Patents by Inventor Hironori Aoki

Hironori Aoki 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: 8587362
    Abstract: A gate driver for driving a gate of a switching element Tr7 includes a driving part that drives the switching element according to a control signal and an active clamp circuit to clamp the voltage between the first and second main terminals of the switching element through the driving part. If a voltage applied between a first main terminal (drain) and a second main terminal (source) of the switching element exceeds a predetermined voltage, the active clamp circuit forcibly blocks a driving operation of the driving part from driving the switching element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Machida, Hironori Aoki
  • Patent number: 8530937
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor device includes a group-III nitride semiconductor layer; an insulation film located on the group-III nitride semiconductor layer; a drain electrode located in a position which is a first distance away from an upper surface of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer; a source electrode located in a position which is the first distance away from the upper surface of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer; a gate electrode located between the drain electrode and the source electrode; and a field plate electrode located between the drain electrode and the gate electrode at a position which is a second distance away from the upper surface of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer, the second distance is shorter than the first distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori Aoki
  • Patent number: 8519442
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a two-dimensional carrier gas layer, a first main electrode, a second main electrode, a first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode. The first gate electrode is provided between a part of the first main electrode and a part of the second main electrode opposite to the part of the first main electrode. The second gate electrode is provided between another part of the first main electrode and another part of the second main electrode opposite to the another part of the first main electrode with a separation region interposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode. The second gate electrode is controlled independently of the first gate electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Iwabuchi, Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20130075925
    Abstract: A semiconductor device is free from degradation of characteristics attributable to a manufacturing process thereof and its characteristics are hardly affected by changes in electric potentials of bonding pads. The semiconductor device 10 includes an active region 12, a first insulating layer 13 covering the active region 12, a floating conductor 14 formed on the first insulating layer 13, a second insulating layer 15 formed on the first insulating layer 13 and the floating conductor 14, a bonding pad 18 formed on the second insulating layer 17 and interconnection vias 19, 20 for electrically connecting the active region 12 and the bonding pad 18.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 28, 2013
    Applicant: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akio IWABUCHI, Hironori AOKI
  • Patent number: 8349698
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same includes leaving one part of a semiconductor layer so that an inclined surface is formed on a trench when forming the trench on a SOI wafer. A thick silicon oxide film (second insulation film) is formed along this incline surface. This thick silicon oxide film prevents oxygen entering a boundary surface between an insulation layer and the semiconductor layer of the SOI wafer within the trench.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori Aoki, Eiichi Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 8338907
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region provided on a main surface of a substrate, being apart from each other and having first conductivity; a third semiconductor region provided between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and having second conductivity opposite to the first conductivity; a fourth semiconductor region provided on a main surface of the substrate, connected to the third semiconductor region, manufactured together with the third semiconductor region in the same manufacturing process, and having the conductivity same as that of the third semiconductor region; and trenches made on the main surface of the fourth semiconductor region and having a depth smaller than a junction depth of the fourth semiconductor region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electronic Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120258578
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an epitaxial layer having a first conduction type, a base layer formed adjacent and on the epitaxial layer and having an opposite second conduction type to the first conduction type, a source layer formed selectively on the base layer and having the first conduction type, a trench which passes through the base layer and the source layer and which reaches the epitaxial layer, an insulation film formed along an interior wall of the trench, a control electrode formed within the trench via the insulation film, and a semiconductor region formed along the bottom part of the trench at the epitaxial layer and having the first conduction type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori AOKI, Shuichi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8232729
    Abstract: For production of plasma from a medium gas mass in an elongated shape, electric field forming elements 3, 4 that form an electric field in the medium gas mass are provided. The electric field forming elements form an electric field so that partial discharge occurs from the electric field forming elements toward both sides in the longitudinal direction of the medium gas mass. Accordingly, plasma 5 is produced from the medium gas mass. The medium gas mass is formed by, for example, gas supply members 1,2 that guide medium gas, through an internal hollow, to the electric field forming elements. An electric field forming area includes, for example, at least one high-potential electrode 3 and a voltage applying unit 4 that applies a voltage to the high-potential electrode. Plasma limited in medium gas can be produced with high energy efficiency stably over a wide range of parameters through a simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Osaka University
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Kitano, Satoshi Hamaguchi, Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120139589
    Abstract: A gate driver for driving a gate of a switching element Tr7 includes a driving part that drives the switching element according to a control signal and an active clamp circuit to clamp the voltage between the first and second main terminals of the switching element through the driving part. If a voltage applied between a first main terminal (drain) and a second main terminal (source) of the switching element exceeds a predetermined voltage, the active clamp circuit forcibly blocks a driving operation of the driving part from driving the switching element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Machida, Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120126287
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor device includes a group-III nitride semiconductor layer; an insulation film located on the group-III nitride semiconductor layer; a drain electrode located in a position which is a first distance away from an upper surface of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer; a source electrode located in a position which is the first distance away from the upper surface of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer; a gate electrode located between the drain electrode and the source electrode; and a field plate electrode located between the drain electrode and the gate electrode at a position which is a second distance away from the upper surface of the group-III nitride semiconductor layer, the second distance is shorter than the first distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori AOKI
  • Publication number: 20120119319
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor region and a second semiconductor region provided on a main surface of a substrate, being apart from each other and having first conductivity; a third semiconductor region provided between the first semiconductor region and the second semiconductor region and having second conductivity opposite to the first conductivity; a fourth semiconductor region provided on a main surface of the substrate, connected to the third semiconductor region, manufactured together with the third semiconductor region in the same manufacturing process, and having the conductivity same as that of the third semiconductor region; and trenches made on the main surface of the fourth semiconductor region and having a depth smaller than a junction depth of the fourth semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori AOKI
  • Publication number: 20120091508
    Abstract: A compound semiconductor device includes: a compound semiconductor layer; a source electrode; a drain electrode; a gate electrode; a field plate; and a low-conductivity region. The low-conductivity region is arranged within a region immediately below the field plate in a region where the two-dimensional carrier gas layer is formed, and has lower conductivity than a region above which the field plate or the gate electrode is not arranged in the region where the two-dimensional carrier gas layer is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori AOKI
  • Publication number: 20120080724
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a two-dimensional carrier gas layer, a first main electrode, a second main electrode, a first gate electrode, and a second gate electrode. The first gate electrode is provided between a part of the first main electrode and a part of the second main electrode opposite to the part of the first main electrode. The second gate electrode is provided between another part of the first main electrode and another part of the second main electrode opposite to the another part of the first main electrode with a separation region interposed between the first gate electrode and the second gate electrode. The second gate electrode is controlled independently of the first gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Iwabuchi, Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120056648
    Abstract: The operation of a HEMT is monitored on an on-chip basis without increasing the power consumption rate. In a semiconductor device 10, an electron supply layer 12 is formed on a channel layer 11. A two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) layer 13 is formed at the side of the channel layer of the hetero-junction interface. Electrons flow through the 2DEG layer 13 between a source electrode 14 formed on the surface of the electron supply layer 12 and a drain electrode 15 that is formed on the same surface. A potential detection electrode 17 is arranged on the electron supply layer 12 between the gate electrode 16 and the source electrode 14. A resistor 18 having a sufficiently high resistance value makes the electric current flowing to the potential detection electrode 17 negligible relative to the drain current in operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Akio IWABUCHI, Hironori Aoki
  • Patent number: 8125022
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 includes a first semiconductor region 2B and a second semiconductor region 5 provided on a main surface of a substrate 2, being apart from each other and having first conductivity; a third semiconductor region 4 provided between the first semiconductor region 2B and the second semiconductor region 5 and having second conductivity opposite to the first conductivity; a fourth semiconductor region 41 provided on a main surface of the substrate 2, connected to the third semiconductor region 4, manufactured together with the third semiconductor region 4 in the same manufacturing process, and having the conductivity same as that of the third semiconductor region 4; and trenches 42 made on the main surface of the fourth semiconductor region 41 and having a depth smaller than a junction depth of the fourth semiconductor region 41.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120043588
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer; a two-dimensional carrier gas layer; a source electrode; a drain electrode; a gate electrode; and an auxiliary electrode located above the two-dimensional carrier gas layer between the gate electrode and the drain electrode. Channel resistance of the two-dimensional carrier gas layer between the gate electrode and the auxiliary electrode is set higher than channel resistance of the two-dimensional carrier gas layer between the gate electrode and the source electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio IWABUCHI, Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20120032232
    Abstract: A semiconductor device protects against concentration of electric current at a front end portion of one of the electrodes thereof The semiconductor device includes a substrate, a compound semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and having a channel layer based on a hetero junction, a first main electrode formed on the compound semiconductor layer, a second main electrode formed on the compound semiconductor surrounding the first main electrode and having a linear region and an arc-shaped region, a control electrode formed on the compound semiconductor layer and disposed opposite to the first main electrode and the second main electrode, an electric current being made to flow between the first main electrode and the second main electrode, and an electric current limiting section formed between the first main electrode and the arc-shaped region of the second main electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: SANKEN ELECTRIC CO., LTD
    Inventors: Akio IWABUCHI, Hironori AOKI
  • Patent number: 8031318
    Abstract: A liquid crystal display device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a wiring substrate; an opposing substrate opposite to the wiring substrate; a sealing member for bonding the wiring substrate to the opposing substrate; a liquid crystal filled in a space defined by the wiring substrate, the opposing substrate, and the sealing member; a plurality of scanning signal lines formed in a display area formed inside the sealing member; a plurality of a display signal lines formed in the display area and crossing the scanning signal lines with an insulating film interposed therebetween; and a common signal line formed outside the display area, the scanning signal lines, the scanning signal lines, and common signal line being formed on the wiring substrate, and the common signal line including at least two conductive layers with one of the conductive layers changing a pattern width below a pattern of the sealing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hironori Aoki
  • Patent number: 7964931
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 1 includes a square substrate 2, first RESURF structures 3 in the shape of planar stripes on an element area 10 of a main surface of the substrate 2, a transistor T arranged between the first RESURF structures 3, a first high withstand voltage section 11 constituted by second RESURF structures 3a in the shape of planar strips on a periphery of the main surface of the substrate 2, and a second high withstand voltage section 12 constituted by third RESURF structures 3b which are symmetrically arranged at corners of the substrate 2 with respect to a diagonal line D of the main surface of the substrate 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2011
    Assignee: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hironori Aoki
  • Publication number: 20100244183
    Abstract: An integrated semiconductor device and method of manufacturing the same includes leaving one part of a semiconductor layer so that an inclined surface is formed on a trench when forming the trench on a SOI wafer. A thick silicon oxide film (second insulation film) is formed along this incline surface. This thick silicon oxide film prevents oxygen entering a boundary surface between an insulation layer and the semiconductor layer of the SOI wafer within the trench.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicant: Sanken Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hironori AOKI, Eiichi Kikkawa