Patents by Inventor Masaya Ehira
Masaya Ehira 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: 9334559Abstract: The present invention provides a Cu—In—Ga—Se powder containing Cu, In, Ga and Se in which cracks do not occur during sintering or processing, and a sintered body and sputtering target, each using the same. The present invention relates to a powder containing Cu, In Ga and Se, which contains a Cu—In—Ga—Se compound and/or a Cu—In—Se compound in an amount of 60 mass % or more in total. The powder of the present invention preferably contains an In—Se compound in an amount of 20 mass % or less and/or a Cu—In compound in an amount of 20 mass % or less.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 2011Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignees: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., HYOGO PREFECTUREInventors: Masaya Ehira, Akira Nambu, Shigeo Kashiwai, Masafumi Fukuzumi
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Patent number: 9212418Abstract: The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La system Al-based alloy sputtering target where a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, and a total area of an Al—La system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—La system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2007Date of Patent: December 15, 2015Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Masaya Ehira, Katsutoshi Takagi, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Yoichiro Yoneda, Hiroshi Gotou
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Patent number: 9058914Abstract: This oxide sintered compact is obtained by mixing and sintering powders of zinc oxide, tin oxide and indium oxide. As determined by X-ray diffractometry of this oxide sintered compact, the oxide sintered compact has a Zn2SnO4 phase as the main phase and contains an In/In2O3—ZnSnO3 solid solution wherein In and/or In2O3 is solid-solved in ZnSnO3, but a ZnxInyOz phase (wherein x, y and z each represents an arbitrary positive integer) is not detected. Consequently, the present invention was able to provide an oxide sintered compact which is suitable for use in the production of an oxide semiconductor film for display devices and has both high electrical conductivity and high relative density. The oxide sintered compact is capable of forming an oxide semiconductor film that has high carrier mobility.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2011Date of Patent: June 16, 2015Assignee: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Hiroshi Goto, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Yoichiro Yoneda
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Patent number: 8580093Abstract: The present invention provides a technique capable of decreasing a generation of splashing upon depositing by using an Al—Ni—La—Cu alloy sputtering target comprising Ni, La, and Cu. The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Cu alloy sputtering target comprising Ni, La and Cu, in which (1) a total area of an Al—Ni intermetallic compound mainly comprising Al and Ni and having an average grain size of 0.3 ?m or more and 3 ?m or less is 70% or more by area ratio based on an entire area of the Al—Ni intermetallic compound, and (2) a total area of an Al—La—Cu intermetallic compound mainly comprising Al, La and Cu and having an average grain size of 0.2 ?m or more and 2 ?m or less is 70% or more by area ratio based on an entire area of the Al—La—Cu intermetallic compound, in a case where a portion of the sputtering target is observed within a range of from ¼t (t: thickness) to ¾t along a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target by using a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2009Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignees: Kobelco Research Institute Inc., Kobe Steel, Ltd.Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Masaya Ehira, Yuki Iwasaki, Hiroshi Goto
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Publication number: 20130234081Abstract: This oxide sintered compact is obtained by mixing and sintering powders of zinc oxide, tin oxide and indium oxide. As determined by X-ray diffractometry of this oxide sintered compact, the oxide sintered compact has a Zn2SnO4 phase as the main phase and contains an In/In2O3—ZnSnO3 solid solution wherein In and/or In2O3 is solid-solved in ZnSnO3, but a ZnxInyOz phase (wherein x, y and z each represents an arbitrary positive integer) is not detected. Consequently, the present invention was able to provide an oxide sintered compact which is suitable for use in the production of an oxide semiconductor film for display devices and has both high electrical conductivity and high relative density. The oxide sintered compact is capable of forming an oxide semiconductor film that has high carrier mobility.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2011Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Hiroshi Goto, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Yoichiro Yoneda
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Publication number: 20130098758Abstract: The present invention provides a Cu—In—Ga—Se powder containing Cu, In, Ga and Se in which cracks do not occur during sintering or processing, and a sintered body and sputtering target, each using the same. The present invention relates to a powder containing Cu, In Ga and Se, which contains a Cu—In—Ga—Se compound and/or a Cu—In—Se compound in an amount of 60 mass % or more in total. The powder of the present invention preferably contains an In—Se compound in an amount of 20 mass % or less and/or a Cu—In compound in an amount of 20 mass % or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 27, 2011Publication date: April 25, 2013Applicants: HYOGO PREFECTURE, KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Masaya Ehira, Akira Nambu, Shigeo Kashiwai, Masafumi Fukuzumi
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Publication number: 20120181172Abstract: Disclosed is a metal oxide-metal composite sputtering target which is useful for the formation of a recording layer for an optical information recording medium, said recording layer containing a metal oxide and a metal. Specifically disclosed is a composite sputtering target containing a metal oxide (A) and a metal (B), wherein the maximum value of the circle-equivalent diameter of the metal oxide (A) is controlled to 200 ?m or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2010Publication date: July 19, 2012Applicant: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Hitoshi Matsuzaki, Katsutoshi Takagi, Norihiro Jiko, Masaya Ehira
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Patent number: 8163143Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Si system Al-based alloy sputtering target including Ni, La and Si, in which, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al, Ni, La, and Si.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2008Date of Patent: April 24, 2012Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., Kobelco Research Institute, Inc.Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Akira Nanbu, Mototaka Ochi, Hiroshi Goto, Nobuyuki Kawakami
