Patents by Inventor Kyosuke KOTANI

Kyosuke KOTANI 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: 11906727
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical device includes: preparing a semiconductor substrate that includes a portion corresponding to a base, a movable unit, and an elastic support portion; forming a first resist layer in a region corresponding to the base on a surface of a first semiconductor layer which is opposite to an insulating layer; forming a depression in the first semiconductor layer by etching the first semiconductor layer using the first resist layer as a mask; forming a second resist layer in a region corresponding to a rib portion on a bottom surface of the depression, a side surface of the depression, and the surface of the first semiconductor layer which is opposite to the insulating layer; and forming the rib portion by etching the first semiconductor layer until reaching the insulating layer using the second resist layer as a mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Yutaka Kuramoto, Daiki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11898841
    Abstract: A processer of an optical module is configured to control a voltage signal having a frequency for causing a movable mirror to resonate, and perform an intensity acquisition process. The intensity acquisition process is a process of acquiring a measurement light intensity of the interference light of the measurement light M times at a first time interval based on the frequency in each of a plurality of cycles among P cycles continuous in the voltage signal, acquiring an addition value of a plurality of the measurement light intensities mutually corresponding for the same number of times, acquiring a laser light intensity of the interference light of the laser light N times at a second time interval based on the frequency in each of the plurality of cycles, and acquiring an addition value of a plurality of the laser light intensities mutually corresponding for the same number of times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Yuya Iwazaki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Hiromichi Tozuka
  • Patent number: 11879731
    Abstract: A mirror unit 2 includes a mirror device 20 including a base 21 and a movable mirror 22, an optical function member 13, and a fixed mirror 16 that is disposed on a side opposite to the mirror device 20 with respect to the optical function member 13. The mirror device 20 is provided with a light passage portion 24 that constitutes a first portion of an optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. The optical function member 13 is provided with a light transmitting portion 14 that constitutes a second portion of the optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. A second surface 21b of the base 21 and a third surface 13a of the optical function member 13 are joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Yutaka Kuramoto, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa, Hirokazu Yamamoto, Takuo Koyama
  • Patent number: 11740452
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a base that includes a main surface; a movable unit that includes an optical function unit; and an elastic support unit that is connected between the base and the movable unit, and supports the movable unit so that the movable unit is movable along a first direction perpendicular to the main surface. The elastic support unit includes a lever, a first torsion support portion that extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is connected between the lever and the movable unit, and a second torsion support portion that extends along the second direction and is connected between the lever and the base. A torsional spring constant of the first torsion support portion is greater than a torsional spring constant of the second torsion support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11733509
    Abstract: An optical device includes an elastic support portion which includes a torsion bar which extends along a second direction perpendicular to a first direction and a nonlinearity relaxation spring which is connected between the torsion bar and a movable portion. The nonlinearity relaxation spring is configured so that a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring around the second direction is smaller than a deformation amount of the torsion bar around the second direction and a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction is larger than a deformation amount of the torsion bar in the third direction while the movable portion moves in the first direction. A comb electrode is disposed along an outer edge of the movable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11703680
    Abstract: An optical device includes: a base that includes a main surface; a movable unit that includes an optical function unit; and an elastic support unit that is connected between the base and the movable unit, and supports the movable unit so that the movable unit is movable along a first direction perpendicular to the main surface. The elastic support unit includes a lever, a first torsion support portion that extends along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and is connected between the lever and the movable unit, and a second torsion support portion that extends along the second direction and is connected between the lever and the base. A torsional spring constant of the first torsion support portion is greater than a torsional spring constant of the second torsion support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11703679
    Abstract: An optical device includes an elastic support portion which includes a torsion bar which extends along a second direction perpendicular to a first direction and a nonlinearity relaxation spring which is connected between the torsion bar and a movable portion. The nonlinearity relaxation spring is configured so that a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring around the second direction is smaller than a deformation amount of the torsion bar around the second direction and a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction is larger than a deformation amount of the torsion bar in the third direction while the movable portion moves in the first direction. A comb electrode is disposed along an outer edge of the movable portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Publication number: 20230221106
