Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Kono

Hiroshi Kono 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: 12255253
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of embodiments includes: an element region including a transistor and a first diode; a termination region surrounding the element region and including a second diode; and an intermediate region between the element region and the termination region. The element region includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a gate electrode, a silicon carbide layer, and a gate insulating layer. The termination region includes a first wiring layer electrically connected to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the silicon carbide layer. The intermediate region includes a gate electrode pad, a first connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and a part of the first wiring layer, a second connection layer electrically connecting the first electrode and another part of the first wiring layer, a second wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode pad and the gate electrode, and the silicon carbide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2025
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogata, Teruyuki Ohashi, Hiroshi Kono
  • Patent number: 12237411
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of embodiments includes: an element region including a transistor, a first diode, and a first contact portion; a termination region surrounding the element region and including a second contact portion; and an intermediate region provided between the element region and the termination region and not including the transistor, the first diode, the first contact portion, and the second contact portion. The element region includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a gate electrode, a silicon carbide layer, and a gate insulating layer. The termination region includes a first wiring layer electrically connected to the first electrode, the second electrode, and the silicon carbide layer. The intermediate region includes the silicon carbide layer. The width of the intermediate region in a direction from the element region to the termination region is equal to or more than twice the thickness of the silicon carbide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2025
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Ogata, Teruyuki Ohashi, Hiroshi Kono
  • Patent number: 12218215
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first silicon carbide region of a first conductivity type, a second silicon carbide region of a second conductivity type on the first region, and a third silicon carbide region of a second conductivity type on the second region. Fourth and fifth silicon carbide region of the first conductivity type are on the third region. A first electrode has a first portion between the fourth region and fifth region in a first direction. A metal silicide layer is between the first portion and the third region, between the first portion and the fourth region in the first direction, and between the first portion and the fifth silicon carbide region in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2025
    Assignees: Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shunsuke Asaba, Yuji Kusumoto, Katsuhisa Tanaka, Yujiro Hara, Makoto Mizukami, Masaru Furukawa, Hiroshi Kono, Masanori Nagata
  • Publication number: 20240413238
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a gate electrode extending in a first direction, a gate insulation film that covers the gate electrode, a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type extending in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction below the gate insulation film, and a second semiconductor region of the first conductivity type that faces the gate insulation film across the first semiconductor region. An impurity concentration of the first conductivity type of the second semiconductor region is lower than that of the first semiconductor region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2023
    Publication date: December 12, 2024
    Inventors: Katsuhisa TANAKA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Patent number: 12107127
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of embodiments includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; a gate electrode extending in a first direction; and a SiC layer. The SiC layer includes: a first conductive type first SiC region having a first region, a second region facing the gate electrode, and a third region in contact with the first electrode; a second conductive type second SiC region between the second region and the third region; a second conductive type third SiC region, the second region interposed between the second SiC region and the third SiC region; a second conductive type fourth SiC region, the third region interposed between the second SiC region and the fourth SiC region; a first conductive type fifth SiC region; a second conductive type sixth SiC region between the first region and the second SiC region; and a second conductive type seventh SiC region between the first region and the second SiC region and distant from the sixth SiC region in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kono, Teruyuki Ohashi, Takahiro Ogata
  • Publication number: 20240321862
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor layer connected to the first electrode, a second semiconductor layer located on a portion of the first semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer located on a first portion of the second semiconductor layer, a fourth semiconductor layer located on a second portion of the second semiconductor layer, a fifth semiconductor layer located on a third portion of the second semiconductor layer, a second electrode, a third electrode connected to the third, fourth, and fifth semiconductor layers, and a metal film connected to the third electrode. A length in a second direction of the fifth semiconductor layer is greater than a length in the second direction of the fourth semiconductor layer. The second direction crosses a first direction. The first direction is from the first electrode toward the first semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventor: Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240321968
