Patents by Inventor Masamitsu Yamanaka

Masamitsu Yamanaka 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: 20230305201
    Abstract: A reflection plate includes a substrate, an insulation film disposed on the substrate and including projection portions and recesses on an uneven surface, and a reflection film disposed on the uneven surface and having a surface that conforms to the uneven surface and reflecting light. The projection portions are arranged at intervals and are inclined with respect to a normal direction of a surface of the substrate. The recesses are between the projection portions that are adjacent to each other. The projection portions include a first projection portion, a second projection portion, and a third projection portion that are inclined in different directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2023
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Inventors: Yutaka SAWAYAMA, Yoshimasa CHIKAMA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Hideki KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 11762252
    Abstract: A first substrate of a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate wiring lines, a plurality of source wiring lines, a thin film transistor (TFT) provided in each of the pixels, a pixel electrode formed of a transparent conductive material and electrically connected to the TFT, a reflective electrode including a portion positioned in a reflective region, and a terminal portion disposed in a non-display region. The pixel electrode is formed in an upper layer above the reflective electrode, and the reflective electrode is not in contact with the pixel electrode. The terminal portion includes at least one of a first conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the gate wiring lines and a second conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the source wiring lines, and a third conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the pixel electrode, and does not include a conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the reflective electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Chikama, Masamitsu Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 11721704
    Abstract: The oxide semiconductor layer is electrically connected to a source electrode or the source bus line within the source opening formed in the lower insulating layer, each wiring line connection section includes a lower conductive portion formed using the first conductive film, the lower insulating layer extending over the lower conductive portion, an oxide connection layer formed using an oxide film the same as the oxide semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the lower conductive portion within the lower opening formed in the lower insulating layer, an insulating layer covering the oxide connection layer, and an upper conductive portion electrically connected to the oxide connection layer within the upper opening formed in the insulating layer, wherein the oxide connection layer includes a region lower in a specific resistance than the channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tohru Daitoh, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Yoshihito Hara, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya
  • Patent number: 11688743
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a first TFT and a second TFT, each of TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode arranged on a part of the oxide semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer therebetween, in which in the first TFT, the oxide semiconductor layer, in a first region covered with the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer interposed between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, has a layered structure including a lower oxide semiconductor film and an upper oxide semiconductor film throughout and a mobility of the upper oxide semiconductor film is higher than a mobility of the lower oxide semiconductor film, and in the second TFT, in at least a part of a first region of the oxide semiconductor layer, of the lower oxide semiconductor film and the upper oxide semiconductor film, one oxide semiconductor film is provided, and another oxide semiconductor film is not provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masamitsu Yamanaka, Yoshimasa Chikama
  • Publication number: 20230178561
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of thin-film transistors, a plurality of pixel electrodes, and a first insulating layer. Each pixel electrode is formed from a transparent conducting material. Each thin-film transistor includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, source and drain electrodes, and an oxide semiconductor layer. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a channel region, a source contact region, and a drain contact region. The source electrode has a stack structure including a source transparent conducting layer and a source metal layer. The drain electrode includes a drain transparent conducting layer. The drain transparent conducting layer is formed integrally with a corresponding one of the plurality of pixel electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2022
    Publication date: June 8, 2023
    Inventors: Hideki KITAGAWA, Yoshimasa CHIKAMA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA
  • Publication number: 20220317532
    Abstract: A first substrate of a liquid crystal display device includes a plurality of gate wiring lines, a plurality of source wiring lines, a thin film transistor (TFT) provided in each of the pixels, a pixel electrode formed of a transparent conductive material and electrically connected to the TFT, a reflective electrode including a portion positioned in a reflective region, and a terminal portion disposed in a non-display region. The pixel electrode is formed in an upper layer above the reflective electrode, and the reflective electrode is not in contact with the pixel electrode. The terminal portion includes at least one of a first conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the gate wiring lines and a second conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the source wiring lines, and a third conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the pixel electrode, and does not include a conductive layer formed in a same layer as that of the reflective electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 6, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshimasa CHIKAMA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 11393849
