Patents by Inventor Katsufumi Tomihisa

Katsufumi Tomihisa 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: 8786090
    Abstract: The present invention provides an Al alloy film for a display device, to be directly connected to a conductive oxide film on a substrate, the Al alloy film comprising Ge in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 at %, and comprising Gd and/or La in a total amount of 0.05 to 0.45 at %, a display device using the same, and a sputtering target for the display device. For the Al alloy film of the present invention, even when a barrier metal is not provided, and a conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film are directly connected, the adhesion between the conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film is high, and the contact resistivity is low, and preferably, the dry etching property is also excellent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotou, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Mototaka Ochi
  • Patent number: 8598580
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wiring structure that attains excellent low-contact resistance even if eliminating a barrier metal layer that normally is disposed between a Cu alloy wiring film and a semiconductor layer, and wiring structure with excellent adhesion. The wiring structure is provided with a semiconductor layer, and a Cu alloy layer, on a substrate in this order from the substrate side. A laminated structure is included between the semiconductor layer, and the Cu alloy layer. The laminated structure is composed of a (N, C, F, O) layer which contains at least one element selected from among a group composed of nitrogen, carbon, fluorine, and oxygen, and a Cu—Si diffusion layer which includes Cu and Si, in this order from the substrate side. At least one element selected from among the group composed of nitrogen, carbon, fluorine, and oxygen that composes the (N, C, F, O) layer is bonded to Si in the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Terao, Shinya Morita, Aya Miki, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Goto
  • Patent number: 8482189
    Abstract: A display device is provided with a Cu alloy film having high adhesiveness to a transparent substrate and a low electrical resistivity. The Cu alloy film for the display device is directly brought into contact with the transparent substrate, and the Cu alloy film has the multilayer structure, which includes a first layer (Y) composed of a Cu alloy containing, in total, 2-20 atm % of at least one element selected from among a group composed of Zn, Ni, Ti, Al, Mg, Ca, W, Nb, and Mn, and a second layer (X) which is composed of pure Cu or substantially a Cu alloy having Cu as the main component and has an electrical resistivity lower than that of the first layer (Y). The first layer (Y) is brought into contact with the transparent substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Goto, Aya Miki, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Mototaka Ochi, Takashi Onishi, Toshihiro Kugimiya
  • Publication number: 20130026470
    Abstract: Disclosed is a wiring structure that attains excellent low-contact resistance even if eliminating a barrier metal layer that normally is disposed between a Cu alloy wiring film and a semiconductor layer, and wiring structure with excellent adhesion. The wiring structure is provided with a semiconductor layer, and a Cu alloy layer, on a substrate in this order from the substrate side. A laminated structure is included between the semiconductor layer, and the Cu alloy layer. The laminated structure is composed of a (N, C, F, O) layer which contains at least one element selected from among a group composed of nitrogen, carbon, fluorine, and oxygen, and a Cu—Si diffusion layer which includes Cu and Si, in this order from the substrate side. At least one element selected from among the group composed of nitrogen, carbon, fluorine, and oxygen that composes the (N, C, F, O) layer is bonded to Si in the semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Yasuaki Terao, Shinya Morita, Aya Miki, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Goto
  • Patent number: 8350303
    Abstract: A display device in which an Al alloy film and a conductive oxide film are directly connected without interposition of refractory metal and some or all of Al alloy components deposit or are concentrated at the interface of contact between the Al alloy film and the conductive oxide film. The Al alloy film contains 0.1 to 6 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, Zn, Cu and Ge, and further contains 1) 0.1 to 2 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, La, Ce, Pr, Gd, Tb, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Dy or 2) 0.1 to 1 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W, as the alloy components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Patent number: 8217397
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film transistor substrate and a display device in which a decrease in the dry etching rate of a source electrode and drain electrode is not caused; no etching residues are generated; and a barrier metal can be eliminated between a semiconductor layer and metal wires such as the source and drain electrodes. The present invention is a thin film transistor substrate having a semiconductor layer 1, a source electrode 2, a drain electrode 3, and a transparent conductive film 4, in which the source electrode 2 and drain electrode 3 are formed by patterning by means of dry etching and comprises an Al alloy thin film comprising 0.1 to 1.5 atom % of Si and/or Ge, 0.1 to 3.0 atom % of Ni and/or Co, and 0.1 to 0.5 atom % of La and/or Nd, and the thin film transistor is directly connected with the semiconductor layer 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mototaka Ochi, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Goto
  • Patent number: 8162538
