Patents by Inventor Masakatsu Ikisawa

Masakatsu Ikisawa 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: 10037830
    Abstract: An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 m?·cm or less. An indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa
  • Patent number: 9663405
    Abstract: An oxide sintered compact made of indium (In), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn) and oxygen (O) and represented by a formula of InxGayZnzOa [wherein x/(x+y) is 0.2 to 0.8, z/(x+y+z) is 0.1 to 0.5, and a=(3/2)x+(3/2)y+z], wherein the concentration of volatile impurities contained in the oxide sintered compact is 20 ppm or less. Provided is technology for application to the production of an IGZO target capable of achieving high densification and low bulk resistance of the sputtering target, preventing swelling and cracks of the target during the production process, minimizing the generation of nodules, inhibiting abnormal discharge, and enabling DC sputtering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi, Kozo Osada, Takashi Kakeno, Hideo Takami
  • Publication number: 20170133116
    Abstract: An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 m?•cm or less. An indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa
  • Patent number: 9589695
    Abstract: An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 m?·cm or less. An indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa
  • Patent number: 9214253
    Abstract: A sintered indium oxide comprising niobium as an additive, wherein the ratio of the number of niobium atoms relative to the total number of atoms of all metal elements contained in the sintered compact is within a range of 1 to 4%, the relative density is 98% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.9 m?·cm or less. Provided are a sintered compact of indium oxide system and a transparent conductive film of indium oxide system, which have characteristics of high transmittance in the short wavelength and long wavelength ranges since the carrier concentration is not too high even though the resistivity thereof is low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Hideo Takami
  • Patent number: 9028726
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target suitable for producing an amorphous transparent conductive film which can be formed without heating a substrate and without feeding water during the sputtering; which is easily crystallized by low-temperature annealing; and which has low resistivity after the crystallization. An oxide sintered compact containing an indium oxide as a main component, while containing tin as a first additive element, and one or more elements selected from germanium, nickel, manganese, and aluminum as a second additive element, with the content of tin which is the first additive element being 2-15 atom % relative to the total content of indium and tin, and the total content of the second additive element being 0.1-2 atom % relative to the total content of indium, tin and the second additive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi
  • Publication number: 20140264197
    Abstract: An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 m?·cm or less. An indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa
  • Patent number: 8771557
    Abstract: An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 m?·cm or less. This invention aims to provide an indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa
  • Patent number: 8728358
    Abstract: An amorphous film comprising indium, tin, calcium and oxygen, wherein tin is contained at a ratio of 5 to 15% based on an atomicity ratio of Sn/(In+Sn+Ca) and calcium is contained at a ratio of 0.1 to 2.0% based on an atomicity ratio of Ca/(In+Sn+Ca), and remnant is indium and oxygen, is provided. The film can be crystallized by annealing at 260° C. or lower in which resistivity of the film will be 0.4 m?cm or less. In this manner, an ITO thin film for use as a display electrode or the like in a flat panel display can be made into an amorphous ITO film by way of sputter deposition without heating the substrate or adding water during deposition. This ITO film can be crystallized by annealing at a low temperature and will have low resistivity. Methods of producing such films and sintered compacts are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi, Kozo Osada, Takashi Kakeno
  • Publication number: 20120319057
