Patents by Inventor Hideaki Aochi

Hideaki Aochi 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: 9035374
    Abstract: A non-volatile semiconductor storage device has a plurality of memory strings to each of which a plurality of electrically rewritable memory cells are connected in series. Each of the memory strings includes first semiconductor layers each having a pair of columnar portions extending in a vertical direction with respect to a substrate and a coupling portion formed to couple the lower ends of the pair of columnar portions; a charge storage layer formed to surround the side surfaces of the columnar portions; and first conductive layers formed to surround the side surfaces of the columnar portions and the charge storage layer. The first conductive layers function as gate electrodes of the memory cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2015
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kidoh, Masaru Kito, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Yosuke Komori, Megumi Ishiduki, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 9029934
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: forming a stacked body by alternately stacking a plurality of interlayer insulating films and a plurality of control gate electrodes; forming a through-hole extending in a stacking direction in the stacked body; etching a portion of the interlayer insulating film facing the through-hole via the through-hole to remove the portion; forming a removed portion; forming a first insulating film on inner faces of the through-hole and the portion in which the interlayer insulating films are removed; forming a floating gate electrode in the portion in which the interlayer insulating films are removed; forming a second insulating film so as to cover a portion of the floating gate electrode facing the through-hole; and burying a semiconductor pillar in the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masaru Kito, Masaru Kidoh, Tomoko Fujiwara, Yosuke Komori, Megumi Ishiduki, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryota Katsumata, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Junya Matsunami, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 9025377
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of operating a semiconductor memory device is disclosed. The method can include storing read-only data in at least one selected from a memory cell of an uppermost layer and a memory cell of a lowermost layer of a plurality of memory cells connected in series via a channel body. The channel body extends upward from a substrate to intersect a plurality of electrode layers stacked on the substrate. The method can include prohibiting a data erase operation of the read-only memory cell having the read-only data stored in the read-only memory cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kunihiro Yamada, Hideaki Aochi, Masaru Kito, Tomoko Fujiwara, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Yoshimasa Mikajiri, Kaori Kawasaki
  • Patent number: 9019763
    Abstract: This nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a transistor string formed on a substrate and including a plurality of first transistors connected in series with each other. A first bit line is connected to a first end of the transistor string. A source line is connected to a second end of the transistor string. A memory string extends in a direction perpendicular to the substrate and comprises a plurality of nonvolatile memory transistors and a select transistor connected in series. Moreover, a part of the memory string is connected to a gate of the first transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jun Fujiki, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 9000504
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a first stacked structure body, a first semiconductor layer, a first organic film, a first semiconductor-side insulating film, and a first electrode-side insulating film. The first stacked structure body includes a plurality of first electrode films stacked along a first direction and a first inter-electrode insulating film provided between the first electrode films. The first semiconductor layer is opposed to side faces of the first electrode films. The first organic film is provided between the side faces of the first electrode films and the first semiconductor layer and containing an organic compound. The first semiconductor-side insulating film is provided between the first organic film and the first semiconductor layer. The first electrode-side insulating film provided between the first organic film and the side faces of the first electrode films.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeki Hattori, Reika Ichihara, Masaya Terai, Hideyuki Nishizawa, Tsukasa Tada, Koji Asakawa, Hiroyuki Fuke, Satoshi Mikoshiba, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20150053911
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a dielectric film configured to store information depending on presence or absence of a conductive path therein, and a plurality of electrodes provided to contact a first surface of the dielectric film. The conductive path can be formed between two electrodes arbitrarily selected form the plurality of electrodes. The conductive path has a rectifying property of allowing a current to flow more easily in a first direction connecting arbitrary two electrodes than in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The largest possible number of the conductive paths that may be formed is larger than the number of the plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki FUKUZUMI, Hideaki AOCHI
  • Patent number: 8963230
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a columnar semiconductor, a floating gate electrode formed on a side surface of the columnar semiconductor via a tunnel dielectric film, and a control gate electrode formed to surround the floating gate electrode via a block dielectric film are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi Imamura, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi, Masaru Kito, Tomoko Fujiwara, Kaori Kawasaki, Ryouhei Kirisawa
  • Patent number: 8958241
