Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Hamamoto
Kazuaki Hamamoto 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).
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Patent number: 7095064Abstract: In a semiconductor sensor having a membrane structure, the destruction of the membrane caused by the expansion or contraction of a fluid within a hollow part formed under the membrane while the sensor is in use is prevented. A semiconductor sensor 10 comprising a substrate 30 and a membrane 20 formed on the top surface thereof, in which the bottom of the substrate 30 and a mounting surface 50 on which the sensor 10 is mounted are bonded, has pressure difference adjusting means 22a to 22c for eliminating the difference in pressure of a fluid between an inside and an outside of a hollow part 34 while the sensor is in use.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2004Date of Patent: August 22, 2006Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Patent number: 7032448Abstract: A capacitive humidity sensor includes a detection portion and a reference portion. The detection portion includes detection electrodes and a moisture sensitive film. The reference portion includes reference electrodes and a moisture permeation film as a capacitance adjusting film. The capacitive humidity sensor detects humidity by converting a capacitance difference between a capacitance of the detection electrodes and a capacitance of the reference electrodes to an electric signal by using a capacitance-voltage conversion circuit. The moisture permeation film reduces offset voltage of the capacitive humidity sensor. Thus, an offset compensation circuit or the like is not required.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 2004Date of Patent: April 25, 2006Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Patent number: 7005643Abstract: An infrared sensor formed as a membrane on a substrate and detecting infrared rays by an infrared detector on that membrane, wherein even if an adhesive used for mounting the infrared sensor on a mounting surface creeps up to the membrane, it is made possible to prevent a drop in the sensor sensitivity by mounting the infrared sensor on a mounting surface by an adhesive having a heat conductivity of not more than seven times the heat conductivity of a fluid present in the inner cavity below the membrane.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2004Date of Patent: February 28, 2006Assignee: Denso CorporationInventor: Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Patent number: 6998612Abstract: A sensor includes a detector for detecting physical quantity, a membrane, and a stress relaxation area. A stress is expected to concentrate in the stress relaxation area in a case of manufacturing process of the sensor or a case of operating the sensor. The detector is disposed on the membrane except for the stress relaxation area.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2003Date of Patent: February 14, 2006Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Patent number: 6870086Abstract: In a thermo pile infrared ray sensor, an opening portion is formed by etching a substrate from a second surface after an n-type poly-Si layer and a thin aluminium layer are formed so that first and second connection portions are formed by parts thereof. An infrared ray absorbent layer is formed on the substrate to cover the first connection portion with a screen print after the opening portion is formed.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2002Date of Patent: March 22, 2005Assignees: Denso Corporation, Nippon Soken, IncInventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Takahiko Yoshida, Yasutoshi Suzuki, Inao Toyoda
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Publication number: 20040188618Abstract: An infrared sensor formed as a membrane on a substrate and detecting infrared rays by an infrared detector on that membrane, wherein even if an adhesive used for mounting the infrared sensor on a mounting surface creeps up to the membrane, it is made possible to prevent a drop in the sensor sensitivity by mounting the infrared sensor on a mounting surface by an adhesive having a heat conductivity of not more than seven times the heat conductivity of a fluid present in the inner cavity below the membrane.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Publication number: 20040188784Abstract: In a semiconductor sensor having a membrane structure, the destruction of the membrane caused by the expansion or contraction of a fluid within a hollow part formed under the membrane while the sensor is in use is prevented. A semiconductor sensor 10 comprising a substrate 30 and a membrane 20 formed on the top surface thereof, in which the bottom of the substrate 30 and a mounting surface 50 on which the sensor 10 is mounted are bonded, has pressure difference adjusting means 22a to 22c for eliminating the difference in pressure of a fluid between an inside and an outside of a hollow part 34 while the sensor is in use.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Publication number: 20040182153Abstract: A capacitive humidity sensor includes a detection portion and a reference portion. The detection portion includes detection electrodes and a moisture sensitive film. The reference portion includes reference electrodes and a moisture permeation film as a capacitance adjusting film. The capacitive humidity sensor detects humidity by converting a capacitance difference between a capacitance of the detection electrodes and a capacitance of the reference electrodes to an electric signal by using a capacitance-voltage conversion circuit. The moisture permeation film reduces offset voltage of the capacitive humidity sensor. Thus, an offset compensation circuit or the like is not required.