    Abstract: An amorphous film comprising indium, tin, calcium and oxygen, wherein tin is contained at a ratio of 5 to 15% based on an atomicity ratio of Sn/(In+Sn+Ca) and calcium is contained at a ratio of 0.1 to 2.0% based on an atomicity ratio of Ca/(In+Sn+Ca), and remnant is indium and oxygen, is provided. The film can be crystallized by annealing at 260° C. or lower in which resistivity of the film will be 0.4 m?cm or less. In this manner, an ITO thin film for use as a display electrode or the like in a flat panel display can be made into an amorphous ITO film by way of sputter deposition without heating the substrate or adding water during deposition. This ITO film can be crystallized by annealing at a low temperature and will have low resistivity. Methods of producing such films and sintered compacts are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi, Kozo Osada, Takashi Kakeno
  • Publication number: 20120286219
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target which comprises an alkali metal, a Ib group element, a IIIb group element, and a VIb group element, and has a chalcopyrite crystal structure. Provided is a sputtering target comprising Ib-IIIb-VIb group elements and having a chalcopyrite crystal structure, which is suitable for producing, via a single sputtering process, a light-absorbing layer comprising the Ib-IIIb-VIb group elements and having the chalcopyrite crystal structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Hideo Takami, Tomoya Tamura
  • Patent number: 8277694
    Abstract: Provided is an amorphous film substantially comprised of indium, tin, calcium and oxygen, wherein tin is contained at a ratio of 5 to 15% based on an atomicity ratio of Sn/(In+Sn+Ca) and calcium is contained at a ratio of 0.1 to 2.0% based on an atomicity ratio of Ca/(In+Sn+Ca), and remnant is indium and oxygen. The film can be further crystallized by annealing at a temperature of 260° C. or lower in which resistivity of the film will be 0.4 m?cm or less. An ITO thin film for use as a display electrode or the like in a flat panel display can be made into an amorphous ITO film by way of sputter deposition without heating the substrate or adding water during deposition. This ITO film is characterized in that it will crystallize by annealing at a temperature of 260° C. or less, which is not such a high temperature, and have low resistivity after being crystallized. Thus, the present invention aims to provide a method of producing such a film and a sintered compact for producing such a film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi, Kozo Osada, Takashi Kakeno
  • Patent number: 8252206
    Abstract: Provided is an amorphous film comprised substantially of indium, tin, magnesium and oxygen, and containing tin at a ratio of 5 to 15% based on an atomicity ratio of Sn/(In+Sn+Mg) and magnesium at a ratio of 0.1 to 2.0% based on an atomicity ratio of Mg/(In+Sn+Mg) with remnant being indium and oxygen, and having a film resistivity of 0.4 m?cm or less as a result of crystallizing the film by annealing the film at a temperature of 260° C. or lower. An amorphous ITO thin film for use as a display electrode and the like in flat panel displays is obtained by way of sputter deposition without heating the substrate and without the need of adding water during the deposition. This amorphous ITO film has the property of being crystallized by annealing at 260° C. or lower, which is not such a high temperature, and having low resistivity after crystallization. Also provided are a method of producing the film and a sintered compact for producing the film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi, Kozo Osada, Takashi Kakeno
  • Publication number: 20120205242
    Abstract: A quaternary alloy sputtering target made of copper (Cu), indium (In), gallium (Ga) and selenium (Se), wherein the Cu—In—Ga—Se sputtering target has a composition that is represented by a composition formula of CuIn1?xGaxSe2?y (provided that x and y respectively represent atomic ratios), a composition range of 0<x?0.5, 0?y?0.04, and a relative density of 90% or higher. Specifically, a CIGS quaternary alloy sputtering target of high density and low oxygen concentration, and a CIGS quaternary alloy sputtering target comprising the intended bulk resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomoya Tamura, Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masaru Sakamoto, Ryo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120199796
    Abstract: A sintered indium oxide comprising niobium as an additive, wherein the ratio of the number of niobium atoms relative to the total number of atoms of all metal elements contained in the sintered compact is within a range of 1 to 4%, the relative density is 98% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.9 m?·cm or less. Provided are a sintered compact of indium oxide system and a transparent conductive film of indium oxide system, which have characteristics of high transmittance in the short wavelength and long wavelength ranges since the carrier concentration is not too high even though the resistivity thereof is low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Hideo Takami
  • Publication number: 20120103804
