Patents by Inventor Hirokazu Fujiwara

Hirokazu Fujiwara 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: 8440524
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate composed of silicon carbide, an upper surface electrode which contacts an upper surface of the substrate, and a lower surface electrode which contacts a lower surface of the substrate, the method including steps of: (a) forming an upper surface structure on the upper surface side of the substrate, and (b) forming a lower surface structure on the lower surface side of the substrate. The step (a) comprises steps of: (a1) depositing an upper surface electrode material layer on the upper surface of the substrate, the upper surface electrode material layer being a raw material layer of the upper surface electrode, and (a2) annealing the upper surface electrode material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Jun Kawai, Takeo Yamamoto, Takeshi Endo, Takashi Katsuno, Yukihiko Watanabe, Narumasa Soejima
  • Patent number: 8436365
    Abstract: A SiC semiconductor device having a Schottky barrier diode includes: a substrate made of SiC and having a first conductive type, wherein the substrate includes a main surface and a rear surface; a drift layer made of SiC and having the first conductive type, wherein the drift layer is disposed on the main surface of the substrate and has an impurity concentration lower than the substrate; a Schottky electrode disposed on the drift layer and has a Schottky contact with a surface of the drift layer; and an ohmic electrode disposed on the rear surface of the substrate. The Schottky electrode directly contacts the drift layer in such a manner that a lattice of the Schottky electrode is matched with a lattice of the drift layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Yamamoto, Takeshi Endo, Jun Morimoto, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Yukihiko Watanabe, Takashi Katsuno, Tsuyoshi Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20130105889
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a switching device, which includes a trench type gate electrode and first to fourth semiconductor regions, is provided. The first semiconductor region is in contact with a gate insulating film and is of n-type. The second semiconductor region is in contact with the gate insulating film, and is of p-type. The third semiconductor region is in contact with the gate insulating film, and is of n-type. The fourth semiconductor region is a p-type semiconductor region which is positioned in a range deeper than the second semiconductor region and consecutive with the second semiconductor region, and which faces the gate insulating film via the third semiconductor region. The manufacturing method includes forming the second semiconductor region in which aluminum is doped, and implanting boron into a range in which the fourth semiconductor region is to be formed in the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirokazu FUJIWARA, Hisashi ISHIMABUSHI, Yukihiko WATANABE, Narumasa SOEJIMA, Toshimasa YAMAMOTO, Yuuichi TAKEUCHI
  • Patent number: 8324704
    Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device with a Schottky barrier diode includes a first conductivity type silicon carbide substrate, a first conductivity type silicon carbide drift layer on a first surface of the substrate, a Schottky electrode forming a Schottky contact with the drift layer, and an ohmic electrode on a second surface of the substrate. The Schottky electrode includes an oxide layer in direct contact with the drift layer. The oxide layer is made of an oxide of molybdenum, titanium, nickel, or an alloy of at least two of these elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeo Yamamoto, Takeshi Endo, Eiichi Okuno, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Takashi Katsuno, Yukihiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8216667
    Abstract: This invention provides a tantalum carbide-coated carbon material, which has excellent corrosion resistance to reducing gases and thermal shock resistance at high temperatures, and a process for producing the same. The tantalum carbide-coated carbon material comprises a carbon substrate and a coating film provided on the carbon substrate directly or through an intermediate layer. The coating film is formed of a large number of densely aggregated fine crystals of tantalum carbide. The diffraction line of the (220) plane of tantalum carbide shows the maximum diffraction intensity in an X-ray diffraction pattern of the coating film. More preferably, this diffraction intensity is not less than four times the intensity of a diffraction line showing the second highest diffraction intensity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Tanso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujiwara, Norimasa Yamada, Yoshihisa Abe
  • Patent number: 8168485
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a p-type semiconductor region to an n-type semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the p-type semiconductor region is partially exposed to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, forming a Schottky electrode of a first material in such a manner that the Schottky electrode is in Schottky contact with an n-type semiconductor region exposed to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and forming an ohmic electrode of a second material different from the first material in such a manner that the ohmic electrode is in ohmic contact with the exposed p-type semiconductor region. The Schottky electrode is formed earlier than the ohmic electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Endo, Eiichi Okuno, Takeo Yamamoto, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Yukihiko Watanabe, Takashi Katsuno
  • Patent number: 8164100
