Patents by Inventor Aya Hino

Aya Hino 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: 20200295143
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: an oxide semiconductor thin film which is produced at relatively low cost and has a high carrier mobility and a high resistance to light stress when used for forming a thin film transistor; and a thin film transistor formed using the oxide semiconductor thin film. The oxide semiconductor thin film contains In, Zn, and Fe, wherein, with respect to a total number of In atoms, Zn atoms, and Fe atoms, a number of In atoms accounts for greater than or equal to 20 atm % and less than or equal to 89 atm %, a number of Zn atoms accounts for greater than or equal to 10 atm % and less than or equal to 79 atm %, and a number of Fe atoms accounts for greater than or equal to 0.2 atm % and less than or equal to 2 atm %. The present invention involves a thin film transistor including the oxide semiconductor thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2018
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Yumi TERAMAE, Hiroshi GOTO, Mototaka OCHI, Aya HINO
  • Patent number: 8853695
    Abstract: A substrate supporting thin film transistors thereon, each including a semiconductor layer and source-drain electrodes, wherein the source-drain electrodes are formed from a nitrogen-containing layer or oxygen/nitrogen-containing layer and a thin film of pure copper or copper alloy. The nitrogen-containing layer or oxygen/nitrogen-containing layer has respectively part or all of its nitrogen or part or all of its oxygen or nitrogen connected to silicon in the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor, and the thin film of pure copper or copper alloy is connected to the semiconductor layer of said thin film transistor through the nitrogen-containing layer or oxygen/nitrogen-containing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Hiroshi Gotou
  • Patent number: 8786090
    Abstract: The present invention provides an Al alloy film for a display device, to be directly connected to a conductive oxide film on a substrate, the Al alloy film comprising Ge in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 at %, and comprising Gd and/or La in a total amount of 0.05 to 0.45 at %, a display device using the same, and a sputtering target for the display device. For the Al alloy film of the present invention, even when a barrier metal is not provided, and a conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film are directly connected, the adhesion between the conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film is high, and the contact resistivity is low, and preferably, the dry etching property is also excellent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotou, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Mototaka Ochi
  • Patent number: 8044399
    Abstract: A display has a glass substrate provided with a transparent conducting film, thin-film transistors, and an aluminum alloy wiring film electrically connecting the thin-film transistors to the transparent conducting film. The aluminum alloy wiring film is a layered structure having a first layer (X) of an aluminum alloy comprising at least one element selected from the specific element group Q including Ni and Ag, and at least one element selected from the specific element group R including rare-earth elements and Mg in a content in the specific range, and a second layer (Y) of an aluminum alloy containing having a resistivity lower than that of the first layer (X). The first layer (X) is in direct contact with the transparent conducting film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Hiroshi Gotou, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai
  • Patent number: 7994503
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a Cu alloy wiring film that makes it possible to use Cu having a low electrical resistivity as a wiring material, exhibit a high adhesiveness to a glass substrate, and avoid the danger of peel off from the glass substrate; a TFT element for a flat-panel display produced with the Cu alloy wiring film; and a Cu alloy sputtering target used for the deposition of the Cu alloy wiring film. The present invention is a wiring film 2 composing a TFT element 1 for a flat-panel display and a sputtering target used for the deposition of the film and the material comprises Cu as the main component and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ir, Pd, and Sm by 0.01 to 0.5 atomic percent in total. The wiring film 2 is layered on a glass substrate 3 and further a transparent conductive film 5 is layered thereon while an insulating film 4 is interposed in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Gotou, Takashi Onishi
  • Patent number: 7943933
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a TFT substrate which exhibits good characteristic properties despite the omission of the barrier metal layer to be normally interposed between the source-drain electrodes and the semiconductor layer in the TFT. The TFT substrate permits sure and direct connection with the semiconductor layer of the TFT. The thin film transistor substrate has a substrate, a semiconductor layer and source-drain electrodes. The source-drain electrodes are composed of oxygen-containing layers and thin films of pure copper or a copper alloy. The oxygen-containing layer contains oxygen such that part or all of oxygen combines with silicon in the semiconductor layer. And, the thin films of pure copper or a copper alloy connect with the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor through the oxygen-containing layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Hiroshi Gotou
  • Patent number: 7781767
    Abstract: Disclosed are a thin film transistor substrate where barrier metal can be omitted to be formed between a semiconductor layer of a thin film transistor and source and drain electrodes (barrier metal need not be formed between the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor and the source and drain electrodes), and a display device. (1) A thin film transistor substrate has a semiconductor layer of a thin film transistor, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a transparent conductive film, wherein the substrate has a structure in which the source and drain electrodes are directly connected to the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor, and the source and drain electrodes include an Al alloy thin film containing Ni of 0.1 to 6.0 atomic percent, La of 0.1 to 1.0 atomic percent, and Si of 0.1 to 1.5 atomic percent. (2) A display device has the thin film transistor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kawakami, Hiroshi Gotoh, Aya Hino
  • Publication number: 20100207121
    Abstract: A substrate supporting thin film transistors thereon, each including a semiconductor layer and source-drain electrodes, wherein the source-drain electrodes are formed from a nitrogen-containing layer or oxygen/nitrogen-containing layer and a thin film of pure copper or copper alloy. The nitrogen-containing layer or oxygen/nitrogen-containing layer has respectively part or all of its nitrogen or part or all of its oxygen or nitrogen connected to silicon in the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor, and the thin film of pure copper or copper alloy is connected to the semiconductor layer of said thin film transistor through the nitrogen-containing layer or oxygen/nitrogen-containing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2007
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho(Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Hiroshi Gotou
