Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Kishihara

Hiroyuki Kishihara 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: 20170343486
    Abstract: Provided is a radiation phase-contrast imaging device capable of assuredly detecting a self-image and precisely imaging the internal structure of an object. According to the configuration of the present invention, the longitudinal direction of a detection surface of a flat panel detector is inclined with respect to the extending direction of an absorber in a phase grating. This causes variations in the position (phase) of a projected stripe pattern of a self-image at different positions on the detection surface. This is therefore expected to produce the same effects as those obtainable when a plurality of self-images are obtained by performing imaging a plurality of times in such a manner that the position of the projected self-images on the detection surface varies. This alone, however, results in a single self-image phase for a specific region of the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Koichi TANABE, Shingo FURUI, Hiroyuki KISHIHARA, Kenji KIMURA, Taro SHIRAI, Takahiro DOKI, Satoshi SANO, Akira HORIBA
  • Patent number: 9306108
    Abstract: In an X-ray strip detector, at least one joining semiconductor film are formed on surface of a sensitive semiconductor film, on the part of X-strips and Y-strips, that is sensitive to incident X-rays to generate electric charge, and on at least an entire sensitive region of a conversion film. The joining semiconductor film has higher resistance value than resistance value of the sensitive semiconductor film. Accordingly, when the electric charge generated in the sensitive semiconductor film are collected in the X-strips and the Y-strips, movement of the electric charge into other adjacent strip electrodes is avoidable. Consequently, crosstalk can be suppressed that the electric charge leak to the adjacent strip electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Doki, Koichi Tanabe, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Satoshi Sano
  • Publication number: 20150265227
    Abstract: Disclosed is an X-ray apparatus with an X-ray tube controller. The X-ray tube controller controls an X-ray tube so as for X-rays emitted from the X-ray tube to have an energy width whose upper limit is more than the minimum K-shell absorption edge of K-shell absorption edges for elements forming a conversion film and is equal to or less than a preset value depending on a K-shell absorption edge corresponding to a characteristic X-ray whose energy influences the blur. Accordingly, the less number of ejected K-shell characteristic X-rays is obtainable than the case when the emitted X-rays have an energy width whose upper limit is more than a preset value depending on the K-shell absorption edge corresponding to the characteristic X-ray whose energy influences the blur. This allows a suppressed blurred image generated from ejected K-shell characteristic X-rays outside a pixel area where X-rays enter to introduce a photoelectric effect.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Satoshi SANO, Toshiyuki SATO, Koichi TANABE, Toshinori YOSHIMUTA, Hiroyuki KISHIHARA, Takahiro DOKI
  • Publication number: 20150200323
    Abstract: In an X-ray strip detector, at least one joining semiconductor film are formed on surface of a sensitive semiconductor film, on the part of X-strips and Y-strips, that is sensitive to incident X-rays to generate electric charge, and on at least an entire sensitive region of a conversion film. The joining semiconductor film has higher resistance value than resistance value of the sensitive semiconductor film. Accordingly, when the electric charge generated in the sensitive semiconductor film are collected in the X-strips and the Y-strips, movement of the electric charge into other adjacent strip electrodes is avoidable. Consequently, crosstalk can be suppressed that the electric charge leak to the adjacent strip electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2015
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro DOKI, Koichi TANABE, Toshinori YOSHIMUTA, Hiroyuki KISHIHARA, Satoshi SANO
  • Patent number: 8895341
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a radiation detector, comprising: a charge blocking layer generating step of generating a charge blocking layer on a substrate; a CdTe-layer generating step of generating a CdTe layer so as to cover the charge blocking layer on the substrate, the CdTe layer undergoing heterojunction to the charge blocking layer and being composed of a chlorine-doped polycrystalline film; and a heat treatment step of performing a heat treatment on the substrate having the CdTe layer formed thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Akina Yoshimatsu, Takahiro Doki, Toshiyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 8871552
    Abstract: Although Cl (chlorine) is no longer supplied in the course of a first process in which a detecting layer formed by a polycrystalline film or a polycrystalline lamination film by vapor deposition or sublimation is formed, an additional source (e.g., HCl of Cl-containing gas) other than a source is supplied at the start or in the course of the first process. Thus, the detecting layer as the polycrystalline film or the polycrystalline lamination film of CdTe, ZnTe, or CdZnTe can be doped with Cl uniformly in a thickness direction from the start until the end of the first process in film formation. As a result, uniform crystal particles and uniform detection characteristics can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation, Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Koichi Tanabe, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Akina Yoshimatsu, Toshiyuki Sato, Shoji Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20140246744
