Patents by Inventor Masashi Oota

Masashi Oota 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: 11978742
    Abstract: A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nm? and less than or equal to 10 nm?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Takuya Hirohashi, Masashi Tsubuku, Noritaka Ishihara, Masashi Oota
  • Patent number: 11967505
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masashi Tsubuku, Masashi Oota, Yoichi Kurosawa, Noritaka Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20230369341
    Abstract: A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nm? and less than or equal to 10 nm?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: November 16, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Takuya HIROHASHI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Masashi OOTA
  • Publication number: 20230363174
    Abstract: A ferroelectric device including a metal oxide film having favorable ferroelectricity is provided. The ferroelectric device includes a first conductor, a metal oxide film over the first conductor, and a second conductor over the metal oxide film. The metal oxide film has ferroelectricity. The metal oxide film has a crystal structure. The crystal structure includes a first layer and a second layer. The first layer contains first oxygen and hafnium. The second layer contains second oxygen and zirconium. The hafnium and the zirconium are bonded to each other through the first oxygen. The second oxygen is bonded to the zirconium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yasuhiro JINBO, Hitoshi KUNITAKE, Kazuaki OHSHIMA, Masashi OOTA, Kazuma FURUTANI, Takeshi AOKI
  • Publication number: 20230335598
    Abstract: The field-effect mobility and reliability of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film are improved. A semiconductor layer of a transistor is formed using a composite oxide semiconductor in which a first region and a second region are mixed. The first region includes a plurality of first clusters containing one or more of indium, zinc, and oxygen as a main component. The second region includes a plurality of second clusters containing one or more of indium, an element M (M represents Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), zinc, and oxygen. The first region includes a portion in which the plurality of first clusters are connected to each other. The second region includes a portion in which the plurality of second clusters are connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2023
    Publication date: October 19, 2023
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yasutaka NAKAZAWA, Masashi OOTA
  • Publication number: 20230260785
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Masashi OOTA, Yoichi KUROSAWA, Noritaka ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 11652110
    Abstract: A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nm? and less than or equal to 10 nm?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Takuya Hirohashi, Masashi Tsubuku, Noritaka Ishihara, Masashi Oota
  • Patent number: 11637015
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masashi Tsubuku, Masashi Oota, Yoichi Kurosawa, Noritaka Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20230040508
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device with a novel structure. The semiconductor device includes an accelerator. The accelerator includes a first memory circuit, a second memory circuit, and an arithmetic circuit. The first memory circuit includes a first transistor. The second memory circuit includes a second transistor. Each of the first transistor and the second transistor includes a semiconductor layer including a metal oxide in a channel formation region. The arithmetic circuit includes a third transistor. The third transistor includes a semiconductor layer including silicon in a channel formation region. The first transistor and the second transistor are provided in different layers. The layer including the first transistor is provided over a layer including the third transistor. The layer including the second transistor is provided over the layer including the first transistor. The data retention characteristics of the first memory circuit are different from those of the second memory circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Publication date: February 9, 2023
    Inventors: Tatsuya ONUKI, Munehiro KOZUMA, Takeshi AOKI, Takanori MATSUZAKI, Yuki OKAMOTO, Masashi OOTA, Shuhei NAGATSUKA, Hitoshi KUNITAKE, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20220359575
    Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film having conductivity, or a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film having a light-transmitting property and conductivity. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming an oxide semiconductor film over a first insulating film, performing first heat treatment in an atmosphere where oxygen contained in the oxide semiconductor film is released, and performing second heat treatment in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere, so that an oxide semiconductor film having conductivity is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: November 10, 2022
    Inventors: Masashi OOTA, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Motoki NAKASHIMA, Yoichi KUROSAWA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yasuharu HOSAKA, Toshimitsu OBONAI, Junichi KOEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20220352384
