Patents by Inventor Masafumi Nomura
Masafumi Nomura 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: 9437594Abstract: A nitride insulating film which prevents diffusion of hydrogen into an oxide semiconductor film in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Further, a semiconductor device which has favorable electrical characteristics by using a transistor including a silicon semiconductor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Two nitride insulating films having different functions are provided between the transistor including a silicon semiconductor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Specifically, a first nitride insulating film which contains hydrogen is provided over the transistor including a silicon semiconductor, and a second nitride insulating film which has a lower hydrogen content than the first nitride insulating film and functions as a barrier film against hydrogen is provided between the first nitride insulating film and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor.Type: GrantFiled: July 22, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Yoshinori Ieda, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo
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Publication number: 20160247903Abstract: In a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, the amount of oxygen vacancies is reduced. Moreover, electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor are improved. The semiconductor device includes a transistor including a gate electrode over a substrate, a gate insulating film covering the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode with the gate insulating film provided therebetween, and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; and over the transistor, a first insulating film covering the gate insulating film, the oxide semiconductor film, and the pair of electrodes; and a second insulating film covering the first insulating film. An etching rate of the first insulating film is lower than or equal to 10 nm/min and lower than an etching rate of the second insulating film when etching is performed at 25° C. with 0.5 weight % of hydrofluoric acid.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2016Publication date: August 25, 2016Inventors: Kenichi OKAZAKI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshinari SASAKI
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Patent number: 9412874Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a first gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, a second gate insulating layer being over the first gate insulating layer and having a smaller thickness than the first gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the second gate insulating layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The first gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a spin density of 1×1017 spins/cm3 or less corresponding to a signal that appears at a g-factor of 2.003 in electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The second gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a lower hydrogen concentration than the first gate insulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2015Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki
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Patent number: 9337342Abstract: In a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, the amount of oxygen vacancies is reduced. Moreover, electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor are improved. The semiconductor device includes a transistor including a gate electrode over a substrate, a gate insulating film covering the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode with the gate insulating film provided therebetween, and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; and over the transistor, a first insulating film covering the gate insulating film, the oxide semiconductor film, and the pair of electrodes; and a second insulating film covering the first insulating film. An etching rate of the first insulating film is lower than or equal to 10 nm/min and lower than an etching rate of the second insulating film when etching is performed at 25° C. with 0.5 weight % of hydrofluoric acid.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshinari Sasaki
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Patent number: 9320111Abstract: A light-emitting device that is less influenced by variations in threshold voltage of a transistor is provided. Further, a light-emitting device in which variations in luminance due to variations in threshold voltage of a transistor can be reduced is provided. Further, influences due to variations in threshold voltage of a transistor are corrected in a short time. A light-emitting element, a transistor functioning as a switch supplying current to the light-emitting element, and a circuit in which threshold voltage of the transistor is obtained and voltage between a gate and a source (gate voltage) of the transistor is corrected in accordance with the obtained threshold voltage are included. An n-channel transistor in which threshold voltage changes in a positive direction and the amount of the change is small is used. When the threshold voltage of the transistor is obtained, the gate voltage of the transistor is adjusted as appropriate.Type: GrantFiled: May 23, 2013Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyake, Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
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Publication number: 20160028034Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flexible semiconductor device is disclosed. The method includes: forming a separation layer of a metal over a substrate; treating the separation layer with plasma under an atmosphere containing nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, and hydrogen; forming a layer over the plasma-treated separation layer, the layer being capable of supplying hydrogen and nitrogen to the separation layer; forming a functional layer over the separation layer; performing heat treatment to promote the release of hydrogen and nitrogen from the layer; and separating the substrate at the separation layer. The method allows the formation of an extremely thin oxide layer over the separation layer, which facilitates the separation, reduces the probability that the oxide layer remains under the layer, and contributes to the increase in efficiency of a device included in the functional layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Seiji YASUMOTO, Masataka SATO, Masafumi NOMURA, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO
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Publication number: 20160027926Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, an oxide insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer being above and in contact with the oxide insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a silicon film containing nitrogen. The oxide insulating layer contains one or more metal elements selected from the constituent elements of the oxide semiconductor layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer is larger than that of the oxide insulating layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI
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Patent number: 9159837Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, an oxide insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer being above and in contact with the oxide insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a silicon film containing nitrogen. The oxide insulating layer contains one or more metal elements selected from the constituent elements of the oxide semiconductor layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer is larger than that of the oxide insulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2013Date of Patent: October 13, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki
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Publication number: 20150236168Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a first gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, a second gate insulating layer being over the first gate insulating layer and having a smaller thickness than the first gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the second gate insulating layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The first gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a spin density of 1×1017 spins/cm3 or less corresponding to a signal that appears at a g-factor of 2.003 in electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The second gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a lower hydrogen concentration than the first gate insulating layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 7, 2015Publication date: August 20, 2015Inventors: Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI
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Patent number: 9064853Abstract: A semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor and including a more excellent gate insulating film is provided. A highly reliable and electrically stable semiconductor device having a small number of changes in the film structure, the process conditions, the manufacturing apparatus, or the like from a mass production technology that has been put into practical use is provided. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film formed over the gate electrode, and an oxide semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film. The gate insulating film includes a silicon nitride oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film formed over the silicon nitride oxide film, and a metal oxide film formed over the silicon oxynitride film. The oxide semiconductor film is formed over and in contact with the metal oxide film.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2012Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masafumi Nomura, Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
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Patent number: 9054200Abstract: Electric characteristics of a semiconductor device using an oxide semiconductor are improved. Further, a highly reliable semiconductor device in which a variation in electric characteristics with time or a variation in electric characteristics due to a gate BT stress test with light irradiation is small is manufactured. A transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with part of the gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween, and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The gate insulating film is an insulating film whose film density is higher than or equal to 2.26 g/cm3 and lower than or equal to 2.63 g/cm3 and whose spin density of a signal with a g value of 2.001 is 2×1015 spins/cm3 or less in electron spin resonance.Type: GrantFiled: April 4, 2013Date of Patent: June 9, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi
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Patent number: 9048324Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a first gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, a second gate insulating layer being over the first gate insulating layer and having a smaller thickness than the first gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the second gate insulating layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The first gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a spin density of 1×1017 spins/cm3 or less corresponding to a signal that appears at a g-factor of 2.003 in electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The second gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a lower hydrogen concentration than the first gate insulating layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2013Date of Patent: June 2, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki
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Patent number: 8995607Abstract: To provide a pulse signal output circuit and a shift register which have lower power consumption, are not easily changed over time, and have a longer lifetime. A pulse signal output circuit includes a first input signal generation circuit; a second input signal generation circuit; an output circuit which includes a first transistor and a second transistor and outputs a pulse signal in response to a signal output from the first and second input signal generation circuits; a monitor circuit which obtains the threshold voltages of the first and second transistors; and a power supply output circuit which generates a power supply potential raised by a potential higher than or equal to a potential which is equal to or substantially equal to the threshold voltage and supplies the power supply potential to the first and second input signal generation circuits. A shift register includes the pulse signal output circuit.Type: GrantFiled: May 28, 2013Date of Patent: March 31, 2015Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyake, Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
