Patents by Inventor Masayuki Sakakura

Masayuki Sakakura 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: 11532488
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichiro Sakata, Masashi Tsubuku, Kengo Akimoto, Miyuki Hosoba, Masayuki Sakakura, Yoshiaki Oikawa
  • Patent number: 11482624
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to connect a wiring, an electrode, or the like formed with two incompatible films (an ITO film and an aluminum film) without increasing the cross-sectional area of the wiring and to achieve lower power consumption even when the screen size becomes larger. The present invention provides a two-layer structure including an upper layer and a lower layer having a larger width than the upper layer. A first conductive layer is formed with Ti or Mo, and a second conductive layer is formed with aluminum (pure aluminum) having low electric resistance over the first conductive layer. A part of the lower layer projected from the end section of the upper layer is bonded with ITO.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshinari Higaki, Masayuki Sakakura, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20220278136
    Abstract: It is an object to manufacture and provide a highly reliable display device including a thin film transistor with a high aperture ratio which has stable electric characteristics. In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a thin film transistor in which a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region is formed using an oxide semiconductor film, a heat treatment for reducing moisture and the like which are impurities and for improving the purity of the oxide semiconductor film (a heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation) is performed. Further, an aperture ratio is improved by forming a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer using conductive films having light transmitting properties.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masayuki SAKAKURA
  • Patent number: 11387263
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to decrease substantial resistance of art electrode such as a transparent electrode or a wiring, and furthermore, to provide a display device for which is possible to apply same voltage to light-emitting elements. In the invention, a auxiliary wiring that is formed in one layer in which a conductive, film of a semiconductor element such as an electrode, wiring, a signal line, a scanning line, or a power supply line is connected to an electrode typified by a second electrode, and a wiring. It is preferable that the auxiliary wiring is formed into a conductive film to include low resistive material, especially, formed to include lower resistive, material than the resistance of an electrode and a wiring that is required to reduce the resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Noriko Miyagi, Masayuki Sakakura, Tatsuya Arao, Ritsuko Nagao, Yoshifumi Tanada
  • Patent number: 11374029
    Abstract: It is an object to manufacture and provide a highly reliable display device including a thin film transistor with a high aperture ratio which has stable electric characteristics. In a manufacturing method of a semiconductor device having a thin film transistor in which a semiconductor layer including a channel formation region is formed using an oxide semiconductor film, a heat treatment for reducing moisture and the like which are impurities and for improving the purity of the oxide semiconductor film (a heat treatment for dehydration or dehydrogenation) is performed. Further, an aperture ratio is improved by forming a gate electrode layer, a source electrode layer, and a drain electrode layer using conductive films having light transmitting properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masayuki Sakakura
  • Publication number: 20220123154
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a structure which can prevent a decrease in electrical characteristics due to miniaturization is provided. The semiconductor device includes, over an insulating surface, a stack in which a first oxide semiconductor layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer are sequentially formed, and a third oxide semiconductor layer covering part of a surface of the stack. The third oxide semiconductor layer includes a first layer in contact with the stack and a second layer over the first layer. The first layer includes a microcrystalline layer, and the second layer includes a crystalline layer in which c-axes are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Hideomi SUZAWA
  • Patent number: 11310457
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a highly reliable display device at a low cost with high yield. According to the present invention, a step due to an opening in a contact is covered with an insulating layer to reduce the step, and is processed into a gentle shape. A wiring or the like is formed to be in contact with the insulating layer and thus the coverage of the wiring or the like is enhanced. In addition, deterioration of a light-emitting element due to contaminants such as water can be prevented by sealing a layer including an organic material that has water permeability in a display device with a sealing material. Since the sealing material is formed in a portion of a driver circuit region in the display device, the frame margin of the display device can be narrowed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Satoshi Murakami, Motomu Kurata, Hiroyuki Hata, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Takashi Ohtsuki, Aya Anzai, Masayuki Sakakura
  • Publication number: 20220069136
