Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Ikenoue
Hiroshi Ikenoue 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).
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Publication number: 20230377916Abstract: A machine learning method includes acquiring image data generated from reflected light of illumination light radiated to a first region of a semiconductor film on a substrate, the first region annealed by pulse laser light, acquiring data on a measured semiconductor property of the first region, generating training data including the image data as input and the measured data as output associated with each other, and performing machine learning using a neural network based on the training data to generate a learned model.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Applicants: Kyushu University, National University Corporation, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi IKENOUE, Akira MIZUTANI
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Patent number: 11791160Abstract: The present invention provides a microstructure in which evenly distributed crystal grains line up in parallel lines extending along the surface of the film, and a no-lateral-growth region left at each of locations exposed to both ends of a grain interface, which serves as a partition between the neighboring two crystal grains. According to the present invention, there are also provided: a method for forming a polycrystalline film, such as a thin polycrystalline silicon film, a thin aluminum film, and a thin copper film, which is flat and even, in surface, electrically uniform and stable, and mechanically stable; a laser crystallization device for use in manufacture of polycrystalline films, and a semiconductor device using the polycrystalline film and having good electrical property and increased breakdown voltage.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2020Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignees: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, V TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.Inventors: Jun Gotoh, Kaori Saito, Hiroshi Ikenoue
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Patent number: 11710660Abstract: A laser irradiation method of irradiating, with a pulse laser beam, an irradiation object in which an impurity source film is formed on a semiconductor substrate includes: reading fluence per pulse of the pulse laser beam with which a rectangular irradiation region set on the irradiation object is irradiated and the number of irradiation pulses the irradiation region is irradiated, the fluence being equal to or larger than a threshold at or beyond which ablation potentially occurs to the impurity source film when the irradiation object is irradiated with pulses of the pulse laser beam in the irradiation pulse number and smaller than a threshold at or beyond which damage potentially occurs to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; calculating a scanning speed Vdx; and moving the irradiation object at the scanning speed Vdx relative to the irradiation region while irradiating the irradiation region with the pulse laser beam at the repetition frequency f.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 2020Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignees: Gigaphoton Inc., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi Ikenoue, Osamu Wakabayashi, Hiroaki Oizumi, Akira Suwa
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Publication number: 20230027404Abstract: The present invention provides a microstructure in which evenly distributed crystal grains line up in parallel lines extending along the surface of the film, and a no-lateral-growth region left at each of locations exposed to both ends of a grain interface, which serves as a partition between the neighboring two crystal grains. According to the present invention, there are also provided: a method for forming a polycrystalline film, such as a thin polycrystalline silicon film, a thin aluminum film, and a thin copper film, which is flat and even, in surface, electrically uniform and stable, and mechanically stable; a laser crystallization device for use in manufacture of polycrystalline films, and a semiconductor device using the polycrystalline film and having good electrical property and increased breakdown voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 15, 2020Publication date: January 26, 2023Applicants: V TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Jun GOTOH, Kaori SAITO, Hiroshi IKENOUE
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Publication number: 20210366710Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor crystalline thin film according to a viewpoint of the present disclosure includes radiating first pulsed laser light having a first pulse duration to an amorphous semiconductor to poly-crystallize the amorphous semiconductor and radiating second pulsed laser light having a second pulse duration shorter than the first pulse duration to an area of a semiconductor crystal having undergone the poly-crystallization to lower the height of ridges of the semiconductor crystal.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicants: Gigaphoton Inc., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Kaname IMOKAWA, Ryoichi NOHDOMI, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Hiroshi IKENOUE
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Publication number: 20210299787Abstract: A diamond smoothing method of irradiating a laser light onto a raised and recessed surface of a diamond, so as to smooth the raised and recessed surface, by ablation that is caused to occur in the diamond by irradiation of the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface. The method includes: a threshold-energy-density detecting step of irradiating the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface, and changing an irradiation energy density of the laser light, so as to detect a threshold energy density as a lower threshold value of the irradiation energy density that causes the ablation to occur; and a smoothing processing step of executing a smoothing processing by irradiating the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface with a smoothing irradiation energy density that is set to be within a range from 1 to 15 times as large as the threshold energy density.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2018Publication date: September 30, 2021Applicants: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, KYUSHU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, OSG CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi IKENOUE, Tsuyoshi YOSHITAKE, Yuki KATAMUNE, Koki MURASAWA