    Abstract: An oxide sintered compact made of indium (In), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn) and oxygen (O) and represented by a formula of InxGayZnzOa [wherein x/(x+y) is 0.2 to 0.8, z/(x+y+z) is 0.1 to 0.5, and a=(3/2)x+(3/2)y+z], wherein the concentration of volatile impurities contained in the oxide sintered compact is 20 ppm or less. Provided is technology for application to the production of an IGZO target capable of achieving high densification and low bulk resistance of the sputtering target, preventing swelling and cracks of the target during the production process, minimizing the generation of nodules, inhibiting abnormal discharge, and enabling DC sputtering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi, Kozo Osada, Takashi Kakeno, Hideo Takami
  • Patent number: 8148245
    Abstract: There is provided a method for producing an a-IGZO oxide thin film by sputtering, which can control the carrier density of the film to a given value with high reproducibility. The method is an amorphous In—Ga—Zn—O based oxide thin film production method including: providing a sintered oxide material consisting essentially of indium (In), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), and oxygen (O) as constituent elements, wherein the ratio [In]/([In]+[Ga]) of the number of indium atoms to the total number of indium and gallium atoms is from 20% to 80%, the ratio [Zn]/([In]+[Ga]+[Zn]) of the number of zinc atoms to the total number of indium, gallium and zinc atoms is from 10% to 50%, and the sintered oxide material has a specific resistance of 1.0×10?1 ?cm or less; and producing a film on a substrate by direct current sputtering at a sputtering power density of 2.5 to 5.5 W/cm2 using the sintered oxide material as a sputtering target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi
  • Publication number: 20120043509
    Abstract: An indium oxide sintered compact containing zirconium as an additive, wherein the ratio of atomic concentration of zirconium to the sum of the atomic concentration of indium and the atomic concentration of zirconium is in the range of 0.5 to 4%, the relative density is 99.3% or higher, and the bulk resistance is 0.5 m?·cm or less. This invention aims to provide an indium oxide transparent conductive film of high transmittance in the visible light region and the infrared region, with low film resistivity, and in which the crystallization temperature can be controlled, as well as the manufacturing method thereof, and an oxide sintered compact for use in producing such transparent conductive film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: JX NIPPON MINING & METALS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideo Takami, Masakatsu Ikisawa
  • Publication number: 20110306165
    Abstract: There is provided a method for producing an a-IGZO oxide thin film by sputtering, which can control the carrier density of the film to a given value with high reproducibility. The method is an amorphous In—Ga—Zn—O based oxide thin film production method including: providing a sintered oxide material consisting essentially of indium (In), gallium (Ga), zinc (Zn), and oxygen (O) as constituent elements, wherein the ratio [In]/([In]+[Ga]) of the number of indium atoms to the total number of indium and gallium atoms is from 20% to 80%, the ratio [Zn]/([In]+[Ga]+[Zn]) of the number of zinc atoms to the total number of indium, gallium and zinc atoms is from 10% to 50%, and the sintered oxide material has a specific resistance of 1.0×10?1 ?cm or less; and producing a film on a substrate by direct current sputtering at a sputtering power density of 2.5 to 5.5 W/cm2 using the sintered oxide material as a sputtering target.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2008
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: NIPPON MINING & METALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi
  • Patent number: 8007693
    Abstract: Provided is a zinc oxide transparent electric conductor having zinc oxide (ZnO) as its principal component, containing an element to become an n-type dopant to zinc oxide, containing metal M in which P(P=(G+H mix)/RT, wherein G is the Gibbs free energy at temperature T of the metal, H mix is the mixing enthalpy at temperature T of zinc oxide and the metal, R is the gas constant, and T is the temperature) as a parameter showing the wettability with zinc oxide is 6 or less and in which its resistivity is smaller than the resistivity of zinc oxide added with the n-type dopant, and wherein concentration of metal M in relation to the total atomicity of zinc and the n-type dopant and metal M, which are all metal atoms configuring the zinc oxide transparent electric conductor, is 0.05 to 2.0 at %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: JX Nippon Mining & Metals Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Ikisawa, Masataka Yahagi