Patents by Inventor Kazunari Nakata

Kazunari Nakata 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: 20230048355
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a trench gate type power semiconductor device that does not easily break even when stress is applied. A SiC-MOSFET includes a SiC substrate, a drift layer of a first conductive type, formed on the SiC substrate, a base region of a second conductivity type formed in a surface layer of the drift layer, a source region of the first conductivity type selectively formed in a surface layer of the base region, a trench extending through the base region and the source region and reaching the drift layer, a gate electrode embedded in the trench and having a V-shaped groove on an upper surface thereof, and an oxide film formed on an upper surface including the groove of the gate electrode, in which a bottom of the V-shape groove is deeper than the base region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2021
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari NAKATA
  • Patent number: 11437505
    Abstract: Even when a stress is applied due to energization or switching operation, a connection state of electrode layers can be appropriately maintained. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer of first conductivity type, an upper surface structure formed on a surface layer of the semiconductor layer, and an upper surface electrode formed over the upper surface structure. The upper surface electrode includes a first electrode formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor layer, and a second electrode formed over an upper surface of the first electrode. The first concave portion is formed on the upper surface of the first electrode. A side surface of the first concave portion has a tapered shape. The second electrode is formed over the upper surface of the first electrode including an inside of the first concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunari Nakata, Kensuke Taguchi
  • Publication number: 20220059688
    Abstract: A power semiconductor device includes a termination region having a corner and an element region inside the termination region. An SiC substrate spans the element region and the termination region. An interlayer insulating film has an outer edge in the termination region. A source electrode is in contact with the SiC substrate in the element region, and has an outer edge on the interlayer insulating film in the termination region. An insulating protective film covers the outer edge of the interlayer insulating film and the outer edge of the source electrode, and has an inner edge on the source electrode. At the corner of the termination region, the outer edge of the interlayer insulating film has a radius of curvature R1, and the inner edge of the insulating protective film has a radius of curvature R2. The radius of curvature R2 is greater than the radius of curvature R1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 5, 2020
    Publication date: February 24, 2022
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari NAKATA, Kensuke TAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 11101150
    Abstract: A wafer grinding apparatus performs grinding processing for grinding a semiconductor wafer with a grindstone. The grindstone has a wear rate as a characteristic. The wear rate is 5% or more, and less than 200%. A determination part performs determination processing for determining whether a grinding state with respect to the semiconductor wafer is abnormal or normal, based on at least one of a load current of a motor and a grinding wear amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Takeda, Kazunari Nakata
  • Publication number: 20210036141
    Abstract: Even when a stress is applied due to energization or switching operation, a connection state of electrode layers can be appropriately maintained. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor layer of first conductivity type, an upper surface structure formed on a surface layer of the semiconductor layer, and an upper surface electrode formed over the upper surface structure. The upper surface electrode includes a first electrode formed on an upper surface of the semiconductor layer, and a second electrode formed over an upper surface of the first electrode. The first concave portion is formed on the upper surface of the first electrode. A side surface of the first concave portion has a tapered shape. The second electrode is formed over the upper surface of the first electrode including an inside of the first concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari NAKATA, Kensuke TAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10804360
    Abstract: A semiconductor layer has a first face, a second face, and a first side face. A silicon carbide substrate has a third face facing the second face, a fourth face, and a second side face. A first electrode layer forms an interface with part of the first face. An insulation film is provided around the first electrode layer on the first face of the semiconductor layer. A second electrode layer is provided on the fourth face and extends outward of the interface between the first face and the first electrode layer in an in-plane direction. A crush layer is provided on the first side face of the semiconductor layer and on the second side face of the silicon carbide substrate. The thickness of the crush layer on the second side face is greater than the thickness of the crush layer on the first side face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunari Nakata
