Patents Represented by Attorney Robinson Intellectual Property Law Office, P.C.
  • Patent number: 8227863
    Abstract: A semiconductor layer having a channel formation region provided between a pair of impurity regions spaced from each other is provided, and a first insulating layer a floating gate, a second insulating layer, and a control gate are provided above the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor material forming the floating gate preferably has a band gap smaller than that of the semiconductor layer. The band gap of a channel formation region in the semiconductor material forming the floating gate is preferably smaller than that of the semiconductor layer by 0.1 eV or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshinobu Asami, Tamae Takano, Makoto Furuno
  • Patent number: 8227802
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a semiconductor device in which data can be written except when manufacturing the semiconductor device and that counterfeits can be prevented. Moreover, it is another object of the invention to provide an inexpensive semiconductor device including a memory having a simple structure. The semiconductor device includes a field effect transistor formed over a single crystal semiconductor substrate, a first conductive layer formed over the field effect transistor, an organic compound layer formed over the first conductive layer, and a second conductive layer formed over the organic compound layer, and a memory element includes the first conductive layer, the organic compound, and the second conductive layer. According to the above structure, a semiconductor device which can conduct non-contact transmission/reception of data can be provided by possessing an antenna.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroko Abe, Yuji Iwaki, Mikio Yukawa, Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai, Yasuko Watanabe, Yoshitaka Moriya
  • Patent number: 8227982
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting element with high luminous efficiency, and a light-emitting element of low-voltage driving. Another object is to provide a light-emitting device with low power consumption by using the light-emitting element. Another object is to provide an electronic appliance with low power consumption by using the light-emitting device in a display portion. A light-emitting element includes, between a pair of electrodes, a layer containing a composite material of a first organic compound and an inorganic compound and a layer containing a second organic compound being in contact with the layer containing the composite material, wherein the second organic compound does not have a peak of an absorption spectrum in a wavelength region of 450 to 800 nm if the second organic compound is compounded with the inorganic compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Iwaki, Junichiro Sakata, Hisao Ikeda, Tomoya Aoyama, Takaaki Nagata, Takahiro Kawakami, Satoshi Seo, Ryoji Nomura
  • Patent number: 8227278
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor with small leakage current and high switching characteristics. In a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor, a back channel portion is formed in the thin film transistor by conducting etching using a resist mask, the resist mask is removed by removal or the like, and a superficial part of the back channel portion is further etched. Through the steps, components of chemical solution used for the removal, residues of the resist mask, and the like which exist at the superficial part of the back channel portion can be removed and leakage current can be reduced. The further etching step of the back channel portion is preferably conducted by dry etching using an N2 gas or a CF4 gas with bias not applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinya Sasagawa, Akihiro Ishizuka, Shigeki Komori
  • Patent number: 8228454
    Abstract: The present invention provides a simplifying method for a peeling process as well as peeling and transcribing to a large-size substrate uniformly. A feature of the present invention is to peel a first adhesive and to cure a second adhesive at the same time in a peeling process, thereby to simplify a manufacturing process. In addition, the present invention is to devise the timing of transcribing a peel-off layer in which up to an electrode of a semiconductor are formed to a predetermined substrate. In particular, a feature is that peeling is performed by using a pressure difference in the case that peeling is performed with a state in which plural semiconductor elements are formed on a large-size substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toru Takayama, Junya Maruyama, Yuugo Goto, Yumiko Ohno
  • Patent number: 8230101
    Abstract: Transfer control means (41) transfers part of held digital contents in an internal storage device (51) to a network storage device (57). List information presentation means (42) returns list information which makes the digital contents stored in the internal storage device (51) and the network storage device (57) as the held digital contents in response to a list presentation request for the held digital contents. Upon reception of a data transmission request, search means (43) searches where the held digital contents are currently stored. If the result of the search shows the network storage device (57), content data transmission processing means (44) allows the stream-delivery of the data from the network storage device (57) to a network player (56). There is provided a server device for media (40) capable of maintaining the convenience of playback in a network player, while properly dealing with the large total size of held digital contents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
    Inventors: Satoru Sekiguchi, Yoshio Sonoda, Isao Nakamura, Masamichi Furukawa, Yoshihisa Mashita, Tomoaki Yoshida, Masahito Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8227097