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2004Publication date: September 23, 2004Applicant: DENSO CORPORATIONInventor: Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Patent number: 6777961Abstract: A sensor has a series circuit, which includes first and second end terminals, a set of thermocouples electrically connected in series between the first end terminal and the second end terminal, and electrical inspection terminals, which extend from corresponding intermediate points in the series circuit between the first end terminal and the second end terminal to divide the set of thermocouples into smaller groups of thermocouples. A resistance value of each group of thermocouples is measured through adjacent two of the first and second end terminals and the electrical inspection terminals while the sensor is in a wafer state. Whether the thermopile infrared sensor is normal is determined based on the measured resistance value of each group of thermocouples.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 2002Date of Patent: August 17, 2004Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Patent number: 6742387Abstract: A capacitive humidity sensor includes a pair of opposed electrodes on a substrate. A humidity-sensitive film covers the electrodes. The electrodes are comb-shaped and interdigitated. Humidity is detected based on the capacitance between the pair of electrodes, which changes with changes according to the humidity in the atmosphere. The uniform width of each tooth in the pair of electrodes is L1, and the uniform distance between a tooth of one of the electrodes and a tooth of the other electrode is L2. When L1 is less than 3 micrometers, L2 is 5 micrometers. When L1 is greater than or equal to 3 micrometers, L2 is less than or equal to 5 micrometers.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2002Date of Patent: June 1, 2004Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Publication number: 20040079885Abstract: A sensor includes a detector for detecting physical quantity, a membrane, and a stress relaxation area. A stress is expected to concentrate in the stress relaxation area in a case of manufacturing process of the sensor or a case of operating the sensor. The detector is disposed on the membrane except for the stress relaxation area.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 3, 2003Publication date: April 29, 2004Inventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Patent number: 6653702Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor includes a SOI substrate composed of first and second silicon substrates. A diaphragm portion is formed by the first silicon substrate as a bottom of a recess portion formed in the second silicon substrate. Strain gauges are formed on the diaphragm portion, and a circuit portion is formed on the first silicon substrate at a region other than the diaphragm portion. A LOCOS film for isolating the strain gauges from the circuit portion is formed on the first silicon substrate outside the outermost peripheral portion of the diaphragm portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2001Date of Patent: November 25, 2003Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Seiichiro Ishio, Inao Toyoda, Kazuaki Hamamoto, Yasutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20030179805Abstract: A capacitance type humidity sensor is composed of a substrate, two electrodes, a passivation layer, and a humidity-sensitive layer. The two electrodes are disposed on the substrate and on the same plane, and face each other with spacing therebetween. The passivation layer covers the two electrodes. The humidity-sensitive layer is disposed on the spacing or between the spacing, and the dielectric constant of the humidity-sensitive layer is changed corresponding to humidity. As the spacing is broadened, the hysteresis in the humidity sensor is reduced. Especially, when the spacing is twice or more larger than the film thickness of the passivation layer, the hysteresis is reduced to be less than 10 % RH in relative humidity.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2003Publication date: September 25, 2003Inventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Patent number: 6595065Abstract: A pressure detecting apparatus has a single-crystal semiconductor sensor chip disposed on a metallic diaphragm through a low melting point glass. The sensor chip has a planar shape selected from a circular shape, a first polygonal shape having more than five sides and having interior angles all less than 180°, and a second polygonal shape having a ratio of a circumscribed circle diameter relative to an inscribed circle diameter being less than 1.2. Four strain gauge resistors are disposed on X, Y axes passing through a center point O of the sensor chip in parallel with <110> directions. Accordingly, thermal stress is reduced not to adversely affect a detection error and simultaneously high sensitivity is provided.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2000Date of Patent: July 22, 2003Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Yukihiko Tanizawa, Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda, Hiroaki Tanaka, Yasutoshi Suzuki
