Patents by Inventor Hiroji Kawai

Hiroji Kawai 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).

  • Publication number: 20240120404
    Abstract: This normally-off mode polarization super junction GaN-based field effect transistor has an undoped GaN layer 11, an AlxGa1-xN layer 12 (0<x<1), an island-like undoped GaN layer 13, a p-type GaN layer 14, a p-type InyGa1-yN layer 15 (0<y<1), a gate electrode 16 on the p-type InyGa1-yN layer 15 and a source electrode 17 and a drain electrode 17 on the AlxGa1-xN layer 12. When the polarization charge amount of the hetero-interface between the AlxGa1-xN layer 12 and the undoped GaN layer 11 and the hetero-interface between the AlxGa1-xN layer 12 and the undoped GaN layer 13 is denoted as NPZ and the thickness of the AlxGa1-xN layer 12 is denoted as d, NPZ d?2.64×1014 [cm?2 nm] is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Hiroji KAWAI, Shuichi YAGI, Hironobu NARUI
  • Publication number: 20230352573
    Abstract: A semiconductor element includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer, a first intermediate layer, a second intermediate layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a gate electrode. The band gap of the second semiconductor layer is larger than the band gaps of the first semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer. The band gaps of the first intermediate layer and the second intermediate layer that sandwich the second semiconductor layer are larger than the band gap of the second semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2023
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Hisao SATO, Koji OKUNO, Daisuke SHINODA, Toshiya UEMURA, Hironobu NARUI, Hiroji KAWAI, Shuichi YAGI
  • Publication number: 20230170407
    Abstract: This normally-off mode polarization super junction GaN-based FET has an undoped GaN layer 11, an AlxGa1-xN layer 12, an island-like undoped GaN layer 13, a p-type GaN layer 14 and a p-type InyGa1-yN layer 15 which are stacked in order. The FET has a gate electrode 16 on the uppermost layer, a source electrode 17 and a drain electrode 17 on the AlxGa1-xN layer 12 and a p-type InzGa1-zN layer 19 and a gate electrode 20 which are located beside one end of the undoped GaN layer 13 on the AlxGa1-xN layer 12. The gate electrode 20 may be provided on the p-type InzGa1-zN layer 19 via a gate insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2021
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Hiroji KAWAI, Shuichi YAGI, Hironobu NARUI
  • Publication number: 20220238728
    Abstract: This diode is configured by a double gate PSJ-GaN-based FET. This FET has a GaN layer 11, an AlxGa1-xN layer 12, an undoped GaN layer 13, and a p-type GaN layer 14. A source electrode 19 and a drain electrode 20 are provided on the AlxGa1-xN layer 12, a first gate electrode 15 is provided on the p-type GaN layer 14, and a second gate electrode 18 is provided on a gate insulating film 17 provided inside a groove 16 which is provided in the AlxGa1-xN layer 12 between the source electrode 19 and the undoped GaN layer 13. The source electrode 19, the first gate electrode 15, and the second gate electrode 18 are connected to each other. Or the source electrode 19 and the second gate electrode 18 are connected to each other, and a positive voltage is applied to the first gate electrode 15 for the source electrode 19 and the second gate el electrode 18.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2020
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroji KAWAI, Shuichi YAGI, Takeru SAITO, Fumihiko NAKAMURA, Hironobu NARUI
  • Publication number: 20200185930
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a quick charging control means is provided with a power semiconductor which comprises a sapphire substrate and a gallium nitride power transistor that is formed on the sapphire substrate; and a heat dissipation means, which dissipates heat generated during the electric power conversion in the quick charging control means, is bonded to the element outer surface of the gallium nitride power transistor. In one embodiment of the present invention, the power semiconductor employs polarization super junction. In another embodiment of the present invention, the heat dissipation means is connected to at least one of a source region and a drain region in the element outer surface of the gallium nitride power transistor, and extends in the direction away from the sapphire substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Tsutomu Kuwata, Teruo Ogawa, Hiroji Kawai, Tomio Sugano
  • Patent number: 10014399
    Abstract: This hetero-junction bipolar transistor includes a first n-type GaN layer, an AlxGa1-xN layer (0.1?x?0.5), an undoped GaN layer having a thickness of not less than 20 nm, a Mg-doped p-type GaN layer having a thickness of not less than 100 nm, and a second n-type GaN layer which are sequentially stacked. The first n-type GaN layer and the AlxGa1-xN layer form an emitter, the undoped GaN layer and the p-type GaN layer form a base, and the second n-type GaN layer forms a collector. During non-operation, two-dimensional hole gas is formed in a part of the undoped GaN layer near the hetero interface between the AlxGa1-xN layer and the undoped GaN layer. When the thickness of the p-type GaN layer is b [nm], the hole concentration of the p-type GaN layer is p [cm?3], and the concentration of the two-dimensional hole gas is Ps [cm?2], p×b×10?7+Ps?1×1013 [cm?2] is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Powdec K.K.
    Inventor: Hiroji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20180175182
    Abstract: This hetero-junction bipolar transistor includes a first n-type GaN layer, an AlxGa1-xN layer (0.1?x?0.5), an undoped GaN layer having a thickness of not less than 20 nm, a Mg-doped p-type GaN layer having a thickness of not less than 100 nm, and a second n-type GaN layer which are sequentially stacked. The first n-type GaN layer and the AlxGa1-xN layer form an emitter, the undoped GaN layer and the p-type GaN layer form a base, and the second n-type GaN layer forms a collector. During non-operation, two-dimensional hole gas is formed in a part of the undoped GaN layer near the hetero interface between the AlxGa1-xN layer and the undoped GaN layer. When the thickness of the p-type GaN layer is b [nm], the hole concentration of the p-type GaN layer is p [cm?3], and the concentration of the two-dimensional hole gas is Ps [cm?2], p×b×10?7+Ps?1×1013 [cm?2] is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventor: Hiroji KAWAI
  • Patent number: 9991335
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a bidirectional field effect transistor which can easily overcome the tradeoff relation between the high voltage resistance and high speed in the semiconductor device using a polarization super junction, realize both the high voltage resistance and elimination of the occurrence of current collapse, operate at a high speed, and further the loss is low. The semiconductor device comprises a polarization super junction region and a p-electrode contact region. The polarization super junction region comprises an undoped GaN layer 11, an undoped AlxGa1-xN layer 12 with a thickness not smaller than 25 nm and not larger than 47 nm and 0.17?x?0.35, an undoped GaN layer 13 and a p-type GaN layer 14. When the reduced thickness tR is defined as tR=u+v(1+w×10?18) for the thickness u [nm] of the undoped GaN layer 13, the thickness v [nm] and the Mg concentration w [cm?3] of the p-type GaN layer 14, tR?0.864/(x?0.134)+46.0 [nm] is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: POWDEC K.K.
    Inventors: Shoko Echigoya, Fumihiko Nakamura, Shuichi Yagi, Souta Matsumoto, Hiroji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20170263710
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor element in which a two-dimensional hole gas with an enough concentration can exist, even though the p-type GaN layer is not provided on the topmost surface of the polarization super junction region. The semiconductor element comprises a polarization super junction region comprising an undoped GaN layer 11 with a thickness a [nm] (a is not smaller than 10 nm and not larger than 1000 nm), an AlxGa1-xN layer 12 and an undoped GaN layer 13. The Al composition x and the thickness t [nm] of the AlxGa1-xN layer 12 satisfy the following equation t??(a)x?(a) Where ? is expressed as Log (?)=p0+p1 log (a)+p2{log (a)}2 (p0=7.3295, p1=?3.5599, p2=0.6912) and ? is expressed as ?=p?0+p?1 log (a)+p?2{log (a)}2 (p?0=?3.6509, p?1=1.9445, p?2=?0.3793).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: POWDEC K.K.