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a silicon carbide layer having a first silicon carbide region of a first conductivity type, a second silicon carbide region of a second conductivity type, a third silicon carbide region of the second conductivity type, and a fourth silicon carbide region of the first conductivity type, first and second gate electrodes extending in a first direction and provided on a first surface of the silicon carbide layer, a first electrode on the first surface and including a first portion in contact with the third and fourth silicon carbide regions and a second portion in contact with the first silicon carbide region, and a second electrode on a second surface of the silicon carbide layer. The depth of the second silicon carbide region facing the fourth silicon carbide region is shallower than the depth of the second silicon carbide region facing the first gate electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Shunsuke ASABA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240321967
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes: a silicon carbide layer having a first face and a second face; first and second gate electrodes; a first silicon carbide region; a second silicon carbide region between the first silicon carbide region and the first face; a third silicon carbide region between the second silicon carbide region and the first face; a fourth silicon carbide region between the third silicon carbide region and the first face; a first electrode; and a second electrode. The first electrode includes a first portion, and the first portion includes a first contact face in contact with the fourth silicon carbide region, a second contact face in contact with the fourth silicon carbide region, a third contact face in contact with the fourth silicon carbide region and the third silicon carbide region, and a fourth contact face in contact with the third silicon carbide region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Shunsuke ASABA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240313107
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor layer connected to the first electrode and being of a first conductivity type, second semiconductor layers located on a portion of the first semiconductor layer and being of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor layer located on a portion of the second semiconductor layer and being of the first conductivity type, a fourth semiconductor layer located in a portion of the first semiconductor layer between the second semiconductor layers and being of the second conductivity type, a second electrode facing the second semiconductor layer via an insulating film, and a third electrode connected to the second and third semiconductor layers. The first, second, third, and fourth semiconductor layers include silicon and carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Shunsuke ASABA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240313108
    Abstract: A silicon carbide layer includes a first surface, a second surface, a third surface positioned at a side opposite to the first and second surfaces in a first direction, and a side surface. The second surface is at a position recessed further toward the third surface side than the first surface. An inter-layer insulating film is located on the second surface. A thickness of the inter-layer insulating film is greater than a difference in heights in the first direction between the first surface and the second surface. A field plate is located in the inter-layer insulating film. The field plate has a lower resistivity than the inter-layer insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Katsuhisa TANAKA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240312960
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a plurality of chips, in which the plurality of chips include a first chip, a second chip adjacent to the first chip on the other end side in the first direction, a third chip closer to the other end side in the first direction than the second chip, and a fourth chip adjacent to the third chip on the other end side in the first direction, which are arranged from one end side to the other end side in a first direction, and a first distance between the first chip and the second chip, and a second distance between the third chip and the fourth chip are less than a third distance between, among the plurality of chips, two chips adjacent to each other in a region closer to the other end side in the first direction than the first chip and closer to the one end side in the first direction than the fourth chip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2023
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Shun TAKEDA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240313109
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor region of a first conductivity type, a second semiconductor region of a second conductivity type, a third semiconductor region of the first conductivity type, a gate electrode, a fourth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a fifth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a sixth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a seventh semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, an eighth semiconductor region of the second conductivity type, a second electrode, and a third electrode. The fourth semiconductor region is located around the second semiconductor region and the gate electrode. The fourth, fifth and sixth semiconductor regions are separated from each other. The fourth, seventh and eighth semiconductor regions are separated from each other. The third electrode is located on the eighth semiconductor region with an insulating layer interposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2023
    Publication date: September 19, 2024
    Inventors: Katsuhisa TANAKA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Patent number: 11955543
    Abstract: A semiconductor device of embodiments includes: a first electrode; a second electrode; a gate electrode extending in a first direction; a silicon carbide layer between the first electrode and the second electrode and including a first silicon carbide region of a first conductive type having a first region facing the gate electrode and a second region in contact with the first electrode, a second silicon carbide region of a second conductive type, and a third silicon carbide region of a second conductive type, the first region being interposed between the second silicon carbide region and the third silicon carbide region. A first width of the first region in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction is 0.5 ?m or more than and 1.2 ?m or less. A second width of the second region in the second direction 0.5 ?m or more than and 1.5 ?m or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Kono