  • Patent number: 10665459
    Abstract: Included herein are, a step of forming an active region for a semiconductor device on a front surface of a SiC substrate, a step of forming a SiC substrate-to-drain electrode bonding region on a back surface of the SiC substrate by grinding it using an abrasive whose average abrasive grain size is within a specified range, a step of depositing a film of a first drain electrode on the SiC substrate-to-drain electrode bonding region, a step of electrically connecting the first drain electrode with the SiC substrate-to-drain electrode bonding region, and a step of depositing a film of a second drain electrode on the first drain electrode, so that a SiC semiconductor device having a high mechanical strength with a reduced energization loss is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kazunari Nakata
  • Publication number: 20200090937
    Abstract: Included herein are, a step of forming an active region for a semiconductor device on a front surface of a SiC substrate, a step of forming a SiC substrate-to-drain electrode bonding region on a back surface of the SiC substrate by grinding it using an abrasive whose average abrasive grain size is within a specified range, a step of depositing a film of a first drain electrode on the SiC substrate-to-drain electrode bonding region, a step of electrically connecting the first drain electrode with the SiC substrate-to-drain electrode bonding region, and a step of depositing a film of a second drain electrode on the first drain electrode, so that a SiC semiconductor device having a high mechanical strength with a reduced energization loss is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari NAKATA
  • Publication number: 20200058742
    Abstract: A semiconductor layer has a first face, a second face, and a first side face. A silicon carbide substrate has a third face facing the second face, a fourth face, and a second side face. A first electrode layer forms an interface with part of the first face. An insulation film is provided around the first electrode layer on the first face of the semiconductor layer. A second electrode layer is provided on the fourth face and extends outward of the interface between the first face and the first electrode layer in an in-plane direction. A crush layer is provided on the first side face of the semiconductor layer and on the second side face of the silicon carbide substrate. The thickness of the crush layer on the second side face is greater than the thickness of the crush layer on the first side face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2018
    Publication date: February 20, 2020
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari NAKATA
  • Publication number: 20190355596
    Abstract: A wafer grinding apparatus performs grinding processing for grinding a semiconductor wafer with a grindstone. The grindstone has a wear rate as a characteristic. The wear rate is 5% or more, and less than 200%. A determination part performs determination processing for determining whether a grinding state with respect to the semiconductor wafer is abnormal or normal, based on at least one of a load current of a motor and a grinding wear amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2019
    Publication date: November 21, 2019
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki TAKEDA, Kazunari NAKATA
  • Patent number: 10134598
    Abstract: As a first grinding step, a peripheral portion of a back surface of a wafer (1) is ground with a first grindstone (17) to form a fractured layer (19) in the peripheral portion. Subsequently, as a second grinding step, a central portion of the back surface of the wafer (1) is ground with the first grindstone (17) to form a recess (21) while the peripheral portion in which the fractured layer (19) is formed is left as a rib (20). Subsequently, as a third grinding step, a bottom surface of the recess (21) is ground with a second grindstone (22) of an abrasive grain size smaller than that of the first grindstone (17) to reduce a thickness of the wafer (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Nakata, Tamio Matsumura, Yoshiaki Terasaki
  • Patent number: 9779951
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a first major electrode on a first major surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a second major electrode on a second major surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the first major surface; carrying out a surface activating treatment to activate surfaces of the first and second major electrodes; carrying out a surface cleaning treatment to clean up the surfaces of the first and second major electrodes; and after the surface activating treatment and the surface cleaning treatment, simultaneously forming first and second Ni films on the first and second major electrodes respectively by a wet film forming method, wherein a ratio of crystalline Ni contained in the first and second Ni films is 2% or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Nakata, Yoshiaki Terasaki, Masatoshi Sunamoto
  • Publication number: 20170200613
    Abstract: As a first grinding step, a peripheral portion of a back surface of a wafer (1) is ground with a first grindstone (17) to form a fractured layer (19) in the peripheral portion. Subsequently, as a second grinding step, a central portion of the back surface of the wafer (1) is ground with the first grindstone (17) to form a recess (21) while the peripheral portion in which the fractured layer (19) is formed is left as a rib (20). Subsequently, as a third grinding step, a bottom surface of the recess (21) is ground with a second grindstone (22) of an abrasive grain size smaller than that of the first grindstone (17) to reduce a thickness of the wafer (1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari NAKATA, Tamio MATSUMURA, Yoshiaki TERASAKI
  • Patent number: 9704813
    Abstract: A device region (17) is formed at a central part of a semiconductor wafer (2) and a ring-shaped reinforced portion (18) which is thicker than the device region (17) is formed on an outer circumference of the device region (17). After forming the device region (17) and the ring-shaped reinforced portion (18), the semiconductor wafer (2) is subjected to wet treatment. After the wet treatment, the semiconductor wafer (2) is rotated and dried. A center position of the semiconductor wafer (2) is different from a center position of the ring-shaped reinforced portion (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Nakata
  • Patent number: 9653412
    Abstract: On a first wafer surface of a semiconductor wafer, a projection-depression shape is formed. On the first wafer surface, a resin member is so formed to have a resin outer peripheral end positioned away from a wafer outer peripheral end and expose the wafer outer peripheral end. By partially removing the semiconductor wafer, on a second wafer surface of the semiconductor wafer, formed is a recessed shape having a recessed-portion outer peripheral end positioned 0.5 mm or more inside from the resin outer peripheral end. After performing a processing on the second wafer surface, the resin member is removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Nakata
  • Publication number: 20170076948
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes: forming a first major electrode on a first major surface of a semiconductor substrate; forming a second major electrode on a second major surface of the semiconductor substrate opposite to the first major surface; carrying out a surface activating treatment to activate surfaces of the first and second major electrodes; carrying out a surface cleaning treatment to clean up the surfaces of the first and second major electrodes; and after the surface activating treatment and the surface cleaning treatment, simultaneously forming first and second Ni films on the first and second major electrodes respectively by a wet film forming method, wherein a ratio of crystalline Ni contained in the first and second Ni films is 2% or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari NAKATA, Yoshiaki TERASAKI, Masatoshi SUNAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20160197046
    Abstract: A device region (17) is formed at a central part of a semiconductor wafer (2) and a ring-shaped reinforced portion (18) which is thicker than the device region (17) is formed on an outer circumference of the device region (17). After forming the device region (17) and the ring-shaped reinforced portion (18), the semiconductor wafer (2) is subjected to wet treatment. After the wet treatment, the semiconductor wafer (2) is rotated and dried. A center position of the semiconductor wafer (2) is different from a center position of the ring-shaped reinforced portion (18).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari NAKATA
  • Patent number: 9324581
    Abstract: A wafer is mounted to a dicing frame using a holding tape. A plurality of semiconductor devices are provided on a center portion of a major surface of the wafer. A ring-like reinforcing section is provided on a periphery of the major surface. The holding tape is adhered to the major surface The holding tape is heated to at least 0.6 times of melting temperature of the holding tape so as to adhere the holding tape along a step of the ring-like reinforcing section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazunari Nakata, Yoshiaki Terasaki
  • Patent number: 8993413
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of preparing a semiconductor wafer having a thick portion in an outer circumferential end portion and a thin portion in a central portion, attaching a support material to one surface of the semiconductor wafer, dividing the semiconductor wafer into the thick portion and the thin portion, and cutting the thin portion, after the division, while supporting the thin portion by the support material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Nakata, Yoshiaki Terasaki
  • Patent number: 8987122
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, includes a wafer grinding step of, by means of a revolving grinding stone, forming a thinned portion in a wafer while at the same time forming a slope surrounding said thinned portion, wherein during said formation of said slope, said grinding stone is positioned so that there is always a space between said slope and the facing side of said grinding stone, wherein said thinned portion is thinner than a peripheral portion of said wafer, and wherein said slope extends along and defines an inner circumferential side of said peripheral portion and forms an angle of 75° or more but less than 90° with respect to a main surface of said wafer. The method of manufacturing a semiconductor device further includes a step of forming a semiconductor device in said thinned portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunari Nakata, Tamio Matsumura