    Abstract: A graphite substrate is accommodated into a chamber where vacuum drawing is performed via a pump. Thereafter, carbon is heated under vacuum, whereby impurities in the carbon are evaporated causing the carbon to be purified. The carbon in the graphite substrate is purified, achieving suppression of the impurities as donor/acceptor elements and also metallic elements in the semiconductor layer of 0.1 ppm or less, the impurities being contained in the carbon in the graphite substrate. As a result, occurrence of leak current or an abnormal leak point enables to be suppressed, and thus abnormal crystal growth in the semiconductor layer enables to be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatomo Kaino, Satoshi Tokuda, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Akina Yoshimatsu, Toshiyuki Sato, Shoji Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8760544
    Abstract: The radiation image pickup apparatus of this invention can obtain an accurate temperature characteristic of dark current noise, the dark current noise being caused by dark current flowing through an X-ray conversion layer, by obtaining dark image signals at varied times for accumulating in capacitors charge signals converted by an X-ray converting layer. Consequently, the noise due to the dark current can be removed with high accuracy by removing periodically acquired offset signals from X-ray detection signals acquired at a time of X-ray image pickup, and correcting variations of the dark current noise due to a difference in temperature between a time of offset signal acquisition and the time of X-ray image pickup, using the temperature characteristic of the dark current noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Tanabe, Hiroyuki Kishihara
  • Publication number: 20140080243
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a radiation detector, comprising: a charge blocking layer generating step of generating a charge blocking layer on a substrate; a CdTe-layer generating step of generating a CdTe layer so as to cover the charge blocking layer on the substrate, the CdTe layer undergoing heterojunction to the charge blocking layer and being composed of a chlorine-doped polycrystalline film; and a heat treatment step of performing a heat treatment on the substrate having the CdTe layer formed thereon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi TOKUDA, Toshinori YOSHIMUTA, Hiroyuki KISHIHARA, Masatomo KAINO, Akina YOSHIMATSU, Takahiro DOKI, Toshiyuki SATO
  • Patent number: 8563940
    Abstract: According to a radiation detector manufacturing method, a radiation detector and a radiographic apparatus of this invention, Cl-doped CdZnTe is employed for a conversion layer, with Cl concentration set to 1 ppm wt to 3 ppm wt inclusive, and Zn concentration set to 1 mol % to 5 mol % inclusive. This can form the conversion layer optimal for the radiation detector. Consequently, the radiation detector manufacturing method, the radiation detector and the radiographic apparatus can be provided which can protect the defect level of crystal grain boundaries by Cl doping in a proper concentration, and can further maintain integral sensitivity to radiation, while reducing leakage current, by Zn doping in a proper concentration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation, Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Tamotsu Okamoto, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Koichi Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20130115731
    Abstract: Although Cl (chlorine) is no longer supplied in the course of a first process in which a detecting layer formed by a polycrystalline film or a polycrystalline lamination film by vapor deposition or sublimation is formed, an additional source (e.g., HCl of Cl-containing gas) other than a source is supplied at the start or in the course of the first process. Thus, the detecting layer as the polycrystalline film or the polycrystalline lamination film of CdTe, ZnTe, or CdZnTe can be doped with Cl uniformly in a thickness direction from the start until the end of the first process in film formation. As a result, uniform crystal particles and uniform detection characteristics can be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Koichi Tanabe, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Akina Yoshimatsu, Toshiyuki Sato, Shoji Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8405037
    Abstract: A radiation detector of this invention includes a Cl-doped CdTe or Cl-doped CdZnTe polycrystalline semiconductor film in which defect levels in crystal grains are protected. This is obtained by grinding CdTe or CdZnTe crystal doped with Cl, and preparing the polycrystalline semiconductor film again by using its powder as the source. The defect levels of crystal grain boundaries in the polycrystalline semiconductor film are also protected by further doping the polycrystalline semiconductor film prepared again with Cl. These features enable manufacture of the radiation detector which has excellent sensitivity and response to radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignees: Shimadzu Corporation, Institute of National Colleges of Technology, Japan
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Tamotsu Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20130026468
    Abstract: A graphite substrate is processed to have surface unevenness in a range of 1 ?m to 8 ?m. Thereby, a semiconductor film to be laminated on the graphite substrate has a stable film quality, and thus adhesion of the graphite substrate and the semiconductor layer can be enhanced. When an electron blocking layer is interposed between the graphite substrate and the semiconductor layer, the electron blocking layer is thin and thus the surface unevenness of the graphite substrate is transferred onto the electron blocking layer. Consequently, the electron blocking layer also has surface unevenness approximately in such range. Thus, almost the same effect as a configuration in which the semiconductor layer is directly connected to the graphite substrate can be produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshinori Yoshimuta, Satoshi Tokuda, Koichi Tanabe, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Akina Yoshimatsu, Toshiyuki Sato, Shoji Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20120140881
