Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Katou

Hiroaki Katou 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: 20250107182
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first to fourth electrodes, first to fourth semiconductor regions, and first and second insulating parts. The third electrode includes first to third electrode regions. The first insulating part includes first to third insulating regions. The first insulating region includes first and second insulating portions. The second insulating region includes third and fourth insulating portions. The third insulating region includes fifth and sixth insulating portion. The fourth electrode is arranged with the first semiconductor region and the third electrode. The second insulating part is located between the fourth electrode and the first semiconductor region and between the fourth electrode and the third electrode. The fourth semiconductor region is located under the sixth insulating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Takuya YASUTAKE, Kenya KOBAYASHI, Hiroaki KATOU, Tsuyoshi KACHI
  • Publication number: 20250107142
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first to fourth electrodes, first to third semiconductor regions, and first and second insulating parts. The third electrode includes first to third electrode regions. The third electrode region connects the first electrode region and the second electrode region. The first insulating part includes first to third insulating regions. The first insulating region includes first and second insulating portions. The second insulating region includes third and fourth insulating portions. The third insulating region connects the first insulating region and the second insulating region. The third insulating region includes fifth and sixth insulating portions. A lower end of the sixth insulating portion is positioned lower than a lower end of the second insulating portion and a lower end of the fourth insulating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2024
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Takuya YASUTAKE, Hiroaki KATOU, Tatsuya NISHIWAKI, Kenya KOBAYASHI, Tsuyoshi KACHI
  • Publication number: 20250098284
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer having first and second surfaces and including a first semiconductor region of a first type, first and second electrodes, a first insulation region, a first conductive portion electrically connected to the first electrode, a second insulation region, a first control electrode in the second insulation region, a second semiconductor region of the first type between the first and second insulation regions, a second conductive portion adjacent to the second semiconductor region and forming a Schottky junction with the second semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region of a second type on the first semiconductor region, and a fourth semiconductor region of the first type between the third semiconductor region and the first electrode. The third and fourth semiconductor regions are electrically connected to the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Hiroki NEMOTO, Tsuyoshi KACHI, Hiroaki KATOU
  • Publication number: 20250098233
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes first and second electrodes, a semiconductor part located between the first and second electrodes, a gate electrode located between the semiconductor part and the second electrode, and a structure body extending in the semiconductor part under the gate electrode. The semiconductor part includes first to fifth layers which are stacked in this order. The first to third and fifth layers are of a first conductivity type. The fourth layer is of a second conductivity type. The gate electrode faces the fourth layer. The structure body includes an insulating film, a conductive body, an insulating layer, and a silicide layer. The silicide layer is located at a lower end of the structure body. The lower end of the structure body contacts the second layer. The second layer includes a heavy metal. The third layer has a lower concentration of the heavy metal than the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2024
    Publication date: March 20, 2025
    Inventors: Saya SHIMOMURA, Hiroaki KATOU, Tsuyoshi KACHI
  • Publication number: 20250063796
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a first electrode; a first semiconductor region of a first conductive type provided on the first electrode; a second semiconductor region of a second conductive type provided on the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region of a first conductive type provided on the second semiconductor region; a gate electrode provided in the second semiconductor region via a gate insulating film; a contact portion having a first portion and a second portion; and a second electrode electrically connected to the contact portion. The first portion is aligned with the third semiconductor region and a part of the second semiconductor region, and the second portion is provided at a lower end of the first portion and has a width larger than a width of the first portion at an upper end of the third semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2024
    Publication date: February 20, 2025
    Inventors: Hiroki NEMOTO, Tsuyoshi KACHI, Hiroaki KATOU, Kazuyuki SATO, Toshifumi NISHIGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20250022952
    Abstract: The trench structure part includes a field plate electrode, a first insulating film, a second insulating film, the second insulating film extending to be more proximate to the first surface than the first insulating film, a gate electrode including a first portion located on the second insulating film, and a second portion located on the first insulating film, the second portion being thicker than the first portion, and a third insulating film. The gate contact part extends from the gate wiring layer toward the second portion and contacts the second portion. The gate contact part is not positioned between the first portion and the gate wiring layer. The first portion is positioned adjacent, in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, to a lower end portion of the gate contact part contacting the second portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2024
    Publication date: January 16, 2025
    Inventors: Hyuga SAITO, Hirofumi KAWAI, Saya SHIMOMURA, Hiroyuki KISHIMOTO, Takuya YASUTAKE, Hiroaki KATOU, Katsura MIYASHITA, Hiroki NEMOTO
  • Publication number: 20240413241
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part, first to third electrodes, and a control electrode. The first electrode is provided on a back surface of the semiconductor part. The second electrode is provided at a front surface side of the semiconductor part. The third electrode and the control electrode are provided inside a trench of the semiconductor part. The control electrode includes first and second control portions. The semiconductor device further includes first to third insulating films. The first insulating film is between the control electrode and the semiconductor part. The second insulating film covers the first and second control portions. The third insulating film is between the second electrode and the second insulating film. The third insulating film includes a portion extending between the first and second control portions. The third electrode is between the first electrode and the extension portion of the third insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2024