    Abstract: In an optical device, a base and a movable unit are constituted by a semiconductor substrate including a first semiconductor layer, an insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer in this order from one side in a predetermined direction. The base is constituted by the first semiconductor layer, the insulating layer, and the second semiconductor layer. The movable unit includes an arrangement portion that is constituted by the second semiconductor layer. The optical function unit is disposed on a surface of the arrangement portion on the one side. The first semiconductor layer that constitutes the base is thicker than the second semiconductor layer that constitutes the base. A surface of the base on the one side is located more to the one side than the optical function unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Gugimoto, Yutaka Kuramoto, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 11693230
    Abstract: In an optical device, when viewed from a first direction, first, second, third, and fourth movable comb electrodes are respectively disposed between a first support portion and a first end of a movable unit, between a second support portion and a second end of the movable unit, between a third support portion and the first end, and between a fourth support portion and the second end of the movable unit. The first and second support portions respectively include first and second rib portions formed so that the thickness of each of the first and second support portions becomes greater than the thickness of the first torsion bar. The third and fourth support portions respectively include third and fourth rib portions formed so that the thickness of each of the third and fourth support portions becomes greater than the thickness of the second torsion bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11681121
    Abstract: In an optical device, a movable unit includes a main body portion, a frame portion that surrounds the main body portion with a predetermined interval from the main body portion, and a plurality of connection portions which connect the main body portion and the frame portion to each other. A width of each of the connection portions is larger than an interval between the main body portion and the frame portion, and is smaller than a distance from a connection position with each of the connection portions in the frame portion to any of a connection position with each of a pair of first torsion support portions and a connection position with each of a pair of second torsion support portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11650411
    Abstract: In an optical device, when viewed from a first direction, first, second, third, and fourth movable comb electrodes are respectively disposed between a first support portion and a first end of a movable unit, between a second support portion and a second end of the movable unit, between a third support portion and the first end, and between a fourth support portion and the second end of the movable unit. The first and second support portions respectively include first and second rib portions formed so that the thickness of each of the first and second support portions becomes greater than the thickness of the first torsion bar. The third and fourth support portions respectively include third and fourth rib portions formed so that the thickness of each of the third and fourth support portions becomes greater than the thickness of the second torsion bar.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Publication number: 20230138044
    Abstract: An optical device includes a support portion a movable unit and a pair of torsion bars disposed on both sides of the movable unit on a first axis. The movable unit includes a main body portion, a ring-shaped portion surrounding the main body portion when viewed from a predetermined direction perpendicular to the first axis, two connection portions connecting the main body portion and the ring-shaped portion to each other, and a rib portion provided to the main body portion. Each of the two connection portions includes two connection regions that are separated from each other by a space and the each of the two connection region connects the main body portion and the ring-shaped portion to each other. The rib portion includes four extending portions radially extending between a center of the main body portion and the four connection regions respectively when viewed from the predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2022
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Applicant: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Yutaka Kuramoto, Daiki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11635613
    Abstract: An optical device includes an elastic support portion which includes a torsion bar extending in a second direction perpendicular to a first direction and a nonlinearity relaxation spring connected between the torsion bar and a movable portion. The nonlinearity relaxation spring is configured so that a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring around the second direction is smaller than a deformation amount of the torsion bar around the second direction and a deformation amount of the nonlinearity relaxation spring in a third direction perpendicular to the first direction and the second direction is larger than a deformation amount of the torsion bar in the third direction while the movable portion moves in the first direction. A first comb finger of a first comb electrode and a second comb finger of a second comb electrode which are adjacent to each other face each other in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11635290
