Patents by Inventor Rihito Kuroda

Rihito Kuroda 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: 20180231414
    Abstract: This optical sensor device includes a first light receiving portion having sensitivity to ultraviolet light, a first sealing portion covering the first light receiving portion, a second light receiving portion having sensitivity to ultraviolet light, and a second sealing portion which covers the second light receiving portion. At least one of the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion is configured to transmit at least part of a ultraviolet light wavelength band, the first sealing portion is formed from one or more resin layers and has transmission spectral characteristics that a first wavelength is set as a lower limit value of a transmission wavelength band, and the second sealing portion is formed from one or more resin layers and has transmission spectral characteristics that a second wavelength different from the first wavelength is set as a lower limit value of the transmission wavelength band.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Koji TSUKAGOSHI, Shigetoshi SUGAWA, Rihito KURODA
  • Publication number: 20180234652
    Abstract: One problem addressed by the present invention is to provide an optical sensor, a solid-state imaging device, and methods for reading the signals therefrom, which contribute greatly to the development of industry and the realization of a safer and more secure society. One solution according to the present invention is an optical sensor having a light-receiving element, storage capacitors that store a charge, and a transfer switch for transferring to the storage capacitors a charge generated by light input to the light-receiving element, wherein the storage capacitors are a floating diffusion capacitor and a lateral overflow integration capacitor, and the transfer switch is a non-LDD/MOS transistor, that is, a non-LDD/MOS transistor for which the impurity concentration of the drain region is reduced by 50%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda, Shunichi Wakashima
  • Publication number: 20170324916
    Abstract: One problem addressed by the present invention is to provide an optical sensor, a solid-state imaging device, and methods for reading the signals therefrom, which contribute greatly to the development of industry and the realization of a safer and more secure society. One solution according to the present invention is an optical sensor having a light-receiving element, storage capacitors that store a charge, and a transfer switch for transferring to the storage capacitors a charge generated by light input to the light-receiving element, wherein the storage capacitors are a floating diffusion capacitor and a lateral overflow integration capacitor, and the transfer switch is a non-LDD/MOS transistor, that is, a non-LDD/MOS transistor for which the impurity concentration of the drain region is reduced by 50%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2015
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda, Shunichi Wakashima
  • Publication number: 20170315051
    Abstract: To provide a concentration measurement method with which the concentrations of predetermined chemical components can be measured non-destructively, accurately, and rapidly by a simple means, up to the concentrations in trace amount ranges, as well as a concentration measurement method with which the concentrations of chemical components in a measurement target can be accurately and rapidly measured in real time up to the concentrations in nano-order trace amount ranges, and which is endowed with a versatility that can be realized in a variety of embodiments and modes. In the present invention, a measurement target is irradiated, in a time sharing manner, with light of a first wavelength and light of a second wavelength that have different optical absorption rates with respect to the measurement target. The light of each wavelength, arriving optically via the measurement target as a result of irradiation with the light of each wavelength, is received at a shared light-receiving sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Masaaki Nagase, Kouji Nishino, Nobukazu Ikeda, Michio Yamaji, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20170254743
    Abstract: To provide a concentration measuring method with which the concentration of a predetermined chemical component can be accurately, quickly, and nondestructively measured down to a concentration range of an extremely small amount with a simple means, and to provide a concentration measuring method with which the concentration of a chemical component in an object to be measured can be accurately and quickly measured down to a concentration range of a nano-order extremely small amount in real time, the method having universality, i.e., the ability to be embodied in various forms and modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20170254746
    Abstract: To provide a concentration measurement method that makes it possible to accurately, quickly, and non-destructively measure the concentration of a predetermined chemical component to a trace level of concentration by a simple means, that makes it possible to accurately and quickly measure the concentration of a chemical component within an object to be measured to a nano-order trace concentration level in real time, and that has a versatility which makes it possible to adapt said concentration measurement method to a variety of situations and embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2015
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20170207256
    Abstract: To provide a solid-state light-receiving device for ultraviolet light which can measure the amount of irradiation with ultraviolet light harmful to the human body using a simplified structure and properly and accurately, which can be readily integrated with a sensor of a peripheral circuit, which is small, light-weight, and low-cost, and which is suitable for mobile or wearable purposes. One solution is a solid-state light-receiving device for ultraviolet light which is provided with a first photodiode (1), a second photodiode (2), and a differential circuit which receives respective signals based on outputs from these photodiodes, wherein a position of the maximum concentration of a semiconductor impurity is provided in each of the photodiodes (1,2) and in a semiconductor layer region formed on each photodiode, and an optically transparent layer having a different wavelength selectivity is provided on a light-receiving surface of each photodiode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20170176248
    Abstract: Provided is a solid-state light-receiving device for ultraviolet light, which is capable of measuring an irradiation amount of UV-rays, which are harmful to a human body, accurately and appropriately with a simple structure, and of being formed easily and integrally with sensors of peripheral circuits, and which is small, lightweight, low cost, and suitable for mobile or wearable applications. The solid-state light-receiving device for ultraviolet light includes a first photodiode, a second photodiode, and a differential circuit to which signals based on outputs of those photodiodes are input. The solid-state light-receiving device for ultraviolet light also includes semiconductor layer regions, which are formed in and on the above-mentioned photodiodes, and each of which includes a highest concentration position of semiconductor impurities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shigetoshi SUGAWA, Rihito KURODA
  • Patent number: 9568364
    Abstract: Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulation film layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9429471
    Abstract: A plurality of photodiodes arrayed in a one-dimensional form are divided into a plurality of groups. The structure of an antireflection coating is changed for each group so that all the surfaces of the photodiodes belonging to each group are covered with an antireflection coating having a transmittance characteristic which shows a maximum transmittance within a range of wavelengths of light to be received by those photodiodes. In particular, a SiO2 coating layer on the silicon substrate and an Al2O3 coating layer are common to all the photodiodes, while the structure of the upper layers are modified with respect to the wavelength. Within an ultraviolet wavelength region, the coating structure is more finely changed with respect to the wavelength. By such a design, the transmittance can be improved while making the best efforts to avoid a complex manufacturing process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignees: SHIMADZU CORPORATION, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hideki Tominaga, Ryuta Hirose, Kenji Takubo, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20160076939
    Abstract: Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulation film layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Publication date: March 17, 2016
    Applicant: National University Corporation Tohoku University
    Inventors: Shigetoshi SUGAWA, Rihito KURODA
  • Patent number: 9214489
    Abstract: Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulator layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20150296160
    Abstract: A logical gate circuit (5) and four stages of flip flips (4a-4d) are assigned to each pixel (1). A controller (7) inputs four phase identification signals into the logical gate circuit (5) and also inputs a start signal STR into a shift register (4) synchronously with the four mutually different phases defined by the phase identification signals. During one round of scanning all the pixels (1) for a readout control, if an enable signal ENBL is set to “0” while an output of a phase identification circuit (110) is “1”, a charge accumulation time at the pixel (1) concerned becomes equal to a readout period T. If the enable signal ENBL is set to “1” while the output of the phase identification circuit (110) is “1”, electric charges accumulated in a photodiode (11) until that point are entirely discarded, so that the charge accumulation time becomes shorter than the readout period T.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Applicants: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Tominaga, Ryuta Hirose, Kenji Takubo, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Patent number: 9153658
    Abstract: A gate insulating film of a conventional semiconductor device is subjected to dielectric breakdown at a low electric field strength and thus its service life is short. This is because since the size of the asperity of at least one of a semiconductor layer-side interface and an electrode-side interface is large and, an electric field applied to the gate insulating film is locally concentrated and has a variation in its strength. This problem is solved by specifying the sizes of the asperities of both interfaces of the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rihito Kuroda, Akinobu Teramoto, Shigetoshi Sugawa
  • Publication number: 20150048239
    Abstract: A plurality of photodiodes arrayed in a one-dimensional form are divided into a plurality of groups. The structure of an antireflection coating is changed for each group so that all the surfaces of the photodiodes belonging to each group are covered with an antireflection coating having a transmittance characteristic which shows a maximum transmittance within a range of wavelengths of light to be received by those photodiodes. In particular, a SiO2 coating layer on the silicon substrate and an Al2O3 coating layer are common to all the photodiodes, while the structure of the upper layers are modified with respect to the wavelength. Within an ultraviolet wavelength region, the coating structure is more finely changed with respect to the wavelength. By such a design, the transmittance can be improved while making the best efforts to avoid a complex manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 19, 2015
    Applicants: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY, SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Tominaga, Ryuta Hirose, Kenji Takubo, Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Publication number: 20140312399
    Abstract: A gate insulating film of a conventional semiconductor device is subjected to dielectric breakdown at a low electric field strength and thus its service life is short. This is because since the size of the asperity of at least one of a semiconductor layer-side interface and an electrode-side interface is large and, an electric field applied to the gate insulating film is locally concentrated and has a variation in its strength. This problem is solved by specifying the sizes of the asperities of both interfaces of the gate insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Applicant: TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Rihito Kuroda, Akinobu Teramoto, Shigetoshi Sugawa
  • Publication number: 20140306344
    Abstract: There is provided with a wiring structure. The wiring stracture has a damascene wiring structure including a metal wiring. The metal wiring is provided in direct contact with an upper surface of a barrier film (SiC(O, N) film) containing silicon (Si), carbon (C), and at least one of oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) as constituent components.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Tohoku University
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Akinobu Teramoto, Rihito Kuroda, Gu Xun
  • Publication number: 20140097510
    Abstract: Provided is a photodiode having a high-concentration layer on its surface, in which the high-concentration layer is formed so that the thickness of a non-depleted region is larger than the roughness of an interface between silicon and an insulator layer, and is smaller than a penetration depth of ultraviolet light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicants: SHIMADZU CORPORATION, TOHOKU UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Shigetoshi Sugawa, Rihito Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8648393
    Abstract: An accumulation mode transistor has an impurity concentration of a semiconductor layer in a channel region at a value higher than 2×1017 cm?3 to achieve a large gate voltage swing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, Foundation for Advancement of International Science
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Akinobu Teramoto, Rihito Kuroda
  • Patent number: 8492879
    Abstract: On a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of terraces formed stepwise by an atomic step are formed in the substantially same direction. Using the semiconductor substrate, a MOS transistor is formed so that no step exists in a carrier traveling direction (source-drain direction).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignees: National University Corporation Tohoku University, Shin-Etsu Handotai Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tadahiro Ohmi, Akinobu Teramoto, Tomoyuki Suwa, Rihito Kuroda, Hideo Kudo, Yoshinori Hayamizu