Patents by Inventor Masashi Tsubuku

Masashi Tsubuku 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: 11217701
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film which includes oxidized material containing silicon and covers the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film provided to be in contact with the gate insulating film and overlap with at least the gate electrode, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film. In the oxide semiconductor film, a first region which is provided to be in contact with the gate insulating film and have a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm has a silicon concentration lower than or equal to 1.0 at. %, and a region in the oxide semiconductor film other than the first region has lower silicon concentration than the first region. At least the first region includes a crystal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Honda, Masashi Tsubuku, Yusuke Nonaka, Takashi Shimazu, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11189745
    Abstract: The problem of the present disclosure is to provide a photo sensor circuit that uses oxide semiconductor transistors and the operation of which is stable. The photo sensor circuit includes: a photo transistor; a first switching transistor; a second switching transistor; and a capacitance element. The photo transistor includes: a gate connected to a first wiring; a source connected to a second wiring; and a drain. The first switching transistor includes: a gate connected to a third wiring; a source connected to a fourth wiring; and a drain connected to the drain of the photo transistor. The capacitance element includes: a first terminal connected to the drain of the photo transistor; and a second terminal connected to the source of the first switching transistor. The second switching transistor includes: a gate connected to a gate line; a source connected to a signal line; and a drain connected to the first terminal of the capacitance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Masashi Tsubuku, Takanori Tsunashima, Marina Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20210366944
    Abstract: It is an object to manufacture a highly reliable display device using a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and high reliability as a switching element. In a bottom gate thin film transistor including an amorphous oxide semiconductor, an oxide conductive layer having a crystal region is formed between an oxide semiconductor layer which has been dehydrated or dehydrogenated by heat treatment and each of a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which are formed using a metal material. Accordingly, contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and each of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer can be reduced; thus, a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and a highly reliable display device using the thin film transistor can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshinari SASAKI, Junichiro SAKATA, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20210358766
    Abstract: An object is to provide a display device with excellent display characteristics, where a pixel circuit and a driver circuit provided over one substrate are formed using transistors which have different structures corresponding to characteristics of the respective circuits. The driver circuit portion includes a driver circuit transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using a metal film, and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor, and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material, and thus, a display device with higher aperture ratio can be manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichiro SAKATA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kengo AKIMOTO, Miyuki HOSOBA, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Yoshiaki OIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210343877
    Abstract: A display device including a pixel having a memory. The pixel includes at least a display element, a capacitor, an inverter, and a switch. The switch is controlled with a signal held in the capacitor and a signal output from the inverter so that voltage is supplied to the display element. The inverter and the switch can be constituted by transistors with the same polarity. A semiconductor layer included in the pixel may be formed using a light-transmitting material. Moreover, a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a capacitor electrode may be formed using a light-transmitting conductive layer. The pixel is formed using a light-transmitting material in such a manner, whereby the display device can be a transmissive display device while including a pixel having a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Hajime KIMURA, Kengo AKIMOTO, Masashi TSUBUKU, Toshinari SASAKI
  • Patent number: 11139166
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masashi Tsubuku, Masashi Oota, Yoichi Kurosawa, Noritaka Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20210305413
    Abstract: The on-state characteristics of a transistor are improved and thus, a semiconductor device capable of high-speed response and high-speed operation is provided. A highly reliable semiconductor device showing stable electric characteristics is made. The semiconductor device includes a transistor including a first oxide layer; an oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide layer; a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; a second oxide layer over the oxide semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer over the second oxide layer; and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer. An end portion of the second oxide layer and an end portion of the gate insulating layer overlap with the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Hideomi SUZAWA, Shinya SASAGAWA, Motomu KURATA, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20210296371
    Abstract: To reduce a leakage current of a transistor so that malfunction of a logic circuit can be suppressed. The logic circuit includes a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer having a function of a channel formation layer and in which an off current is 1×10?13 A or less per micrometer in channel width. A first signal, a second signal, and a third signal that is a clock signal are input as input signals. A fourth signal and a fifth signal whose voltage states are set in accordance with the first to third signals which have been input are output as output signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2021
    Publication date: September 23, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Jun KOYAMA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kosei NODA
  • Publication number: 20210257498
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film which includes oxidized material containing silicon and covers the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film provided to be in contact with the gate insulating film and overlap with at least the gate electrode, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film. In the oxide semiconductor film, a first region which is provided to be in contact with the gate insulating film and have a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm has a silicon concentration lower than or equal to 1.0 at. %, and a region in the oxide semiconductor film other than the first region has lower silicon concentration than the first region. At least the first region includes a crystal portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Tatsuya HONDA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Yusuke NONAKA, Takashi SHIMAZU, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 11094717
    Abstract: It is an object to manufacture a highly reliable display device using a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and high reliability as a switching element. In a bottom gate thin film transistor including an amorphous oxide semiconductor, an oxide conductive layer having a crystal region is formed between an oxide semiconductor layer which has been dehydrated or dehydrogenated by heat treatment and each of a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which are formed using a metal material. Accordingly, contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and each of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer can be reduced; thus, a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and a highly reliable display device using the thin film transistor can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshinari Sasaki, Junichiro Sakata, Masashi Tsubuku
  • Publication number: 20210225887
    Abstract: A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nm? and less than or equal to 10 nm?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Takuya HIROHASHI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Masashi OOTA
  • Patent number: 11069817
    Abstract: A display device including a pixel having a memory. The pixel includes at least a display element, a capacitor, an inverter, and a switch. The switch is controlled with a signal held in the capacitor and a signal output from the inverter so that voltage is supplied to the display element. The inverter and the switch can be constituted by transistors with the same polarity. A semiconductor layer included in the pixel may be formed using a light-transmitting material. Moreover, a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a capacitor electrode may be formed using a light-transmitting conductive layer. The pixel is formed using a light-transmitting material in such a manner, whereby the display device can be a transmissive display device while including a pixel having a memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Kimura, Kengo Akimoto, Masashi Tsubuku, Toshinari Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20210210524
    Abstract: To reduce degradation of characteristics and reliability of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor as an active layer. A thin film transistor comprising: an active layer formed of an oxide semiconductor including at least indium and gallium; an electrode layer including an aluminum layer and partially formed on the active layer; and an interlayer insulating layer formed on the active layer, wherein a peak value of chlorine concentration at an interface between the interlayer insulating layer and the active layer is equal to or less than 2.0×1019 [atoms/cm3], and a peak value of aluminum concentration at an interface between the interlayer insulating layer and the active layer is equal to or less than 1.0×1020 [atoms/cm3].
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya TODA, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20210210519
    Abstract: An object is to obtain a semiconductor device having a high sensitivity in detecting signals and a wide dynamic range, using a thin film transistor in which an oxide semiconductor layer is used. An analog circuit is formed with the use of a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor which has a function as a channel formation layer, has a hydrogen concentration of 5×1019 atoms/cm3 or lower, and substantially functions as an insulator in the state where no electric field is generated. Thus, a semiconductor device having a high sensitivity in detecting signals and a wide dynamic range can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Jun KOYAMA, Atsushi HIROSE, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kosei NODA
  • Patent number: 11056515
    Abstract: To reduce a leakage current of a transistor so that malfunction of a logic circuit can be suppressed. The logic circuit includes a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer having a function of a channel formation layer and in which an off current is 1×10?13 A or less per micrometer in channel width. A first signal, a second signal, and a third signal that is a clock signal are input as input signals. A fourth signal and a fifth signal whose voltage states are set in accordance with the first to third signals which have been input are output as output signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Masashi Tsubuku, Kosei Noda
  • Publication number: 20210202639
    Abstract: To sufficiently reduce an off-leakage current of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor as an active layer, provide a transistor having uniform characteristics when forming a large number of transistors on a large substrate, and reduce a load on a manufacturing process. A thin film transistor comprising: an active layer formed of an oxide semiconductor including at least indium and gallium; a gate electrode; a first gate insulating layer disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode on the gate electrode side; and a second gate insulating layer, which is a hydrogen block layer, disposed between the active layer and the gate electrode on the active layer side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2021
    Publication date: July 1, 2021
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi TSUBUKU, Tatsuya TODA
  • Publication number: 20210189547
    Abstract: A metal oxide film containing a crystal part is provided. Alternatively, a metal oxide film with highly stable physical properties is provided. Alternatively, a metal oxide film with improved electrical characteristics is provided. Alternatively, a metal oxide film with which field-effect mobility can be increased is provided. A metal oxide film including In, M (M is Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), and Zn includes a first crystal part and a second crystal part; the first crystal part has c-axis alignment; the second crystal part has no c-axis alignment; and the existing proportion of the second crystal part is higher than the existing proportion of the first crystal part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichi KOEZUKA, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20210175256
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a driver circuit portion including a driver circuit and a pixel portion including a pixel. The pixel includes a gate electrode layer having a light-transmitting property, a gate insulating layer, a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer each having a light-transmitting property provided over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer covering top surfaces and side surfaces of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer and provided over the gate electrode layer with the gate insulating layer therebetween, a conductive layer provided over part of the oxide semiconductor layer and having a lower resistance than the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer, and an oxide insulating layer in contact with part of the oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2020
    Publication date: June 10, 2021
    Inventors: Masayuki SAKAKURA, Yoshiaki OIKAWA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichiro SAKATA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kengo AKIMOTO, Miyuki HOSOBA
  • Patent number: 11024516
    Abstract: An object is to provide a display device with excellent display characteristics, where a pixel circuit and a driver circuit provided over one substrate are formed using transistors which have different structures corresponding to characteristics of the respective circuits. The driver circuit portion includes a driver circuit transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using a metal film, and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor, and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material, and thus, a display device with higher aperture ratio can be manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichiro Sakata, Masashi Tsubuku, Kengo Akimoto, Miyuki Hosoba, Masayuki Sakakura, Yoshiaki Oikawa
  • Publication number: 20210159345
    Abstract: An oxide semiconductor film which has more stable electric conductivity is provided. The oxide semiconductor film comprises a crystalline region. The oxide semiconductor film has a first peak of electron diffraction intensity with a full width at half maximum of greater than or equal to 0.4 nm?1 and less than or equal to 0.7 nm?1 in a region where a magnitude of a scattering vector is greater than or equal to 3.3 nm?1 and less than or equal to 4.1 nm?1. The oxide semiconductor film has a second peak of electron diffraction intensity with a full width at half maximum of greater than or equal to 0.45 nm?1 and less than or equal to 1.4 nm?1 in a region where a magnitude of a scattering vector is greater than or equal to 5.5 nm?1 and less than or equal to 7.1 nm?1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: May 27, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kengo AKIMOTO, Hiroki OHARA, Tatsuya HONDA, Takatsugu OMATA, Yusuke NONAKA, Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Akiharu MIYANAGA