Patents by Inventor Takashi HAMOCHI

Takashi HAMOCHI 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: 20150317014
    Abstract: A wiring is inhibited from being visible. Alternatively, a display device or a touch panel with high viewability is provided. A semiconductor device includes a transistor and a wiring electrically connected to the transistor that are over a light-transmitting substrate. Furthermore, a layer including an oxide semiconductor is provided closer to a substrate side than the wiring is so as to overlap with the wiring and serve as an anti-reflection layer that suppress light reflection at the wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki MIYAKE, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Junichi KOEZUKA, Masami JINTYOU, Takashi HAMOCHI
  • Patent number: 9159837
    Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, an oxide insulating layer over the gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer being above and in contact with the oxide insulating layer and overlapping with the gate electrode layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a silicon film containing nitrogen. The oxide insulating layer contains one or more metal elements selected from the constituent elements of the oxide semiconductor layer. The thickness of the gate insulating layer is larger than that of the oxide insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki
  • Publication number: 20150236168
    Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a first gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, a second gate insulating layer being over the first gate insulating layer and having a smaller thickness than the first gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the second gate insulating layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The first gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a spin density of 1×1017 spins/cm3 or less corresponding to a signal that appears at a g-factor of 2.003 in electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The second gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a lower hydrogen concentration than the first gate insulating layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20150214376
    Abstract: To provide a novel semiconductor device which includes a transistor and a metal film containing Cu for a wiring, a signal line, or the like. The semiconductor device includes a first wiring, a second wiring, a first transistor, and a second transistor. The first wiring is electrically connected to a source or a drain of the first transistor, and the second wiring is electrically connected to a gate of the second transistor. The first wiring and the second wiring each include a Cu—X alloy film (X is Mn, Ni, Cr, Fe, Co, Mo, Ta, or Ti). The Cu—X alloy film in the first wiring is connected to the Cu—X alloy film in the second wiring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventors: Junichi Koezuka, Yukinori Shima, Masami Jintyou, Takashi Hamochi, Satoshi Higano, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20150187953
    Abstract: A novel semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided. In particular, a planar semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor is provided. A semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor and having large on-state current is provided. The semiconductor device includes an oxide insulating film, an oxide semiconductor film over the oxide insulating film, a source electrode and a drain electrode in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film between the source electrode and the drain electrode, and a gate electrode overlapping the oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulating film. The oxide semiconductor film includes a first region overlapped with the gate electrode and a second region not overlapped with the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode. The first region and the second region have different impurity element concentrations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Junichi Koezuka, Masami Jintyou, Yukinori Shima, Takashi Hamochi, Yasutaka Nakazawa, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20150187878
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device including a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor is used and on-state current is high. In a semiconductor device including a first transistor provided in a driver circuit portion and a second transistor provided in a pixel portion, the first transistor and the second transistor have different structures. Furthermore, the first transistor and the second transistor are transistors having a top-gate structure in which conductive films serving as a gate electrode, a source electrode, and a drain electrode do not overlap. Furthermore, in an oxide semiconductor film, an impurity element is contained in a region which does not overlap with the gate electrode, the source electrode, and the drain electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Junichi KOEZUKA, Masami JINTYOU, Yukinori SHIMA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Yasutaka NAKAZAWA
  • Patent number: 9070778
    Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device that includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. In a semiconductor device which includes a bottom-gate transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, the spin density of the oxide semiconductor film is lower than or equal to 1×1018 spins/cm3, preferably lower than or equal to 1×1017 spins/cm3, further preferably lower than or equal to 1×1016 spins/cm3. The conductivity of the oxide semiconductor film is lower than or equal to 1×103 S/cm, preferably lower than or equal to 1×102 S/cm, further preferably lower than or equal to 1×101 S/cm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinari Sasaki, Shuhei Yokoyama, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9064853
