Patents by Inventor Takamitsu Higuchi

Takamitsu Higuchi 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: 20070228880
    Abstract: A piezoelectric thin film resonator includes a substrate, and a resonator section formed above the substrate and having a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric layer and a second electrode layer in which acoustic vibration is generated in a thickness direction of the piezoelectric layer by application of an electric field to the piezoelectric layer by the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein at least one pair of sides of a plane configuration of the resonator section are in parallel with each other, and the shortest distance in a spacing between the parallel sides in the pair is less than a thickness of at least the resonance section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Makoto Furuhata
  • Publication number: 20070216261
    Abstract: A piezoelectric film laminate includes a lithium tantalate substrate, and a lead zirconate titanate niobate layer formed above the lithium tantalate substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Publication date: September 20, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takamitsu HIGUCHI, Takeshi KIJIMA, Mayumi UENO
  • Patent number: 7268472
    Abstract: An intermediate film (15, 12, 53) is formed on a substrate (11, 52), a bottom electrode (13, 542) is formed on top of this intermediate film, a ferroelectric film (24) or piezoelectric film (543) is formed on top of this bottom electrode by an ion beam assist method, and a top electrode (25, 541) is formed on top of this ferroelectric film or piezoelectric film. The ferroelectric film or piezoelectric film is formed by PZT, BST or a relaxer material. As a result of the use of an ion beam assist method in the formation of any one of the intermediate film, bottom electrode, ferroelectric film or piezoelectric film, a piezoelectric device or ferroelectric device which has a piezoelectric film or ferroelectric film with an in-plane orientation can be manufactured with good efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita, Hiromu Miyazawa, Koji Sumi, Masami Murai, Maki Ito, Li Xin-Shan
  • Patent number: 7265482
    Abstract: A potassium niobate deposited body includes an R-plane sapphire substrate, a buffer layer composed of a metal oxide and formed above the R-plane sapphire substrate, a lead zirconate titanate niobate layer formed above the buffer layer, and a potassium niobate layer or a potassium niobate solid solution layer formed above the lead zirconate titanate niobate layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Takeshi Kijima, Mayumi Ueno
  • Patent number: 7258742
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing KNbO3 single crystal thin film having single-phase high quality and excellent morphology on each of single crystal substrates. A surface acoustic wave element, frequency filter, frequency oscillator, electronics circuit, and electronic device employ the thin film manufactured by the method, and have high k2, and are wideband, reduced in size and economical in power consumption. A plasma plume containing K, Nb, and O in the range 0.5?x?xE is supplied to a substrate, where x is a mole ratio of niobium (Nb) to potassium (K) in KxNb1?xOy, and xE is a mole composition ratio at the eutectic point for KNbO3 and 3K2O.Nb2O5 under a predetermined oxygen partial pressure. Maintaining the temperature Ts of the substrate in the range TE?Ts?Tm where TE represents the temperature at the eutectic point and Tm represents a complete melting temperature, the KNbO3 single crystal is precipitated from the KxNb1?xOy deposited on the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita, Hiromu Miyazawa
  • Publication number: 20070169324
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a surface acoustic wave element having an interdigital transducer (IDT) electrode formed on a semiconductor substrate includes a) forming an insulation layer on a surface of an active side of the semiconductor substrate, b) forming a base layer on a whole surface of the insulation layer, c) planarizing a surface of the base layer, d) forming a piezoelectric member on a planarized surface of the base layer, e) forming the IDT electrode on a surface of the piezoelectric member, and f) forming a bank being higher than a height from the surface of the base layer to the surface of the IDT electrode on a peripheral of the surface of the base layer so as to surround the piezoelectric member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2007
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Aritsugu YAJIMA, Takamitsu HIGUCHI, Yoshikazu KASUYA
  • Patent number: 7247551
    Abstract: The invention provides a substrate for an electronic device including a conductive oxide layer which is formed by epitaxial growth with cubic crystal (100) orientation or pseudo-cubic crystal (100) orientation and which contains a metal oxide having a perovskite structure, a method for manufacturing a substrate for an electronic device, and an electronic device provided with such a substrate for an electronic device. A substrate for an electronic device includes a Si substrate, a buffer layer which is formed by epitaxial growth on the Si substrate and which contains a metal oxide having a NaCl structure, and a conductive oxide layer which is formed by epitaxial growth with cubic crystal (100) orientation or pseudo-cubic crystal (100) orientation on the buffer layer and which contains a metal oxide having a perovskite structure. The Si substrate is preferably a (100) substrate or a (110) substrate from which a natural oxidation film is not removed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita, Hiromu Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 7244016
    Abstract: An ink jet head is provided that can effectively suppress operational interferences among adjacent cavities, and is capable of ultra-high-density and high-speed printing. The ink jet head is equipped with a plurality of cavities each having a volume that is variable by a deformation operation of a piezoelectric element, wherein beam members are provided between inner walls that interpose the cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Setsuya Iwashita, Takamitsu Higuchi, Hiromu Miyazawa, Satoshi Nebashi
  • Patent number: 7238978
    Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device has a high performance, includes no Pb, and can be directly mounted onto an Si substrate. The ferroelectric memory device includes a (001)-oriented BiFeO3 ferroelectric layer 5 with a tetragonal structure, which is formed on an electrode 4 made of a perovskite material formed on an Si oxide film. The electrode 4 with a perovskite structure is formed by an ion beam assist method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20070126313
    Abstract: A piezoelectric laminate including a base and a first piezoelectric layer formed above the base and including potassium sodium niobate. The first piezoelectric layer is shown by a compositional formula (KaNa1?a)xNbO3, “a” and “x” in the compositional formula being respectively 0.1<a<1 and 1?x?1.2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2006
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Inventors: Mayumi Ueno, Takamitsu Higuchi, Takeshi Kijima
  • Patent number: 7223305
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a potassium niobate (KNbO3) single crystal thin film, includes the steps of maintaining the substrate under a predetermined oxygen partial pressure; maintaining the substrate within a temperature region which is equal to or higher than an eutectic temperature of KNbO3 and 3K2O.Nb2O5 and is equal to or lower than complete melting temperature of KNbO3 and 3K2O.Nb2O5 so that a solid phase of KNbO3 and a liquid phase can coexist on the substrate; depositing a vapor phase material on the substrate in a state in which a solid phase and a liquid phase coexist; and precipitating KNbO3 on the substrate from the liquid phase as a solid phase to grow a KNbO3 single crystal thin film. The composition of a starting material to be vaporized to generate the vapor phase material is from K2O.Nb2O5=50:50 to K2O.Nb2O5=65:35.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita, Hiromu Miyazawa
  • Publication number: 20070111335
    Abstract: A ferroelectric memory device has a high performance, includes no Pb, and can be directly mounted onto an Si substrate. The ferroelectric memory device includes a (001)-oriented BiFeO3 ferroelectric layer 5 with a tetragonal structure, which is formed on an electrode 4 made of a perovskite material formed on an Si oxide film. The electrode 4 with a perovskite structure is formed by an ion beam assist method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: May 17, 2007
    Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita
  • Patent number: 7216962
    Abstract: A piezoelectric element includes a piezoelectric material film made of BiFeO3. The piezoelectric element can be used in an ink jet recording head which includes a cavity with a variable internal volume, wherein the internal volume of the cavity changes depending on deformation of the piezoelectric material film included in the piezoelectric element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita
  • Patent number: 7200907
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide a method of manufacturing a piezoelectric device that includes a piezoelectric layer having high crystallinity in which crystal orientation is aligned to a desired direction, a method of manufacturing a ferroelectric device that includes a ferroelectric layer having the similar high crystallinity, and so forth. Exemplary embodiments include an insulating layer composed of SiO2 and so forth and a buffer layer composed of strontium oxide (SrO) and so forth are formed on a substrate such as a silicon single crystal wafer in sequence, and then a lower electrode composed of strontium ruthenate (SRO) is formed on the buffer layer. By forming self-assembled monolayers on the lower electrode, high affinity regions A1 and low affinity regions A2 are formed. Then, piezoelectric layers are selectively formed only on the high affinity regions A1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Atsushi Takakuwa, Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita
  • Patent number: 7197799
    Abstract: A method is provided for effectively manufacturing a piezoelectric device equipped with a piezoelectric film with a crystal orientation that is aligned in a desired direction. An interlayer that is bi-axially oriented is formed on a surface of a substrate by conducting ion beam assisted laser ablation in a disposition in which a center axis of an ablation plume to be irradiated is angled at approximately 55 degrees to a direction normal to the substrate. A lower electrode is formed on the interlayer. A piezoelectric film is formed on the lower electrode. An upper electrode is formed on the piezoelectric film. The lower electrode and the piezoelectric film are formed by epitaxial growth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita, Hiromu Miyazawa
  • Patent number: 7196457
    Abstract: A piezoelectric film is provided having good piezoelectric properties. The piezoelectric film is represented by the following general formula: A1?bB1?aXaO3 wherein A contains Pb; B is at least one of Zr and Ti; X is at least one of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W; a satisfies 0.05?a?0.3; and b satisfies 0.025?b?0.15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Takeshi Kijima, Eiji Natori, Taku Aoyama, Setsuya Iwashita, Takamitsu Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7190567
    Abstract: A capacitor is provided having a structure in which an insulation film is interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode. The insulation film includes SrTiO3 as a main component, and at least one of Si and Ge added thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Setsuya Iwashita, Motohisa Noguchi, Hiromu Miyazawa, Takamitsu Higuchi
  • Publication number: 20070045109
    Abstract: An insulating target material for obtaining an insulating complex oxide film represented by a general formula AB1-XCXO3, an element A including at least Pb, an element B including at least one of Zr, Ti, V, W, and Hf, and an element C including at least one of Nb and Ta.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Takeshi Kijima, Takamitsu Higuchi
  • Patent number: 7166954
    Abstract: A piezoelectric film is provided that is represented by the following general formula: Pb1?b[((X1/3Nb2/3)1?cB?c)1?aYa]O3 wherein X is at least one of Mg, Zn and Ni; B? is at least one of Zr, Ti and Hf; Y is at least one of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and W; a satisfies 0.05?a<0.30; b satisfies 0.025?b?0.15; when X is Mg, c satisfies 0.25?c?0.35; when X is Ni, c satisfies 0.30?c?0.40; and when X is Zn, c satisfies 0.05?c?0.15.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromu Miyazawa, Takeshi Kijima, Takamitsu Higuchi, Setsuya Iwashita
  • Patent number: 7163874
    Abstract: A ferroelectric element manufacturing method includes the steps of forming a buffer layer, which also functions as a sacrificial layer, on a single crystal substrate, forming a ferroelectric film on the buffer layer, separating the ferroelectric film and the single crystal substrate, and arranging the ferroelectric film that was separated from the single crystal substrate on an optional substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Setsuya Iwashita, Takamitsu Higuchi, Hiromu Miyazawa