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Publication number: 20200266105Abstract: A laser irradiation method of irradiating, with a pulse laser beam, an irradiation object in which an impurity source film is formed on a semiconductor substrate includes: reading fluence per pulse of the pulse laser beam with which a rectangular irradiation region set on the irradiation object is irradiated and the number of irradiation pulses the irradiation region is irradiated, the fluence being equal to or larger than a threshold at or beyond which ablation potentially occurs to the impurity source film when the irradiation object is irradiated with pulses of the pulse laser beam in the irradiation pulse number and smaller than a threshold at or beyond which damage potentially occurs to the surface of the semiconductor substrate; calculating a scanning speed Vdx; and moving the irradiation object at the scanning speed Vdx relative to the irradiation region while irradiating the irradiation region with the pulse laser beam at the repetition frequency f.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicants: Gigaphoton Inc., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi IKENOUE, Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Hiroaki OIZUMI, Akira SUWA
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Publication number: 20200251359Abstract: A laser radiation optical system for laser doping and post-annealing, the laser radiation system including A. a laser apparatus configured to generate pulsed laser light that belongs to an ultraviolet region, B. a stage configured to move a radiation receiving object in an at least one scan direction, the radiation receiving object being an impurity source film containing at least an impurity element as a dopant and formed on a semiconductor substrate, and C. an optical system including a beam homogenizer configured to shape the beam shape of the pulsed laser light into a rectangular shape and generate a beam for laser doping and a beam for post-annealing that differ from each other in terms of a first beam width in the scan direction but have the same second beam width perpendicular to the scan direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 22, 2020Publication date: August 6, 2020Applicants: Gigaphoton Inc., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Osamu WAKABAYASHI, Hiroshi IKENOUE, Hiroaki OIZUMI
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Patent number: 10651049Abstract: A laser annealing device includes: a CW laser device configured to emit continuous wave laser light caused by continuous oscillation to preheat the amorphous silicon; a pulse laser device configured to emit the pulse laser light toward the preheated amorphous silicon; an optical system configured to guide the continuous wave laser light and the pulse laser light to the amorphous silicon; and a control unit configured to control an irradiation energy density of the continuous wave laser light so as to preheat the amorphous silicon to have a predetermined target temperature less than a melting point thereof, and configured to control at least one of a fluence and a number of pulses of the pulse laser light so as to crystallize the preheated amorphous silicon.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: May 12, 2020Assignees: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Ikenoue, Tomoyuki Ohkubo, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Patent number: 10629438Abstract: The laser doping apparatus may irradiate a predetermined region of a semiconductor material with a pulse laser beam to perform doping. The laser doping apparatus may include: a solution supplying system configured to supply dopant-containing solution to the predetermined region, and a laser system including at least one laser device configured to output the pulse laser beam to be transmitted by the dopant-containing solution, and a time-domain pulse waveform changing apparatus configured to control a time-domain pulse waveform of the pulse laser beam.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2019Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignees: Kyushu University, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Tomoyuki Ohkubo, Hiroshi Ikenoue, Akihiro Ikeda, Tanemasa Asano, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Patent number: 10475650Abstract: A laser doping device includes: a solution supply system configured to supply a solution containing dopant to a doping region; a pulse laser system configured to output pulse laser light including a plurality of pulses, the pulse laser light transmitting through the solution; a first control unit configured to control a number of pulses of the pulse laser light for allowing the doping region to be irradiated, and to control a fluence of the pulse laser light in the doping region; and a second control unit configured to control a flow velocity of the solution so as to move bubbles, from the doping region, occurring in the solution every time of irradiation with the pulse.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignees: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Hiroshi Ikenoue, Akira Suwa, Osamu Wakabayashi
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Publication number: 20190252190Abstract: The laser doping apparatus may irradiate a predetermined region of a semiconductor material with a pulse laser beam to perform doping. The laser doping apparatus may include: a solution supplying system configured to supply dopant-containing solution to the predetermined region, and a laser system including at least one laser device configured to output the pulse laser beam to be transmitted by the dopant-containing solution, and a time-domain pulse waveform changing apparatus configured to control a time-domain pulse waveform of the pulse laser beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2019Publication date: August 15, 2019Applicants: Kyushu University, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Tomoyuki OHKUBO, Hiroshi IKENOUE, Akihiro IKEDA, Tanemasa ASANO, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20180350622Abstract: A laser annealing device includes: a CW laser device configured to emit continuous wave laser light caused by continuous oscillation to preheat the amorphous silicon; a pulse laser device configured to emit the pulse laser light toward the preheated amorphous silicon; an optical system configured to guide the continuous wave laser light and the pulse laser light to the amorphous silicon; and a control unit configured to control an irradiation energy density of the continuous wave laser light so as to preheat the amorphous silicon to have a predetermined target temperature less than a melting point thereof, and configured to control at least one of a fluence and a number of pulses of the pulse laser light so as to crystallize the preheated amorphous silicon.