    Abstract: A semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor and including a more excellent gate insulating film is provided. A highly reliable and electrically stable semiconductor device having a small number of changes in the film structure, the process conditions, the manufacturing apparatus, or the like from a mass production technology that has been put into practical use is provided. A method for manufacturing the semiconductor device is provided. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode, a gate insulating film formed over the gate electrode, and an oxide semiconductor film formed over the gate insulating film. The gate insulating film includes a silicon nitride oxide film, a silicon oxynitride film formed over the silicon nitride oxide film, and a metal oxide film formed over the silicon oxynitride film. The oxide semiconductor film is formed over and in contact with the metal oxide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masafumi Nomura, Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20150171116
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a first gate electrode overlapping with the oxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film between the oxide semiconductor film and the first gate electrode, a first insulating film over the oxide semiconductor film, a pair of electrodes that are over the first insulating film and electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor film, a second insulating film over the first insulating film and the pair of electrodes, and a second gate electrode that is over the second insulating film and overlaps with the oxide semiconductor film. The first insulating film includes a region having a thickness of 1 nm or more and 50 nm or less, and the pair of electrodes includes a region in which a distance between the electrodes is 1 ?m or more and 6 ?m or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2014
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Kenichi Okazaki, Takashi Hamochi, Yukinori Shima, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9054200
    Abstract: Electric characteristics of a semiconductor device using an oxide semiconductor are improved. Further, a highly reliable semiconductor device in which a variation in electric characteristics with time or a variation in electric characteristics due to a gate BT stress test with light irradiation is small is manufactured. A transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with part of the gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween, and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. The gate insulating film is an insulating film whose film density is higher than or equal to 2.26 g/cm3 and lower than or equal to 2.63 g/cm3 and whose spin density of a signal with a g value of 2.001 is 2×1015 spins/cm3 or less in electron spin resonance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi
  • Publication number: 20150155313
    Abstract: A novel semiconductor device in which a metal film containing copper (Cu) is used for a wiring, a signal line, or the like in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film is provided. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor film having conductivity on an insulating surface and a conductive film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film having conductivity. The conductive film includes a Cu—X alloy film (X is Mn, Ni, Cr, Fe, Co, Mo, Ta, or Ti).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichi Koezuka, Yukinori Shima, Masami Jintyou, Takashi Hamochi, Satoshi Higano, Yasuharu Hosaka, Toshimitsu Obonai
  • Patent number: 9048324
    Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device the yield of which can be prevented from decreasing due to electrostatic discharge damage is provided. A semiconductor device is provided which includes a gate electrode layer, a first gate insulating layer over the gate electrode layer, a second gate insulating layer being over the first gate insulating layer and having a smaller thickness than the first gate insulating layer, an oxide semiconductor layer over the second gate insulating layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The first gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a spin density of 1×1017 spins/cm3 or less corresponding to a signal that appears at a g-factor of 2.003 in electron spin resonance spectroscopy. The second gate insulating layer contains nitrogen and has a lower hydrogen concentration than the first gate insulating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki
  • Publication number: 20150102341
    Abstract: To suppress a change in electrical characteristics and to improve reliability in a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor. The semiconductor device includes a gate electrode over an insulating surface, an oxide semiconductor film overlapping with the gate electrode, a gate insulating film which is between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor film and is in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor film, a protective film in contact with an opposite surface of the surface of the oxide semiconductor film, and a pair of electrodes in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. In the gate insulating film or the protective film, the amount of gas having a mass-to-charge ratio m/z of 17 released by heat treatment is greater than the amount of nitrogen oxide released by heat treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yasuharu HOSAKA, Toshimitsu OBONAI, Junichi KOEZUKA, Yukinori SHIMA, Masahiko HAYAKAWA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Suzunosuke HIRAISHI
  • Patent number: 8995607
    Abstract: To provide a pulse signal output circuit and a shift register which have lower power consumption, are not easily changed over time, and have a longer lifetime. A pulse signal output circuit includes a first input signal generation circuit; a second input signal generation circuit; an output circuit which includes a first transistor and a second transistor and outputs a pulse signal in response to a signal output from the first and second input signal generation circuits; a monitor circuit which obtains the threshold voltages of the first and second transistors; and a power supply output circuit which generates a power supply potential raised by a potential higher than or equal to a potential which is equal to or substantially equal to the threshold voltage and supplies the power supply potential to the first and second input signal generation circuits. A shift register includes the pulse signal output circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Miyake, Kenichi Okazaki, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20150072535
