Patents by Inventor Akira Nanbu

Akira Nanbu 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: 8422207
    Abstract: Disclosed is an Al alloy film for a display device that, even when low-temperature heat treatment is applied, can realize satisfactorily low electric resistance, can realize a satisfactory reduction in contact resistance between the Al alloy film and a transparent pixel electrode connected directly to the Al alloy film, and has excellent corrosion resistance. The Al alloy film is connected directly to a transparent electroconductive film on the substrate in the display device. The Al alloy film comprises 0.05 to 0.5 atomic % of Co and 0.2 to 1.0 atomic % of Ge and satisfies the requirement that the content of Co and the content of Ge in the Al alloy film have a relationship represented by formula (1): [Ge]??0.25×[Co]+0.2 (1) In formula (1), [Ge] represents the content of Ge in the Al alloy film, atomic %; and [Co] represents the content of Co in the Al alloy film, atomic %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Nakai, Akira Nanbu, Hiroshi Goto, Hiroyuki Okuno, Aya Miki
  • Patent number: 8163143
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Si system Al-based alloy sputtering target including Ni, La and Si, in which, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al, Ni, La, and Si.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., Kobelco Research Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Akira Nanbu, Mototaka Ochi, Hiroshi Goto, Nobuyuki Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20120045360
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target which enables the formation of a Cu—Ga sputtering film having excellent uniformity in film component composition (film uniformity), enables the reduction of occurrence of arcing during sputtering, has high strength, and rarely undergoes cracking during sputtering. Specifically disclosed is a Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target which comprises a Cu-based alloy containing Ga, has an average crystal particle diameter of 10 ?m or less, and has a porosity of 0.1% or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC
    Inventors: Hiromi Matsumura, Akira Nanbu, Masaya Ehira, Shinya Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20110198602
    Abstract: Disclosed is an Al alloy film which can be in direct contact with a transparent pixel electrode in a wiring structure of a thin film transistor substrate that is used in a display device, and which has improved corrosion resistance against an amine remover liquid that is used during the production process of the thin film transistor. Also disclosed is a display device using the Al alloy film. Specifically disclosed is an Al alloy film for a display device, said Al alloy film being directly connected with a transparent conductive film on a substrate of a display device, and containing 0.05-2.0 atom % of Ge, at least one element selected from among element group X (Ni, Ag, Co, Zn and Cu), and 0.02-2 atom % of at least one element selected from among element group Q consisting of the rare earth elements. A Ge-containing deposit and/or a Ge-concentrated part is present in the Al alloy film for a display device. Also specifically disclosed is a display device comprising the Al alloy film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2009
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Akira Nanbu, Hiroshi Goto, Aya Miki, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai, Tomoya Kishi, Toshiaki Takagi, Shigenobu Namba, Mamoru Nagao, Nobuhiro Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20110019350
    Abstract: Disclosed is an Al alloy film for a display device that, even when low-temperature heat treatment is applied, can realize satisfactorily low electric resistance, can realize a satisfactory reduction in contact resistance between the Al alloy film and a transparent pixel electrode connected directly to the Al alloy film, and has excellent corrosion resistance. The Al alloy film is connected directly to a transparent electroconductive film on the substrate in the display device. The Al alloy film comprises 0.05 to 0.5 atomic % of Co and 0.2 to 1.0 atomic % of Ge and satisfies the requirement that the content of Co and the content of Ge in the Al alloy film have a relationship represented by formula (1): [Ge]??0.25×[Co]+0.2 (1) In formula (1), [Ge] represents the content of Ge in the Al alloy film, atomic %; and [Co] represents the content of Co in the Al alloy film, atomic %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Junichi Nakai, Akira Nanbu, Hiroshi Goto, Hiroyuki Okuno, Aya Miki
  • Publication number: 20110008640
    Abstract: Disclosed is a display device comprising an aluminum alloy film. In a wiring structure of a thin-film transistor substrate for use in display devices, the aluminum alloy film can realize direct contact between a thin film of an aluminum alloy and a transparent pixel electrode, can simultaneously realize low electric resistance and heat resistance, and can improve resistance to corrosion by an amine-based peeling liquid and an alkaline developing solution used in a thin-film transistor production process. In the display device, an oxide electroconductive film is in direct contact with an Al alloy film and at least a part of the Al alloy component is precipitated on the contact surface of the Al alloy film. The Al alloy film comprises at least one element (element X1) selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, Zn, and Co and at least one element (element X2) which, together with the element X1, can form an intermetallic compound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (kobe Steel Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Goto, Akira Nanbu, Junichi Nakai, Hiroyuki Okuno, Mototaka Ochi, Aya Miki
  • Publication number: 20100328247
    Abstract: Disclosed is a highly reliable touch panel sensor comprising a guiding wiring that is less likely to cause an increase in electrical resistance and disconnection with the elapse of time, has a low electrical resistance, can ensure electrical conduction to a transparent conductive film, and can be connected directly to the transparent conductive film. The touch panel sensor comprises a transparent conductive film and a guiding wiring made of an aluminum alloy film connected directly to the transparent conductive film. The aluminum alloy film comprises 0.2 to 10 atomic% in total of at least one element selected from an X group consisting of Ni and Co. The aluminum alloy film has a hardness of 2 to 15 GPa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Aya Miki, Hiroshi Goto, Hiroyuki Okuno, Tomoya Kishi, Akira Nanbu
  • Publication number: 20090026072
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Si system Al-based alloy sputtering target including Ni, La and Si, in which, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al, Ni, La, and Si.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (kobe Steel Ltd.), KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Akira Nanbu, Mototaka Ochi, Hiroshi Goto, Nobuyuki Kawakami