  • Publication number: 20240096966
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a third electrode located between the first electrode and the second electrode, a first semiconductor layer connected to the first electrode, a second semiconductor layer connected to the second electrode, a third semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type, and a fourth semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type. The third electrode includes first and second portions. The first semiconductor layer faces the first portion via an insulating layer. The first and second semiconductor layers are of a first conductivity type and include silicon and carbon. A carrier concentration of the fourth semiconductor layer is greater than a carrier concentration of the third semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Katsuhisa TANAKA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240088230
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first electrode, a first semiconductor layer connected to the first electrode, a second semiconductor layer located on a portion of the first semiconductor layer, a third semiconductor layer located on a portion of the second semiconductor layer, a second electrode connected to the third semiconductor layer, and a third electrode located in a region directly above at least a portion of the second semiconductor layer between the first semiconductor layer and the third semiconductor layer. The third semiconductor layer faces the first semiconductor layer via the second semiconductor layer. A side surface of the third semiconductor layer facing the first semiconductor layer has a shape that approaches the first semiconductor layer upward. The third semiconductor layer is of a first conductivity type and includes silicon and carbon. The third electrode faces the portion via a first insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Shunsuke ASABA, Hiroshi KONO
  • Publication number: 20240079491
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor chip having a transistor region and a diode region, and a conductor. The semiconductor chip includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a silicon carbide layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a gate electrode. The first electrode includes a first region in the transistor region and a second region in the diode region. A first contact area between the conductor and the first region is larger than a second contact area between the conductor and the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Teruyuki OHASHI, Hiroshi KONO, Shunsuke ASABA, Takahiro OGATA
  • Publication number: 20240079453
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a semiconductor chip having a transistor region and a diode region, a first conductor, and a second conductor. The semiconductor chip includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a silicon carbide layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, and a gate electrode. The transistor region is provided with a third electrode spaced apart from the first electrode and close to the diode region. One end of the first conductor is in contact with the first electrode, and one end of the second conductor is in contact with the third electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Teruyuki OHASHI, Hiroshi KONO, Shunsuke ASABA, Takahiro OGATA
  • Publication number: 20240072121
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a transistor region and a diode region. The transistor region includes n-type first SiC region having a first portion contacting a first plane, p-type second SiC region, n-type third SiC region, and a gate electrode. The diode region includes the first SiC region having a second portion contacting the first plane and p-type fourth SiC region. The semiconductor device includes a first electrode contacting the first portion and the second portion and a second electrode contacting a second plane. An occupied area per unit area of the fourth SiC region is larger than an occupied area per unit area of the second SiC region. In addition, a first diode region is provided between a first transistor region and a second transistor region. An inorganic insulating layer is provided between the first electrode and a gate wiring adjacent to the first electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Teruyuki OHASHI, Tatsuo SHIMIZU, Hiroshi KONO, Shunsuke ASABA, Takahiro OGATA
  • Publication number: 20240072120
    Abstract: A semiconductor device according to an embodiment includes a transistor region and a diode region. The transistor region includes a first silicon carbide region of n-type having a first portion in contact with a first plane, a second silicon carbide region of p-type, a third silicon carbide region of n-type, and a gate electrode. The diode region includes the first silicon carbide region of n-type having a second portion in contact with the first plane and a fourth silicon carbide region of p-type. The semiconductor device includes a gate wiring electrically connected to the gate electrode. A distance between a high-concentration portion included in the fourth silicon carbide region and the gate wiring is larger than a distance between a high-concentration portion included in the second silicon carbide region and the gate wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Teruyuki OHASHI, Hiroshi KONO, Shunsuke ASABA, Takahiro OGATA
  • Publication number: 20230335470
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, provided is a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer; a first electrode; a second electrode; an electrode pad; a wiring layer electrically connected to the gate electrode; a first polycrystalline silicon layer electrically connected to the electrode pad and the wiring layer; and an insulating layer provided between the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the electrode pad and between the first polycrystalline silicon layer and the wiring layer and having a first opening and a second opening. The electrode pad and the first polycrystalline silicon layer are electrically connected via an inside of the first opening. The wiring layer and the first polycrystalline silicon layer are electrically connected via an inside of the second opening, A first opening area of the first opening is larger than a second opening area of the second opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventor: Hiroshi KONO