    Abstract: A magnetic memory according to an embodiment includes: a magnetic nanowire; first insulating layers provided on a first surface of the magnetic nanowire, each of the first insulating layers having a first and second end faces, a thickness of the first insulating layer over the first end face being thicker than a thickness of the first insulating layer over the second end face; first electrodes on surfaces of the first insulating layers opposite to the first surface; second insulating layers on the second surface of the magnetic nanowire, each of the second insulating layers having a third and fourth end faces, a thickness of the second insulating layer over the third surface being thicker than a thickness of the second insulating layer over the fourth end face; and second electrodes on surfaces of the second insulating layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Kondo, Hirofumi Morise, Shiho Nakamura, Takuya Shimada, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20150044835
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a first stacked structure body, a first semiconductor layer, a first organic film, a first semiconductor-side insulating film, and a first electrode-side insulating film. The first stacked structure body includes a plurality of first electrode films stacked along a first direction and a first inter-electrode insulating film provided between the first electrode films. The first semiconductor layer is opposed to side faces of the first electrode films. The first organic film is provided between the side faces of the first electrode films and the first semiconductor layer and containing an organic compound. The first semiconductor-side insulating film is provided between the first organic film and the first semiconductor layer. The first electrode-side insulating film provided between the first organic film and the side faces of the first electrode films.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shigeki Hattori, Reika Ichihara, Masaya Terai, Hideyuki Nishizawa, Tsukasa Tada, Koji Asakawa, Hiroyuki Fuke, Satoshi Mikoshiba, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20150036422
    Abstract: A magnetic storage element according to an embodiment includes: a magnetic nanowire having a cross-sectional area varying in a first direction, the magnetic nanowire having at least two positions where the cross-sectional area is minimal; first and second electrode groups having the magnetic nanowire interposed in between, the magnetic nanowire including at least one of a first region where the first electrodes overlap the second electrodes with the magnetic nanowire interposed in between and a second region where neither the first electrodes nor the second electrodes exist with the magnetic nanowire interposed in between, the magnetic nanowire including at least one of a third region where the first electrodes exist and the second electrodes do not exist with the magnetic nanowire interposed in between and a fourth region where the first electrodes do not exist and the second electrodes exist with the magnetic nanowire interposed in between.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hirofumi MORISE, Yoshiaki FUKUZUMI, Shiho NAKAMURA, Tsuyoshi KONDO, Hideaki AOCHI, Takuya SHIMADA
  • Patent number: 8916921
    Abstract: A plurality of a first conductive layers are provided at a certain interval L in a vertical direction, with a dielectric sandwiched therebetween. The certain interval L is set so that the first dielectric has an equivalent oxide thickness DEOT that satisfies the following relation (1). Dsio2<DEOT<Dk??(1) Dsio2 denotes a thickness of the dielectric when the dielectric is composed of silicon oxide with a minimum thickness that can withstand a maximum voltage to be applied to the first conductive layers. Dk denotes such an equivalent oxide thickness of a first dielectric that provides the resistance value Rsio2. The resistance value Rsio2 being defined as a resistance value of the first semiconductor layer for each of the first conductive layers when the dielectric is composed of silicon oxide and has a film thickness of Dsio2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Tanaka, Hideaki Aochi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kidoh, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Yosuke Komori, Megumi Ishiduki
  • Patent number: 8912594
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body, a second insulating layer, a select gate, a memory hole, a memory film, a channel body, a first semiconductor layer, and a second semiconductor layer. The select gate is provided on the second insulating layer. The memory film is provided on an inner wall of the memory hole. The channel body is provided inside the memory film. The first semiconductor layer is provided on an upper surface of the channel body. The second semiconductor layer is provided on the first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer contains silicon germanium. The second semiconductor layer contains silicon germanium doped with a first impurity. A boundary between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer is provided above a position of an upper end of the select gate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jun Fujiki, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Patent number: 8901635
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a stacked body, a semiconductor pillar, an insulating film, and a charge storage film. The stacked body includes a plurality of electrode films stacked with an inter-layer insulating film provided between the electrode films. The semiconductor pillar pierces the stacked body. The insulating film is provided between the semiconductor pillar and the electrode films on an outer side of the semiconductor pillar with a gap interposed. The charge storage film is provided between the insulating film and the electrode films. The semiconductor pillar includes germanium. An upper end portion of the semiconductor pillar is supported by an interconnect provided above the stacked body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Jun Fujiki, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi, Tomoko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8884355
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device includes: a stacked structural unit including a plurality of electrode films and a plurality of inter-electrode insulating films alternately stacked in a first direction; a first selection gate electrode stacked on the stacked structural unit in the first direction; a first semiconductor pillar piercing the stacked structural unit and the first selection gate electrode in the first direction; a first memory unit provided at an intersection of each of the electrode films and the first semiconductor pillar; and a first selection gate insulating film provided between the first semiconductor pillar and the first selection gate electrode, the first selection gate electrode including a first silicide layer provided on a face of the first selection gate electrode perpendicular to the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yosuke Komori, Hideaki Aochi, Ryota Katsumata, Masaru Kito, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Masaru Kidoh, Hiroyasu Tanaka, Megumi Ishiduki, Tomoko Fujiwara, Ryouhei Kirisawa, Yoshimasa Mikajiri, Shigeto Oota
  • Patent number: 8878254
    Abstract: A semiconductor memory device according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a dielectric film configured to store information depending on presence or absence of a conductive path therein, and a plurality of electrodes provided to contact a first surface of the dielectric film. The conductive path can be formed between two electrodes arbitrarily selected form the plurality of electrodes. The conductive path has a rectifying property of allowing a current to flow more easily in a first direction connecting arbitrary two electrodes than in a second direction opposite to the first direction. The largest possible number of the conductive paths that may be formed is larger than the number of the plurality of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20140284607
    Abstract: In this embodiment, a mask material is formed above a film to be processed, and a plurality of sacrifice films are formed above the mask material, each of the sacrifice films having a columnar shape. Then, a sidewall film is formed on a sidewall of the sacrifice films, and then the sacrifice films are removed. Thereafter, the sidewall films are caused to flow. In addition, a plurality of holes are formed in the mask material using the sidewall film as a mask. Then, isotropic etching is performed for the mask material to etch back the sidewall of the mask material with respect to a sidewall of the sidewall film by a first distance. Thereafter, a deposition layer is deposited inside the plurality of holes to close an opening of the plurality of holes with the deposition layer. Anisotropic etching is conducted to remove the deposition layer in the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2013
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Yoshiaki FUKUZUMI, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20140252443
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device comprises a semiconductor substrate, a first layer formed above the semiconductor substrate, a first conductive layer, an inter-electrode insulating layer, and a second conductive layer sequentially stacked above the first layer, a memory film formed on an inner surface of each of a pair of through holes provided in the first conductive layer, the inter-electrode insulating layer, and the second conductive layer and extending in a stacking direction, a semiconductor layer formed on the memory film in the pair of through holes, and a metal layer formed in part of the pair of through holes and/or in part of a connection hole that is provided in the first layer and connects lower end portions of the pair of through holes, the metal layer being in contact with the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Tomoya KAWAI, Jun Fujiki, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi
  • Publication number: 20140252450
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a columnar semiconductor, a floating gate electrode formed on a side surface of the columnar semiconductor via a tunnel dielectric film, and a control gate electrode formed to surround the floating gate electrode via a block dielectric film are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takeshi IMAMURA, Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi, Masaru Kito, Tomoko Fujiwara, Kaori Kawasaki, Ryouhei Kirisawa
  • Publication number: 20140241030
    Abstract: A shift register according to an embodiment includes: a magnetic nanowire; a first control electrode group and a second control electrode group arranged with the magnetic nanowire being sandwiched therebetween, the first control electrode group including a plurality of first control electrodes arranged to be spaced apart from each other along a direction in which the magnetic nanowire extends, the second control electrode group including a plurality of second control electrodes arranged to be spaced apart from each other to correspond to the plurality of first control electrodes along the direction in which the magnetic nanowire extends, and the second control electrodes corresponding to the first control electrodes being shifted in the direction in which the magnetic nanowire extends; a first driving unit for driving the first control electrode group; and a second driving unit for driving the second control electrode group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2013
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Fukuzumi, Hideaki Aochi, Hirofumi Morise
  • Publication number: 20140231889
    Abstract: A shift register memory according to the present embodiment includes a magnetic pillar including a plurality of magnetic layers and a plurality of nonmagnetic layers provided between the magnetic layers adjacent to each other. A stress application part applies a stress to the magnetic pillar. A magnetic-field application part applies a static magnetic field to the magnetic pillar. The stress application part applies the stress to the magnetic pillar in order to transfer magnetization states of the magnetic layers in a stacking direction of the magnetic layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki FUKUZUMI, Hideaki AOCHI