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Hiroaki KATOU, Saya SHIMOMURA, Shotaro BABA, Atsuro INADA, Hiroshi YOSHIDA, Yasuhiro KAWAI
  • Patent number: 12094968
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part, first to third electrodes, and a control electrode. The first electrode is provided on a back surface of the semiconductor part. The second electrode is provided at a front surface side of the semiconductor part. The third electrode and the control electrode are provided inside a trench of the semiconductor part. The control electrode includes first and second control portions. The semiconductor device further includes first to third insulating films. The first insulating film is between the control electrode and the semiconductor part. The second insulating film covers the first and second control portions. The third insulating film is between the second electrode and the second insulating film. The third insulating film includes a portion extending between the first and second control portions. The third electrode is between the first electrode and the extension portion of the third insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Katou, Saya Shimomura, Shotaro Baba, Atsuro Inada, Hiroshi Yoshida, Yasuhiro Kawai
  • Patent number: 11996458
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part; first and second electrodes respectively on back and front surfaces of the semiconductor part; and a control electrode between the semiconductor part and the second electrode. The control electrode is provided inside a trench of the semiconductor part. The control electrode is electrically insulated from the semiconductor part by a first insulating film and electrically insulated from the second electrode by a second insulating film. The control electrode includes an insulator at a position apart from the first insulating film and the second insulating film. The semiconductor part includes a first layer of a first conductivity type provided between the first and second electrodes, the second layer of a second conductivity type provided between the first layer and the second electrode and the third layer of the first conductivity type selectively provided between the second layer and the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kishimoto, Hiroaki Katou, Toshifumi Nishiguchi, Saya Shimomura, Kouta Tomita
  • Patent number: 11942539
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a polycrystalline silicon part buried in a termination region of a silicon layer. The polycrystalline silicon part contacts the silicon layer, has a higher crystal grain density than the silicon layer, and includes a heavy metal. The silicon layer includes a drift layer located in a cell region and the termination region. The drift layer has a lower first-conductivity-type impurity concentration than a silicon substrate. The drift layer includes a same element of heavy metal as the heavy metal included in the polycrystalline silicon part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Shotaro Baba, Hiroaki Katou, Yuhki Fujino, Kouta Tomita
  • Publication number: 20240096962
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, first to fourth semiconductor regions, a gate electrode, and a second electrode. The third semiconductor region is located on a portion of the second semiconductor region. The fourth semiconductor region includes a first portion positioned on the third semiconductor region and a second portion arranged with the first portion in a second direction. A first-conductivity-type impurity concentration of the first portion is less than a first-conductivity-type impurity concentration of the second portion. The gate electrode faces the second semiconductor region via a gate insulating layer in the second direction. The second electrode is located on the second and fourth semiconductor regions. The second electrode contacts the first and second portions. The second electrode includes a connection part that contacts the third semiconductor region and the portion of the second semiconductor region in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Junpei HISADA, Hiroaki KATOU
  • Publication number: 20240097024
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a first region, a second region, a third region, a first conductive portion, a second conductive portion, a gate electrode, a first insulating portion, a second insulating portion, a third insulating portion, and a fourth insulating portion. The second electrode has a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion toward the first electrode. The first region is between the first electrode and the second electrode. The second region is between the first region and the second electrode. The third region is between the second semiconductor region and the second electrode. The first conductive portion is in the first semiconductor region. The gate electrode is between the second region and the second portion. The second conductive portion is between the first conductive portion and the gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Saya SHIMOMURA, Hiroaki KATOU
  • Publication number: 20240096974
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present embodiment includes a drain electrode, a source electrode, a semiconductor region disposed between the drain electrode and the source electrode, a gate electrode disposed in the semiconductor region via a first insulation film, and a second insulation film disposed between the gate electrode and the source electrode and having a specific dielectric constant higher than a specific dielectric constant of the first insulation film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Takuya YASUTAKE, Hiroaki KATOU
  • Publication number: 20240096972
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to the present embodiment includes: a first electrode; a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type disposed above the first electrode; a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type disposed on the first semiconductor region; a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type disposed on the second semiconductor region; a second electrode disposed in the first semiconductor region; a third electrode facing the second semiconductor region via a second insulating film; a fourth electrode having a portion adjacent to a part of the second semiconductor region and the third semiconductor region in the second direction, the second semiconductor region, and the third semiconductor region; and a fifth electrode disposed in the first insulating film, having a bottom located closer to the first electrode than a bottom of the portion, having a top located on an upper surface of the first insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Shuhei TOKUYAMA, Tsuyoshi KACHI, Toshifumi NISHIGUCHI, Hiroaki KATOU
