation layer of an input buffer transistor of a semiconductor device from static electricity while minimizing signal delay. The electrostatic discharge circuit includes a main electrostatic discharge section configured to discharge static electricity inputted to an input/output pad to at least one voltage line, an input impedance section configured to adjust an amount of current flowing from the input/output pad depending upon a frequency of an input signal of the input/output pad, an auxiliary electrostatic discharge section connected to the input impedance section and configured to discharge the static electricity inputted to the input/output pad to the at least one voltage line, and an input buffer connected between the auxiliary electrostatic discharge section and an internal circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kook-Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 7876541
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit protects a gate oxide of elements in an internal circuit against ESD. During an ESD test, if the sum of driving voltages of ESD protectors connected between a power pad and a ground pad is higher than the gate oxide breakdown voltage of elements in the internal circuit, the structure of the ESD protector is changed or another ESD protector is additionally provided so as to protect the gate oxide of the elements in the internal circuit against ESD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Eon Moon, Dae Gwan Kang, Kook Whee Kwak, Nak Heon Choi, Si Woo Lee, Hee Jeong Son, Yun Suk, Seong Hoon Jeong, Joon Won Lee
  • Patent number: 7839613
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit protects the internal circuits of a semiconductor. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes a first electrostatic protection unit connected to a power source supply pad. The first electrostatic protection unit discharges an ESD current into the power source supply pad when an ESD is introduced into the input/output pad, and generates a first driving voltage by utilizing the ESD current flow through a voltage-drop unit. A driver driven by the first driving voltage generates a second driving voltage by an ESD current. A second electrostatic protection unit discharges the introduced ESD current into the power source supply pad by the second driving voltage such that a voltage applied to a gate of the first NMOS transistor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kook Whee Kwak, Nak Heon Choi
  • Patent number: 7838941
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic discharge protection device that has a low trigger voltage and protects an internal circuit from electrostatic discharge. The ESD protection device includes an NMOS transistor in which a first pad and a drain are connected to each other and a second pad and a source are connected to each other. A capacitor in which an end is connected to the first pad and the other end is connected to a gate of the NMOS transistor and a substrate contact of the NMOS transistor. The ESD protection devices also includes a resistor in which an end is connected to the second pad and the other end is connected to the capacitor. The first pad may be a power pad and the second pad may be a ground pad. Alternately, the first pad may be an input/output pad and the second pad may be a ground pad.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 7808046
    Abstract: The electrostatic protection device includes a semiconductor substrate having a well formed therein. At least two sets of transistor fingers, for example the NMOS type, are spaced apart from each other. Each set of the MOS fingers includes multiple gates arranged in parallel to each other in one direction, and sources and drains alternately arranged at both sides of the gates in the semiconductor substrate. A well pickup surrounding every set of the transistor fingers and extending between any two set of the fingers is formed. Metal wires are connected to at least two portions of each of the drains and are also connected to an input/output pad to which Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) excessive current is introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Yoon Sung Lee, Kook Whee Kwak
  • Publication number: 20100219476
    Abstract: The electrostatic protection device includes a semiconductor substrate having a well formed therein. At least two sets of transistor fingers, for example the NMOS type, are spaced apart from each other. Each set of the MOS fingers includes multiple gates arranged in parallel to each other in one direction, and sources and drains alternately arranged at both sides of the gates in the semiconductor substrate. A well pickup surrounding every set of the transistor fingers and extending between any two set of the fingers is formed. Metal wires are connected to at least two portions of each of the drains and are also connected to an input/output pad to which Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) excessive current is introduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Yoon Sung LEE, Kook Whee KWAK
  • Publication number: 20100118457
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes an electrostatic induction unit connected between a power supply line and a data input/output line of an input/output pad, and configured to induce static electricity introduced through the input/output pad to the power supply line; a coupling capacitor having a first terminal connected to the power supply line; and a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) unit connected to a second terminal of the coupling capacitor, connected between the data input/output line and a ground voltage line, and configured to discharge the static electricity on the data input/output line to the ground voltage line by static electricity introduced through the coupling capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Inventor: Kook-Whee KWAK
  • Publication number: 20100046131
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit protects a gate oxide of elements in an internal circuit against ESD. During an ESD test, if the sum of driving voltages of ESD protectors connected between a power pad and a ground pad is higher than the gate oxide breakdown voltage of elements in the internal circuit, the structure of the ESD protector is changed or another ESD protector is additionally provided so as to protect the gate oxide of the elements in the internal circuit against ESD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2009
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR INC.
    Inventors: Jung Eon Moon, Dae Gwan Kang, Kook Whee Kwak, Nak Heon Choi, Si Woo Lee, Hee Jeong Son, Yun Suk, Seong Hoon Jeong, Joon Won Lee
  • Publication number: 20090323237
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge device has relatively superior characteristics for protecting a gate insulation layer of an input buffer transistor of a semiconductor device from static electricity while minimizing signal delay. The electrostatic discharge circuit includes a main electrostatic discharge section configured to discharge static electricity inputted to an input/output pad to at least one voltage line, an input impedance section configured to adjust an amount of current flowing from the input/output pad depending upon a frequency of an input signal of the input/output pad, an auxiliary electrostatic discharge section connected to the input impedance section and configured to discharge the static electricity inputted to the input/output pad to the at least one voltage line, and an input buffer connected between the auxiliary electrostatic discharge section and an internal circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: December 31, 2009
    Inventor: Kook-Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 7616415
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection circuit protects a gate oxide of elements in an internal circuit against ESD. During an ESD test, if the sum of driving voltages of ESD protectors connected between a power pad and a ground pad is higher than the gate oxide breakdown voltage of elements in the internal circuit, the structure of the ESD protector is changed or another ESD protector is additionally provided so as to protect the gate oxide of the elements in the internal circuit against ESD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jung Eon Moon, Dae Gwan Kang, Kook Whee Kwak, Nak Heon Choi, Si Woo Lee, Hee Jeong Son, Suk Yun, Seong Hoon Jeong, Joon Won Lee
  • Publication number: 20090020846
    Abstract: A diode comprises a P-type well formed in a semiconductor substrate, at least one N-type impurity doping area formed in the P-type well, an isolation area formed to surround the N-type impurity doping area, a P-type impurity doping area formed to surround the isolation area, first contacts formed in the N-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, and second contacts formed in the P-type impurity doping area in a single row or a plurality of rows, wherein pin resistance can be adjusted through changing any one of a distance between the N-type impurity doping area and the P-type impurity doping area, a contact pitch between the first contacts, and a contact pitch between the second contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: HYNIX SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Publication number: 20080247104
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an electrostatic discharge protection circuit. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit of the present invention includes a transfer unit that transfers electrostaticity from at least one of a plurality of input/output pads to a boost bus line, a trigger unit that responds to the electrostaticity transferred via the boost bus line to detect a trigger voltage and apply it to a trigger bus line, and a plurality of clamp units that are connected between the input/output pads and an internal circuit. The clamp units are triggered by the trigger voltage of the trigger unit to discharge electrostaticity of the input/output pads to a first or second power supply voltage line, thereby safely protecting the internal circuit from electrostatic damage and lowering the operating voltage of the clamp unit with minimum costs without increasing an area of the electrostatic discharge protective circuit within a semiconductor integrated circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 9, 2008
    Inventor: Kook Whee Kwak
  • Patent number: 7430099
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit protects the internal circuits of a semiconductor. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes a first electrostatic protection unit connected to a power source supply pad. The first electrostatic protection unit discharges an ESD current into the power source supply pad when an ESD is introduced into the input/output pad, and generates a first driving voltage by utilizing the ESD current flow through a voltage-drop unit. A driver driven by the first driving voltage generates a second driving voltage by an ESD current. A second electrostatic protection unit discharges the introduced ESD current into the power source supply pad by the second driving voltage such that a voltage applied to a gate of the first NMOS transistor is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Kook Whee Kwak, Nak Heon Choi
  • Publication number: 20080179681
    Abstract: Disclosed is an electrostatic discharge protection device that has a low trigger voltage and protects an internal circuit from electrostatic discharge. The ESD protection device includes an NMOS transistor in which a first pad and a drain are connected to each other and a second pad and a source are connected to each other. A capacitor in which an end is connected to the first pad and the other end is connected to a gate of the NMOS transistor and a substrate contact of the NMOS transistor. The ESD protection devices also includes a resistor in which an end is connected to the second pad and the other end is connected to the capacitor. The first pad may be a power pad and the second pad may be a ground pad. Alternately, the first pad may be an input/output pad and the second pad may be a ground pad.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventor: Kook Whee KWAK
  • Publication number: 20080158749
    Abstract: An electrostatic discharge protection circuit protects the internal circuits of a semiconductor. The electrostatic discharge protection circuit includes a first electrostatic protection unit connected to a power source supply pad. The first electrostatic protection unit discharges an ESD current into the power source supply pad when an ESD is introduced into the input/output pad, and generates a first driving voltage by utilizing the ESD current flow through a voltage-drop unit. A driver driven by the first driving voltage generates a second driving voltage by an ESD current. A second electrostatic protection unit discharges the introduced ESD current into the power source supply pad by the second driving voltage such that a voltage applied to a gate of the first NMOS transistor is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2008
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Kook Whee KWAK, Nak Heon CHOI