Patents by Inventor Hajime Imai

Hajime Imai 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: 20200287054
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer positioned between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, and a source electrode and a drain electrode that are electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer has a stacked layer structure including a first oxide semiconductor layer including In, Ga, Zn, and Sn, and a second oxide semiconductor layer including In, Ga, Zn, and Sn, having a lower mobility than the first oxide semiconductor layer, and disposed on the first oxide semiconductor layer so as to be in direct contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer, the first and the second oxide semiconductor layers are amorphous, and a Sn atomic ratio R1 relative to all metal elements in the first oxide semiconductor layer and a Sn atomic ratio R2 relative to all metal elements in the second oxide semiconductor layer satisfy 0.8×R1?R2?1.2×R1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2020
    Publication date: September 10, 2020
    Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Yoshimasa CHIKAMA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH
  • Patent number: 10756116
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a gate metal layer including a plurality of gate bus lines, and a thin film transistor arranged in each pixel region, wherein: the thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer arranged on the gate electrode with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, wherein the gate electrode is formed in the gate metal layer and is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of gate bus lines, the gate metal layer has a layered structure including a copper alloy layer and a copper layer arranged on the copper alloy layer, wherein the copper alloy layer is of a copper alloy including Cu and at least one additive metal element, wherein the additive metal element includes Al, and an Al content of the copper alloy is 2 at % or more and 8 at % or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruyuki Ueda, Yoshihito Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Masaki Maeda, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Yoshiharu Hirata, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Toshikatsu Itoh
  • Publication number: 20200264485
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate 10 includes: switching elements 120 that are connected with gate lines and data lines provided on a substrate; pixel electrodes 130 that are connected with the switching elements 120; counter electrodes 140 that overlap with the pixel electrodes 130 when viewed in a plan view; a flattening film 154; and lines 142. The flattening film 154 covers the switching elements 120, and first contact holes CH1 that pass through the flattening film 154 are formed at positions that overlap with the lines 142 when viewed in a plan view. The pixel electrodes 130 and the counter electrodes 140 are arranged so that each of the same partially covers the flattening film 154. The line 142 and the counter electrode 140 are connected with each other in the first contact hole CH1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2020
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
  • Patent number: 10748939
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (100A) is provided with: a gate electrode (3); an oxide semiconductor layer (5); a thin-film transistor (101) including a gate insulating layer (4), a source electrode (7S), and a drain electrode (7D); an inter-layer insulating layer (11) arranged so as to cover the thin-film transistor (101) and come into contact with a channel area (5c) of the thin-film transistor (101); and a transparent electroconductive layer (19) arranged on the inter-layer insulating layer (11), the source electrode (7S) and the drain electrode (7D) each having a copper layer (7a), and the device being further provided with a copper oxide film (8) arranged between the source and drain electrodes and the inter-layer insulating layer (11). The inter-layer insulating layer (11) covers the drain electrode (7D) with the copper oxide film (8) interposed therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Kitagawa, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Hisao Ochi, Tetsuo Fujita, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Shingo Kawashima, Masahiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 10741696
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, the semiconductor layer includes a layered structure including a first oxide semiconductor layer including In and Zn, in which an atomic ratio of In with respect to all metallic elements included in the first oxide semiconductor layer is higher than an atomic ratio of Zn, a second oxide semiconductor layer including In and Zn, in which an atomic ratio of Zn with respect to all metallic elements included in the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than an atomic ratio of In, and an intermediate oxide semiconductor layer arranged between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the first and second oxide semiconductor layers are crystalline oxide semiconductor layers, and the intermediate oxide semiconductor layer is an amorphous oxide semiconductor layer, and the first oxide semiconductor layer is
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Setsuji Nishimiya, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Toshikatsu Itoh
  • Publication number: 20200227560
    Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate (1); a plurality of TFTs (10) supported by the substrate; and a protecting layer (20) covering the plurality of TFTs. Each of the TFTs is a back channel etch type TFT which includes a gate electrode (2), a gate insulating layer (3), an oxide semiconductor layer (4), a source electrode (5) and a drain electrode (6). The gate electrode includes a tapered portion (TP) defined by a lateral surface (2s) which has a tapered shape. When viewed in a direction normal to a substrate surface, a periphery of the oxide semiconductor layer includes an edge (4e1, 4e2) which extends in a direction intersecting a channel width direction (DW) and which is more internal than an edge of the gate electrode in the channel width direction. The distance from the edge of the oxide semiconductor layer to an inside end of the tapered portion is not less than 1.5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Publication date: July 16, 2020
    Inventors: Toshikatsu ITOH, Hajime IMAI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 10700210