  • Publication number: 20100163877
    Abstract: A display has a glass substrate provided with a transparent conducting film, thin-film transistors, and an aluminum alloy wiring film electrically connecting the thin-film transistors to the transparent conducting film. The aluminum alloy wiring film is a layered structure having a first layer (X) of an aluminum alloy comprising at least one element selected from the specific element group Q including Ni and Ag, and at least one element selected from the specific element group R including rare-earth elements and Mg in a content in the specific range, and a second layer (Y) of an aluminum alloy containing having a resistivity lower than that of the first layer (X). The first layer (X) is in direct contact with the transparent conducting film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2007
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Hiroshi Gotou, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai
  • Publication number: 20100065847
    Abstract: The present invention provides an Al alloy film for a display device, to be directly connected to a conductive oxide film on a substrate, the Al alloy film comprising Ge in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 at %, and comprising Gd and/or La in a total amount of 0.05 to 0.45 at %, a display device using the same, and a sputtering target for the display device. For the Al alloy film of the present invention, even when a barrier metal is not provided, and a conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film are directly connected, the adhesion between the conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film is high, and the contact resistivity is low, and preferably, the dry etching property is also excellent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotou, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Mototaka Ochi
  • Publication number: 20100012935
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a Cu alloy wiring film that makes it possible to use Cu having a low electrical resistivity as a wiring material, exhibit a high adhesiveness to a glass substrate, and avoid the danger of peel off from the glass substrate; a TFT element for a flat-panel display produced with the Cu alloy wiring film; and a Cu alloy sputtering target used for the deposition of the Cu alloy wiring film. The present invention is a wiring film 2 composing a TFT element 1 for a flat-panel display and a sputtering target used for the deposition of the film and the material comprises Cu as the main component and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ir, Pd, and Sm by 0.01 to 0.5 atomic percent in total. The wiring film 2 is layered on a glass substrate 3 and further a transparent conductive film 5 is layered thereon while an insulating film 4 is interposed in between.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho(Kobe Steel Ltd)
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Gotou, Takashi Onishi
  • Publication number: 20080315203
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a TFT substrate which exhibits good characteristic properties despite the omission of the barrier metal layer to be normally interposed between the source-drain electrodes and the semiconductor layer in the TFT. The TFT substrate permits sure and direct connection with the semiconductor layer of the TFT. The thin film transistor substrate has a substrate, a semiconductor layer and source-drain electrodes. The source-drain electrodes are composed of oxygen-containing layers and thin films of pure copper or a copper alloy. The oxygen-containing layer contains oxygen such that part or all of oxygen combines with silicon in the semiconductor layer. And, the thin films of pure copper or a copper alloy connect with the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor through the oxygen-containing layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL LTD.)
    Inventors: Aya HINO, Hiroshi GOTOU
  • Patent number: 7411298
    Abstract: A source/drain electrode is used in a thin-film transistor substrate containing a substrate, a thin-film transistor semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and a transparent picture electrode. The source/drain electrode includes a nitrogen-containing layer and a thin film of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Nitrogen of the nitrogen-containing layer binds to silicon of the thin-film transistor semiconductor layer, and the thin film of pure aluminum or aluminum alloy is connected to the thin-film transistor semiconductor layer through the nitrogen-containing layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kawakami, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Hiroshi Gotoh, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino
  • Publication number: 20070278497
    Abstract: Disclosed are a thin film transistor substrate where barrier metal can be omitted to be formed between a semiconductor layer of a thin film transistor and source and drain electrodes (barrier metal need not be formed between the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor and the source and drain electrodes), and a display device. (1) A thin film transistor substrate has a semiconductor layer of a thin film transistor, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a transparent conductive film, wherein the substrate has a structure in which the source and drain electrodes are directly connected to the semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor, and the source and drain electrodes include an Al alloy thin film containing Ni of 0.1 to 6.0 atomic percent, La of 0.1 to 1.0 atomic percent, and Si of 0.1 to 1.5 atomic percent. (2) A display device has the thin film transistor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2007
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Nobuyuki KAWAKAMI, Hiroshi Gotoh, Aya Hino
  • Publication number: 20070040172
    Abstract: A source/drain electrode is used in a thin-film transistor substrate containing a substrate, a thin-film transistor semiconductor layer, source/drain electrodes, and a transparent picture electrode. The source/drain electrode includes a nitrogen-containing layer and a thin film of pure aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Nitrogen of the nitrogen-containing layer binds to silicon of the thin-film transistor semiconductor layer, and the thin film of pure aluminum or aluminum alloy is connected to the thin-film transistor semiconductor layer through the nitrogen-containing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Kawakami, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Hiroshi Gotoh, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino
  • Publication number: 20060275618
    Abstract: A display device in which interconnection—electrode comprising a Cu alloy film having a lower electrical resistivity than Al alloy and a transparent conductive film are directly connected not by way of a refractory metal thin film, wherein the Cu alloy film contains Zn and/or Mg in a total amount from 0.1 to 3.0 at %, or Ni and/or Mn in a total amount from 0.1 to 5 at %, thereby enabling the direct connection at low resistivity between the Cu alloy film and the transparent electrode without using a barrier metal, and giving high display quality in a case of application, for example, to a liquid crystal display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2006
    Publication date: December 7, 2006
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Toshihiro Kugimiya, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino, Katsutoshi Takagi