    Abstract: A drive controller varies a bias voltage applied from a bias supply to a conversion layer based on the presence or absence of binning, that is, for a case of carrying out binning where switching elements are driven on the basis of a plurality of rows at a time by a gate drive circuit, and for a case of carrying out no binning where the switching elements are driven on a row-by-row basis by the gate drive circuit. Therefore, in the case of a fluoroscopic mode for acquiring images with binning, a lowering of a dynamic range can be suppressed. In the case of a radiographic mode with no binning, spatial resolution can be made high. That is, a high dynamic range and high spatial resolution can be optimized according to modes of operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: June 7, 2012
    Inventors: Akina Yoshimatsu, Koichi Tanabe, Satoshi Tokuda, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Toshiyuki Sato, Shoji Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20120093290
    Abstract: According to a radiation detector manufacturing method, a radiation detector and a radiographic apparatus of this invention, Cl-doped CdZnTe is employed for a conversion layer, with Cl concentration set to 1 ppm wt to 3 ppm wt inclusive, and Zn concentration set to 1 mol % to 5 mol % inclusive. This can form the conversion layer optimal for the radiation detector. Consequently, the radiation detector manufacturing method, the radiation detector and the radiographic apparatus can be provided which can protect the defect level of crystal grain boundaries by Cl doping in a proper concentration, and can further maintain integral sensitivity to radiation, while reducing leakage current, by Zn doping in a proper concentration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Tamotsu Okamoto, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Toshinori Yoshimuta, Koichi Tanabe
  • Publication number: 20120033110
    Abstract: The radiation image pickup apparatus of this invention can obtain an accurate temperature characteristic of dark current noise, the dark current noise being caused by dark current flowing through an X-ray conversion layer, by obtaining dark image signals at varied times for accumulating in capacitors charge signals converted by an X-ray converting layer. Consequently, the noise due to the dark current can be removed with high accuracy by removing periodically acquired offset signals from X-ray detection signals acquired at a time of X-ray image pickup, and correcting variations of the dark current noise due to a difference in temperature between a time of offset signal acquisition and the time of X-ray image pickup, using the temperature characteristic of the dark current noise.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Inventors: Koichi Tanabe, Hiroyuki Kishihara
  • Publication number: 20100327172
    Abstract: A radiation detector of this invention includes a Cl-doped CdTe or Cl-doped CdZnTe polycrystalline semiconductor film in which defect levels in crystal grains are protected. This is obtained by grinding CdTe or CdZnTe crystal doped with Cl, and preparing the polycrystalline semiconductor film again by using its powder as the source. The defect levels of crystal grain boundaries in the polycrystalline semiconductor film are also protected by further doping the polycrystalline semiconductor film prepared again with Cl. These features enable manufacture of the radiation detector which has excellent sensitivity and response to radiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Hiroyuki Kishihara, Masatomo Kaino, Tamotsu Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20080217713
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an industrial or medical radiation detector and a radiation imaging device equipped with the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technology for improving the detection properties and production efficiency for radiation detectors. The invention in claim 1 includes: a conductive support substrate; a semiconductor sensitivity film stacked onto the support substrate and generating a carrier (electron, positive hole) in response to an item to be detected; and means for reading equipped with an element for accumulating and reading the carrier generated by the semiconductor sensitivity film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Hiroyuki Kishihara
  • Patent number: 7301155
    Abstract: A radiation detector provided in a substrate with a detection layer which is sensitive to radiation, the detector being characterized in that said detection layer is formed by a polycrystal film comprising either one of CdTe (cadmium telluride), ZnTe (zinc telluride) and CdZnTe (cadmium zinc telluride) or a laminate film of polycrystal including at least one thereof, and is doped with Cl.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2007
    Assignee: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Hiroyuki Kishihara
  • Publication number: 20040262497
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an industrial or medical radiation detector and a radiation imaging device equipped with the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a technology for improving the detection properties and production efficiency for radiation detectors. The invention in claim 1 includes: a conductive support substrate; a semiconductor sensitivity film stacked onto the support substrate and generating a carrier (electron, positive hole) in response to an item to be detected; and means for reading equipped with an element for accumulating and reading the carrier generated by the semiconductor sensitivity film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2004
    Publication date: December 30, 2004
    Applicant: Shimadzu Corporation
    Inventors: Satoshi Tokuda, Hiroyuki Kishihara