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Publication number: 20140027764Abstract: A nitride insulating film which prevents diffusion of hydrogen into an oxide semiconductor film in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Further, a semiconductor device which has favorable electrical characteristics by using a transistor including a silicon semiconductor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Two nitride insulating films having different functions are provided between the transistor including a silicon semiconductor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Specifically, a first nitride insulating film which contains hydrogen is provided over the transistor including a silicon semiconductor, and a second nitride insulating film which has a lower hydrogen content than the first nitride insulating film and functions as a barrier film against hydrogen is provided between the first nitride insulating film and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 22, 2013Publication date: January 30, 2014Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Tetsuhiro TANAKA, Yoshinori IEDA, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO
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Publication number: 20140001466Abstract: In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, movement of hydrogen and nitrogen to the oxide semiconductor film is suppressed. Further, in a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. A transistor including an oxide semiconductor film and a nitride insulating film provided over the transistor are included, and an amount of hydrogen molecules released from the nitride insulating film by thermal desorption spectroscopy is less than 5×1021 molecules/cm3, preferably less than or equal to 3×1021 molecules/cm3, more preferably less than or equal to 1×1021 molecules/cm3, and an amount of ammonia molecules released from the nitride insulating film by thermal desorption spectroscopy is less than 1×1022 molecules/cm3, preferably less than or equal to 5×1021 molecules/cm3, more preferably less than or equal to 1×1021 molecules/cm3.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Toshinari SASAKI, Takashi HAMOCHI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Junichi KOEZUKA, Kenichi OKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20140001467Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor in which a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed or whose reliability is improved. In a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film in which a channel formation region is formed, an insulating film which suppresses entry of water and contains at least nitrogen and an insulating film which suppresses entry of nitrogen released form the insulating film are provided over the oxide semiconductor film. As water entering the oxide semiconductor film, water contained in the air, water in a film provided over the insulating film which suppresses entry of water, or the like can be given. Further, as the insulating film which suppresses entry of water, a nitride insulating film can be used, and the amount of hydrogen molecules released by heating from the nitride insulating film is smaller than 5.0×1021 molecules/cm3.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2013Publication date: January 2, 2014Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshinari SASAKI, Takashi HAMOCHI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Junichi KOEZUKA, Kenichi OKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20130320848Abstract: A light-emitting device that is less influenced by variations in threshold voltage of a transistor is provided. Further, a light-emitting device in which variations in luminance due to variations in threshold voltage of a transistor can be reduced is provided. Further, influences due to variations in threshold voltage of a transistor are corrected in a short time. A light-emitting element, a transistor functioning as a switch supplying current to the light-emitting element, and a circuit in which threshold voltage of the transistor is obtained and voltage between a gate and a source (gate voltage) of the transistor is corrected in accordance with the obtained threshold voltage are included. An n-channel transistor in which threshold voltage changes in a positive direction and the amount of the change is small is used. When the threshold voltage of the transistor is obtained, the gate voltage of the transistor is adjusted as appropriate.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Inventors: Hiroyuki MIYAKE, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
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Publication number: 20130322592Abstract: To provide a pulse signal output circuit and a shift register which have lower power consumption, are not easily changed over time, and have a longer lifetime. A pulse signal output circuit includes a first input signal generation circuit; a second input signal generation circuit; an output circuit which includes a first transistor and a second transistor and outputs a pulse signal in response to a signal output from the first and second input signal generation circuits; a monitor circuit which obtains the threshold voltages of the first and second transistors; and a power supply output circuit which generates a power supply potential raised by a potential higher than or equal to a potential which is equal to or substantially equal to the threshold voltage and supplies the power supply potential to the first and second input signal generation circuits. A shift register includes the pulse signal output circuit.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 28, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyake, Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
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Publication number: 20130299820Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a first gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, a second gate insulating layer being over the first gate insulating layer and having a smaller thickness than the first gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the second gate insulating layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The first gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a spin density of 1×1017 spins/cm3 or less corresponding to a signal that appears at a g-factor of 2.003 in electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The second gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a lower hydrogen concentration than the first gate insulating layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2013Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI
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Publication number: 20130299819Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, an oxide insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer being above and in contact with the oxide insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a silicon film containing nitrogen. The oxide insulating layer contains one or more metal elements selected from the constituent elements of the oxide semiconductor layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer is larger than that of the oxide insulating layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2013Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI