Patents by Inventor Hiromi SAWAI

Hiromi SAWAI 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: 20200266107
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that can have favorable electrical characteristics and can be highly integrated is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first insulator; a second insulator over the first insulator; an oxide over the second insulator; a first conductor and a second conductor over the oxide; a third insulator over the oxide; a third conductor positioned over the third insulator and overlapping with the oxide; a fourth insulator in contact with the second insulator, a side surface of the oxide, a side surface of the first conductor, a top surface of the first conductor, a side surface of the second conductor, a top surface of the second conductor, and a side surface of the third insulator; and a fifth insulator in contact with a top surface of the third insulator and a top surface of the third conductor, and a top surface of the fourth insulator is in contact with the fifth insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 20, 2020
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshihiko TAKEUCHI, Hiromi SAWAI, Ryota HODO, Katsuaki TOCHIBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10741679
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having favorable reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kazutaka Kuriki, Yuji Egi, Hiromi Sawai, Yusuke Nonaka, Noritaka Ishihara, Daisuke Matsubayashi
  • Patent number: 10700212
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first insulator, a transistor over the first insulator, a second insulator over the transistor, and a third insulator over the second insulator. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The amount of oxygen released from the second insulator when converted into oxygen molecules is larger than or equal to 1×1014 molecules/cm2 and smaller than 1×1016 molecules/cm2 in thermal desorption spectroscopy at a surface temperature of a film of the second insulator of higher than or equal to 50° C. and lower than or equal to 500° C. The second insulator includes oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiromi Sawai, Akihisa Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20200135867
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first conductor; a first insulator thereover; a first oxide thereover; a second oxide thereover; a second conductor and a third conductor that are separate from each other thereover; a third oxide over the first insulator, the second oxide, the second conductor, and the third conductor; a second insulator thereover; a fourth conductor thereover; and a third insulator over the first insulator, the second insulator, and the fourth conductor. The second oxide includes a region where the energy of the conduction band minimum of an energy band is low and a region where the energy of the conduction band minimum of the energy band is high. The energy of the conduction band minimum of the third oxide is higher than that of the region of the second oxide where the energy of the conduction band minimum is low. Side surfaces of the first oxide and the second oxide are covered with the third oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2020
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventors: Tsutomu MURAKAWA, Toshihiko TAKEUCHI, Hiroki KOMAGATA, Hiromi SAWAI, Yasumasa YAMANE, Shota SAMBONSUGE, Kazuya SUGIMOTO, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 10600875
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first conductor; a first insulator thereover; a first oxide thereover; a second oxide thereover; a second conductor and a third conductor that are separate from each other thereover; a third oxide over the first insulator, the second oxide, the second conductor, and the third conductor; a second insulator thereover; a fourth conductor thereover; and a third insulator over the first insulator, the second insulator, and the fourth conductor. The second oxide includes a region where the energy of the conduction band minimum of an energy band is low and a region where the energy of the conduction band minimum of the energy band is high. The energy of the conduction band minimum of the third oxide is higher than that of the region of the second oxide where the energy of the conduction band minimum is low. Side surfaces of the first oxide and the second oxide are covered with the third oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Murakawa, Toshihiko Takeuchi, Hiroki Komagata, Hiromi Sawai, Yasumasa Yamane, Shota Sambonsuge, Kazuya Sugimoto, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20200006567
    Abstract: A high-performance and highly reliable semiconductor device can be provided. The semiconductor device includes a first oxide; a second oxide over the first oxide; a source electrode and a drain electrode over the second oxide; a third oxide over the second oxide, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a fourth oxide over the third oxide; a gate insulating film over the fourth oxide; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film. The band gap of the first oxide is substantially the same as the band gap of the fourth oxide, the band gap of the second oxide is substantially the same as the band gap of the third oxide, the band gap of the first oxide is larger than the band gap of the second oxide, and the fourth oxide is less likely to transmit oxygen than the third oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2018
