Patents by Inventor Michio Mano

Michio Mano 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: 6734635
    Abstract: A process of crystallizing a semiconductor thin film previously formed on a substrate by irradiating the semiconductor thin film with a laser beam, includes: a preparation step of dividing the surface of the substrate into a plurality of division regions, and shaping a laser beam to adjust an irradiation region of the laser beam such that one of the division regions is collectively irradiated with one shot of the laser beam; a crystallization step of irradiating one of the division regions with the laser beam while optically modulating the intensity of the laser beam such that a cyclic light-and-dark pattern is projected on the irradiation region, and irradiating the same division region by at least one time after shifting the pattern such that the light and dark portions of the pattern after shifting are not overlapped to those of the pattern before shifting; and a scanning step of shifting the irradiation region of the laser beam to the next division region, and repeating the crystallization step for the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kunii, Makoto Takatoku, Michio Mano
  • Patent number: 6693258
    Abstract: A polycrystalline thin film of good quality is obtained by improving a crystallization process of a semiconductor thin film using laser light. After conducting a film forming step of forming a non-single crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of a substrate, an annealing step is conducted by irradiating with laser light to convert the non-single crystal semiconductor thin film to a polycrystalline material. The annealing step is conducted by changing and adjusting the cross sectional shape of the laser light to a prescribed region. The semiconductor thin film is irradiated once or more with a pulse of laser light having an emission time width from upstand to downfall of 50 ns or more and having a constant cross sectional area, so as to convert the semiconductor thin film contained in an irradiated region corresponding to the cross sectional area to a polycrystalline material at a time. At this time, the energy intensity of laser light from upstand to downfall is controlled to apply a desired change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yukiyasu Sugano, Masahiro Fujino, Michio Mano, Akihiko Asano, Masumitsu Ino, Takenobu Urazono, Makoto Takatoku
  • Patent number: 6632711
    Abstract: A polycrystalline thin film of good quality is obtained by improving a crystallization process of a semiconductor thin film using laser light. After conducting a film forming step of forming a non-single crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of a substrate, an annealing step is conducted by irradiating with laser light to convert the non-single crystal semiconductor thin film to a polycrystalline material. The annealing step is conducted by changing and adjusting the cross sectional shape of the laser light to a prescribed region. The semiconductor thin film is irradiated once or more with a pulse of laser light having an emission time width from upstand to downfall of 50 ns or more and having a constant cross sectional area, so as to convert the semiconductor thin film contained in an irradiated region corresponding to the cross sectional area to a polycrystalline material at a time. At this time, the energy intensity of laser light from upstand to downfall is controlled to apply a desired change.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2003
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yukiyasu Sugano, Masahiro Fujino, Michio Mano, Akihiko Asano, Masumitsu Ino, Takenobu Urazono, Makoto Takatoku
  • Patent number: 6482722
    Abstract: A process of crystallizing a semiconductor thin film previously formed on a substrate by irradiating the semiconductor thin film with a laser beam, includes: a preparation step of dividing the surface of the substrate into a plurality of division regions, and shaping a laser beam to adjust an irradiation region of the laser beam such that one of the division regions is collectively irradiated with one shot of the laser beam; a crystallization step of irradiating one of the division regions with the laser beam while optically modulating the intensity of the laser beam such that a cyclic light-and-dark pattern is projected on the irradiation region, and irradiating the same division region by at least one time after shifting the pattern such that the light and dark portions of the pattern after shifting are not overlapped to those of the pattern before shifting; and a scanning step of shifting the irradiation region of the laser beam to the next division region, and repeating the crystallization step for the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kunii, Makoto Takatoku, Michio Mano
  • Publication number: 20020096680
    Abstract: A polycrystalline thin film of good quality is obtained by improving a crystallization process of a semiconductor thin film using laser light. After conducting a film forming step of forming a non-single crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of a substrate, an annealing step is conducted by irradiating with laser light to convert the non-single crystal semiconductor thin film to a polycrystalline material. The annealing step is conducted by changing and adjusting the cross sectional shape of the laser light to a prescribed region. The semiconductor thin film is irradiated once or more with a pulse of laser light having an emission time width from upstand to downfall of 50 ns or more and having a constant cross sectional area, so as to convert the semiconductor thin film contained in an irradiated region corresponding to the cross sectional area to a polycrystalline material at a time. At this time, the energy intensity of laser light from upstand to downfall is controlled to apply a desired change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Yukiyasu Sugano, Masahiro Fujino, Michio Mano, Akihiko Asano, Masumitsu Ino, Takenobu Urazono, Makoto Takatoku
  • Patent number: 6388386
    Abstract: A process of crystallizing a semiconductor thin film previously formed on a substrate by irradiating the semiconductor thin film with a laser beam, includes: a preparation step of dividing the surface of the substrate into a plurality of division regions, and shaping a laser beam to adjust an irradiation region of the laser beam such that one of the division regions is collectively irradiated with one shot of the laser beam; a crystallization step of irradiating one of the division regions with the laser beam while optically modulating the intensity of the laser beam such that a cyclic light-and-dark pattern is projected on the irradiation region, and irradiating the same division region by at least one time after shifting the pattern such that the light and dark portions of the pattern after shifting are not overlapped to those of the pattern before shifting; and a scanning step of shifting the irradiation region of the laser beam to the next division region, and repeating the crystallization step for the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kunii, Makoto Takatoku, Michio Mano
  • Publication number: 20020047580
    Abstract: A process of crystallizing a semiconductor thin film previously formed on a substrate by irradiating the semiconductor thin film with a laser beam, includes:
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Masafumi Kunii, Makoto Takatoku, Michio Mano
  • Publication number: 20020047579
    Abstract: A process of crystallizing a semiconductor thin film previously formed on a substrate by irradiating the semiconductor thin film with a laser beam, includes:
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Inventors: Masafumi Kunii, Makoto Takatoku, Michio Mano
  • Publication number: 20010000243
    Abstract: A polycrystalline thin film of good quality is obtained by improving a crystallization process of a semiconductor thin film using laser light. After conducting a film forming step of forming a non-single crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of a substrate, an annealing step is conducted by irradiating with laser light to convert the non-single crystal semiconductor thin film to a polycrystalline material. The annealing step is conducted by changing and adjusting the cross sectional shape of the laser light to a prescribed region. The semiconductor thin film is irradiated once or more with a pulse of laser light having an emission time width from upstand to downfall of 50 ns or more and having a constant cross sectional area, so as to convert the semiconductor thin film contained in an irradiated region corresponding to the cross sectional area to a polycrystalline material at a time. At this time, the energy intensity of laser light from upstand to downfall is controlled to apply a desired change.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2000
    Publication date: April 12, 2001
    Inventors: Yukiyasu Sugano, Masahiro Fujino, Michio Mano, Akihiko Asano, Masumitsu Ino, Takenobu Urazono, Makoto Takatoku
  • Patent number: 5880020
    Abstract: A process of production of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming a first interlayer insulating film for covering a transistor formed on a substrate; forming a contact hole which will be connected to the transistor and a contact hole for local connection which will connect locations near each other simultaneously; and filling the contact holes with a conductor to form conductive plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Michio Mano
  • Patent number: 5814886
    Abstract: A process of production of a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming a first interlayer insulating film for covering a transistor formed on a substrate; forming a contact hole which will be connected to the transistor and a contact hole for local connection which will connect locations near each other simultaneously; and filling the contact holes with a conductor to form conductive plugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Michio Mano