    Abstract: An optical module includes a mirror unit and a beam splitter unit. The mirror unit includes a base with a main surface, a movable mirror, a first fixed mirror, and a drive unit. The beam splitter unit constitutes a first interference optical system for measurement light along with the movable mirror and the first fixed mirror. A mirror surface of the movable mirror and a mirror surface of the first fixed mirror follow a plane parallel to the main surface and face one side in a first direction perpendicular to the main surface. The movable mirror, the drive unit, and at least a part of an optical path between the beam splitter unit and the first fixed mirror are disposed in an airtight space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 11629947
    Abstract: In an optical device, a base and a movable unit are constituted by a semiconductor substrate including a first semiconductor layer, an insulating layer, and a second semiconductor layer in this order from one side in a predetermined direction. The base is constituted by the first semiconductor layer, the insulating layer, and the second semiconductor layer. The movable unit includes an arrangement portion that is constituted by the second semiconductor layer. The optical function unit is disposed on a surface of the arrangement portion on the one side. The first semiconductor layer that constitutes the base is thicker than the second semiconductor layer that constitutes the base. A surface of the base on the one side is located more to the one side than the optical function unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Yutaka Kuramoto, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa
  • Patent number: 11629946
    Abstract: A mirror unit 2 includes a mirror device 20 including a base 21 and a movable mirror 22, an optical function member 13, and a fixed mirror 16 that is disposed on a side opposite to the mirror device 20 with respect to the optical function member 13. The mirror device 20 is provided with a light passage portion 24 that constitutes a first portion of an optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. The optical function member 13 is provided with a light transmitting portion 14 that constitutes a second portion of the optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. A second surface 21b of the base 21 and a third surface 13a of the optical function member 13 are joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Yutaka Kuramoto, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa, Hirokazu Yamamoto, Takuo Koyama
  • Patent number: 11624605
    Abstract: A mirror unit 2 includes a mirror device 20 including a base 21 and a movable mirror 22, an optical function member 13, and a fixed mirror 16 that is disposed on a side opposite to the mirror device 20 with respect to the optical function member 13. The optical function member 13 is provided with a light transmitting portion 14 that constitutes a part of an optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. The light transmitting portion 14 is a portion that corrects an optical path difference that occurs between an optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the movable mirror 22 and the optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. The second surface 21b of the base 21 and the third surface 13a of the optical function member 13 are joined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Yutaka Kuramoto, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa, Hirokazu Yamamoto, Takuo Koyama
  • Patent number: 11579438
    Abstract: An optical module includes a support layer, a device layer which is provided on the support layer, and a movable mirror which is mounted in the device layer. The device layer has a mounting region in which the movable mirror is mounted, and a driving region which is connected to the mounting region. A space corresponding to at least the mounting region and the driving region is formed between the support layer and the device layer. The mounting region is disposed between a pair of elastic support regions included in the driving region and is supported by the pair of elastic support regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Kyosuke Kotani
  • Patent number: 11561388
    Abstract: A light module includes an optical element and a base on which the optical element is mounted. The optical element has an optical portion which has an optical surface; an elastic portion which is provided around the optical portion such that an annular region is formed; and a pair of support portions which is provided such that the optical portion is sandwiched in a first direction along the optical surface and in which an elastic force is applied and a distance therebetween is able to be changed in accordance with elastic deformation of the elastic portion. The base has a main surface, and a mounting region in which an opening communicating with the main surface is provided. The support portions are inserted into the opening in a state where an elastic force of the elastic portion is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: HAMAMATSU PHOTONICS K.K.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Sugimoto, Kyosuke Kotani, Tomofumi Suzuki, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa, Nao Inoue, Masashi Ito, Yutaka Kuramoto
  • Publication number: 20230003504
    Abstract: A mirror unit 2 includes a mirror device 20 including a base 21 and a movable mirror 22, an optical function member 13, and a fixed mirror 16 that is disposed on a side opposite to the mirror device 20 with respect to the optical function member 13. The mirror device 20 is provided with a light passage portion 24 that constitutes a first portion of an optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. The optical function member 13 is provided with a light transmitting portion 14 that constitutes a second portion of the optical path between the beam splitter unit 3 and the fixed mirror 16. A second surface 21b of the base 21 and a third surface 13a of the optical function member 13 are joined to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2022
    Publication date: January 5, 2023
    Applicant: Hamamatsu Photonics K.K.
    Inventors: Tomofumi Suzuki, Kyosuke Kotani, Tatsuya Sugimoto, Yutaka Kuramoto, Katsumi Shibayama, Noburo Hosokawa, Hirokazu Yamamoto, Takuo Koyama