Patents by Inventor Masashi Tsubuku

Masashi Tsubuku 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: 20220231149
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprises forming an oxide semiconductor layer, forming a gate insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer and covering the oxide semiconductor layer, and forming a gate electrode on the gate insulating layer so as to overlap the oxide semiconductor layer, and injecting boron through the gate electrode and the gate insulating layer after forming the gate electrode, wherein a boron concentration included in a region of the gate insulating layer overlapping the gate electrode is in a range of 1E+16 [atoms/cm3] or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiro HANADA, Kentaro MIURA, Hajime WATAKABE, Masashi TSUBUKU, Toshinari SASAKI, Takaya TAMARU, Takeshi SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20220190163
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a first insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor disposed on the first insulating layer, a second insulating layer which covers the oxide semiconductor and a gate electrode disposed on the second insulating layer and overlapping the oxide semiconductor. The oxide semiconductor includes a first region overlapping the gate electrode and a second region not overlapping the gate electrode. The first insulating layer, the second region and the second insulating layer contain impurities of a same type. The impurities contained in a region directly below the second region in the first insulating layer are more than the impurities contained in the second region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi SAKAI, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20220190164
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor. The oxide semiconductor includes a first edge portion and a second edge portion intersecting a gate electrode, a first area overlapping the gate electrode, a second area along the first edge portion, a third area along the second edge portion, a fourth area the first edge portion, a fifth area along the second edge portion, a sixth area surrounded by the first area, the second area and the third area, and a seventh area surrounded by the first area, the fourth area and the fifth area. The first area, the second area and the third area, the fourth area and the fifth area have a higher resistivity than those of the sixth area and the seventh area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Hajime WATAKABE, Kentaro MIURA, Toshinari SASAKI, Takeshi SAKAI, Akihiro HANADA, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Patent number: 11352690
    Abstract: A metal oxide film containing a crystal part is provided. Alternatively, a metal oxide film with highly stable physical properties is provided. Alternatively, a metal oxide film with improved electrical characteristics is provided. Alternatively, a metal oxide film with which field-effect mobility can be increased is provided. A metal oxide film including In, M (M is Al, Ga, Y, or Sn), and Zn includes a first crystal part and a second crystal part; the first crystal part has c-axis alignment; the second crystal part has no c-axis alignment; and the existing proportion of the second crystal part is higher than the existing proportion of the first crystal part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichi Koezuka, Kenichi Okazaki, Masashi Tsubuku
  • Patent number: 11342463
    Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising: an oxide semiconductor layer including indium; a gate electrode facing to the oxide semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode; a first conductive layer arranged above the oxide semiconductor layer and being in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer from above the oxide semiconductor layer; an oxide portion formed on the oxide semiconductor layer and at an edge of the first conductive layer, the oxide portion being a oxide of the first conductive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Toda, Masashi Tsubuku
  • Publication number: 20220149203
    Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to suppress a variation in a threshold voltage (? Vth) in a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) using an oxide semiconductor. The present invention takes a structure as follows to attain this purpose. A semiconductor device having TFT using an oxide semiconductor including: a channel region, a source region, a drain region, and a transition region between the channel region and the source region and between the channel region and the drain region, in which a resistivity of the transition region is smaller than that of the channel region, and larger than that of the source region or the drain region; a source electrode is formed overlapping the source region, and a drain electrode is formed overlapping the drain region; and a thickness of the transition region of the oxide semiconductor is larger than a thickness of the channel region of the oxide semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2022
    Publication date: May 12, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Akihiro HANADA, Takuo KAITOH, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20220123149
    Abstract: A logic circuit includes a thin film transistor having a channel formation region formed using an oxide semiconductor, and a capacitor having terminals one of which is brought into a floating state by turning off the thin film transistor. The oxide semiconductor has a hydrogen concentration of 5×1019 (atoms/cm3) or less and thus substantially serves as an insulator in a state where an electric field is not generated. Therefore, off-state current of a thin film transistor can be reduced, leading to suppressing the leakage of electric charge stored in a capacitor, through the thin film transistor. Accordingly, a malfunction of the logic circuit can be prevented. Further, the excessive amount of current which flows in the logic circuit can be reduced through the reduction of off-state current of the thin film transistor, resulting in low power consumption of the logic circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Jun KOYAMA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kosei NODA
  • Patent number: 11302824
    Abstract: A logic circuit includes a thin film transistor having a channel formation region formed using an oxide semiconductor, and a capacitor having terminals one of which is brought into a floating state by turning off the thin film transistor. The oxide semiconductor has a hydrogen concentration of 5×1019 (atoms/cm3) or less and thus substantially serves as an insulator in a state where an electric field is not generated. Therefore, off-state current of a thin film transistor can be reduced, leading to suppressing the leakage of electric charge stored in a capacitor, through the thin film transistor. Accordingly, a malfunction of the logic circuit can be prevented. Further, the excessive amount of current which flows in the logic circuit can be reduced through the reduction of off-state current of the thin film transistor, resulting in low power consumption of the logic circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Masashi Tsubuku, Kosei Noda
  • Publication number: 20220077344
    Abstract: A photo sensor circuit includes: a photo transistor; a first switching transistor; a second switching transistor; and a capacitance element. The photo transistor includes: a gate connected to a first wiring; a source connected to a second wiring; and a drain. The first switching transistor includes: a gate connected to a third wiring; a source connected to a fourth wiring; and a drain connected to the drain of the photo transistor. The capacitance element includes: a first terminal connected to the drain of the photo transistor; and a second terminal connected to the source of the first switching transistor. The second switching transistor includes: a gate connected to a gate line; a source connected to a signal line; and a drain connected to the first terminal of the capacitance element. The photo transistor, first switching transistor, and second transistor each include an oxide semiconductor layer as a channel layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2021
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi TSUBUKU, Takanori TSUNASHIMA, Marina MOCHIZUKI
  • 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
  • Publication number: 20220013668
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor layer including indium, a gate electrode facing the oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer between the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, and a first electrode arranged above the oxide semiconductor layer and being in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer from above the oxide semiconductor layer. The indium is unevenly distributed in an unevenly distributed region among the oxide semiconductor layer. The unevenly distributed region overlaps with the first conductive layer in a planar view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Tatsuya TODA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Toshinari SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220004039
    Abstract: A display device comprising a transistor and a display element over the transistor, wherein the transistor includes a gate electrode on an insulating surface, a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode, and source/drain electrodes on the oxide semiconductor layer and the gate insulating layer, each including a first conductive layer containing nitrogen and a second conductive layer on the first conductive layer, and an insulating layer contains oxygen on the oxide semiconductor layer and the source/drain electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi TSUBUKU, Takeshi SAKAI, Tatsuya TODA
  • Publication number: 20220004071
    Abstract: A display device includes: a display portion, a first transistor arranged in the display portion and including a first semiconductor layer, a second transistor arranged adjacent to the first transistor in the display portion and including a second semiconductor layer arranged in a different layer from the first semiconductor layer, a first signal line connected to the first transistor, a second signal lime connected to the second transistor, a gate line overlapping the first transistor and the second transistor, and a display element arranged on the first transistor and the second transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Applicant: Japan Display Inc.