    Abstract: One feature of the present invention is to provide a buffer layer made of a composite material for a light emitting element including aromatic hydrocarbon containing at least one vinyl skeleton and metal oxide in part of a light emitting substance containing layer, in the light emitting element formed by interposing the light emitting substance containing layer between a pair of electrodes. The composite material for a light emitting element for forming the buffer layer of the present invention has high conductivity and is superior in transparency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawakami, Tomoya Aoyama, Junichiro Sakata, Hisao Ikeda, Satoshi Seo, Yuji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8227851
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide semiconductor devices which can protect privacy of consumers or holders of commercial products and control the communication range according to use, even when the semiconductor device which can exchange data without contact is mounted on the commercial products. A semiconductor device of the invention includes an element group including a plurality of transistors over a substrate; a first conductive film functioning as an antenna over the element group; a second conductive film surrounding the first conductive film; an insulating film covering the first and second end portions; and a third conductive film over the insulating film. The first conductive film is provided in the shape of a coil, and each end portion of the first conductive film is connected to the element group. First and second end portions of the second conductive film are not connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Aoki, Koji Dairiki, Yuugo Goto
  • Patent number: 8228477
    Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device of an IPS system, to realize reduction of manufacturing cost and improvement of yield by decreasing the number of steps for manufacturing a TFT. A channel etch type bottom gate TFT structure, where patterning of a source region and a drain region and patterning of a source wiring and a pixel electrode are carried out by the same photomask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yoshiharu Hirakata
  • Patent number: 8222735
    Abstract: With respect to a semiconductor device which communicates data by wireless communication, an object of the present invention is to improve sensitivity of an antenna and to protect a chip from noise without increasing the size of the device. A coiled antenna and a semiconductor integrated circuit which is electrically connected to the coiled antenna are included. The semiconductor integrated circuit is arranged so as to overlap with the coiled antenna. In this manner, arrangement of the coiled antenna and the semiconductor integrated circuit in the semiconductor device is devised, so that sensitivity of the antenna can be improved and power enough to operate the semiconductor integrated circuit can be obtained without increasing the size of the device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yutaka Shionoiri
  • Patent number: 8222116
    Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing technique of a semiconductor device and a display device using a peeling process, in which a transfer process can be conducted with a good state in which a shape and property of an element before peeling are kept. Further, the present invention provides a manufacturing technique of more highly reliable semiconductor devices and display devices with high yield without complicating the apparatus and the process for manufacturing. According to the present invention, an organic compound layer including a photocatalyst substance is formed over a first substrate having a light-transmitting property, an element layer is formed over the organic compound layer including a photocatalyst substance, the organic compound layer including a photocatalyst substance is irradiated with light which has passed through the first substrate, and the element layer is peeled from the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Jinbo, Masafumi Morisue, Hajime Kimura, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8222696
    Abstract: An active region, a source region, and a drain region are formed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate or a single crystal semiconductor thin film. Impurity regions called pinning regions are formed in striped form in the active region so as to reach both of the source region and the drain region. Regions interposed between the pinning regions serve as channel forming regions. A tunnel oxide film, a floating gate, a control gate, etc. are formed on the above structure. The impurity regions prevent a depletion layer from expanding from the source region toward the drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hisashi Ohtani, Jun Koyama, Takeshi Fukunaga
  • Patent number: 8222117
    Abstract: An SOI substrate and a manufacturing method of the SOI substrate, by which enlargement of the substrate is possible and its productivity can be increased, are provided. A step (A) of cutting a single crystal silicon substrate to form a single crystal silicon substrate which is n (n is an optional positive integer, n?1) times as large as a size of one shot of an exposure apparatus; a step (B) of forming an insulating layer on one surface of the single crystal silicon substrate, and forming an embrittlement layer in the single crystal substrate; and a step (C) of bonding a substrate having an insulating surface and the single crystal silicon substrate with the insulating layer therebetween, and conducting heat treatment to separate the single crystal silicon substrate along the embrittlement layer, and forming a single crystal silicon thin film on the substrate having an insulating surface are conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Hideto Ohnuma
  • Patent number: 8223531