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a thin film transistor supported by the substrate. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a first portion which is covered with the oxide semiconductor layer and a second portion which is adjacent to the first portion and which is not covered with any of the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode. The second portion is smaller in thickness than the first portion, and the difference in thickness between the second portion and the first portion is more than 0 nm and not more than 50 nm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Hisao Ochi, Tetsuo Fujita, Hideki Kitagawa, Masahiko Suzuki, Shingo Kawashima, Tohru Daitoh
  • Publication number: 20200185425
    Abstract: Each of pixel regions of an active matrix substrate (1002) includes: a lower insulating layer (5); an oxide semiconductor layer (7) that is arranged on the lower insulating layer and includes an active region (7a) of an oxide semiconductor TFT; an upper insulating layer (9) that is arranged on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer so as not to be in contact with the lower insulating layer; an upper gate layer (10) that is arranged on the upper insulating layer and includes an upper gate electrode (10a) and one of a plurality of gate bus lines (GL); and a source electrode and a drain electrode, wherein: the oxide semiconductor layer 7 further includes an extension region (7e) that extends from the active region (7a) in a direction x different from a channel length direction y of the oxide semiconductor TFT as seen from a normal direction to the substrate; and the extension region (7e) is arranged on the substrate side of one of the plurality of gate bus lines (GL) with an upper insulating layer (9) interp
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Toshikatsu ITOH
  • Publication number: 20200183208
    Abstract: Provided is an active matrix substrate provided with a substrate (1), a peripheral circuit that includes a first oxide semiconductor thin-film transistor (TFT) (101), a plurality of second oxide semiconductor TFTs (102) disposed in a display area, and a first inorganic insulating layer (11) covering the plurality of second oxide semiconductor TFTs (102), the first oxide semiconductor TFT (101) having a lower gate electrode (3A), a gate insulating layer (4), an oxide semiconductor (5A) disposed so as to face the lower gate electrode with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, a source electrode (7A) and a drain electrode (8A), and an upper gate electrode (BG) disposed on the oxide semiconductor (5A) with an insulating layer that includes the first inorganic insulating layer (11) interposed therebetween, and furthermore having, on the upper gate electrode (BG), a second inorganic insulating layer (17) covering the first oxide semiconductor TFT (101).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Hisao OCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Ryosuke GUNJI, Kengo HARA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA
  • Publication number: 20200150472
    Abstract: A substrate includes thin film transistors, each of which includes: an upper gate electrode formed of a first conductive film and continuous with one of gate lines; a source electrode formed of a second conductive film and continuous with one of source lines; a channel region formed of a portion of a semiconductor film over which an upper gate insulating film is disposed and overlapping the upper gate electrode; a source region formed of a portion of the semiconductor film and continuous with the channel region, and a drain region formed of a portion of the semiconductor film and continuous with the channel region on an opposite side of the channel region from the source region. The source electrode connects the source line and the source region through a first contact hole in an interlayer insulating film disposed over the first conductive film and containing a photosensitive material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
  • Patent number: 10649293
    Abstract: A display panel includes a substrate, pixel electrodes, switching components, an electrode, a line, a terminal, an insulating film, and a conductive film. The switching components are disposed in a layer lower than the pixel electrodes. The electrode is disposed in a layer different from a layer in which the pixel electrodes are disposed. The line includes sections disposed in a layer lower than the switching components in a display area. The terminal is disposed in a layer upper than the line in a non-display area. The insulating film includes a section disposed between the line and the switching components in the display area and a section disposed between the terminal and the substrate in the non-display area. The conductive film is disposed on the insulating film in a layer between the line and the terminal to connect the line to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideki Kitagawa, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Yoshihito Hara, Masaki Maeda, Toshikatsu Itoh, Tatsuya Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 10620468
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a display panel substrate includes a transparent conductive film formation step of forming a transparent conductive film on a flattening film that covers a switching component disposed on a substrate, a metallic film formation step of forming a metallic film so as to cover the transparent conductive film after the transparent conductive film formation step, a line formation step of forming a line by etching the metallic film after the metallic film formation step, and a transparent electrode formation step of forming a transparent electrode that is connected to the line by etching the transparent conductive film after the wire formation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Itoh, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Masaki Maeda, Hideki Kitagawa, Yoshihito Hara, Tatsuya Kawasaki
  • Publication number: 20200111433
    Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an active matrix substrate (100) includes a display region (DR) defined by a plurality of pixel regions (P) arranged in a matrix and a peripheral region (FR) located around the display region. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate (1), a first TFT (10), and a second TFT (20). The first TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the peripheral region. The second TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the display region. The first TFT includes a crystalline silicon semiconductor layer (11), which is an active layer. The second TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer (21), which is an active layer. The first TFT and the second TFT each have a top-gate structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Hajime IMAI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tohru DAITOH
  • Patent number: 10593809