    Abstract: A transistor with small parasitic capacitance can be provided. A transistor with high frequency characteristics can be provided. A semiconductor device including the transistor can be provided. Provided is a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor, a first insulator, and a second insulator. The first conductor has a first region where the first conductor overlaps with the oxide semiconductor with the first insulator positioned therebetween; a second region where the first conductor overlaps with the second conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween; and a third region where the first conductor overlaps with the third conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween. The oxide semiconductor including a fourth region where the oxide semiconductor is in contact with the second conductor; and a fifth region where the oxide semiconductor is in contact with the third conductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masayuki SAKAKURA
  • Publication number: 20220005536
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a decrease in the yield by electrostatic destruction can be prevented is provided. A scan line driver circuit for supplying a signal for selecting a plurality of pixels to a scan line includes a shift register for generating the signal. One conductive film functioning as respective gate electrodes of a plurality of transistors in the shift register is divided into a plurality of conductive films. The divided conductive films are electrically connected to each other by a conductive film which is formed in a layer different from the divided conductive films are formed. The plurality of transistors includes a transistor on an output side of the shift register.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: January 6, 2022
    Inventors: Masayuki SAKAKURA, Yuugo GOTO, Hiroyuki MIYAKE, Daisuke KUROSAKI
  • Patent number: 11217704
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having a structure which can prevent a decrease in electrical characteristics due to miniaturization is provided. The semiconductor device includes, over an insulating surface, a stack in which a first oxide semiconductor layer and a second oxide semiconductor layer are sequentially formed, and a third oxide semiconductor layer covering part of a surface of the stack. The third oxide semiconductor layer includes a first layer in contact with the stack and a second layer over the first layer. The first layer includes a microcrystalline layer, and the second layer includes a crystalline layer in which c-axes are aligned in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masayuki Sakakura, Hideomi Suzawa
  • Publication number: 20210384356
    Abstract: To provide a transistor having a favorable electric characteristics and high reliability and a display device including the transistor. The transistor is a bottom-gate transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor for a channel region. An oxide semiconductor layer subjected to dehydration or dehydrogenation through heat treatment is used as an active layer. The active layer includes a first region of a superficial portion microcrystallized and a second region of the rest portion. By using the oxide semiconductor layer having such a structure, a change to an n-type, which is attributed to entry of moisture to the superficial portion or elimination of oxygen from the superficial portion, and generation of a parasitic channel can be suppressed. In addition, contact resistance between the oxide semiconductor layer and source and drain electrodes can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Ryosuke WATANABE, Junichiro SAKATA, Kengo AKIMOTO, Akiharu MIYANAGA, Takuya HIROHASHI, Hideyuki KISHIDA
  • 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
  • Patent number: 11177392
    Abstract: A transistor with small parasitic capacitance can be provided. A transistor with high frequency characteristics can be provided. A semiconductor device including the transistor can be provided. Provided is a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor, a first insulator, and a second insulator. The first conductor has a first region where the first conductor overlaps with the oxide semiconductor with the first insulator positioned therebetween; a second region where the first conductor overlaps with the second conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween; and a third region where the first conductor overlaps with the third conductor with the first and second insulators positioned therebetween. The oxide semiconductor including a fourth region where the oxide semiconductor is in contact with the second conductor; and a fifth region where the oxide semiconductor is in contact with the third conductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masayuki Sakakura
  • Publication number: 20210343754
    Abstract: The stability of a step of processing a wiring formed using copper, aluminum, gold, silver, molybdenum, or the like is increased. Moreover, the concentration of impurities in a semiconductor film is reduced. Moreover, the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device are improved. In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, an oxide film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and a pair of conductive films being in contact with the oxide film and including copper, aluminum, gold, silver, molybdenum, or the like, the oxide film has a plurality of crystal parts and has c-axis alignment in the crystal parts, and the c-axes are aligned in a direction parallel to a normal vector of a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film or the oxide film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichi KOEZUKA, Yasutaka NAKAZAWA, Yukinori SHIMA, Masami JINTYOU, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Motoki NAKASHIMA