    Publication date: January 2, 2020
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuta ENDO, Hiromi SAWAI, Hajime KIMURA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20190312149
    Abstract: A high-performance and highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes: a first oxide; a source electrode; a drain electrode; a second oxide over the first oxide, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a gate insulating film over the second oxide; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film. The source electrode is electrically connected to the first oxide. The drain electrode is electrically connected to the first oxide. Each of the first oxide and the second oxide includes In, an element M (M is Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), and Zn. Each of the first oxide and the second oxide includes more In atoms than element M atoms. An atomic ratio of the In, the Zn, and the element M in the first oxide is equal to or similar to an atomic ratio of the In, the Zn, and the element M in the second oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Inventors: Yuta ENDO, Hiromi SAWAI, Hajime KIMURA
  • Patent number: 10374098
    Abstract: A high-performance and highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes: a first oxide; a source electrode; a drain electrode; a second oxide over the first oxide, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a gate insulating film over the second oxide; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film. The source electrode is electrically connected to the first oxide. The drain electrode is electrically connected to the first oxide. Each of the first oxide and the second oxide includes In, an element M (M is Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), and Zn. Each of the first oxide and the second oxide includes more In atoms than element M atoms. An atomic ratio of the In, the Zn, and the element M in the first oxide is equal to or similar to an atomic ratio of the In, the Zn, and the element M in the second oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Endo, Hiromi Sawai, Hajime Kimura
  • Patent number: 10236357
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having stable electrical characteristics is provided. A semiconductor device that can be miniaturized or highly integrated is provided. One embodiment of the present invention includes a transistor including an oxide, a first barrier layer over the transistor, and a second barrier layer in contact with the first barrier layer. The oxide is in contact with an insulator including an excess-oxygen region. The insulator is in contact with the first barrier layer. The first barrier layer has a thickness greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 1.5 nm. The second barrier layer is thicker than the first barrier layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasumasa Yamane, Ryo Tokumaru, Hiromi Sawai
  • Patent number: 10084096
    Abstract: After a sputtering gas is supplied to a deposition chamber, plasma including an ion of the sputtering gas is generated in the vicinity of a target. The ion of the sputtering gas is accelerated and collides with the target, so that flat-plate particles and atoms of the target are separated from the target. The flat-plate particles are deposited with a gap therebetween so that the flat plane faces a substrate. The atom and the aggregate of the atoms separated from the target enter the gap between the deposited flat-plate particles and grow in the plane direction of the substrate to fill the gap. A film is formed over the substrate. After the deposition, heat treatment is performed at high temperature in an oxygen atmosphere, which forms an oxide with a few oxygen vacancies and high crystallinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Haruyuki Baba, Akio Suzuki, Hiromi Sawai, Masahiko Hayakawa, Noritaka Ishihara, Masashi Oota
  • Publication number: 20180233588
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having favorable reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kazutaka Kuriki, Yuji Egi, Hiromi Sawai, Yusuke Nonaka, Noritaka Ishihara, Daisuke Matsubayashi
  • Publication number: 20180114838
    Abstract: A high-performance and highly reliable semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes: a first oxide; a source electrode; a drain electrode; a second oxide over the first oxide, the source electrode, and the drain electrode; a gate insulating film over the second oxide; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film. The source electrode is electrically connected to the first oxide. The drain electrode is electrically connected to the first oxide. Each of the first oxide and the second oxide includes In, an element M (M is Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), and Zn. Each of the first oxide and the second oxide includes more In atoms than element M atoms. An atomic ratio of the In, the Zn, and the element M in the first oxide is equal to or similar to an atomic ratio of the In, the Zn, and the element M in the second oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2017
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Yuta ENDO, Hiromi SAWAI, Hajime KIMURA
  • Patent number: 9947777
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having favorable reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kazutaka Kuriki, Yuji Egi, Hiromi Sawai, Yusuke Nonaka, Noritaka Ishihara, Daisuke Matsubayashi
  • Publication number: 20180076296