    Abstract: The present invention provides a semiconductor device including a memory that has a memory cell array including a plurality of memory cells, a control circuit that controls the memory, and an antenna, where the memory cell array has a plurality of bit lines extending in a first direction and a plurality of word lines extending in a second direction different from the first direction, and each of the plurality of memory cells has an organic compound layer provided between the bit line and the word line. Data is written by applying optical or electric action to the organic compound layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryoji Nomura, Hiroko Abe, Yuji Iwaki, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8222640
    Abstract: To provide a display device including a thin film transistor in which high electric characteristics and reduction in off-current can be achieved. The display device having a thin film transistor includes a substrate, a gate electrode provided over the substrate, a gate insulating film provided over the gate electrode, a microcrystalline semiconductor film provided over the gate electrode with the gate insulating film interposed therebetween, a channel protection layer which is provided over and in contact with the microcrystalline semiconductor film, an amorphous semiconductor film provided over the gate insulating film and on a side surface of the microcrystalline semiconductor film and the channel protection layer, an impurity semiconductor layer provided over the amorphous semiconductor film, and a source electrode and a drain electrode provided over and in contact with the impurity semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Kobayashi, Atsushi Miyaguchi, Yoshitaka Moriya, Yoshiyuki Kurokawa, Daisuke Kawae
  • Patent number: 8223289
    Abstract: Using thin film transistors (TFTs), an active matrix circuit, a driver circuit for driving the active matrix circuit or the like are formed on one substrate. Circuits such as a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory, necessary to drive an electric device, are formed using single crystalline semiconductor integrated circuit chips. After the semiconductor integrated circuit chips are adhered to the substrate, the chips are connected with wirings formed on the substrate by a chip on glass (COG) method, a wire bonding method or the like, to manufacture the electric device having a liquid crystal display (LCD) on one substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Patent number: 8222092
    Abstract: A semiconductor device which includes a thin film transistor having an oxide semiconductor layer and excellent electrical characteristics is provided. Further, a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device in which plural kinds of thin film transistors of different structures are formed over one substrate to form plural kinds of circuits and in which the number of steps is not greatly increased is provided. After a metal thin film is formed over an insulating surface, an oxide semiconductor layer is formed thereover. Then, oxidation treatment such as heat treatment is performed to oxidize the metal thin film partly or entirely. Further, structures of thin film transistors are different between a circuit in which emphasis is placed on the speed of operation, such as a logic circuit, and a matrix circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichiro Sakata, Jun Koyama
  • Patent number: 8221904
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a material that has a high excitation energy, in particular, a high triplet excitation energy. Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a material than can be easily synthesized and that has low crystallinity. In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide a light-emitting element that has high luminous efficacy and high reliability by application of this material to the light-emitting element. An oxadiazole derivative represented by the General Formula (G1) given below is synthesized and applied to a light-emitting element. (R1 to R7 each represent either hydrogen or an alkyl group with from 1 to 4 carbon atoms).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroko Nomura, Satoshi Seo
  • Patent number: 8216914
    Abstract: An object is to provide a method for manufacturing an SOI substrate including a semiconductor film with high planarity and high crystallinity. After a single crystal semiconductor film is formed over an insulating film by a separation step, a natural oxide film existing on a surface of the semiconductor film is removed and the semiconductor film is irradiated with first laser light and second laser light under an inert gas atmosphere or a reduced-pressure atmosphere. The number of shots of the first laser light that is emitted to an arbitrary point in the semiconductor film is greater than or equal to 7, preferably greater than or equal to 10 and less than or equal to 100. The number of shots of the second laser light that is emitted to an arbitrary point in the semiconductor film is greater than 0 and less than or equal to 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Koyama, Kosei Nei, Toru Hasegawa, Junpei Momo, Eiji Higa
  • Patent number: 8216878
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device which includes a thin film transistor having stable electric characteristics. It is another object to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device at lower cost with high productivity. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes a thin film transistor where a semiconductor layer having a channel formation region, a source region, and a drain region are formed using an oxide semiconductor layer, heat treatment (heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation) is performed so as to improve the purity of the oxide semiconductor layer and reduce impurities such as moisture. Moreover, the oxide semiconductor layer subjected to the heat treatment is slowly cooled under an oxygen atmosphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinari Sasaki, Junichiro Sakata, Hiroki Ohara, Shunpei Yamazaki