Patents by Inventor Hideaki Asao

Hideaki Asao 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: 9935219
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve photoelectric conversion efficiency in a photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device 11 according to the present invention uses a polycrystalline semiconductor layer including a plurality of semiconductor particles 3a coupled together as a light-absorbing layer 3, each of the semiconductor particles 3a including a group I-III-VI compound, each of the semiconductor particles 3a having a higher composition ratio PI of a group I-B element to a group III-B element in a surface portion thereof than that in a central portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Shintaro Kubo, Michimasa Kikuchi, Hideaki Asao, Shinnosuke Ushio
  • Publication number: 20170025556
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve photoelectric conversion efficiency in a photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device 11 according to the present invention uses a polycrystalline semiconductor layer including a plurality of semiconductor particles 3a coupled together as a light-absorbing layer 3, each of the semiconductor particles 3a including a group I-III-VI compound, each of the semiconductor particles 3a having a higher composition ratio PI of a group I-B element to a group III-B element in a surface portion thereof than that in a central portion thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Shintaro KUBO, Michimasa KIKUCHI, Hideaki ASAO, Shinnosuke USHIO
  • Publication number: 20160341759
    Abstract: A sensor comprising: a mass element; a frame surrounding the mass element; a connecting body having flexibility, and connecting the mass element to the frame; a pressure detecting unit; and an acceleration detecting unit. The mass element comprises: a main portion comprising a through-hole passing therethrough from the top surface to the bottom surface; a mounting portion connected to the top surface of the main portion, and surrounding an outer periphery of the through-hole; a first cover portion having flexibility, connected to the mounting portion and covering the through-hole; and a second cover portion, disposed on the bottom surface of the main portion, covering the through-hole, and deformable less than the first cover portion when received an external force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2015
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Tokuichi YAMAJI, Yuko YOKOTA, Atsuo HATATE, Hiroki ISHIKAWA, Takeshi SUZUKI, Hideaki ASAO
  • Patent number: 9484476
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve photoelectric conversion efficiency in a photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device according to the present invention uses a polycrystalline semiconductor layer including a plurality of semiconductor particles coupled together as a light-absorbing layer, each of the semiconductor particles including a group I-III-VI compound, each of the semiconductor particles having a higher composition ratio PI of a group I-B element to a group III-B element in a surface portion thereof than that in a central portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Kubo, Michimasa Kikuchi, Hideaki Asao, Shinnosuke Ushio
  • Publication number: 20140345693
    Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device and a method for producing a photoelectric conversion device are disclosed. The photoelectric conversion device includes a light-absorbing layer. The light-absorbing layer contains a chalcopyrite-based compound, and has a peak intensity ratio IB/IA in a range of 3 to 9, where IA represents a peak intensity of the peak formed by combining a peak of a (220) plane and a peak of a (204) plane in X-ray diffraction, and IB represents a peak intensity of a (112) plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Asao, Shintaro Kubo, Shuji Nakazawa, Yusuke Miyamichi, Tatsuya Domoto, Keizo Takeda, Kazuki Yamada, Kotaro Tanigawa, Hiromitsu Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20140224333
    Abstract: A photoelectric converter is disclosed. The photoelectric converter includes a light-absorbing layer. The light-absorbing layer includes a plurality of crystalline grains. The grains contain a Group I-III-VI chalcopyrite compound semiconductor. The light-absorbing layer contains oxygen and an average atomic concentration of oxygen at grain boundaries of the light-absorbing layer is larger than the average atomic concentration of oxygen in the grains of the light-absorbing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Kubo, Hideaki Asao, Seiichiro Inai, Hisakazu Ninomiya, Shuji Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8772826
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device with high photoelectric conversion efficiency. The photoelectric conversion device includes an electrode layer, and a light absorbing layer located on the electrode layer. The light absorbing layer is comprised of a plurality of stacked semiconductor layers containing a chalcopyrite-based compound semiconductor. The semiconductor layers contain oxygen. A molar concentration of the oxygen in surfaces and their vicinities of the semiconductor layers where the semiconductor layers are stacked on each other is higher than average molar concentrations of the oxygen in the semiconductor layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Hideaki Asao, Rui Kamada, Shuichi Kasai, Seiji Oguri, Isamu Tanaka, Nobuyuki Horiuchi, Kazumasa Umesato
  • Publication number: 20140014177
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to improve photoelectric conversion efficiency in a photoelectric conversion device. The photoelectric conversion device according to the present invention uses a polycrystalline semiconductor layer including a plurality of semiconductor particles coupled together as a light-absorbing layer, each of the semiconductor particles including a group I-III-VI compound, each of the semiconductor particles having a higher composition ratio PI of a group I-B element to a group III-B element in a surface portion thereof than that in a central portion thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shintaro Kubo, Michimasa Kikuchi, Hideaki Asao, Shinnosuke Ushio
  • Publication number: 20130069187
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a photoelectric conversion device with high photoelectric conversion efficiency. The photoelectric conversion device includes an electrode layer, and a light absorbing layer located on the electrode layer. The light absorbing layer is comprised of a plurality of stacked semiconductor layers containing a chalcopyrite-based compound semiconductor. The semiconductor layers contain oxygen. A molar concentration of the oxygen in surfaces and their vicinities of the semiconductor layers where the semiconductor layers are stacked on each other is higher than average molar concentrations of the oxygen in the semiconductor layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2011
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideaki Asao, Rui Kamada, Shuichi Kasai, Seiji Oguri, Isamu Tanaka, Nobuyuki Horiuchi, Kazumasa Umesato