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Publication number: 20120045360Abstract: Disclosed is a Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target which enables the formation of a Cu—Ga sputtering film having excellent uniformity in film component composition (film uniformity), enables the reduction of occurrence of arcing during sputtering, has high strength, and rarely undergoes cracking during sputtering. Specifically disclosed is a Cu—Ga alloy sputtering target which comprises a Cu-based alloy containing Ga, has an average crystal particle diameter of 10 ?m or less, and has a porosity of 0.1% or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2010Publication date: February 23, 2012Applicant: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INCInventors: Hiromi Matsumura, Akira Nanbu, Masaya Ehira, Shinya Okamoto
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Publication number: 20090242394Abstract: The present invention provides an Al—(Ni, Co)—(Cu, Ge)—(La, Gd, Nd) alloy sputtering target capable of decreasing a generation of splashing in an initial stage of using the sputtering target, preventing defects caused thereby in interconnection films or the like and improving a yield and operation performance of an FPD, as well as a manufacturing method thereof. The invention relates to an Al-based alloy sputtering target which is an Al—(Ni, Co)—(Cu, Ge)—(La, Gd, Nd) alloy sputtering target comprising at least one member selected from the group A (Ni, Co), at least one member selected from the group B (Cu, Ge), and at least one member selected from the group C (La, Gd, Nd) wherein a Vickers hardness (HV) thereof is 35 or more.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicants: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC., Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho(Kobe Steel, Ltd.)Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Hiroshi Goto, Aya Miki, Hiroyuki Okuno, Mototaka Ochi, Tomoya Kishi
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Publication number: 20090242395Abstract: The present invention provides a technique capable of decreasing a generation of splashing upon depositing by using an Al—Ni—La—Cu alloy sputtering target comprising Ni, La, and Cu. The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Cu alloy sputtering target comprising Ni, La and Cu, in which (1) a total area of an Al—Ni intermetallic compound mainly comprising Al and Ni and having an average grain size of 0.3 ?m or more and 3 ?m or less is 70% or more by area ratio based on an entire area of the Al—Ni intermetallic compound, and (2) a total area of an Al—La—Cu intermetallic compound mainly comprising Al, La and Cu and having an average grain size of 0.2 ?m or more and 2 ?m or less is 70% or more by area ratio based on an entire area of the Al—La—Cu intermetallic compound, in a case where a portion of the sputtering target is observed within a range of from 1/4 t (t: thickness) to 3/4 t along a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target by using a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Applicants: KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE INC., Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel Ltd.)Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Masaya Ehira, Yuki Iwasaki, Hiroshi Goto
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Publication number: 20090026072Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Si system Al-based alloy sputtering target including Ni, La and Si, in which, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al, Ni, La, and Si.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2008Publication date: January 29, 2009Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (kobe Steel Ltd.), KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Katsutoshi Takagi, Yuki Iwasaki, Masaya Ehira, Akira Nanbu, Mototaka Ochi, Hiroshi Goto, Nobuyuki Kawakami
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Publication number: 20080223718Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al-based alloy sputtering target, comprising Ni in an amount of 0.05 to 10 atomic percent, wherein the Al-based alloy sputtering target satisfies: (1) that a ratio of a P value to a total area of a sputtering surface is 70% or more, wherein the P value indicates a total of area fractions of <001>±15°, <011>±15°, <111>±15° and <311>±15°; (2) that a ratio of the area fraction of <011>±15° to the P value is 30% or more; and (3) that a ratio of the area fraction of <111>±15° to the P value is 10% or less, when crystallographic orientations <001>, <011>, <111> and <311> in a normal line direction to a sputtering surface of the Al-based alloy sputtering target are observed in accordance with the electron backscatter diffraction pattern method.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: September 18, 2008Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.), KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Katsutoshi TAKAGI, Masaya Ehira, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Yoichiro Yoneda, Hiroshi Gotou
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Publication number: 20080121522Abstract: The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La system Al-based alloy sputtering target comprising Ni and La, wherein, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—La system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—La system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—La system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and La.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.), KOBELCO RESEARCH INSTITUTE, INC.Inventors: Masaya EHIRA, Katsutoshi Takagi, Toshihiro Kugimiya, Yoichiro Yoneda, Hiroshi Gotou
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Patent number: 5462901Abstract: A cermet sintered body excellent in wear resistance, oxidation resistance and toughness, which is suitable for cutting tools. The cermet sintered body includes: a hard dispersion phase in an amount of from 70 to 95 wt. %, which contains TiC and/or Ti(C, N) and carbides (excluding TiC) and/or nitrides of one or more kinds selected from a group consisting of elements in IVa, Va, and VIa groups of the periodic system, and a binder phase in an amount of from 5 to 30 wt. %, which contains one kind or two or more kinds of iron family elements. Moreover, the average particle size of a raw powder of TiC and/or Ti(C, N) is in the range of 1.0 .mu.m or less, and TiC and/or Ti(C, N) are directly dissolved in a solid state in the carbides (excluding TiC) and/or nitrides during sintering, to form a hard dispersion phase. The hard dispersion phase thus obtained mainly contains solid-solutions without any structure having a core, and which has a uniform distribution of composition.Type: GrantFiled: May 20, 1994Date of Patent: October 31, 1995Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko ShoInventors: Akira Egami, Masaya Ehira