Patents by Inventor Taro Nishiguchi

Taro Nishiguchi 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: 9728628
    Abstract: A silicon carbide epitaxial layer includes: a first impurity region; a second impurity region; and a third impurity region. A gate insulating film is in contact with the first impurity region, the second impurity region, and the third impurity region. A groove portion is formed in a surface of the first impurity region, the surface being in contact with the gate insulating film, the groove portion extending in one direction along the surface, a width of the groove portion in the one direction being twice or more as large as a width of the groove portion in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, a maximum depth of the groove portion from the surface being not more than 10 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiji Wada, Taro Nishiguchi, Toru Hiyoshi, Taku Horii, Kosuke Uchida
  • Publication number: 20170152609
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate has the following steps. A silicon carbide source material is partially sublimated. After partially sublimating the silicon carbide source material, a seed substrate having a main surface is placed in a growth container. By sublimating the remainder of the silicon carbide source material in the growth container, a silicon carbide crystal grows on the main surface of the seed substrate. In this way, an increase of dislocations in the main surface of the seed substrate can be suppressed, thereby providing a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate having few dislocations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2017
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Shinsuke FUJIWARA, Taro NISHIGUCHI, Tsutomu HORI, Naoki OOI, Shunsaku UETA
  • Patent number: 9631296
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate has the following steps. A silicon carbide source material is partially sublimated. After partially sublimating the silicon carbide source material, a seed substrate having a main surface is placed in a growth container. By sublimating the remainder of the silicon carbide source material in the growth container, a silicon carbide crystal grows on the main surface of the seed substrate. In this way, an increase of dislocations in the main surface of the seed substrate can be suppressed, thereby providing a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate having few dislocations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinsuke Fujiwara, Taro Nishiguchi, Tsutomu Hori, Naoki Ooi, Shunsaku Ueta
  • Patent number: 9583571
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a main surface and formed of single crystal silicon carbide. The main surface includes a central area, which is an area other than the area within 5 mm from the outer circumference. When the central area is divided into square areas of 1 mm×1 mm, in any square area, density of dislocations of which Burgers vector is parallel to <0001> direction is at most 1×105 cm?2. Thus, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate enabling improved yield of semiconductor devices can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Nishiguchi, Shin Harada, Shinsuke Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20160355949
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide epitaxial substrate includes: a step of placing a silicon carbide single crystal substrate within a chamber and reducing a pressure within the chamber; a step of increasing a temperature within the chamber to a first temperature; a step of introducing hydrogen gas into the chamber and adjusting the pressure within the chamber; a step of introducing hydrocarbon gas into the chamber; a substrate reforming step of increasing the temperature within the chamber to a second temperature and holding the temperature at the second temperature for a predetermined time, with the adjusted pressure within the chamber and a flow rate of the hydrogen gas being maintained and the hydrocarbon gas being introduced; and a step of growing an epitaxial layer on the silicon carbide single crystal substrate by introducing silane gas into the chamber with the second temperature being maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2015
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Keiji Wada, Taro Nishiguchi, Jun Genba
  • Publication number: 20160348274
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate is a method for manufacturing a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, in which epitaxial growth is carried out in a reaction chamber, and includes the steps of arranging a base substrate composed of silicon carbide in the reaction chamber and forming an epitaxially grown film on the base substrate. In the step of forming an epitaxially grown film, the base substrate is heated while a reaction gas in which a first gas containing ammonia and a second gas containing a halide but not containing ammonia have been mixed with each other is supplied toward the base substrate. The first gas is mixed with the second gas after the first gas is heated no that ammonia contained in the first gas can be thermally decomposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Jun GENBA, Taro NISHIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160351667
