Sungkwon Lee

Title: Innovations by Sungkwon Lee: Pioneering ESD Protection Circuits

Introduction: Sungkwon Lee, an innovative inventorin Saratoga, California, has made significant contributions to the field of electronics, particularly in electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection. With a total of 12 patents to his name, he has developed advanced circuit designs that safeguard integrated circuits from ESD events, ensuring the reliability and longevity of electronic devices.

Latest Patents: Among Sungkwon Lee's notable inventions is an ESD protection circuit, which is capable of clamping both positive and negative ESD events while allowing the passage of signals. The design incorporates a p-channel field-effect transistor (PFET) clamp connected to the protected pin, featuring multiple PFETs in a DN-well configuration. Additionally, an n-channel field-effect transistor (NFET) clamp is placed between ground and the pin through the PFET clamp, with several NFETs arranged in series. A bias network manages the voltage on the DN well to match the pin voltage when it exceeds ground potential, providing effective protection.

Another significant patent details a system and method for combining positive and negative voltage ESD protection into a clamp that employs cascoded circuitry. This system detects voltage pulses on an input pin of an integrated circuit (IC) controller and determines whether an ESD event has occurred based on the detected voltage. The ESD protection circuit then controls multiple clamps to route the voltage pulse safely to the power supply node during an ESD event.

Career Highlights: Sungkwon Lee has had a distinguished career, having worked with prominent companies in the semiconductor industry. He has held positions at Cypress Semiconductor Corporation and Longitude Flash Memory Solutions Ltd., where he has applied his expertise to advance the field of ESD protection.

Collaborations: Throughout his career, Sungkwon has collaborated with talented colleagues, including Venkatraman Prabhakar and Dung Ho. These collaborations have likely contributed to the impactful innovations he has developed over the years.

Conclusion: Sungkwon Lee's expertise in ESD protection circuits has paved the way for safer and more reliable electronic devices. With a strong patent portfolio and a career marked by significant collaborations, he continues to impact the world of electronics through his innovative designs, addressing challenges in modern technology.