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having stable electrical characteristics is provided. A semiconductor device that can be miniaturized or highly integrated is provided. One embodiment of the present invention includes a transistor including an oxide, a first barrier layer over the transistor, and a second barrier layer in contact with the first barrier layer. The oxide is in contact with an insulator including an excess-oxygen region. The insulator is in contact with the first barrier layer. The first barrier layer has a thickness greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and less than or equal to 1.5 nm. The second barrier layer is thicker than the first barrier layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Yasumasa YAMANE, Ryo TOKUMARU, Hiromi SAWAI
  • Publication number: 20180013005
    Abstract: After a sputtering gas is supplied to a deposition chamber, plasma including an ion of the sputtering gas is generated in the vicinity of a target. The ion of the sputtering gas is accelerated and collides with the target, so that flat-plate particles and atoms of the target are separated from the target. The flat-plate particles are deposited with a gap therebetween so that the flat plane faces a substrate. The atom and the aggregate of the atoms separated from the target enter the gap between the deposited flat-plate particles and grow in the plane direction of the substrate to fill the gap. A film is formed over the substrate. After the deposition, heat treatment is performed at high temperature in an oxygen atmosphere, which forms an oxide with a few oxygen vacancies and high crystallinity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Haruyuki BABA, Akio SUZUKI, Hiromi SAWAI, Masahiko HAYAKAWA, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Masashi OOTA
  • Publication number: 20180006124
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first conductor; a first insulator thereover; a first oxide thereover; a second oxide thereover; a second conductor and a third conductor that are separate from each other thereover; a third oxide over the first insulator, the second oxide, the second conductor, and the third conductor; a second insulator thereover; a fourth conductor thereover; and a third insulator over the first insulator, the second insulator, and the fourth conductor. The second oxide includes a region where the energy of the conduction band minimum of an energy band is low and a region where the energy of the conduction band minimum of the energy band is high. The energy of the conduction band minimum of the third oxide is higher than that of the region of the second oxide where the energy of the conduction band minimum is low. Side surfaces of the first oxide and the second oxide are covered with the third oxide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Inventors: Tsutomu MURAKAWA, Toshihiko TAKEUCHI, Hiroki KOMAGATA, Hiromi SAWAI, Yasumasa YAMANE, Shota SAMBONSUGE, Kazuya SUGIMOTO, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20170309732
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device having favorable reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Kazutaka KURIKI, Yuji EGI, Hiromi SAWAI, Yusuke NONAKA, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Daisuke MATSUBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 9761733
    Abstract: After a sputtering gas is supplied to a deposition chamber, plasma including an ion of the sputtering gas is generated in the vicinity of a target. The ion of the sputtering gas is accelerated and collides with the target, so that flat-plate particles and atoms of the target are separated from the target. The flat-plate particles are deposited with a gap therebetween so that the flat plane faces a substrate. The atom and the aggregate of the atoms separated from the target enter the gap between the deposited flat-plate particles and grow in the plane direction of the substrate to fill the gap. A film is formed over the substrate. After the deposition, heat treatment is performed at high temperature in an oxygen atmosphere, which forms an oxide with a few oxygen vacancies and high crystallinity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Haruyuki Baba, Akio Suzuki, Hiromi Sawai, Masahiko Hayakawa, Noritaka Ishihara, Masashi Oota
  • Publication number: 20170222056
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first insulator, a transistor over the first insulator, a second insulator over the transistor, and a third insulator over the second insulator. The transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The amount of oxygen released from the second insulator when converted into oxygen molecules is larger than or equal to 1×1014 molecules/cm2 and smaller than 1×1016 molecules/cm2 in thermal desorption spectroscopy at a surface temperature of a film of the second insulator of higher than or equal to 50° C. and lower than or equal to 500° C. The second insulator includes oxygen, nitrogen, and silicon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Hiromi SAWAI, Akihisa SHIMOMURA
  • Publication number: 20160304976
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting predisposition for chronicity of hepatitis B and/or the pathological progress, including an allele associated with chronicity of hepatitis B and/or the pathological progress.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2014
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Katsushi Tokunaga, Hiromi Sawai, Masashi Mizokami, Nao Nishida