    Inventors: Souta MATSUMOTO, Shoko ECHIGOYA, Shuichi YAGI, Fumihiko NAKAMURA, Hiroji KAWAI
  • Publication number: 20160093691
    Abstract: Provided are a semiconductor device and a bidirectional field effect transistor which can easily overcome the tradeoff relation between the high voltage resistance and high speed in the semiconductor device using a polarization super junction, realize both the high voltage resistance and elimination of the occurrence of current collapse, operate at a high speed, and further the loss is low. The semiconductor device comprises a polarization super junction region and a p-electrode contact region. The polarization super junction region comprises an undoped GaN layer 11, an undoped AlxGa1-xN layer 12 with a thickness not smaller than 25 nm and not larger than 47 nm and 0.17?x?0.35, an undoped GaN layer 13 and a p-type GaN layer 14. When the reduced thickness tR is defined as tR=u+v(1+w×10?18) for the thickness u [nm] of the undoped GaN layer 13, the thickness v [nm] and the Mg concentration w [cm?3] of the p-type GaN layer 14, tR?0.864/(x?0.134)+46.0 [nm] is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventors: Shoko ECHIGOYA, Fumihiko NAKAMURA, Shuichi YAGI, Souta MATSUMOTO, Hiroji KAWAI
  • Patent number: 8785976
    Abstract: A low-loss GaN-based semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device has the InzGa1-zN layer (where 0?z<1), the AlxGa1-xN layer (where 0<x<1), the InyGa1-yN layer (where 0?y<1) and the p-type InwGa1-wN layer (where 0?w<1) which are sequentially stacked on a base substrate of a C-plane sapphire substrate, etc. At a non-operating time, the two-dimensional hole gas is formed in the InyGa1-yN layer in the vicinity part of a hetero-interface between the AlxGa1-xN layer and the InyGa1-yN layer, and the two-dimensional electron gas is formed in the InzGa1-zN layer in the vicinity part of a hetero-interface between the InzGa1-zN layer and the AlxGa1-xN layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignees: The University of Sheffield, Powdec K.K.
    Inventors: Akira Nakajima, Sankara Narayanan Ekkanath Madathil, Yasunobu Sumida, Hiroji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20130126942
    Abstract: A low-loss GaN-based semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device has the InzGa1-zN layer (where 0?z<1), the AlxGa1-xN layer (where 0<x<1), the InyGa1-yN layer (where 0?y<1) and the p-type InwGa1-wN layer (where 0?w<1) which are sequentially stacked on a base substrate of a C-plane sapphire substrate, etc. At a non-operating time, the two-dimensional hole gas 15 is formed in the InyGa1-yN layer in the vicinity part of a hetero-interface between the AlxGa1-xN layer and the InyGa1-yN layer, and the two-dimensional electron gases is formed in the InzGa1-zN layer in the vicinity part of a hetero-interface between the InzGa1-zN layer and the AlxGa1-xN layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicants: POWDEC K.K., THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD
    Inventors: Akira Nakajima, Sankara Narayanan Ekkanath Madathil, Yasunobu Sumida, Hiroji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20120280363
    Abstract: The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises steps of: forming a growth mask with a plurality of openings directly or indirectly upon a substrate that comprises a material differing from GaN-based semiconductor; and growing a plurality of island-like GaN-based semiconductor layers upon the substrate using the growth mask in the (0001) plane orientation in a manner such that the 1-100 direction extends in a direction parallel to the striped openings of the growth mask.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: POWDEC K. K.