    Abstract: A silicon carbide epitaxial layer includes: a first impurity region; a second impurity region; and a third impurity region. A gate insulating film is in contact with the first impurity region, the second impurity region, and the third impurity region. A groove portion is formed in a surface of the first impurity region, the surface being in contact with the gate insulating film, the groove portion extending in one direction along the surface, a width of the groove portion in the one direction being twice or more as large as a width of the groove portion in a direction perpendicular to the one direction, a maximum depth of the groove portion from the surface being not more than 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Inventors: Keiji Wada, Taro Nishiguchi, Toru Hiyoshi, Taku Horii, Kosuke Uchida
  • Publication number: 20160326668
    Abstract: An epitaxial wafer includes a silicon carbide film having a first main surface. A groove portion is formed in the first main surface. The groove portion extends in one direction along the first main surface. Moreover, a width of the groove portion in the one direction is twice or more as large as a width of the groove portion in a direction perpendicular to the one direction. Moreover, a maximum depth of the groove portion from the first main surface is not more than 10 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taro Nishiguchi, Jun Genba, Hironori Itoh, Tomoaki Hatayama, Hideyuki Doi
  • Publication number: 20160273129
    Abstract: A silicon carbide substrate and a silicon carbide ingot excellent in uniformity in characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the same are obtained. A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide ingot includes the steps of preparing a base substrate having an off angle with respect to a (0001) plane not greater than 10° and composed of single crystal silicon carbide and growing a silicon carbide layer on a surface of the base substrate. In the step of growing a silicon carbide layer, a temperature gradient in a direction of width when viewed in a direction of growth of the silicon carbide layer is set to 20° C./cm or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Makoto SASAKI, Taro NISHIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9450054
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a main surface and formed of single crystal silicon carbide. The main surface includes a central area, which is an area other than the area within 5 mm from the outer circumference. When the central area is divided into square areas of 1 mm×1 mm, in any square area, density of dislocations of which Burgers vector is parallel to <0001> direction is at most 1×105 cm?2. Thus, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate enabling improved yield of semiconductor devices can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Nishiguchi, Shin Harada, Shinsuke Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20160233080
    Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor substrate includes a first main surface and a second main surface opposite to the first main surface. The first main surface has a maximum diameter of more than 100 mm, and the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate has a thickness of not more than 700 ?m. A dislocation density is not more than 500/mm2 at an arbitrary region having an area of 1 mm2 in a region within 5 mm from an outer circumferential end portion of the first main surface toward a center of the first main surface. Accordingly, there is provided a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate allowing for suppression of generation of cracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2014
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Applicants: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: So Tanaka, Kyoko Okita, Taro Nishiguchi, Ryosuke Kubota, Kenji Kanbara
  • Publication number: 20160108553
    Abstract: A silicon carbide substrate capable of stably forming a device of excellent performance, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A silicon carbide substrate is made of a single crystal of silicon carbide, and has a width of not less than 100 mm, a micropipe density of not more than 7 cm?2, a threading screw dislocation density of not more than 1×104 cm?2, a threading edge dislocation density of not more than 1×104 cm?2, a basal plane dislocation density of not more than 1×104 cm 2, a stacking fault density of not more than 0.1 cm?1, a conductive impurity concentration of not less than 1×1018 cm 3, a residual impurity concentration of not more than 1×1016 cm?3, and a secondary phase inclusion density of not more than 1 cm?3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2015
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Inventors: Shin HARADA, Shinsuke FUJIWARA, Taro NISHIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9255344
    Abstract: A silicon carbide substrate capable of stably forming a device of excellent performance, and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. A silicon carbide substrate is made of a single crystal of silicon carbide, and has a width of not less than 100 mm, a micropipe density of not more than 7 cm?2, a threading screw dislocation density of not more than 1×104 cm?2, a threading edge dislocation density of not more than 1×104 cm?2, a basal plane dislocation density of not more than 1×104 cm?2, a stacking fault density of not more than 0.1 cm?1, a conductive impurity concentration of not less than 1×1018 cm?3, a residual impurity concentration of not more than 1×1016 cm?3, and a secondary phase inclusion density of not more than 1 cm?3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shin Harada, Shinsuke Fujiwara, Taro Nishiguchi
  • Publication number: 20160027879
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a main surface and formed of single crystal silicon carbide. The main surface includes a central area, which is an area other than the area within 5 mm from the outer circumference. When the central area is divided into square areas of 1 mm×1 mm, in any square area, density of dislocations of which Burgers vector is parallel to <0001> direction is at most 1×105 cm?2. Thus, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate enabling improved yield of semiconductor devices can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Taro NISHIGUCHI, Shin HARADA, Shinsuke FUJIWARA
  • Patent number: 9184239
    Abstract: A semiconductor substrate has a main surface and formed of single crystal silicon carbide. The main surface includes a central area, which is an area other than the area within 5 mm from the outer circumference. When the central area is divided into square areas of 1 mm×1 mm, in any square area, density of dislocations of which Burgers vector is parallel to <0001> direction is at most 1×105 cm?2. Thus, a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate enabling improved yield of semiconductor devices can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Nishiguchi, Shin Harada, Shinsuke Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20150233018
    Abstract: A silicon carbide epitaxial substrate having a main surface (second main surface) includes: a base substrate; and a silicon carbide epitaxial layer formed on the base substrate and including the main surface (second main surface), the second main surface having a surface roughness of 0.6 nm or less, a ratio of standard deviation of a nitrogen concentration in the silicon carbide epitaxial layer at a surface layer including the main surface (second main surface) within a plane of the silicon carbide epitaxial substrate to an average value of the nitrogen concentration in the silicon carbide epitaxial layer at the surface layer within the plane of the silicon carbide epitaxial substrate being 15% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Jun Genba, Taro Nishiguchi, Hideyuki Doi, Akira Matsushima
  • Publication number: 20150225873
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate has the following steps. A silicon carbide source material is partially sublimated. After partially sublimating the silicon carbide source material, a seed substrate having a main surface is placed in a growth container. By sublimating the remainder of the silicon carbide source material in the growth container, a silicon carbide crystal grows on the main surface of the seed substrate. In this way, an increase of dislocations in the main surface of the seed substrate can be suppressed, thereby providing a method of manufacturing a silicon carbide substrate having few dislocations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2013
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinsuke FUJIWARA, Taro NISHIGUCHI, Tsutomu HORI, Naoki OOI, Shunsaku UETA
  • Patent number: 9090992
    Abstract: A seed crystal having a frontside surface and a backside surface is prepared. Surface roughness of the backside surface of the seed crystal is increased. A coating film including carbon is formed on the backside surface of the seed crystal. The coating film and a pedestal are brought into contact with each other with an adhesive interposed therebetween. The adhesive is cured to fix the seed crystal to the pedestal. A single crystal is grown on the seed crystal. Before the growth is performed, a carbon film is formed by carbonizing the coating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Nishiguchi, Makoto Sasaki, Shin Harada
  • Patent number: 9082621
    Abstract: Each of first and second material substrates made of single crystal silicon carbide has first and second back surfaces, first and second side surfaces, and first and second front surfaces. The first and second back surfaces are connected to a supporting portion. The first and second side surfaces face each other with a gap interposed therebetween, the gap having an opening between the first and second front surfaces. A closing portion for closing the gap over the opening is formed. A connecting portion for closing the opening is formed by depositing a sublimate from the first and second side surfaces onto the closing portion. The closing portion is removed. A silicon carbide single crystal is grown on the first and second front surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Taro Nishiguchi, Shin Harada, Makoto Sasaki
  • Patent number: 9057147
    Abstract: A silicon carbide epitaxial substrate having a main surface (second main surface) includes: a base substrate; and a silicon carbide epitaxial layer formed on the base substrate and including the main surface (second main surface), the second main surface having a surface roughness of 0.6 nm or less, a ratio of standard deviation of a nitrogen concentration in the silicon carbide epitaxial layer at a surface layer including the main surface (second main surface) within a plane of the silicon carbide epitaxial substrate to an average value of the nitrogen concentration in the silicon carbide epitaxial layer at the surface layer within the plane of the silicon carbide epitaxial substrate being 15% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Genba, Taro Nishiguchi, Hideyuki Doi, Akira Matsushima