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device including a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film and a protective film over the transistor, an oxide insulating film containing oxygen in excess of the stoichiometric composition is formed as the protective film under the following conditions: a substrate placed in a treatment chamber evacuated to a vacuum level is held at a temperature higher than or equal to 180° C. and lower than or equal to 260° C.; a source gas is introduced into the treatment chamber so that the pressure in the treatment chamber is set to be higher than or equal to 100 Pa and lower than or equal to 250 Pa; and a high-frequency power higher than or equal to 0.17 W/cm2 and lower than or equal to 0.5 W/cm2 is supplied to an electrode provided in the treatment chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kenichi OKAZAKI, Toshinari SASAKI, Shuhei YOKOYAMA, Takashi HAMOCHI
  • Patent number: 8901556
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device including a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film and a protective film over the transistor, an oxide insulating film containing oxygen in excess of the stoichiometric composition is formed as the protective film under the following conditions: a substrate placed in a treatment chamber evacuated to a vacuum level is held at a temperature higher than or equal to 180° C. and lower than or equal to 260° C.; a source gas is introduced into the treatment chamber so that the pressure in the treatment chamber is set to be higher than or equal to 100 Pa and lower than or equal to 250 Pa; and a high-frequency power higher than or equal to 0.17 W/cm2 and lower than or equal to 0.5 W/cm2 is supplied to an electrode provided in the treatment chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Okazaki, Toshinari Sasaki, Shuhei Yokoyama, Takashi Hamochi
  • Publication number: 20140306219
    Abstract: Provided is a semiconductor device including a resistor having an oxide semiconductor and a transistor having an oxide semiconductor over the same substrate. The semiconductor device includes the resistor and the transistor over the same substrate. The resistor includes at least a first oxide semiconductor layer. The transistor includes at least a second oxide semiconductor layer. The first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer have the same composition, and the carrier density of the first oxide semiconductor layer is higher than the carrier density of the second oxide semiconductor layer. The carrier density of the first oxide semiconductor layer is higher than the carrier density of the second oxide semiconductor layer because the first oxide semiconductor layer is subjected to treatment for increasing oxygen vacancies and/or impurity concentration in the first oxide semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Masahiro KATAYAMA, Takashi HAMOCHI
  • Patent number: 8860022
    Abstract: A method for evaluating an oxide semiconductor film, a method for evaluating a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor film and has favorable switching characteristics, and an oxide semiconductor film which is applicable to a transistor and enables the transistor to have favorable switching characteristics are provided. A PL spectrum of an oxide semiconductor film obtained by low-temperature PL spectroscopy has a first curve whose local maximum value is found in a range of 1.6 eV or more and 1.8 eV or less and a second curve whose local maximum value is found in a range of 1.7 eV or more and 2.4 eV or less. A value obtained by dividing the area of the second curve by the sum of the area of the first curve and the area of the second curve is 0.1 or more and less than 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshinari Sasaki, Shuhei Yokoyama, Takashi Hamochi, Yusuke Nonaka, Yasuharu Hosaka
  • Publication number: 20140027764
    Abstract: A nitride insulating film which prevents diffusion of hydrogen into an oxide semiconductor film in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Further, a semiconductor device which has favorable electrical characteristics by using a transistor including a silicon semiconductor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Two nitride insulating films having different functions are provided between the transistor including a silicon semiconductor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Specifically, a first nitride insulating film which contains hydrogen is provided over the transistor including a silicon semiconductor, and a second nitride insulating film which has a lower hydrogen content than the first nitride insulating film and functions as a barrier film against hydrogen is provided between the first nitride insulating film and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Tetsuhiro TANAKA, Yoshinori IEDA, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140001466
    Abstract: In a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, movement of hydrogen and nitrogen to the oxide semiconductor film is suppressed. Further, in a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, a change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability is improved. A transistor including an oxide semiconductor film and a nitride insulating film provided over the transistor are included, and an amount of hydrogen molecules released from the nitride insulating film by thermal desorption spectroscopy is less than 5×1021 molecules/cm3, preferably less than or equal to 3×1021 molecules/cm3, more preferably less than or equal to 1×1021 molecules/cm3, and an amount of ammonia molecules released from the nitride insulating film by thermal desorption spectroscopy is less than 1×1022 molecules/cm3, preferably less than or equal to 5×1021 molecules/cm3, more preferably less than or equal to 1×1021 molecules/cm3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Toshinari SASAKI, Takashi HAMOCHI, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Junichi KOEZUKA, Kenichi OKAZAKI