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Applicants: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Hiroshi IKENOUE, Tomoyuki OHKUBO, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20180342397Abstract: A laser doping device includes: a solution supply system configured to supply a solution containing dopant to a doping region; a pulse laser system configured to output pulse laser light including a plurality of pulses, the pulse laser light transmitting through the solution; a first control unit configured to control a number of pulses of the pulse laser light for allowing the doping region to be irradiated, and to control a fluence of the pulse laser light in the doping region; and a second control unit configured to control a flow velocity of the solution so as to move bubbles, from the doping region, occurring in the solution every time of irradiation with the pulse.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2018Publication date: November 29, 2018Applicants: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Hiroshi IKENOUE, Akira SUWA, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20180019141Abstract: A laser system may serve as a light source of a laser annealing apparatus that irradiates a workpiece with a pulse laser beam. The laser system may include: a laser apparatus configured to generate the pulse laser beam; a time-domain pulse waveform changing apparatus configured to change time-domain pulse waveform of the pulse laser beam; and a controller configured to receive at least one parameter for generating the time-domain pulse waveform from the laser annealing apparatus and to control the time-domain pulse waveform changing apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2017Publication date: January 18, 2018Applicants: Kyushu University, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Tomoyuki OHKUBO, Hiroshi IKENOUE, Kouji KAKIZAKI, Yasuhiro KAMBA, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170365475Abstract: The laser doping apparatus may irradiate a predetermined region of a semiconductor material with a pulse laser beam to perform doping. The laser doping apparatus may include: a solution supplying system configured to supply dopant-containing solution to the predetermined region, and a laser system including at least one laser device configured to output the pulse laser beam to be transmitted by the dopant-containing solution, and a time-domain pulse waveform changing apparatus configured to control a time-domain pulse waveform of the pulse laser beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 16, 2017Publication date: December 21, 2017Applicants: Kyushu University, Gigaphoton Inc.Inventors: Tomoyuki OHKUBO, Hiroshi IKENOUE, Akihiro IKEDA, Tanemasa ASANO, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Patent number: 9659775Abstract: Impurity elements are doped at a high concentration exceeding a thermodynamic equilibrium concentration into a solid material having an extremely small diffusion coefficient of the impurity element. A method for doping impurities includes steps for depositing source film made of material containing impurity elements with a film thickness on a surface of a solid target object (semiconductor substrate) made from the solid material. The film thickness is determined in consideration of irradiation time per light pulse and the energy density of the light pulse. The method also includes a step for irradiating the source film by the light pulse with the irradiation time and the energy density so as to dope the impurity elements into the target object at a concentration exceeding a thermodynamic equilibrium concentration.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2016Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignees: FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Ikeda, Hiroshi Ikenoue, Tanemasa Asano, Kenichi Iguchi, Haruo Nakazawa, Koh Yoshikawa, Yasukazu Seki
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Publication number: 20170103895Abstract: A laser irradiation apparatus may include a plasma generator, a laser unit configured to output a pulsed laser light beam, and a controller. The plasma generator may be configured to supply an atmospheric pressure plasma containing a dopant to a predetermined region on a semiconductor material. The controller may be configured to control the plasma generator and the laser unit to perform one of first and second controls to thereby perform doping of the dopant into the semiconductor material. The first control may cause irradiation of the predetermined region with one or more pulses of the pulsed laser light beam from start to finish of supply of the atmospheric pressure plasma to the predetermined region. The second control may cause irradiation of the predetermined region with one or more pulses of the pulsed laser light beam after supply of the atmospheric pressure plasma to the predetermined region.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2016Publication date: April 13, 2017Applicants: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, GIGAPHOTON INC.Inventors: Yousuke WATANABE, Hiroshi IKENOUE, Osamu WAKABAYASHI
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Publication number: 20160247681Abstract: Impurity elements are doped at a high concentration exceeding a thermodynamic equilibrium concentration into a solid material having an extremely small diffusion coefficient of the impurity element. A method for doping impurities includes steps for depositing source film made of material containing impurity elements with a film thickness on a surface of a solid target object (semiconductor substrate) made from the solid material. The film thickness is determined in consideration of irradiation time per light pulse and the energy density of the light pulse. The method also includes a step for irradiating the source film by the light pulse with the irradiation time and the energy density so as to dope the impurity elements into the target object at a concentration exceeding a thermodynamic equilibrium concentration.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2016Publication date: August 25, 2016Applicants: KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION, FUJI ELECTRIC CO., LTD.Inventors: Akihiro IKEDA, Hiroshi Ikenoue, Tanemasa Asano, Kenichi Iguchi, Haruo Nakazawa, Koh Yoshikawa, Yasukazu Seki
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Publication number: 20160035603Abstract: Provided is a laser annealing apparatus that may include: a laser light source section configured to output pulsed laser light to be applied to a thin film formed on a workpiece; a pulse width varying section configured to vary a pulse width of the pulsed laser light; a melt state measuring section configured to detect that the thin film irradiated with the pulsed laser light is in a melt state; and a controlling section configured to determine, based on a result of detection by the melt state measuring section, a duration of time during which the thin film is in the melt state, and to control the pulse width varying section to allow the duration of time to be of a predetermined length.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2015Publication date: February 4, 2016Applicants: GIGAPHOTON INC., KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroshi IKENOUE, Osamu WAKABAYASHI