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that is suitable for high integration is provided. A first layer provided with a first transistor including an oxide semiconductor, over a substrate; a second layer over the first layer; a third layer provided with a second transistor including an oxide semiconductor, over the second layer; a fourth layer between the first layer and the second layer; and a fifth layer between the second layer and the third layer are included. The total internal stress of the first layer and the total internal stress of the third layer act in a first direction, the total internal stress of the second layer acts in the direction opposite to the first direction, and the fourth layer and the fifth layer each include a film having a barrier property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Masashi OOTA, Yoshinori ANDO, Shuhei NAGATSUKA, Tatsuki KOSHIDA, Satoru OHSHITA, Ryota HODO, Kazuki TSUDA, Akio SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20220020586
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Masashi OOTA, Yoichi KUROSAWA, Noritaka ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 11139166
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masashi Tsubuku, Masashi Oota, Yoichi Kurosawa, Noritaka Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20210225887
    Abstract: A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nm? and less than or equal to 10 nm?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventors: Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Takuya HIROHASHI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Masashi OOTA
  • Publication number: 20210151569
    Abstract: The field-effect mobility and reliability of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film are improved. A semiconductor layer of a transistor is formed using a composite oxide semiconductor in which a first region and a second region are mixed. The first region includes a plurality of first clusters containing one or more of indium, zinc, and oxygen as a main component. The second region includes a plurality of second clusters containing one or more of indium, an element M (M represents Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), zinc, and oxygen. The first region includes a portion in which the plurality of first clusters are connected to each other. The second region includes a portion in which the plurality of second clusters are connected to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yasutaka NAKAZAWA, Masashi OOTA
  • Patent number: 10892282
    Abstract: A metal oxide film including a crystal part and having highly stable physical properties is provided. The size of the crystal part is less than or equal to 10 nm, which allows the observation of circumferentially arranged spots in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the cross section of the metal oxide film when the measurement area is greater than or equal to 5 nm? and less than or equal to 10 nm?.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Takahashi, Takuya Hirohashi, Masashi Tsubuku, Noritaka Ishihara, Masashi Oota
  • Patent number: 10886373
    Abstract: The field-effect mobility and reliability of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film are improved. A semiconductor layer of a transistor is formed using a composite oxide semiconductor in which a first region and a second region are mixed. The first region includes a plurality of first clusters containing one or more of indium, zinc, and oxygen as a main component. The second region includes a plurality of second clusters containing one or more of indium, an element M (M represents Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), zinc, and oxygen. The first region includes a portion in which the plurality of first clusters are connected to each other. The second region includes a portion in which the plurality of second clusters are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yasutaka Nakazawa, Masashi Oota
  • Publication number: 20200144059
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2019
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masashi TSUBUKU, Masashi OOTA, Yoichi KUROSAWA, Noritaka ISHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20200035711
    Abstract: To provide a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film having conductivity, or a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor film having a light-transmitting property and conductivity. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming an oxide semiconductor film over a first insulating film, performing first heat treatment in an atmosphere where oxygen contained in the oxide semiconductor film is released, and performing second heat treatment in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere, so that an oxide semiconductor film having conductivity is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventors: Masashi OOTA, Noritaka ISHIHARA, Motoki NAKASHIMA, Yoichi KUROSAWA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yasuharu HOSAKA, Toshimitsu OBONAI, Junichi KOEZUKA
  • Patent number: 10522347
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a sputtering target with which an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects can be formed is provided. Alternatively, an oxide semiconductor film with a small amount of defects is formed. A method for manufacturing a sputtering target is provided, which includes the steps of: forming a polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide (M represents a metal chosen among aluminum, titanium, gallium, yttrium, zirconium, lanthanum, cesium, neodymium, and hafnium) powder by mixing, sintering, and grinding indium oxide, an oxide of the metal, and zinc oxide; forming a mixture by mixing the polycrystalline In-M-Zn oxide powder and a zinc oxide powder; forming a compact by compacting the mixture; and sintering the compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masashi Tsubuku, Masashi Oota, Yoichi Kurosawa, Noritaka Ishihara