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs, a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines, and at least one trunk wiring provided in a non-display region and transmitting a signal, and a plurality of other wirings, each of which is disposed so as to at least partially overlap the trunk wirings. The active matrix substrate includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer disposed above the first metal layer, and a third metal layer disposed above the second metal layer on the substrate. One of the first, second, and third metal layers includes a source bus line, and other layer includes a gate bus line. The trunk wiring is formed in two metal layer of the first, second and third metal layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Kengo Hara, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Hitoshi Takahata
  • Patent number: 11385488
    Abstract: A curved display panel including a display surface curving at least around a curve axis and displaying an image, the curved display panel includes a first substrate; a second substrate spaced apart from, and facing, the first substrate; a plurality of pixels provided to the first substrate, and arranged in a matrix inside the display surface; a light shield provided to the second substrate, extending in a curve direction of the display surface, and dividing the pixels adjacent to each other in an orthogonal-to-curve direction extending along the display surface and orthogonal to the curve direction; and an indicator provided to the second substrate, and serving as a position indicator of each of the pixels in the curve direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Chikama, Masamitsu Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20220157855
    Abstract: The oxide semiconductor layer is electrically connected to a source electrode or the source bus line within the source opening formed in the lower insulating layer, each wiring line connection section includes a lower conductive portion formed using the first conductive film, the lower insulating layer extending over the lower conductive portion, an oxide connection layer formed using an oxide film the same as the oxide semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the lower conductive portion within the lower opening formed in the lower insulating layer, an insulating layer covering the oxide connection layer, and an upper conductive portion electrically connected to the oxide connection layer within the upper opening formed in the insulating layer, wherein the oxide connection layer includes a region lower in a specific resistance than the channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: May 19, 2022
    Inventors: Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Yoshihito HARA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA
  • Patent number: 11296126
    Abstract: The oxide semiconductor layer is electrically connected to a source electrode or the source bus line within the source opening formed in the lower insulating layer, each wiring line connection section includes a lower conductive portion formed using the first conductive film, the lower insulating layer extending over the lower conductive portion, an oxide connection layer formed using an oxide film the same as the oxide semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the lower conductive portion within the lower opening formed in the lower insulating layer, an insulating layer covering the oxide connection layer, and an upper conductive portion electrically connected to the oxide connection layer within the upper opening formed in the insulating layer, wherein the oxide connection layer includes a region lower in a specific resistance than the channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hajime Imai, Tohru Daitoh, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Yoshihito Hara, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya
  • Publication number: 20220077318
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor, wherein: a semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor has a layered structure including a lower oxide semiconductor layer including In, Ga, Zn and Sn and an upper oxide semiconductor layer arranged on the lower oxide semiconductor layer and including In, Ga and Zn; a thickness of the lower oxide semiconductor layer is 20 nm or less; an atomic ratio of Sn with respect to all metal elements of the lower oxide semiconductor layer is 5% or more; the upper oxide semiconductor layer includes no Sn, or an atomic ratio of Sn with respect to all metal elements of the upper oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than an atomic ratio of Sn with respect to all metal elements of the lower oxide semiconductor layer; and a first angle ?1 between a side surface and a lower surface of the lower oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than a second angle ?2 between a side surface and a lower surface of the upper oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Kengo HARA
  • Publication number: 20220005838
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a first TFT and a second TFT, each of TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode arranged on a part of the oxide semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer therebetween, in which in the first TFT, the oxide semiconductor layer, in a first region covered with the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer interposed between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, has a layered structure including a lower oxide semiconductor film and an upper oxide semiconductor film throughout and a mobility of the upper oxide semiconductor film is higher than a mobility of the lower oxide semiconductor film, and in the second TFT, in at least a part of a first region of the oxide semiconductor layer, of the lower oxide semiconductor film and the upper oxide semiconductor film, one oxide semiconductor film is provided, and another oxide semiconductor film is not provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Yoshimasa CHIKAMA
  • Publication number: 20210397038
    Abstract: A curved display panel including a display surface curving at least around a curve axis and displaying an image, the curved display panel includes a first substrate; a second substrate spaced apart from, and facing, the first substrate; a plurality of pixels provided to the first substrate, and arranged in a matrix inside the display surface; a light shield provided to the second substrate, extending in a curve direction of the display surface, and dividing the pixels adjacent to each other in an orthogonal-to-curve direction extending along the display surface and orthogonal to the curve direction; and an indicator provided to the second substrate, and serving as a position indicator of each of the pixels in the curve direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Inventors: YOSHIMASA CHIKAMA, MASAMITSU YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 11205729
