Abstract: In a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface; an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode; a gate insulating film that is between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; a protective film in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor film that is an opposite side of a surface in contact with the gate insulating film; and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The spin density of the gate insulating film or the protective film measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy is lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3, preferably higher than or equal to 1×1017 spins/cm3 and lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a transistor having a reduced number of oxygen vacancies in a channel formation region of an oxide semiconductor with stable electrical characteristics or high reliability is provided. A gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the gate insulating film; an oxide layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer by a sputtering method to form an stacked-layer oxide film including the oxide semiconductor layer and the oxide layer; the stacked-layer oxide film is processed into a predetermined shape; a conductive film containing Ti as a main component is formed over the stacked-layer oxide film; the conductive film is etched to form source and drain electrodes and a depression portion on a back channel side; and portions of the stacked-layer oxide film in contact with the source and drain electrodes are changed to an n-type by heat treatment.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element comprises: a first electrode layer 12; a compound-based photoelectric conversion layer 13 disposed on the first electrode layer 12; a buffer layer 15 disposed on the compound-based photoelectric conversion layer 13 comprising a mixed crystal of ZnO and ZnS, wherein a ratio of the number of S atoms to the number of Zn atoms is in a range of 0.290 to 0.493; and a second electrode layer 16 disposed on the buffer layer 15.

Abstract: A lithium secondary battery which has high charge-discharge capacity, can be charged and discharged at high speed, and has little deterioration in battery characteristics due to charge and discharge is provided. A negative electrode includes a current collector and a negative electrode active material layer. The current collector includes a plurality of protrusion portions extending in a substantially perpendicular direction and a base portion connected to the plurality of protrusion portions. The protrusion portions and the base portion are formed using the same material containing titanium. A top surface of the base portion and at least a side surface of the protrusion portion are covered with the negative electrode active material layer. The negative electrode active material layer may be covered with graphene.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface; an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode; a gate insulating film that is between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; a protective film in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor film that is an opposite side of a surface in contact with the gate insulating film; and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The spin density of the gate insulating film or the protective film measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy is lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3, preferably higher than or equal to 1×1017 spins/cm3 and lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3.

Abstract: A readout circuit for reading out an output current from a photoelectric conversion element which collectively outputs currents generated in a plurality of pixels, each of which includes an avalanche photodiode, includes a current mirror circuit configured to receive the output current and output first and second currents having magnitudes in proportion to the output current, a photon counting circuit configured to count the number of photons incident on the photoelectric conversion element on the basis of the first current, an integral circuit configured to integrate the second current to generate a voltage signal, and a signal processing unit configured to determine a magnitude of light incident on the photoelectric conversion element on the basis of a counting result output from the photon counting circuit and a magnitude of the voltage signal output from the integral circuit.

Abstract: A Compton camera includes a scattering detection unit, an absorption detection unit, a signal processing unit, a first shield unit, and a second shield unit. The scattering detection unit detects Compton scattering of incident radiation emitted from a radiation source. The absorption detection unit detects absorption of incident radiation that has undergone Compton scattering at the scattering detection unit. The signal processing unit obtains an image of the radiation source based on coincident detection events of Compton scattering of radiation at the scattering detection unit and absorption of radiation at the absorption detection unit. The first and second shield units are provided between the scattering detection unit and the absorption detection unit. The first shield unit selectively allows forward-scattered radiation to pass and selectively blocks back-scattered radiation.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface; an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode; a gate insulating film that is between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; a protective film in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor film that is an opposite side of a surface in contact with the gate insulating film; and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The spin density of the gate insulating film or the protective film measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy is lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3, preferably higher than or equal to 1×1017 spins/cm3 and lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3.

Abstract: To increase the amount of lithium ions that can be received in and released from a positive electrode active material to achieve high capacity and high energy density of a secondary battery. A lithium manganese oxide particle includes a first region and a second region. The valence number of manganese in the first region is lower than the valence number of manganese in the second region. The lithium manganese oxide has high structural stability and high capacity characteristics.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a transistor having a reduced number of oxygen vacancies in a channel formation region of an oxide semiconductor with stable electrical characteristics or high reliability is provided. A gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the gate insulating film; an oxide layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer by a sputtering method to form an stacked-layer oxide film including the oxide semiconductor layer and the oxide layer; the stacked-layer oxide film is processed into a predetermined shape; a conductive film containing Ti as a main component is formed over the stacked-layer oxide film; the conductive film is etched to form source and drain electrodes and a depression portion on a back channel side; and portions of the stacked-layer oxide film in contact with the source and drain electrodes are changed to an n-type by heat treatment.

Abstract: With a small amount of a conductive additive, an electrode for a storage battery including an active material layer which is highly filled with an active material is provided. The use of the electrode enables fabrication of a storage battery having high capacity per unit volume of the electrode. By using graphene as a conductive additive in an electrode for a storage battery including a positive electrode active material, a network for electron conduction through graphene is formed. Consequently, the electrode can include an active material layer in which particles of an active material are electrically connected to each other by graphene. Therefore, graphene is used as a conductive additive in an electrode for a sodium-ion secondary battery including an active material with low electric conductivity, for example, an active material with a band gap of 3.0 eV or more.