    Inventors: Yasunobu Sumida, Shoko Hirata, Takayuki Inada, Shuichi Yagi, Hiroji Kawai
  • Patent number: 6903392
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a single-crystal substrate made of a material different from nitride III-V compound semiconductors, and a device made on one major surface of said single-crystal substrate by using III-V compound semiconductors, including electrical connection to said device being made through a via hole formed in said single-crystal substrate and method of making the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2005
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20050087751
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an insulating nitride layer suitable for group III-V nitride semiconductor devices. It has a high resistance and good insulating properties and hence it electrically isolates elements, without the active layer decreasing in conductivity. Disclosed also herein is a process for forming said nitride layer and a semiconductor device having said nitride layer for improved characteristic properties. The semiconductor device is an AlGaN/GaN HEMT or the like which has a GaN active layer and an insulating nitride layer formed thereon from a group III-V nitride compound semiconductor heavily doped mostly with a group IIB element (particularly Zn) in an amount not less than 1×1017/cm3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Inventors: Fumihiko Nakamura, Hisayoshi Kuramochi, Hiroji Kawai
  • Patent number: 6750481
    Abstract: A semiconductor crystal layer composed of GaN is grown on a base substrate composed of sapphire sandwiching a separating layer composed of AlN and a buffer layer composed of GaN. The separating layers and the buffer layers are distributed in the form of lines, and a flow-through hole for an etchant is formed in the side of these layers sandwiching an anti-growing film composed of SiO2. Thus, the etchant flows through the flow-through hole, the anti-growing film and the separating layer are etched, and the base substrate is easily isolated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroji Kawai
  • Patent number: 6501154
    Abstract: There are provided a semiconductor substrate and a semiconductor laser using the semiconductor substrate which promises smooth and optically excellent cleaved surfaces and is suitable for fabricating semiconductor lasers using nitride III-V compound semiconductors. Using a semiconductor substrate, such as GaN substrate, having a major surface substantially normal to a {0001}-oriented face, e.g. {01-10}-oriented face or {11-20}-oriented face, or offset within ±5° from these faces, nitride III-V compound semiconductor layers are epitaxially grown on the substrate to form a laser structure. To make cavity edges, the GaN substrate is cleaved together with the overlying III-V compound semiconductor layers along high-cleavable {0001}-oriented faces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Etsuo Morita, Masao Ikeda, Hiroji Kawai
  • Patent number: 6468902
    Abstract: After making a GaN FET by growing GaN semiconductor layers on the surface of a sapphire substrate, the bottom surface of the sapphire substrate is processed by lapping, using an abrasive liquid containing a diamond granular abrasive material and reducing the grain size of the abrasive material in some steps, to reduce the thickness of the sapphire substrate to 100 &mgr;m or less. Thereafter, the bottom surface of the sapphire substrate is processed by etching using an etchant of phosphoric acid or phosphoric acid/sulfuric acid mixed liquid to remove a strained layer by lapping followed by making a via hole by etching the bottom surface of the sapphire substrate by using a similar etchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroji Kawai
  • Patent number: 6426264
    Abstract: A semiconductor crystal layer composed of GaN is grown on a base substrate composed of sapphire sandwiching a separating layer composed of AlN and a buffer layer composed of GaN. The separating layers and the buffer layers are distributed in the form of lines, and a flow-through hole for an etchant is formed in the side of these layers sandwiching an anti-growing film composed of SiO2. Thus, the etchant flows through the flow-through hole, the anti-growing film and the separating layer are etched, and the base substrate is easily isolated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroji Kawai
  • Patent number: RE38613
    Abstract: A new and improved method for growing a p-type nitride III-V compound semiconductor is provided which can produce a p-type nitride compound semiconductors having a high carrier concentration, without the need for annealing to activate impurities after growth. In a preferred embodiment, a p-type nitride compound semiconductor, such as p-type GaN, is grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition methods using a nitrogen source material which does not release hydrogen during release of nitrogen and the semiconductor is grown in an inactive gas. The nitrogen source materials may be selected from nitrogen compounds that contain hydrogen radicals groups and alkyl radicals groups and/or phenyl radicals groups provided that the total amount of hydrogen radicals groups is less than or equal to the sum total of alkyl radicals groups and phenyl radicals groups present in the nitrogen compound used as the nitrogen source material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroji Kawai, Tsunenori Asatsuma, Fumihiko Nakamura