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor, wherein: a semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor has a layered structure including a lower oxide semiconductor layer including In, Ga, Zn and Sn and an upper oxide semiconductor layer arranged on the lower oxide semiconductor layer and including In, Ga and Zn; a thickness of the lower oxide semiconductor layer is 20 nm or less; an atomic ratio of Sn with respect to all metal elements of the lower oxide semiconductor layer is 5% or more; the upper oxide semiconductor layer includes no Sn, or an atomic ratio of Sn with respect to all metal elements of the upper oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than an atomic ratio of Sn with respect to all metal elements of the lower oxide semiconductor layer; and a first angle ?1 between a side surface and a lower surface of the lower oxide semiconductor layer is smaller than a second angle ?2 between a side surface and a lower surface of the upper oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Teruyuki Ueda, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Kengo Hara
  • Patent number: 11145679
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an active matrix board includes (E) a step of forming a source contact hole and a drain contact hole in an interlayer insulating layer such that a portion of a source contact region of an oxide semiconductor layer and a portion of a drain contact region thereof are exposed and forming a connecting portion contact hole in the interlayer insulating layer and a lower insulating layer such that a portion of a lower conductive layer is exposed; and (F) a step of forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an upper conductive layer on the interlayer insulating layer; and the step (E) includes (e-1) a step of forming a photoresist film on the interlayer insulating layer and (e-2) a step of forming a photoresist layer in such a manner that the photoresist film is exposed to light using a multi-tone mask and is then developed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Teruyuki Ueda, Hitoshi Takahata
  • Publication number: 20210151493
    Abstract: A semiconductor image sensor module 1 at least includes a semiconductor image sensor chip 2 having a transistor forming region on a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate and having a photoelectric conversion region with a light incident surface formed on a second main surface on the side opposite to the first main surface and an image signal processing chip 3 for processing image signals formed in the semiconductor image sensor chip 2, wherein a plurality of bump electrodes 15a are formed on a first main surface, a plurality of bump electrodes 15b are formed on the image signal processing chip 3, both the chips 2 and 3 are formed to be laminated through heat dissipating means 4 and the plurality of bump electrodes 15a of the semiconductor image sensor chip 2 and the plurality of bump electrodes 15b on the image signal processing chip 3 are electrically connected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Ikuo Yoshihara, Masamitsu Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10930694
    Abstract: A semiconductor image sensor module 1 at least includes a semiconductor image sensor chip 2 having a transistor forming region on a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate and having a photoelectric conversion region with a light incident surface formed on a second main surface on the side opposite to the first main surface and an image signal processing chip 3 for processing image signals formed in the semiconductor image sensor chip 2, wherein a plurality of bump electrodes 15a are formed on a first main surface, a plurality of bump electrodes 15b are formed on the image signal processing chip 3, both the chips 2 and 3 are formed to be laminated through heat dissipating means 4 and the plurality of bump electrodes 15a of the semiconductor image sensor chip 2 and the plurality of bump electrodes 15b on the image signal processing chip 3 are electrically connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuo Yoshihara, Masamitsu Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 10928691
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate 10 includes: switching elements 120 that are connected with gate lines and data lines provided on a substrate; pixel electrodes 130 that are connected with the switching elements 120; counter electrodes 140 that overlap with the pixel electrodes 130 when viewed in a plan view; a flattening film 154; and lines 142. The flattening film 154 covers the switching elements 120, and first contact holes CH1 that pass through the flattening film 154 are formed at positions that overlap with the lines 142 when viewed in a plan view. The pixel electrodes 130 and the counter electrodes 140 are arranged so that each of the same partially covers the flattening film 154. The line 142 and the counter electrode 140 are connected with each other in the first contact hole CH1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2021
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Setsuji Nishimiya, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Teruyuki Ueda, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata
  • Publication number: 20210013238
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a substrate; a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of source bus lines; an oxide semiconductor TFT that includes an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, and a gate electrode; a pixel electrode; and an upper insulating layer. The oxide semiconductor layer includes a high resistance region, and a first region and a second region. The high resistance region includes a channel region, a first channel offset region, and a second channel offset region. The upper insulating layer is disposed so as to overlap the channel region, the first channel offset region, and the second channel offset region, and so as not to overlap any of the first region and the second region, when viewed from the normal direction of the main surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Yoshihito HARA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH
  • Publication number: 20200388637
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs, a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines, and at least one trunk wiring provided in a non-display region and transmitting a signal, and a plurality of other wirings, each of which is disposed so as to at least partially overlap the trunk wirings. The active matrix substrate includes a first metal layer, a second metal layer disposed above the first metal layer, and a third metal layer disposed above the second metal layer on the substrate. One of the first, second, and third metal layers includes a source bus line, and other layer includes a gate bus line. The trunk wiring is formed in two metal layer of the first, second and third metal layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA