Patents by Inventor Kazuyuki Tadatomo

Kazuyuki Tadatomo 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: 9293647
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device is formed of an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, a trigger layer, a V-pit expanding layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer provided in this order. The light-emitting layer has a V-pit formed therein. The trigger layer is made of a nitride semiconductor material having a lattice constant different from that of a material that forms an upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer. The V-pit expanding layer is made of a nitride semiconductor material having a lattice constant substantially identical to that of the material that forms the upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and the V-pit expanding layer has a thickness of 5 nm or more and 5000 nm or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignees: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, YAMAGUCHI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kashihara, Narihito Okada, Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Haruhisa Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20140332756
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor light-emitting device is formed of an n-type nitride semiconductor layer, a trigger layer, a V-pit expanding layer, a light-emitting layer, and a p-type nitride semiconductor layer provided in this order. The light-emitting layer has a V-pit formed therein. The trigger layer is made of a nitride semiconductor material having a lattice constant different from that of a material that forms an upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer. The V-pit expanding layer is made of a nitride semiconductor material having a lattice constant substantially identical to that of the material that forms the upper surface of the n-type nitride semiconductor layer, and the V-pit expanding layer has a thickness of 5 nm or more and 5000 nm or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kashihara, Narihito Okada, Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Haruhisa Takiguchi
  • Publication number: 20130313567
    Abstract: A GaN crystal multi-layer substrate having surfaces with various crystal orientations formed on a sapphire base substrate, such as a substrate whose principal surface is a <11-20> plane which is the a-plane, a <1-100> plane which is the m-plane, or a <11-22> plane having a low threading dislocation density and high crystal quality of a GaN crystal, and a production process therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2012
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicants: YAMAGUCHI UNIVERSITY, TOKUYAMA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroshi Furuya, Masanobu Azuma, Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Narihito Okada
  • Patent number: 8384111
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device fabricated by growing a compound semiconductor layer on a sapphire substrate, a sapphire substrate enabling the semiconductor device to have a high light-extraction efficiency is provided. A plurality of projections 2, 2, . . . are provided at random on a surface of a sapphire substrate 1, and a GaN layer 10 is grown on this surface. Then, a multi-quantum well layer 12, a p-AlGaN layer 14, a p-GaN layer 16, and an ITO layer 18 are formed on the GaN layer 10, and two electrodes 21 and 22 are also formed. In this manner, a semiconductor light-emitting device is fabricated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaguchi University
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Narihito Okada
  • Publication number: 20120009768
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device fabricated by growing a compound semiconductor layer on a sapphire substrate, a sapphire substrate enabling the semiconductor device to have a high light-extraction efficiency is provided. A plurality of projections 2, 2, . . . are provided at random on a surface of a sapphire substrate 1, and a GaN layer 10 is grown on this surface. Then, a multi-quantum well layer 12, a p-AlGaN layer 14, a p-GaN layer 16, and an ITO layer 18 are formed on the GaN layer 10, and two electrodes 21 and 22 are also formed. In this manner, a semiconductor light-emitting device is fabricated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2010
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: YAMAGUCHI UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Narihito Okada
  • Patent number: 7589001
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Patent number: 7504324
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Publication number: 20080048194
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor light emitting element having a laminate S made of a semiconductor crystal layer, wherein the laminate S includes an n-type layer 2, a light emitting layer 3 and a p-type layer 4. The p-type layer 4 has a p-type contact layer 42 to be in contact with the p-side electrode P2. The p-type contact layer 42 comprises a first contact layer 42a and a second contact layer 42b. The first contact layer 42a is in contact with the p-side electrode P2 on one surface and in contact with the second contact layer 42b on the other surface. The first contact layer 42a is made of Alx1Iny1Gaz1N (0<x1?1, 0?y1?1, 0?z1?1), and the second contact layer 42b is made of Alx2Iny2Gaz2N (0?x2?1, 0?y2?1, 0?z2?1). 0?x2<x1, 0?y1?y2, and the first contact layer 42a has a thickness of 0.5 nm-2 nm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2005
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Kudo, Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Tomoo Yamada
  • Patent number: 7179667
    Abstract: As shown in FIG. 1(a), substrate 1 having a growth plane having a concavo-convex surface is used. When GaN group crystal is vapor phase grown using this substrate, the concavo-convex shape suppresses growth in the lateral direction and promotes growth in the C axis direction, thereby affording a base surface capable of forming a facet plane. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1(b), a crystal having a facet plane is grown in a convex part, and a crystal is also grown in a concave part. When the crystal growth is continued, the films grown from the convex part and the concave part are joined in time to cover a concavo-convex surface and become flat as shown in FIG. 1(c). In this case, an area having a low a dislocation density is formed in the upper part of the convex part where facet plane was formed, and the prepared film has high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Okagawa, Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Yoichiro Ouchi, Takashi Tsunekawa
  • Publication number: 20070026644
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI CABLE INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Publication number: 20070026643
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2006
    Publication date: February 1, 2007
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI CABLE INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Patent number: 7115486
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Patent number: 7053420
    Abstract: Concaves and convexes 1a are formed by processing the surface layer of a first layer 1, and second layer 2 having a different refractive index from the first layer is grown while burying the concaves and convexes (or first crystal 10 is grown as concaves and convexes on crystal layer S to be the base of the growth, and second crystal 20 is grown, which has a different refractive index from the first crystal). After forming these concavo-convex refractive index interfaces 1a (10a), an element structure, wherein semiconductor crystal layers containing a light-emitting layer A are laminated, is formed. As a result, the light in the lateral direction, which is generated in the light-emitting layer changes its direction by an influence of the concavo-convex refractive index interface and heads toward the outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Takashi Tsunekawa
  • Patent number: 6940098
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Publication number: 20040206299
    Abstract: A growth plane of substrate 1 is processed to have a concavo-convex surface. The bottom of the concave part may be masked. When a crystal is grown by vapor phase growth using this substrate, an ingredient gas does not sufficiently reach the inside of a concave part 12, and therefore, a crystal growth occurs only from an upper part of a convex part 11. As shown in FIG. 1(b), therefore, a crystal unit 20 occurs when the crystal growth is started, and as the crystal growth proceeds, films grown in the lateral direction from the upper part of the convex part 11 as a starting point are connected to cover the concavo-convex surface of the substrate 1, leaving a cavity 13 in the concave part, as shown in FIG. 1(c), thereby giving a crystal layer 2, whereby the semiconductor base of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the part grown in the lateral direction, or the upper part of the concave part 12 has a low dislocation region and the crystal layer prepared has high quality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2004
    Publication date: October 21, 2004
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI CABLE INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Masahiro Koto
  • Patent number: 6794210
    Abstract: The state of a surface of a substrate 11 or a GaN group compound semiconductor film 12 formed on the substrate 11 is modified with an anti-surfactant material and a GaN group compound semiconductor material is supplied by a vapor phase growth method to form dot structures made of the GaN group compound semiconductor on the surface of the semiconductor film 12, and the growth is continued until the dot structures join and the surface becomes flat. In this case, the dot structures join while forming a cavity 21 on an anti-surfactant region. A dislocation line 22 extending from the underlayer is blocked by the cavity 21, and therefore, the dislocation density of an epitaxial film surface can be reduced. As a result, the dislocation density of the GaN group compound semiconductor crystal can be reduced without using a masking material in the epitaxial growth, whereby a high quality epitaxial film can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Ouchi, Hiroaki Okagawa, Masahiro Koto, Kazuyuki Tadatomo
  • Publication number: 20040113166
    Abstract: Concaves and convexes 1a are formed by processing the surface layer of a first layer 1, and second layer 2 having a different refractive index from the first layer is grown while burying the concaves and convexes (or first crystal 10 is grown as concaves and convexes on crystal layer S to be the base of the growth, and second crystal 20 is grown, which has a different refractive index from the first crystal). After forming these concavo-convex refractive index interfaces 1a (10a), an element structure, wherein semiconductor crystal layers containing a light-emitting layer A are laminated, is formed. As a result, the light in the lateral direction, which is generated in the light-emitting layer changes its direction by an influence of the concavo-convex refractive index interface and heads toward the outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Takashi Tsunekawa
  • Publication number: 20040094084
    Abstract: The state of a surface of a substrate 11 or a GaN group compound semiconductor film 12 formed on the substrate 11 is modified with an anti-surfactant material and a GaN group compound semiconductor material is supplied by a vapor phase growth method to form dot structures made of the GaN group compound semiconductor on the surface of the semiconductor film 12, and the growth is continued until the dot structures join and the surface becomes flat. In this case, the dot structures join while forming a cavity 21 on an anti-surfactant region. A dislocation line 22 extending from the underlayer is blocked by the cavity 21, and therefore, the dislocation density of an epitaxial film surface can be reduced. As a result, the dislocation density of the GaN group compound semiconductor crystal can be reduced without using a masking material in the epitaxial growth, whereby a high quality epitaxial film can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI CABLE INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichiro Ouchi, Hiroaki Okagawa, Masahiro Koto, Kazuyuki Tadatomo
  • Patent number: 6734515
    Abstract: A semiconductor light receiving element having a light receiving layer (1) formed from a GaN group semiconductor, and an electrode (2) formed on one surface of the light receiving layer as a light receiving surface (1a) in such a way that the light (L) can enter the light receiving layer is provided. When the light receiving element is of a Schottky barrier type, the aforementioned electrode (2) contains at least a Schottky electrode, which is formed in such a way that, on the light receiving surface (1a), the total length of the boundary lines between areas covered with the Schottky electrode and exposed areas is longer than the length of the outer periphery of the light receiving surface (1a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignees: Mitsubishi Cable Industries, Ltd., Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Youichiro Ohuchi, Masahiro Koto, Kazumasa Hiramatsu, Yutaka Hamamura, Sumito Shimizu
  • Publication number: 20040056258
    Abstract: As an embodiment of the element structure, a structure including, from the downside, a sapphire C-plane substrate 1, a GaN buffer layer 11 grown at a low temperature, an un-doped GaN layer 12, an Si-doped n-GaN contact layer 21, a light emitting layer 3 of a multiple quantum well structure (MQW) having plural well layers, an Mg-doped p-AlGaN cladding layer 22, and an Mg-doped p-GaN contact layer 23 is mentioned. The above-mentioned light emitting layer 3 is capable of multi-wavelength light emission by a multi-layer structure emitting light having at least two peaks in an emission spectrum, which is achieved by, for example, forming plural groups having different band gaps of the well layer. As a result, a light having plural wavelengths is emitted from a single light emitting layer, and by simply injecting current into a pair of p-type and n-type electrodes, a light emitting element emitting multicolor light, particularly white light, can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Tadatomo, Hiroaki Okagawa, Yoichiro Ouchi, Takashi Tsunekawa