Patents by Inventor Kimiaki Toshikiyo

Kimiaki Toshikiyo 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: 20090020840
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging apparatus includes a plurality of unit pixels with associated microlenses arranged in a two-dimensional array. Each microlens includes a distributed index lens with a modulated effective refractive index distribution obtained by including a combination of a plurality of patterns having a concentric structure, the plurality of patterns being divided into line widths equal to or shorter than a wavelength of an incident light. At least one of the plurality of patterns includes a lower light-transmitting film having the concentric structure and a first line width and a first film thickness, and an upper light-transmitting film having the concentric structure configured on the lower light-transmitting film having a second line width and a second film thickness. The distributed index lens has a structure in which a refractive index material is dense at a center and becomes sparse gradually toward an outer side in the concentric structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2008
    Publication date: January 22, 2009
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kimiaki TOSHIKIYO, Takanori YOGO, Motonori ISHII, Toshinobu MATSUNO, Kazutoshi ONOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20080272454
    Abstract: It is realized a high sensitive solid-state imaging apparatus which corresponds to an optical system having a short focal length (an optical system having a large incident angle ?). Each pixel (2.8 mm square in size) includes a distributed refractive index lens (1), a color filter (2) for green, Al wirings (3), a signal transmitting unit (4), a planarized layer (5), a light-receiving element (Si photodiode) (6), and an Si substrate (7). The concentric circle structure of the distributed index lens is made of four types of materials having different refractive indexes such as TiO2 (n=2.53), SiN (n=2.53), SiO2 (n=2.53), and air (n=1.0). In the concentric structure, a radial difference of outer peripheries of adjacent circular light-transmitting films is 100 nm. Furthermore, the film thickness is 0.4 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2005
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kimiaki Toshikiyo, Kazutoshi Onozawa, Daisuke Ueda, Taku Goubara
  • Publication number: 20080185500
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging device and the like are provided. The solid-state imaging device includes a light-collecting element capable of efficiently collecting incident light by improving reproducibility of refractive index distribution at the borders of pixels. Each of the pixels (a square size of 5.6 ?m) includes: a light-collecting element (distributed index lens); a color filter; a light-blocking layer (AI wiring); a light-receiving element (Si photo diode); a Si substrate; and a planarization film. The light-collecting element has a concentric structure which is made up of SiO2 (n=1.43) and has a film thickness of 1.2 ?m and 0.8 ?m which forms a two-tiered structure. The light-collecting element has a structure in which SiO2 (n=1.43) is curved out to define a concentric pattern and the surrounding medium is air (n=1). Further, an air gap (width: a) is provided between adjacent two light-collecting elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimiaki Toshikiyo
  • Publication number: 20080076039
    Abstract: The phase shift mask according to the present invention is a phase shift mask for manufacturing a semiconductor device. The phase shift mask includes a light-blocking portion, a light-transmitting portion, a phase shift portion, and an auxiliary pattern portion, the light-blocking portion, the light-transmitting portion, the phase shift portion, and the auxiliary pattern portion being concentrically arranged, wherein a width of the auxiliary pattern portion in a radius direction is less than a width of the light-transmitting portion and a width of the phase shift portion in a radius direction. Furthermore, it is possible that a phase of exposure light which passes through an auxiliary pattern portion is opposite to a phase of exposure light which passes through a light-transmitting portion or a phase shift portion, the light-transmitting portion or the phase shift portion being the closest to the auxiliary pattern portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: March 27, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motonori ISHII, Kazutoshi ONOZAWA, Kimiaki TOSHIKIYO, Toshinobu MATSUNO, Takanori YOGO
  • Publication number: 20080011937
    Abstract: A solid-state imaging element or the like capable of limiting an abrupt refractive index distribution and collecting incident light at high efficiency is provided. The solid-state imaging element (size: 5.6 ?m square) has a distributed index lens, a G color filter, Al wiring, a signal transmitting unit, a planarizing layer, a light receiving element (Si photodiode) and a Si substrate. A concentric structure of the distributed index lens is formed of SiO2 (n=1.43). This structure is a two-stage structure having film thicknesses of 1.2 and 0.8 ?m. The distributed index lens is constructed by cutting concentric circular recesses into SiO2 and has a planar region about the center. A medium surrounding the lens is air (n=1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimiaki TOSHIKIYO
  • Publication number: 20070164329