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and an oxide semiconductor TFT including an oxide semiconductor layer supported by the substrate and having a multilayer structure including a protective oxide semiconductor layer and a channel oxide semiconductor layer disposed closer to the substrate than the protective oxide semiconductor layer, an upper insulating layer on the oxide semiconductor layer, an upper gate electrode disposed on the upper insulating layer, an interlayer insulating layer covering the oxide semiconductor layer and the upper gate electrode, and first and second electrodes electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer, wherein a first opening extends through at least the interlayer insulating layer and the protective oxide semiconductor layer, and exposes a portion of the channel oxide semiconductor layer, and the first electrode is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and within the first opening, and is in direct contact with, within the first opening, the portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Setsuji Nishimiya, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara
  • Publication number: 20200073155
    Abstract: An electronic component board includes a conductive film, an insulating film, and a transparent electrode film. The insulating film is disposed in a layer upper than the conductive film to cover a side surface and an upper surface of the conductive film. The transparent electrode film is disposed in a layer upper than the insulating film. The transparent electrode film includes an electrode portion and a covering portion. The electrode portion includes an electrode. The electrode portion is electrically connected to the conductive film. The covering portion is separated from the electrode portion and electrically insulated from the conductive film and the electrode portion to overlap the conductive film and the insulating film that covers the conductive film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Hideki KITAGAWA, Yoshihito HARA, Masaki MAEDA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Yoshiharu HIRATA, Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH
  • Publication number: 20200073189
    Abstract: [Object] To provide an active matrix substrate (1) that includes an organic insulating film (OIL) and first source layers (FSL2 to FSL4) and second source layers (SSL1 to SSL3), which constitute two-layer wiring lines, and that is produced with a high yield. [Solution] In an active matrix substrate (1), of the first source layers (FSL2 to FSL4) and the second source layers (SSL1 to SSL3), the second source layers (SSL1 to SSL3) arranged further from the substrate (2) are in contact with an organic insulating film (OIL) with a second inorganic insulating film (SINOIL) interposed therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventors: Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Kengo HARA, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Yoshihito HARA
  • Publication number: 20200058678
    Abstract: Provided is an active matrix substrate (100A) including: a gate metal layer (15) that has a two-layer structure composed of a Cu layer (15b) and a Ti layer (15a); a first insulating layer (16) on the gate metal layer (15); a source metal layer (18) that is formed on the first insulating layer (16) and has a two-layer structure composed of a Cu layer (18b) and a Ti layer (18a); a second insulating layer (19) on the source metal layer (18); a conductive layer (25) that is formed on the second insulating layer (19), and is in contact with the gate metal layer (15) within a first opening (16a1) formed in the first insulating layer (16) and is in contact with the source metal layer (18) within a second opening (19a2) formed in the second insulating layer (19); and a first transparent conductive layer (21) that is formed on the conductive layer (25) and includes any of a pixel electrode, a common electrode and an auxiliary capacitor electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Inventors: Teruyuki UEDA, Hideki KITAGAWA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Kengo HARA
  • Publication number: 20200043955
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first TFT, a first source-side connection section that is formed from a part of a second metal film and connected to a first source region, a first drain-side connection section that is formed from a part of the second metal film and connected to a first drain region, a second TFT that is driven by the first TFT, a second source-side connection section that is formed from a part of a first metal film and connected to a second source region, and a second drain-side connection section that is formed from a part of the first metal film or a second transparent electrode film and connected to a second drain region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2019
    Publication date: February 6, 2020
    Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Kengo HARA
  • Publication number: 20200035717
    Abstract: A thin film transistor substrate includes a source line, a gate electrode, a channel region, a source region, a drain region, and a pixel electrode. The gate electrode is a portion of a first metal film disposed upper than a first insulating film that is disposed upper than a semiconductor film. The source line is a portion of a second metal film disposed upper than a second insulating film that is disposed upper than the first metal film. The channel region is a portion of a section of the semiconductor film and disposed to overlap the gate electrode. The source region is prepared by reducing a resistance of a section of the semiconductor film. The drain region is prepared by reducing a resistance of a section of the semiconductor film. The pixel electrode is prepared by reducing a resistance of a section of the semiconductor film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA
  • Publication number: 20200027958
    Abstract: An active matrix substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of thin film transistors supported on a substrate and an inorganic insulating layer covering the plurality of thin film transistors. Each thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. At least one of the gate insulating layer and the inorganic insulating layer is an insulating layer stack having a multilayer structure including a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer. The insulating layer stack further includes an intermediate layer disposed between the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer, the intermediate layer having a refractive index nC higher than a refractive index nA of the silicon oxide layer and lower than a refractive index nB of the silicon nitride layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Publication date: January 23, 2020
    Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH