Patents by Inventor Venkatraman Prabhakar

Venkatraman Prabhakar 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: 8629436
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and products of processes consistent with the innovations herein relate to thin-film solar cells having contacts on the backside, only. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a thin film device. Moreover, such device may comprise a substrate, and a layer of silicon or silicon-containing material positioned on a first side of the substrate, wherein the layer comprises a n-doped region and a p-doped region. In some exemplary implementations, the device may be fabricated such that the n-doped region and the p-doped region are formed on the backside surface of the layer to create an electrical structure characterized by a P-type anode and an N-type cathode forming a junction positioned along the backside surface of the layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Gigasi Solar, Inc.
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 8576633
    Abstract: The threshold voltages of particular nonvolatile memory cells on a word line are selectively increased on a column by column (cell by cell) basis. A selective program is performed on some of the cells, and simultaneously a program inhibit on other of the cells, resulting in all of the cells having a threshold voltage that falls between a minimum acceptable value and a maximum acceptable value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Cypress Semiconductor Corp.
    Inventors: Venkatraman Prabhakar, Frederick Jenne
  • Publication number: 20130122629
    Abstract: The present innovations relate to optical/electronic structures, and, more particularly, to methods and products consistent with composite structures for optical/electronic applications, such as solar cells and displays, composed of a silicon-containing material bonded to a substrate and including laser treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2012
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20130083608
    Abstract: The threshold voltages of particular nonvolatile memory cells on a word line are selectively increased on a column by column (cell by cell) basis. A selective program is performed on some of the cells, and simultaneously a program inhibit on other of the cells, resulting in all of the cells having a threshold voltage that falls between a minimum acceptable value and a maximum acceptable value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: Cypress Semiconductor Corporation
    Inventors: Venkatraman Prabhakar, Frederick Jenne
  • Patent number: 8361890
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and products of processes consistent with the innovations herein relate to aspects involving crystallization of layers on substrates. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of fabricating a device. Moreover, such method may include placing an amorphous/poly material on a substrate and heating the material via a sub-melt laser anneal process to transform the material into crystalline form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Gigasi Solar, Inc.
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20120018733
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and products of processes consistent with the innovations herein relate to thin-film solar cells and other devices. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a thin film device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20110306180
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products by process are disclosed relating to structures and/or fabrication thereof as relating, for example, to optical/electronic applications such as solar cells and displays. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of producing a composite structure. Moreover, the method may include engaging a silicon-containing material into contact with a surface of the substrate and irradiating/treating the silicon-containing piece with a laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20110165721
    Abstract: The present innovations relate to optical/electronic structures, and, more particularly, to methods and products consistent with composite structures for optical/electronic applications, such as solar cells and displays, composed of a silicon-containing material bonded to a substrate and including laser treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 7969785
    Abstract: Methods, circuits, processes, devices, and/or arrangements for a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell operable at relatively low voltages are disclosed. In one embodiment, an NVM cell can include: (i) a gate over a charge trapping layer, the charge trapping layer being insulated from the gate by a first insulating layer, the charge trapping layer being insulated from a channel by a second insulating layer; and (ii) source and drain on either side of the channel, the channel being under the second insulating layer, where the NVM cell is configured to be erased by channel-induced hot holes (CHH).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 7944750
    Abstract: A non-volatile memory device and method for manufacture and programing which does not require a control gate for the programing or erasure of the device. The memory device is comprised of two wells with the opposite conductivity type of the semiconductor body. In one of the wells is a source and drain well of the same conductivity type as of the body. A oxide is formed on the surface of the body on which a floating gate is formed. Specific voltages are applied to the source, drain, first well and second well region to program, erase and read the memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Bergemont, David Kuan-Yu Liu, Venkatraman Prabhakar, Sridevi Rajagopalan Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20110101364
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and products of processes consistent with the innovations herein relate to aspects involving crystallization of layers on substrates. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of fabricating a device. Moreover, such method may include placing an amorphous/poly material on a substrate and heating the material via a sub-melt laser anneal process to transform the material into crystalline form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20110089420
    Abstract: Systems, methods, devices, and products of processes consistent with the innovations herein relate to thin-film solar cells having contacts on the backside, only. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a thin film device. Moreover, such device may comprise a substrate, and a layer of silicon or silicon-containing material positioned on a first side of the substrate, wherein the layer comprises a n-doped region and a p-doped region. In some exemplary implementations, the device may be fabricated such that the n-doped region and the p-doped region are formed on the backside surface of the layer to create an electrical structure characterized by a P-type anode and an N-type cathode forming a junction positioned along the backside surface of the layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20110089429
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and products of processes consistent with the innovations herein relate to aspects involving crystallization of layers on substrates. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of fabricating a device. Moreover, such method may include placing a seed layer on a base substrate, covering the seed layer with an amorphous/poly material, and heating the seed layer/material to transform the material into crystalline form.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2010
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 7894257
    Abstract: Methods, circuits, processes, devices, and/or arrangements for providing a non-volatile memory (NVM) cell are disclosed. In one embodiment, an NVM cell can include: (i) a floating gate in a gate layer, where the floating gate is over an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is over a first channel between first and second diffusion regions; and (ii) a control gate in the gate layer, where the control gate is configured to control the floating gate using direct sidewall capacitive coupling, and where a first coupling ratio from the direct sidewall capacitive coupling is greater than a second coupling ratio from the second diffusion region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 7835184
    Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ratnakumar, Venkatraman Prabhakar, David Kuan-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 7835186
    Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ratnakumar, Venkatraman Prabhakar, David Kuan-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 7835179
    Abstract: Methods, circuits, devices, and/or arrangements for providing a non-volatile latch are disclosed. In one embodiment, a non-volatile latch can include: (i) a first non-volatile memory (NVM) cell coupled to a first supply, a first gate (e.g., a control gate), and an output node, where the first NVM cell is configured to be in a first state; and (ii) a second NVM cell coupled to a second supply, a second gate (e.g., another control gate), and the output node, where the second NVM cell is configured to be in a second state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 7791955
    Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ratnakumar, Venkatraman Prabhakar, David Kuan-Yu Liu
  • Patent number: 7535758
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for a one or multiple-times programmable memory device. A semiconductor may include an active region of a substrate, a thin oxide layer over a substrate, a first and second polysilicon layer, and a first and second metal layer. The first polysilicon layer may have a floating gate, the active region may be substantially perpendicular to the floating gate, and the second polysilicon layer may include a control gate. The first metal layer may include a bit line connected to a first n-diffused region, where the bit line is substantially perpendicular to the floating gate. The second metal layer may include a word line and source line. The word line may be connected to the control gate, and the source line may be connected to a second n-diffused region. The thin gate oxide may have a thickness between 65 and 75 angstroms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert Bergemont, David Kuan-Yu Liu, Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Publication number: 20090014772
    Abstract: A memory device including a plurality of memory cells, each with a control gate NMOS transistor sharing a floating gate with a program/erase PMOS transistor which is, in turn, connected in series with an access PMOS transistor. The memory cells are formed in a common N-Well formed in a P-substrate, the NMOS transistor being formed in a p-doped pocket or base. The program/erase PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ doped regions formed in the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to a corresponding bit line. The access PMOS includes a gate, and first and second P+ regions formed within the N-Well, wherein the first P+ region is electrically connected to the second P+ region of the program/erase PMOS, and the gate is electrically connected to a corresponding word line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: Maxim Integrated Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Nirmal Ratnakumar, Venkatraman Prabhakar, David Kuan-Yu Liu