    Abstract: In order to realize high resolution and high picture quality of a solid-state imaging apparatus, a light-collecting device which is resistant to incident light incoming at a high-angle and a manufacturing method of the light-collecting device are provided. The light-collecting device includes light-transmitting films 101 which form concentric circles wherein, in each area divided by a constant width 103 of the divided area in an in-plane direction, a sum of line widths of a width 103 in the divided area is different each other. In each divided area, outer radius/inner radius of a light-transmitting film 101 may match outer radius/inner radius of the divided area. In each divided area, the sum of line widths is smaller than a sum of line widths in an adjacent inner divided area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimiaki Toshikiyo
  • Publication number: 20070146531
    Abstract: The present invention provides an optical device and the like which can collect incident light at a high incident angle than an existing microlens, in order to realize a solid-state imaging apparatus and the like corresponding to an optical system (an optical system with a high incident angle ?) with a short focal length for a thin camera. Each unit pixel (2.8 ?m square in size) is made up of a distributed index lens 1, a color filter 2 for green G, Al wirings 3, a signal transmitting unit 4, planarizing films 5, a light-receiving device (Si photodiodes) 6, and a Si substrate 7. The distributed index lens 1 is made of high refractive index materials 33 [TiO2 (n=2.53)] and low refractive index materials 34 [air (n=1.0)] having concentric zones. Further, in a distributed refractive index lens, a width 35 of adjacent divided areas is 200 nm. Also, a film thickness t is 0.5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2004
    Publication date: June 28, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kimiaki Toshikiyo
  • Publication number: 20070035721
    Abstract: The present invention provides a contact-type solid-state imaging apparatus which realizes high resolution and high sensitivity, and also implements downsizing and lowering the cost of the contact-type solid-state imaging apparatus. Each pixel includes a protection glass plate, a light-collecting device, a light-receiving device, a semiconductor integrated circuit, a light emitting diode (LED) and a mounting package. The light-collecting apparatus has two kinds of distributed index lens (o lens and convex lens), and Sin (N=2) film, which is a two-stage concentric structure, is embedded in SiO2 (N=1.45) film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kimiaki TOSHIKIYO, Motohiro KOJIMA, Kazutoshi ONOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20060284052
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solid-state imaging apparatus and the like which is able to support an optical system whose incident angle is wide. Each pixel is 2.25 ?m square in size, and includes a distributed index lens 1, a color filter (for example, for green) 2, an Al interconnections 3, a signal transmitting unit 4, a planarized layer 5, a light-receiving device (Si photodiodes) 6, and an Si substrate 7. The two-stage concentric circle structure of the distributed index lens is formed by SiO2 (n=2) with the film thickness 1.2 ?m (“grey color”), the film thickness 0.8 ?m (“dots pattern”) and the film thickness of 0 ?m (“without pattern: white color”), and the medium surrounding the distributed index lens 1 is air (n=1).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kimiaki TOSHIKIYO, Takanori YOGO, Motonori ISHII, Toshinobu MATSUNO, Kazutoshi ONOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20060285228
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a lens, in which the method includes exposing a photoresist to light using a phase shift mask. Here, the phase shift mask includes layout portions respectively corresponding to pixels and lens, in which each of the layout portions has: a light-blocking portion which has a shape of a substantially circle or a substantially concentric zone; a light-transmitting portion which has a shape of a substantially circle or a substantially concentric zone; a phase shift portion which has a shape of a substantially circle or a substantially concentric zone; and a light-blocking frame. Furthermore, the light-transmitting portion, the light-blocking portion and the phase shift portion are arranged alternately so as to form concentric circles, and the light-blocking frame corresponds to a whole or a part of a perimeter of the lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Publication date: December 21, 2006
    Applicant: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Motonori ISHII, Kazutoshi ONOZAWA, Toshinobu MATSUNO, Takanori YOGO, Kimiaki TOSHIKIYO
  • Publication number: 20060066775
    Abstract: An optical device and the like which can collect incident light with a higher angle than an existing microlens is provided in order to realize a liquid crystal display panel corresponding to an optical system having a greater incident angle ?. A unit pixel (20 ?m square in size) of a liquid crystal display panel includes a gradient index lens 1, a color filter 2 for green G, a black matrix filter 3, transparent electrodes 4, a liquid crystal layer 5, a counter glass substrate 6, and a glass substrate 7. The gradient index lens having a concentric circle structure is made up of high refractive index materials 10 (e.g. TiO2 (n=2.43)) and low refractive index materials 11 (e.g. air (n=1.0)), and a difference of radiuses of parameters of circular light-transmitting films that are adjacent to each other is 200 nm. Further, the film thickness is 0.5 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Inventor: Kimiaki Toshikiyo