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Publication number: 20030094045Abstract: A capacitive humidity sensor includes a pair of opposed electrodes on a substrate. A humidity-sensitive film covers the electrodes. The electrodes are comb-shaped and interdigitated. Humidity is detected based on the capacitance between the pair of electrodes, which changes with changes according to the humidity in the atmosphere. The uniform width of each tooth in the pair of electrodes is L1, and the uniform distance between a tooth of one of the electrodes and a tooth of the other electrode is L2. When L1 is less than 3 micrometers, L2 is 5 micrometers. When L1 is greater than or equal to 3 micrometers, L2 is less than or equal to 5 micrometers.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2002Publication date: May 22, 2003Inventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Publication number: 20020185169Abstract: In a thermo pile infrared ray sensor, an opening portion is formed by etching a substrate from a second surface after an n-type poly-Si layer and a thin aluminium layer are formed so that first and second connection portions are formed by parts thereof. An infrared ray absorbent layer is formed on the substrate to cover the first connection portion with a screen print after the opening portion is formed.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 10, 2002Publication date: December 12, 2002Inventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Takahiko Yoshida, Yasutoshi Suzuki, Inao Toyoda
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Publication number: 20020170589Abstract: A sensor has a series circuit, which includes first and second end terminals, a set of thermocouples electrically connected in series between the first end terminal and the second end terminal, and electrical inspection terminals, which extend from corresponding intermediate points in the series circuit between the first end terminal and the second end terminal to divide the set of thermocouples into smaller groups of thermocouples. A resistance value of each group of thermocouples is measured through adjacent two of the first and second end terminals and the electrical inspection terminals while the sensor is in a wafer state. Whether the thermopile infrared sensor is normal is determined based on the measured resistance value of each group of thermocouples.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 15, 2002Publication date: November 21, 2002Inventors: Kazuaki Hamamoto, Inao Toyoda
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Patent number: 6476455Abstract: An infrared sensor includes a concavity made on a side of a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of sensing areas formed in a thin film area on the back side of the bottom of the concavity. Groups of two thermocouples, three thermocouples and four thermocouples reside in a sensing area in the central part of the thin film area, in another sensing area adjacent the central sensing area and in yet other sensing areas adjacent to the central sensing area, respectively, to compensate for the heterogeneity of heat transfer in the thin film area. Therefore, sensitivity loss is suppressed in the sensing area having a boundary with the substrate. More specifically, the difference in sensitivity between the sensing areas is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: October 23, 2001Date of Patent: November 5, 2002Assignee: Denso CorporationInventors: Inao Toyoda, Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Publication number: 20020050623Abstract: An infrared sensor includes a concavity made on a side of a semiconductor substrate and a plurality of sensing areas formed in a thin film area on the back side of the bottom of the concavity. Groups of two thermocouples, three thermocouples and four thermocouples reside in a sensing area in the central part of the thin film area, in another sensing area adjacent the central sensing area and in yet other sensing areas adjacent to the central sensing area, respectively, to compensate for the heterogeneity of heat transfer in the thin film area. Therefore, sensitivity loss is suppressed in the sensing area having a boundary with the substrate. More specifically, the difference in sensitivity between the sensing areas is reduced.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2001Publication date: May 2, 2002Inventors: Inao Toyoda, Kazuaki Hamamoto
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Publication number: 20010052628Abstract: A semiconductor pressure sensor includes a SOI substrate composed of first and second silicon substrates. A diaphragm portion is formed by the first silicon substrate as a bottom of a recess portion formed in the second silicon substrate. Strain gauges are formed on the diaphragm portion, and a circuit portion is formed on the first silicon substrate at a region other than the diaphragm portion. ALOCOS film for isolating the strain gauges from the circuit portion is formed on the first silicon substrate outside the outermost peripheral portion of the diaphragm portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2001Publication date: December 20, 2001Inventors: Seiichiro Ishio, Inao Toyoda, Kazuaki Hamamoto, Yasutoshi Suzuki