  • Patent number: 11133078
    Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a decrease in the yield by electrostatic destruction can be prevented is provided. A scan line driver circuit for supplying a signal for selecting a plurality of pixels to a scan line includes a shift register for generating the signal. One conductive film functioning as respective gate electrodes of a plurality of transistors in the shift register is divided into a plurality of conductive films. The divided conductive films are electrically connected to each other by a conductive film which is formed in a layer different from the divided conductive films are formed. The plurality of transistors includes a transistor on an output side of the shift register.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakakura, Yuugo Goto, Hiroyuki Miyake, Daisuke Kurosaki
  • Publication number: 20210265394
    Abstract: An insulating film provided between adjacent pixels is referred to as a bank, a partition, a barrier, an embankment or the like, and is provided above a source wiring or a drain wiring for a thin film transistor, or a power supply line. In particular, at an intersection portion of these wirings provided in different layers, a larger step is formed there than in other portions. Even when the insulating film provided between adjacent pixels is formed by a coating method, thin portions are problematically partially formed due to this step and the withstand pressure is reduced. In the present invention, a dummy material is arranged near the large step portion, particularly, around the intersection portion of wirings, so as to alleviate unevenness formed thereover. The upper wiring and the lower wiring are arranged in a misaligned manner so as not to align the end portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 26, 2021
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakakura, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 11081505
    Abstract: An insulating film provided between adjacent pixels is referred to as a bank, a partition, a barrier, an embankment or the like, and is provided above a source wiring or a drain wiring for a thin film transistor, or a power supply line. In particular, at an intersection portion of these wirings provided in different layers, a larger step is formed there than in other portions. Even when the insulating film provided between adjacent pixels is formed by a coating method, thin portions are problematically partially formed due to this step and the withstand pressure is reduced. In the present invention, a dummy material is arranged near the large step portion, particularly, around the intersection portion of wirings, so as to alleviate unevenness formed thereover. The upper wiring and the lower wiring are arranged in a misaligned manner so as not to align the end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masayuki Sakakura, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20210217898
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to connect a wiring, an electrode, or the like formed with two incompatible films (an ITO film and an aluminum film) without increasing the cross-sectional area of the wiring and to achieve lower power consumption even when the screen size becomes larger. The present invention provides a two-layer structure including an upper layer and a lower layer having a larger width than the upper layer. A first conductive layer is formed with Ti or Mo, and a second conductive layer is formed with aluminum (pure aluminum) having low electric resistance over the first conductive layer. A part of the lower layer projected from the end section of the upper layer is bonded with ITO.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinari Higaki, Masayuki SAKAKURA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 11063066
    Abstract: The stability of a step of processing a wiring formed using copper, aluminum, gold, silver, molybdenum, or the like is increased. Moreover, the concentration of impurities in a semiconductor film is reduced. Moreover, the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device are improved. In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, an oxide film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, and a pair of conductive films being in contact with the oxide film and including copper, aluminum, gold, silver, molybdenum, or the like, the oxide film has a plurality of crystal parts and has c-axis alignment in the crystal parts, and the c-axes are aligned in a direction parallel to a normal vector of a top surface of the oxide semiconductor film or the oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichi Koezuka, Yasutaka Nakazawa, Yukinori Shima, Masami Jintyou, Masayuki Sakakura, Motoki Nakashima
  • Patent number: 11056510
    Abstract: A semiconductor device that is suitable for miniaturization and higher density is provided. A semiconductor device includes a first transistor over a semiconductor substrate, a second transistor including an oxide semiconductor over the first transistor, and a capacitor over the second transistor. The capacitor includes a first conductor, a second conductor, and an insulator. The second conductor covers a side surface of the first conductor with an insulator provided therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Kiyoshi Kato, Masayuki Sakakura