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is provided in which the contact resistance of the interface between an electrode and the semiconductor substrate is reduced. The semiconductor device includes a 4H polytype SiC substrate, and an electrode formed on a surface of the substrate. A 3C polytype layer, which extends obliquely relative to the surface of the substrate and whose end portion at the substrate surface is in contact with the electrode, is formed at the surface of the substrate. The 3C polytype layer has a lower bandgap than 4H polytype. Hence, electrons present in the 4H polytype region pass through the 3C polytype layer and reach the electrode. More precisely, the width of the passageway of the electrons is determined by the thickness of the 3C polytype layer. Consequently, with this semiconductor device, in which the passageway of the electrons is narrow, the electrons are able to reach the electrode at a speed close to the theoretical value, by the quantum wire effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Eiichi Okuno
  • Patent number: 8163637
    Abstract: First, a first layer made of Ni or an alloy including Ni may be formed on an upper surface of a semiconductor layer. Next, a second layer made of silicon oxide may be formed on an upper surface of the first layer. Next, a part, which corresponds to a semiconductor region, of the second layer may be removed. Next, second conductive type ion impurities may be injected from upper sides of the first and second layers to the semiconductor layer after the removing step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Masaki Konishi, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Takeshi Endo, Takeo Yamamoto, Takashi Katsuno, Yukihiko Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20120052642
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes forming a drift layer on a substrate; forming a base layer on the drift layer; forming a trench to penetrate the base layer and to reach the drift layer; rounding off a part of a shoulder corner and a part of a bottom corner of the trench; covering an inner wall of the trench with an organic film; implanting an impurity to a surface portion of the base layer; forming a source region by activating the implanted impurity; and removing the organic film after the source region is formed, in which the substrate, the drift layer, the base layer and the source region are made of silicon carbide, and the implanting and the activating of the impurity are performed under a condition that the trench is covered with the organic film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi ENDO, Shinichiro MIYAHARA, Tomoo MORINO, Masaki KONISHI, Hirokazu FUJIWARA, Jun MORIMOTO, Tsuyoshi ISHIKAWA, Takashi KATSUNO, Yukihiko WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20120040172
    Abstract: The problem of the present invention is provision of a tantalum carbide-coated carbon material having superior corrosion resistance to reducing gas and superior resistance to thermal shock at a high temperature and a production method thereof. According to the present invention, a tantalum carbide-coated carbon material having a carbon substrate and a coating film formed directly or via an intermediate layer on the aforementioned carbon substrate can be provided. The coating film consists of a number of microcrystals of tantalum carbide, which are densely gathered and, in an X-ray diffraction pattern of the coating film, the diffraction intensity of the (220) plane of tantalum carbide preferably shows the maximum level, more preferably, the aforementioned diffraction intensity is not less than 4 times the intensity of the second highest diffraction intensity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Publication date: February 16, 2012
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujiwara, Norimasa Yamada, Yoshihisa Abe
  • Publication number: 20110207321
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a semiconductor substrate composed of silicon carbide, an upper surface electrode which contacts an upper surface of the substrate, and a lower surface electrode which contacts a lower surface of the substrate, the method including steps of: (a) forming an upper surface structure on the upper surface side of the substrate, and (b) forming a lower surface structure on the lower surface side of the substrate. The step (a) comprises steps of: (a1) depositing an upper surface electrode material layer on the upper surface of the substrate, the upper surface electrode material layer being a raw material layer of the upper surface electrode, and (a2) annealing the upper surface electrode material layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu FUJIWARA, Masaki KONISHI, Jun KAWAI, Takeo YAMAMOTO, Takeshi ENDO, Takashi KATSUNO, Yukihiko WATANABE, Narumasa SOEJIMA
  • Publication number: 20110204383
    Abstract: A SiC semiconductor device having a Schottky barrier diode includes: a substrate made of SiC and having a first conductive type, wherein the substrate includes a main surface and a rear surface; a drift layer made of SiC and having the first conductive type, wherein the drift layer is disposed on the main surface of the substrate and has an impurity concentration lower than the substrate; a Schottky electrode disposed on the drift layer and has a Schottky contact with a surface of the drift layer; and an ohmic electrode disposed on the rear surface of the substrate. The Schottky electrode directly contacts the drift layer in such a manner that a lattice of the Schottky electrode is matched with a lattice of the drift layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeo YAMAMOTO, Takeshi Endo, Jun Morimoto, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Yukihiko Watanabe, Takashi Katsuno, Tsuyoshi Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110151654
    Abstract: First, a first layer made of Ni or an alloy including Ni may be formed on an upper surface of a semiconductor layer. Next, a second layer made of silicon oxide may be formed on an upper surface of the first layer. Next, a part, which corresponds to a semiconductor region, of the second layer may be removed. Next, second conductive type ion impurities may be injected from upper sides of the first and second layers to the semiconductor layer after the removing step.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaki KONISHI, Hirokazu FUJIWARA, Takeshi ENDO, Takeo YAMAMOTO, Takashi KATSUNO, Yukihiko WATANABE
  • Patent number: 7855131
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device comprises a process of doping conductive impurities in a silicon carbide substrate, a process of forming a cap layer on a surface of the silicon carbide substrate, a process of activating the conductive impurities doped in the silicon carbide substrate, a process of oxidizing the cap layer after a first annealing process, and a process of removing the oxidized cap layer. It is preferred that the cap layer is formed from material that includes metal carbide. Since the oxidation onset temperature of metal carbide is comparatively low, the oxidization of the cap layer becomes easy if metal carbide is included in the cap layer. Specifically, it is preferred that the cap layer is formed from metal carbide that has an oxidation onset temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius or below, such as tantalum carbide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2010
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Takeo Yamamoto, Eiichi Okuno, Yukihiko Watanbe, Takashi Katsuno
  • Publication number: 20100244049
    Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device with a Schottky barrier diode includes a first conductivity type silicon carbide substrate, a first conductivity type silicon carbide drift layer on a first surface of the substrate, a Schottky electrode forming a Schottky contact with the drift layer, and an ohmic electrode on a second surface of the substrate. The Schottky electrode includes an oxide layer in direct contact with the drift layer. The oxide layer is made of an oxide of molybdenum, titanium, nickel, or an alloy of at least two of these elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeo Yamamoto, Takeshi Endo, Eiichi Okuno, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Takashi Katsuno, Yukihiko Watanabe
  • Patent number: 7779392
    Abstract: Object information is read that denotes a load state of the object from storage and selects an object having a load that is lower than a predetermined value. Then, a reference to an object allocation control part is returned that allocates the selected object to a destination as a response through communicating means. In allocating an object, the object information is read from the storage to select an object having a load that is lower than a predetermined value. Then, a reference to a dispatcher is returned that executes the selected object to the destination as a response through the communicating means. In executing the object, the object information is read from the storage and executes the object if the object has a load that is lower than a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Sashino, Tomohiko Shigeoka, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Atsuhiro Yokoro, Akio Igarashi
  • Publication number: 20100032730
    Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor device includes forming a p-type semiconductor region to an n-type semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the p-type semiconductor region is partially exposed to a top surface of the semiconductor substrate, forming a Schottky electrode of a first material in such a manner that the Schottky electrode is in Schottky contact with an n-type semiconductor region exposed to the top surface of the semiconductor substrate, and forming an ohmic electrode of a second material different from the first material in such a manner that the ohmic electrode is in ohmic contact with the exposed p-type semiconductor region. The Schottky electrode is formed earlier than the ohmic electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2009
    Publication date: February 11, 2010
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Endo, Eiichi Okuno, Takeo Yamamoto, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Yukihiko Watanabe, Takashi Katsuno
  • Publication number: 20090269908
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device comprises a process of doping conductive impurities in a silicon carbide substrate, a process of forming a cap layer on a surface of the silicon carbide substrate, a process of activating the conductive impurities doped in the silicon carbide substrate, a process of oxidizing the cap layer after a first annealing process, and a process of removing the oxidized cap layer. It is preferred that the cap layer is formed from material that includes metal carbide. Since the oxidation onset temperature of metal carbide is comparatively low, the oxidization of the cap layer becomes easy if metal carbide is included in the cap layer. Specifically, it is preferred that the cap layer is formed from metal carbide that has an oxidation onset temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius or below, such as tantalum carbide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hirokazu Fujiwara, Masaki Konishi, Takeo Yamamoto, Eiichi Okuno, Yukihiko Watanabe, Takashi Katsuno
  • Publication number: 20090267082
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor element having a first surface and a second surface; a first electrode disposed on the first surface of the element; a second electrode disposed on the second surface of the element; and an insulation film covers a part of the first electrode, the first surface of the element and a part of a sidewall of the element. The above semiconductor device has small dimensions and a high breakdown voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo Yamamoto, Takeshi Endo, Eiichi Okuno, Masaki Konishi, Hirokazu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20090230405
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a diode includes: forming a P type semiconductor film on a N type semiconductor layer with a crystal growth method; forming a first metallic film on the P type semiconductor film so that the first metallic film contacts the P type semiconductor film with an ohmic contact; forming a mask having an opening on the first metallic film; etching a part of the first metallic film and a part of the P type semiconductor film via the opening so that a part of the N type semiconductor layer is exposed; and forming a second metallic film on the part of the N type semiconductor layer so that the second metallic film contacts the N type semiconductor layer with a Schottky contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2009
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeo Yamamoto, Takeshi Endo, Masaki Konishi, Hirokazu Fujiwara, Yukihiko Watanabe, Takashi Katsuno, Masayasu Ishiko