Patents by Inventor Katsura Hirai

Katsura Hirai 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: 8129497
    Abstract: An organic thin film transistor comprising a semiconductor layer containing a thiophene oligomer which has a thiophene ring having a substituent and a partial structure constituted by directly connected two or more thiophene rings each having no substituent, and contains three to forty thiophene rings per molecule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Tanaka, Hiroshi Kita, Katsura Hirai, Chiyoko Takemura, Rie Katakura
  • Patent number: 8080438
    Abstract: A method for forming an organic semiconductor film having a high carrier mobility is provided by having an average volatilization rate of a solvent within a prescribed range during a step of drying, at the time of applying a coating solution, which includes an organic semiconductor material and a non-halogen solvent, on a substrate. In such forming method, characteristic fluctuation in repeated use of the organic semiconductor film is suppressed, and an organic thin film transistor having an excellent film forming characteristic even on an insulator with reduced gate voltage threshold can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Reiko Obuchi, Katsura Hirai, Chiyoko Takemura
  • Publication number: 20110220895
    Abstract: The present invention makes it possible to prepare a thin film transistor fitted with a resin substrate by lowering a process temperature during formation of an oxide semiconductor, and further makes it possible to improve manufacturing efficiency and reduce variations in thin film transistor performance. Disclosed is a thin film transistor of the present invention possessing a semiconductor containing metal oxide, the semiconductor comprising a coating film made from a solution or a dispersion of a precursor, wherein the metal oxide contains indium as a first metal element, gallium or aluminum as a second metal element, and zinc or tin as a third metal element, and a ratio of the third metal element to total metal elements in the metal oxide is 25 at % or less, or 0 at %.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Katsura Hirai, Makoto Honda, Masaki Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 8003435
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an organic thin film transistor exhibiting excellent semiconductor performance by which an organic TFT can be formed continuously on a flexible base such as a polymer support through a simple coating process, and thus the fabrication cost can be reduced sharply, and an organic semiconductor layer thus formed has a high carrier mobility, In the method of fabricating an organic thin film transistor by forming a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer, an organic semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode sequentially on a support, the organic semiconductor layer contains an organic semiconductor material having an exothermic point and an endothermic point in a differential scanning thermal analysis, and the organic semiconductor layer thus formed is heat-treated at a temperature not less than the exothermic point and less than the endothermic point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsura Hirai, Atsuko Matsuda, Tatsuo Tanaka, Chiyoko Takemura, Rie Katakura, Reiko Obuchi
  • Patent number: 7968383
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electronic device comprising the subsequent steps of: providing a thermal conversion material or an area comprising the thermal conversion material and, in an adjoining area or in a vicinity of the thermal conversion material or the area comprising the thermal conversion material, a material having an electromagnetic wave absorbing function or an area comprising the material having the electromagnetic wave absorbing function, in at least a portion on a substrate; and irradiating the substrate with an electromagnetic wave to transform the thermal conversion material into a functional material using a heat generated by the material having the electromagnetic wave absorbing function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Honda, Katsura Hirai
  • Patent number: 7947537
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a metal oxide semiconductor comprising the step of: conducting a transformation treatment on a semiconductor precursor layer containing a metal salt to form the metal oxide semiconductor, wherein the metal salt comprises one or more metal salts selected from the group consisting of a nitrate, a sulfate, a phosphate, a carbonate, an acetate and an oxalate of a metal; and the semiconductor precursor layer is formed by coating a solution of the metal salt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto Honda, Katsura Hirai
  • Patent number: 7910469
    Abstract: An electrical circuit containing a substrate having thereon a receptive layer, wherein the receptive layer has a conductive polymer impregnated in the receptive layer, and a method for forming the electrical circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsura Hirai
  • Patent number: 7816263
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor having high resolution and high pattern accuracy with high production efficiency. Particularly disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor wherein there is prevented deterioration of semiconductor properties in a plating step for electrode formation. This method is characterized in that a source electrode or a drain electrode is formed by such a process wherein a protective film is formed on an organic semiconductor layer, then a plating catalyst pattern is formed thereon by supplying a liquid containing a plating catalyst, and then a plating agent is brought into contact with the pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsura Hirai
  • Patent number: 7800103
    Abstract: An objective is to provide an organic thin film transistor material exhibiting an excellent property as a transistor together with reduced aging degradation, and also to provide an organic thin film transistor, a field-effect transistor, a switching element, an organic semiconductor material and an organic semiconductor film employing the organic thin film transistor material. Disclosed is an organic thin film transistor material possessing a compound represented by the following Formula (1). where A composed of a condensed ring formed with a 6 membered aromatic cycle or a 6 membered aromatic heterocycle represents C—R, N or P; at least one of As is N or P; R represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom or a substituent; and R may be bonded with other Rs with each other to form a ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Rie Katakura, Hiroshi Kita, Katsura Hirai, Tatsuo Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20100184253
    Abstract: Disclosed is a process for manufacturing a thin film transistor, the process comprising the steps of providing an oxide semiconductor precursor solution for an oxide semiconductor layer in which an oxide semiconductor precursor is dissolved in a solvent, coating the oxide semiconductor precursor solution on a substrate to form an oxide semiconductor precursor layer, patterning the oxide semiconductor precursor layer so that the oxide semiconductor precursor layer remains at portions where the oxide semiconductor layer is to be formed, and heating the remaining oxide semiconductor precursor layer to form the oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2009