Abstract: A readout circuit for reading out an output current from a photoelectric conversion element which collectively outputs currents generated in a plurality of pixels, each of which includes an avalanche photodiode, includes a current mirror circuit configured to receive the output current and output first and second currents having magnitudes in proportion to the output current, a photon counting circuit configured to count the number of photons incident on the photoelectric conversion element on the basis of the first current, an integral circuit configured to integrate the second current to generate a voltage signal, and a signal processing unit configured to determine a magnitude of light incident on the photoelectric conversion element on the basis of a counting result output from the photon counting circuit and a magnitude of the voltage signal output from the integral circuit.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device including a transistor with stable electrical characteristics or high reliability is provided. A gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the gate insulating film; an oxide layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer to form a stacked-layer oxide film including the oxide semiconductor layer and the oxide layer; the stacked-layer oxide film is processed into a predetermined shape; a conductive film containing Ti is formed over the stacked-layer oxide film; the conductive film is etched to form source and drain electrodes; and regions in the oxide layer in contact with the source and drain electrodes are heat treated so as to have a low resistivity.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface; an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode; a gate insulating film that is between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; a protective film in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor film that is an opposite side of a surface in contact with the gate insulating film; and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The spin density of the gate insulating film or the protective film measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy is lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3, preferably higher than or equal to 1×1017 spins/cm3 and lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface; an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode; a gate insulating film that is between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film and in contact with the oxide semiconductor film; a protective film in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor film that is an opposite side of a surface in contact with the gate insulating film; and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The spin density of the gate insulating film or the protective film measured by electron spin resonance spectroscopy is lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3, preferably higher than or equal to 1×1017 spins/cm3 and lower than 1×1018 spins/cm3.

Abstract: A Compton camera includes a scattering detection unit, an absorption detection unit, a signal processing unit, a first shield unit, and a second shield unit. The scattering detection unit detects Compton scattering of incident radiation emitted from a radiation source. The absorption detection unit detects absorption of incident radiation that has undergone Compton scattering at the scattering detection unit. The signal processing unit obtains an image of the radiation source based on coincident detection events of Compton scattering of radiation at the scattering detection unit and absorption of radiation at the absorption detection unit. The first and second shield units are provided between the scattering detection unit and the absorption detection unit. The first shield unit selectively allows forward-scattered radiation to pass and selectively blocks back-scattered radiation.

Abstract: The amount of lithium ions that can be received and released in and from a positive electrode active material is increased, and high capacity and high energy density of a secondary battery are achieved. Provided is a lithium-manganese composite oxide represented by LixMnyMzOw, where M is a metal element other than Li and Mn, or Si or P, and y, z, and w satisfy 0?x/(y+z)<2, y>0, z>0, 0.26?(y+z)/w<0.5, and 0.2<z/y<1.2. The lithium manganese composite oxide has high structural stability and high capacity.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a transistor having a reduced number of oxygen vacancies in a channel formation region of an oxide semiconductor with stable electrical characteristics or high reliability is provided. A gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the gate insulating film; an oxide layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer by a sputtering method to form an stacked-layer oxide film including the oxide semiconductor layer and the oxide layer; the stacked-layer oxide film is processed into a predetermined shape; a conductive film containing Ti as a main component is formed over the stacked-layer oxide film; the conductive film is etched to form source and drain electrodes and a depression portion on a back channel side; and portions of the stacked-layer oxide film in contact with the source and drain electrodes are changed to an n-type by heat treatment.

Abstract: The amount of lithium ions that can be received and released in and from a positive electrode active material is increased, and high capacity and high energy density of a secondary battery are achieved. Provided is a lithium-manganese composite oxide represented by LixMnyMzOw, where M is a metal element other than Li and Mn, or Si or P, and y, z, and w satisfy 0?x/(y+z)<2, y>0, z>0, 0.26?(y+z)/w<0.5, and 0.2<z/y<1.2. The lithium manganese composite oxide has high structural stability and high capacity.

Abstract: A semiconductor device including a transistor having a reduced number of oxygen vacancies in a channel formation region of an oxide semiconductor with stable electrical characteristics or high reliability is provided. A gate insulating film is formed over a gate electrode; an oxide semiconductor layer is formed over the gate insulating film; an oxide layer is formed over the oxide semiconductor layer by a sputtering method to form an stacked-layer oxide film including the oxide semiconductor layer and the oxide layer; the stacked-layer oxide film is processed into a predetermined shape; a conductive film containing Ti as a main component is formed over the stacked-layer oxide film; the conductive film is etched to form source and drain electrodes and a depression portion on a back channel side; and portions of the stacked-layer oxide film in contact with the source and drain electrodes are changed to an n-type by heat treatment.