    Abstract: The surface density of projections formed on a thin metal film of a temperature-measuring member having the metal film having been subjected to a temperature profile is calculated with a number-calculating section according to image data fed into an arithmetic processing unit through an optical microscope, CCD camera, and I/O board. The maximum temperature of the object is determined with the temperature-calculating unit according to the surface density and data on the maximum temperature and surface density previously stored in memory. Furthermore, a temperature-measuring member constituted by a thin aluminum film arranged on a substrate is used. A reduction in the reflectivity of the film due to projections formed on the film surface according to a temperature profile to which the member has been subjected is measured. The maximum temperature in the temperature profile is estimated according to the reduction in reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Masao Mizuno, Takayuki Hirano, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Publication number: 20120091591
    Abstract: A display device in which an Al alloy film and a conductive oxide film are directly connected without interposition of refractory metal and some or all of Al alloy components deposit or are concentrated at the interface of contact between the Al alloy film and the conductive oxide film. The Al alloy film contains 0.1 to 6 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, Zn, Cu and Ge, and further contains 1) 0.1 to 2 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, La, Ce, Pr, Gd, Tb, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Dy or 2) 0.1 to 1 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W, as the alloy components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd)
    Inventors: Hiroshi GOTOH, Toshihiro KUGIMIYA, Katsufumi TOMIHISA
  • Patent number: 8088259
    Abstract: A display device in which an Al alloy film and a conductive oxide film are directly connected without interposition of refractory metal and some or all of Al alloy components deposit or are concentrated at the interface of contact between the Al alloy film and the conductive oxide film. The Al alloy film contains 0.1 to 6 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, Zn, Cu and Ge, and further contains 1) 0.1 to 2 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, La, Ce, Pr, Gd, Tb, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Dy or 2) 0.1 to 1 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W, as the alloy components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Publication number: 20110273075
    Abstract: A display device is provided with a Cu alloy film having high adhesiveness to a transparent substrate and a low electrical resistivity. The Cu alloy film for the display device is directly brought into contact with the transparent substrate, and the Cu alloy film has the multilayer structure, which includes a first layer (Y) composed of a Cu alloy containing, in total, 2-20 atm % of at least one element selected from among a group composed of Zn, Ni, Ti, Al, Mg, Ca, W, Nb, and Mn, and a second layer (X) which is composed of pure Cu or substantially a Cu alloy having Cu as the main component and has an electrical resistivity lower than that of the first layer (Y). The first layer (Y) is brought into contact with the transparent substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO
    Inventors: Hiroshi Goto, Aya Miki, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Mototaka Ochi, Takashi Onishi, Toshihiro Kugimiya
  • Patent number: 7994503
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a Cu alloy wiring film that makes it possible to use Cu having a low electrical resistivity as a wiring material, exhibit a high adhesiveness to a glass substrate, and avoid the danger of peel off from the glass substrate; a TFT element for a flat-panel display produced with the Cu alloy wiring film; and a Cu alloy sputtering target used for the deposition of the Cu alloy wiring film. The present invention is a wiring film 2 composing a TFT element 1 for a flat-panel display and a sputtering target used for the deposition of the film and the material comprises Cu as the main component and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ir, Pd, and Sm by 0.01 to 0.5 atomic percent in total. The wiring film 2 is layered on a glass substrate 3 and further a transparent conductive film 5 is layered thereon while an insulating film 4 is interposed in between.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Gotou, Takashi Onishi
  • Publication number: 20110147753
    Abstract: Disclosed is a Cu alloy film for a display device that has high adhesion to a glass substrate while maintaining a low electric resistance characteristic of Cu-based materials. The Cu alloy film is wiring in direct contact with a glass substrate on a board and contains 0.1 to 10.0 atomic % in total of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, and Mg. Also disclosed is a display device comprising a thin-film transistor that comprises the Cu alloy film. In a preferred embodiment of the display device, the thin-film transistor has a bottom gate-type structure, and a gate electrode and scanning lines in the thin-film transistor comprise the Cu alloy film and are in direct contact with the glass substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 23, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Takashi Onishi, Aya Miki, Hiroshi Goto, Masao Mizuno, Hirotaka Ito, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Patent number: 7952123
    Abstract: A thin-film transistor substrate in which an aluminum alloy film composing a source/drain wiring is directly connected with a transparent electrode. The thin-film transistor substrate includes a gate wiring, and source wiring and drain wiring, the gate wiring and the source and drain wiring being arranged orthogonally to each other. The single-layer aluminum alloy film composing the gate wiring and the single-layer aluminum alloy film composing the source wiring and the drain wiring are the same in composition. Furthermore, display devices can be mounted with the above thin-film transistor substrates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Patent number: 7928575