    Inventors: Masashi TSUBUKU, Makoto UCHIDA, Takashi NAKAMURA
  • Patent number: 11217701
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film which includes oxidized material containing silicon and covers the gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film provided to be in contact with the gate insulating film and overlap with at least the gate electrode, and a source electrode and a drain electrode electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film. In the oxide semiconductor film, a first region which is provided to be in contact with the gate insulating film and have a thickness less than or equal to 5 nm has a silicon concentration lower than or equal to 1.0 at. %, and a region in the oxide semiconductor film other than the first region has lower silicon concentration than the first region. At least the first region includes a crystal portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Honda, Masashi Tsubuku, Yusuke Nonaka, Takashi Shimazu, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11189745
    Abstract: The problem of the present disclosure is to provide a photo sensor circuit that uses oxide semiconductor transistors and the operation of which is stable. The photo sensor circuit includes: a photo transistor; a first switching transistor; a second switching transistor; and a capacitance element. The photo transistor includes: a gate connected to a first wiring; a source connected to a second wiring; and a drain. The first switching transistor includes: a gate connected to a third wiring; a source connected to a fourth wiring; and a drain connected to the drain of the photo transistor. The capacitance element includes: a first terminal connected to the drain of the photo transistor; and a second terminal connected to the source of the first switching transistor. The second switching transistor includes: a gate connected to a gate line; a source connected to a signal line; and a drain connected to the first terminal of the capacitance element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: JAPAN DISPLAY INC.
    Inventors: Masashi Tsubuku, Takanori Tsunashima, Marina Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20210366944
    Abstract: It is an object to manufacture a highly reliable display device using a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and high reliability as a switching element. In a bottom gate thin film transistor including an amorphous oxide semiconductor, an oxide conductive layer having a crystal region is formed between an oxide semiconductor layer which has been dehydrated or dehydrogenated by heat treatment and each of a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer which are formed using a metal material. Accordingly, contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and each of the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer can be reduced; thus, a thin film transistor having favorable electric characteristics and a highly reliable display device using the thin film transistor can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Toshinari SASAKI, Junichiro SAKATA, Masashi TSUBUKU
  • Publication number: 20210358766
    Abstract: An object is to provide a display device with excellent display characteristics, where a pixel circuit and a driver circuit provided over one substrate are formed using transistors which have different structures corresponding to characteristics of the respective circuits. The driver circuit portion includes a driver circuit transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using a metal film, and a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel portion includes a pixel transistor in which a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer are formed using an oxide conductor, and a semiconductor layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor. The pixel transistor is formed using a light-transmitting material, and thus, a display device with higher aperture ratio can be manufactured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichiro SAKATA, Masashi TSUBUKU, Kengo AKIMOTO, Miyuki HOSOBA, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Yoshiaki OIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210343877
    Abstract: A display device including a pixel having a memory. The pixel includes at least a display element, a capacitor, an inverter, and a switch. The switch is controlled with a signal held in the capacitor and a signal output from the inverter so that voltage is supplied to the display element. The inverter and the switch can be constituted by transistors with the same polarity. A semiconductor layer included in the pixel may be formed using a light-transmitting material. Moreover, a gate electrode, a drain electrode, and a capacitor electrode may be formed using a light-transmitting conductive layer. The pixel is formed using a light-transmitting material in such a manner, whereby the display device can be a transmissive display device while including a pixel having a memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Hajime KIMURA, Kengo AKIMOTO, Masashi TSUBUKU, Toshinari SASAKI
  • 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: 20210305413
    Abstract: The on-state characteristics of a transistor are improved and thus, a semiconductor device capable of high-speed response and high-speed operation is provided. A highly reliable semiconductor device showing stable electric characteristics is made. The semiconductor device includes a transistor including a first oxide layer; an oxide semiconductor layer over the first oxide layer; a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; a second oxide layer over the oxide semiconductor layer; a gate insulating layer over the second oxide layer; and a gate electrode layer over the gate insulating layer. An end portion of the second oxide layer and an end portion of the gate insulating layer overlap with the source electrode layer and the drain electrode layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Publication date: September 30, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Hideomi SUZAWA, Shinya SASAGAWA, Motomu KURATA, Masashi TSUBUKU