  • Publication number: 20240079460
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a second electrode located on the first electrode, a semiconductor part located between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first interconnect located between the semiconductor part and the second electrode, a third electrode located in the semiconductor part and separated from the semiconductor part, a fourth electrode located lower than the third electrode in the semiconductor part, a first plug connecting the second electrode to the fourth electrode, and a second plug. The third electrode includes a ring portion, and an extension portion extending from the ring portion into an interior of the ring portion. The fourth electrode is located in the interior of the ring portion in a plane perpendicular to a vertical direction. The fourth electrode is separated from the semiconductor part. The second plug connects the first interconnect to the extension portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2022
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Hiroaki KATOU, Katsura MIYASHITA, Saya SHIMOMURA, Tsuyoshi KACHI, Tatsuya NISHIWAKI
  • Patent number: 11862698
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of embodiments includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a first semiconductor region, a second semiconductor region, a third semiconductor region, a conductive portion, a first insulating portion, a gate electrode, a second insulating portion, and a third insulating portion. The first to third semiconductor regions are provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The conductive portion includes a first conductive portion and a second conductive portion on the second electrode side and having a lower impurity concentration than the first conductive portion. The first insulating portion is provided between the first conductive portion and the first semiconductor region. The gate electrode is provided between the second semiconductor region and the second conductive portion. The second insulating portion is provided between the second conductive portion and the gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Saya Shimomura, Hiroaki Katou, Toshifumi Nishiguchi
  • Publication number: 20230260917
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes first and second electrodes, first to third semiconductor regions, a conductive body, and a gate electrode. The first semiconductor region is located on the first electrode and electrically connected with the first electrode. The second semiconductor region is located on the first semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region is located on a portion of the second semiconductor region. The conductive body is located in the first semiconductor region with an insulating part interposed. A lower surface of the conductive body includes first and second surfaces. The gate electrode is located in the insulating part. The gate electrode faces the second semiconductor region via a gate insulating layer. The second electrode is located on the second and third semiconductor regions. The second electrode is electrically connected with the second and third semiconductor regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Saya SHIMOMURA, Hiroaki KATOU, Yasuhiro KAWAI, Hiroshi YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230261105
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes first and second electrodes, first to third semiconductor regions, first and second conductive parts, first and second gate electrodes, and a first connection part. The first semiconductor region is located on the first electrode. The second semiconductor region is located on the first semiconductor region. The third semiconductor region is located on a portion of the second semiconductor region. The first conductive part is located in the first semiconductor region with a first insulating part interposed. The first gate electrode is located in the first insulating part. The second conductive part is located in the first semiconductor region with a second insulating part interposed. The second gate electrode is located in the second insulating part. The first connection part is located higher than the second and third semiconductor regions. The second electrode is located on the second and third semiconductor regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Takuya YASUTAKE, Hiroaki KATOU, Hirofumi KAWAI, Hiroyuki KISHIMOTO
  • Patent number: 11715793
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part, an first electrode, a control electrode and second electrodes. The control electrode and the second electrodes are provided between the semiconductor part and the first electrode, and provided inside trenches, respectively. The second electrodes include first to third ones. The first and second ones of the second electrodes are adjacent to each other with a portion of the semiconductor part interposed. The second electrodes each are electrically isolated from the semiconductor part by a insulating film including first and second insulating portions adjacent to each other. The first insulating portion has a first thickness. The second insulating portion has a second thickness thinner than the first thickness. The first insulating portion is provided between the first and second ones of the second electrodes. The second insulating portion is provided between the first and third ones of the second electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2023
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Katou, Atsuro Inada, Tatsuya Shiraishi, Tatsuya Nishiwaki, Kenya Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 11705447
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor part; first and second electrodes respectively on back and front surfaces of the semiconductor part; a control electrode provided inside a trench of the semiconductor part; a third electrode provided inside the trench; a diode element provided at the front surface of the semiconductor part; a resistance element provided on the front surface of the semiconductor part via an insulating film, the diode element being electrically connected to the second electrode; a first interconnect electrically connecting the diode element and the resistance element, the first interconnect being electrically connected to the third electrode; and a second interconnect electrically connecting the resistance element and the semiconductor part. The resistance element is connected in series to the diode element. The diode element is provided to have a rectifying property reverse to a current direction flowing from the resistance element to the second electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA ELECTRONIC DEVICES & STORAGE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Katou, Tatsuya Nishiwaki, Kenya Kobayashi