    Publication date: July 22, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Katsura Hirai, Makoto Honda
  • Publication number: 20100178727
    Abstract: A method of fabricating an organic thin film transistor exhibiting excellent semiconductor performance by which an organic TFT can be formed continuously on a flexible base such as a polymer support through a simple coating process, and thus the fabrication cost can be reduced sharply, and an organic semiconductor layer thus formed has a high carrier mobility, In the method of fabricating an organic thin film transistor by forming a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer, an organic semiconductor layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode sequentially on a support, the organic semiconductor layer contains an organic semiconductor material having an exothermic point and an endothermic point in a differential scanning thermal analysis, and the organic semiconductor layer thus formed is heat-treated at a temperature not less than the exothermic point and less than the endothermic point.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2005
    Publication date: July 15, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventors: Katsura Hirai, Atsuko Matsuda, Tatsuo Tanaka, Chiyoko Takemura, Rie Katakura, Reiko Obuchi
  • Patent number: 7709829
    Abstract: An organic semiconductor material comprising a compound having a substructure represented by Formula (10): wherein B represents a unit having a thiazole ring, A1 and A2 each independently represent a unit having an alkyl group as a substituent, A3 represents a divalent linking group, nb represents an integer 1-20, n1 and n2 each independently represent an integer of 0-20, respectively, and n3 represents an integer of 0-10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuo Tanaka, Hiroshi Kita, Katsura Hirai, Chiyoko Takemura
  • Publication number: 20100105161
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor having high resolution and high pattern accuracy with high production efficiency. Particularly disclosed is a method for manufacturing a thin film transistor wherein there is prevented deterioration of semiconductor properties in a plating step for electrode formation. This method is characterized in that a source electrode or a drain electrode is formed by such a process wherein a protective film is formed on an organic semiconductor layer, then a plating catalyst pattern is formed thereon by supplying a liquid containing a plating catalyst, and then a plating agent is brought into contact with the pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2006
    Publication date: April 29, 2010
    Inventor: Katsura Hirai
  • Publication number: 20100090199
    Abstract: A method for forming an organic semiconductor film having a high carrier mobility is provided by having an average volatilization rate of a solvent within a prescribed range during a step of drying, at the time of applying a coating solution, which includes an organic semiconductor material and a non-halogen solvent, on a substrate. In such forming method, characteristic fluctuation in repeated use of the organic semiconductor film is suppressed, and an organic thin film transistor having an excellent film forming characteristic even on an insulator with reduced gate voltage threshold can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Holdings ,Inc.
    Inventors: Reiko Obuchi, Katsura Hirai, Chiyoko Takemura
  • Publication number: 20100072435
    Abstract: A production method of a metal oxide precursor layer provided with a substrate, a solution containing a metal ion as a metal oxide precursor, and a process to coat the solution while the temperature of the substrate is adjusted in the temperature range of 50%-150% of the boiling point (° C.) of a main solvent of the solution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto HONDA, Katsura HIRAI
  • Patent number: 7682867
    Abstract: Disclosed are an organic thin-film transistor and a manufacturing method thereof, the organic thin-film transistor comprising a support and provided thereon, a gate electrode, an insulation layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an organic semiconductor layer, the support comprising at least one of resins, and the organic semiconductor layer containing at least one of organic semiconducting materials, wherein a phase transition temperature of one of the organic semiconducting materials is not more than a glass transition point of one of the resins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: Katsura Hirai
  • Publication number: 20100019319
    Abstract: A thin-film transistor, a thin-film transistor sheet, an electric circuit, and a manufacturing method thereof are disclosed, the method comprising the steps of forming a semiconductor layer by providing a semiconductive material on a substrate, b) forming an insulating area, which is electrode material-repellent, by providing an electrode material-repellent material on the substrate, and c) forming a source electrode on one end of the insulating area and a drain electrode on the other end of the insulating area, by providing an electrode material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Katsura Hirai
  • Patent number: 7645630
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an organic thin-film transistor exhibiting high carrier mobility and a manufacturing method thereof. Disclosed is an organic thin-film transistor possessing a film having a contact angle against pure water of a surface of not less than 50°, wherein an organic semiconductor layer is formed on the film prepared by a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method employing a reactive gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsura Hirai, Hiroshi Kita, Hiroaki Arita
  • Publication number: 20090256142
    Abstract: Disclosed are an organic thin film transistor exhibiting a high switching current value even when a distance (channel length) between source and the drain electrodes is large, and a manufacturing method thereof. The organic thin film transistor of the invention comprises a substrate, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, an organic semiconductor layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode and at least one different type electrodes characterized in that the different type electrode is formed in a channel region between the source electrode and the drain electrode on the organic semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2007
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA HOLDINGS, INC.
    Inventor: Katsura Hirai
  • Patent number: 7582897
    Abstract: Disclosed is an organic semiconductor composition containing particles and an organic semiconducting compound combining with the particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsura Hirai, Mitsuhiro Fukuda