    Abstract: In an electronic device comprising a first electrodes consisting of a metal oxide and a second electrode consisting of an aluminum alloy film directly contacted and electrically connected to the first electrode, the contact interface between the aluminum alloy film and the first electrode is constructed so that at least a part of alloy components constituting the aluminum alloy film exist as a precipitate or concentrated layer. This construction enables direct contact between the aluminum alloy film and the electrode consisting of a metallic oxide and allows elimination of a barrier metal in such an electronic device, and manufacturing technology therefor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Junichi Nakai, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Publication number: 20100295053
    Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film transistor substrate and a display device in which a decrease in the dry etching rate of a source electrode and drain electrode is not caused; no etching residues are generated; and a barrier metal can be eliminated between a semiconductor layer and metal wires such as the source and drain electrodes. The present invention is a thin film transistor substrate having a semiconductor layer 1, a source electrode 2, a drain electrode 3, and a transparent conductive film 4, in which the source electrode 2 and drain electrode 3 are formed by patterning by means of dry etching and comprises an Al alloy thin film comprising 0.1 to 1.5 atom % of Si and/or Ge, 0.1 to 3.0 atom % of Ni and/or Co, and 0.1 to 0.5 atom % of La and/or Nd, and the thin film transistor is directly connected with the semiconductor layer 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Mototaka Ochi, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Goto
  • Publication number: 20100065847
    Abstract: The present invention provides an Al alloy film for a display device, to be directly connected to a conductive oxide film on a substrate, the Al alloy film comprising Ge in an amount of 0.05 to 0.5 at %, and comprising Gd and/or La in a total amount of 0.05 to 0.45 at %, a display device using the same, and a sputtering target for the display device. For the Al alloy film of the present invention, even when a barrier metal is not provided, and a conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film are directly connected, the adhesion between the conductive oxide film and the Al alloy film is high, and the contact resistivity is low, and preferably, the dry etching property is also excellent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotou, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Aya Hino, Hiroyuki Okuno, Junichi Nakai, Nobuyuki Kawakami, Mototaka Ochi
  • Publication number: 20100012935
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide: a Cu alloy wiring film that makes it possible to use Cu having a low electrical resistivity as a wiring material, exhibit a high adhesiveness to a glass substrate, and avoid the danger of peel off from the glass substrate; a TFT element for a flat-panel display produced with the Cu alloy wiring film; and a Cu alloy sputtering target used for the deposition of the Cu alloy wiring film. The present invention is a wiring film 2 composing a TFT element 1 for a flat-panel display and a sputtering target used for the deposition of the film and the material comprises Cu as the main component and at least one element selected from the group consisting of Pt, Ir, Pd, and Sm by 0.01 to 0.5 atomic percent in total. The wiring film 2 is layered on a glass substrate 3 and further a transparent conductive film 5 is layered thereon while an insulating film 4 is interposed in between.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Publication date: January 21, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho(Kobe Steel Ltd)
    Inventors: Aya Hino, Katsufumi Tomihisa, Hiroshi Gotou, Takashi Onishi
  • Patent number: 7622809
    Abstract: A display device in which an Al alloy film and a conductive oxide film are directly connected without interposition of refractory metal and some or all of Al alloy components deposit or are concentrated at the interface of contact between the Al alloy film and the conductive oxide film. The Al alloy film contains 0.1 to 6 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, Zn, Cu and Ge, and further contains 1) 0.1 to 2 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, La, Ce, Pr, Gd, Tb, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Dy or 2) 0.1 to 1 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W, as the alloy components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Publication number: 20090218697
    Abstract: In an electronic device comprising a first electrodes consisting of a metal oxide and a second electrode consisting of an aluminum alloy film directly contacted and electrically connected to the first electrode, the contact interface between the aluminum alloy film and the first electrode is constructed so that at least a part of alloy components constituting the aluminum alloy film exist as a precipitate or concentrated layer. This construction enables direct contact between the aluminum alloy film and the electrode consisting of a metallic oxide and allows elimination of a barrier metal in such an electronic device, and manufacturing technology therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Junichi Nakai, Katsufumi Tomihisa
  • Publication number: 20090176113
    Abstract: A display device in which an Al alloy film and a conductive oxide film are directly connected without interposition of refractory metal and some or all of Al alloy components deposit or are concentrated at the interface of contact between the Al alloy film and the conductive oxide film. The Al alloy film contains 0.1 to 6 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni, Ag, Zn, Cu and Ge, and further contains 1) 0.1 to 2 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Cr, Mn, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir, Pt, La, Ce, Pr, Gd, Tb, Sm, Eu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and Dy or 2) 0.1 to 1 at % of at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta and W, as the alloy components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2009
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Hiroshi Gotoh, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Katsufumi Tomihisa