Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer and has high electric characteristics. An oxide semiconductor layer including SiOx is used in a channel formation region, and in order to reduce contact resistance with source and drain electrode layers formed using a metal material with low electric resistance, source and drain regions are provided between the source and drain electrode layers and the oxide semiconductor layer including SiOx. The source and drain regions are formed using an oxide semiconductor layer which does not include SiOx or an oxynitiride film.

Abstract: A larger substrate can be used, and a transistor having a desirably high field-effect mobility can be manufactured through formation of an oxide semiconductor layer having a high degree of crystallinity, whereby a large-sized display device, a high-performance semiconductor device, or the like can be put into practical use. A first multi-component oxide semiconductor layer is formed over a substrate and a single-component oxide semiconductor layer is formed thereover; then, crystal growth is carried out from a surface to an inside by performing heat treatment at 500° C. to 1000° C. inclusive, preferably 550° C. to 750° C. inclusive so that a first multi-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions and a single-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions are formed; and a second multi-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions is stacked over the single-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions.

Abstract: An object is to provide an SOI substrate with excellent characteristics even in the case where a single crystal semiconductor substrate having crystal defects is used. Another object is to provide a semiconductor device using such an SOI substrate. A single crystal semiconductor layer is formed by an epitaxial growth method over a surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate. The single crystal semiconductor layer is subjected to first thermal oxidation treatment to form a first oxide film. A surface of the first oxide film is irradiated with ions, whereby the ions are introduced to the single crystal semiconductor layer. The single crystal semiconductor layer and a base substrate are bonded with the first oxide film interposed therebetween. The single crystal semiconductor layer is divided at a region where the ions are introduced by performing thermal treatment, so that the single crystal semiconductor layer is partly left over the base substrate.

Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device including a thin film transistor which includes an oxide semiconductor layer and has high electric characteristics. An oxide semiconductor layer including SiOx is used in a channel formation region, and in order to reduce contact resistance with source and drain electrode layers formed using a metal material with low electric resistance, source and drain regions are provided between the source and drain electrode layers and the oxide semiconductor layer including SiOx. The source and drain regions are formed using an oxide semiconductor layer which does not include SiOx or an oxynitride film.

Abstract: Disclosed is a chemical thermal energy storage material structure, including a granular chemical thermal energy storage material, a clay mineral having a layered ribbon structure, and a complex metal silicate that is generated by a reaction between the above-mentioned chemical thermal energy storage material and the above-mentioned clay mineral and that includes at least one type of alkaline earth metal.

Abstract: A structure for effectively heating a battery. A battery is housed in a battery container. A condenser is formed such that a heating medium is in direct contact with a surface of the battery container, and condenses the heating medium to heat the battery via the battery container. The heating medium condensed by the condenser is supplied to an evaporator that heats and vaporizes the heating medium. The heating medium vaporized by the evaporator which is in vapor is circulated to the condenser.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hydrogen-generating apparatus in which the reduction in reforming efficiency associated with an increase in switching frequency to the regeneration reaction can be suppressed, and generation of hydrogen by reforming can stably be performed. In the reforming reaction, a cathode offgas discharged from a hydrogen-separation-membrane fuel cell 30 having a hydrogen-permeating film is supplied to PSR reformers 10 and 20, in which the reforming reaction and the regeneration reaction are performed alternately.

Abstract: There have been cases where transistors formed using oxide semiconductors are inferior in reliability to transistors formed using amorphous silicon. Thus, in the present invention, a semiconductor device including a highly reliable transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor is manufactured. An oxide semiconductor film is deposited by a sputtering method, using a sputtering target including an oxide semiconductor having crystallinity, and in which the direction of the c-axis of a crystal is parallel to a normal vector of the top surface of the oxide semiconductor. The target is formed by mixing raw materials so that its composition ratio can obtain a crystal structure.

Abstract: The object is to suppress deterioration in electrical characteristics in a semiconductor device comprising a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer. In a transistor in which a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, a p-type silicon layer is provided in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor layer. Further, the p-type silicon layer is provided in contact with at least a region of the oxide semiconductor layer, in which a channel is formed, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided in contact with regions of the oxide semiconductor layer, over which the p-type silicon layer is not provided.

Abstract: There have been cases where transistors formed using oxide semiconductors are inferior in reliability to transistors formed using amorphous silicon. Thus, in the present invention, a semiconductor device including a highly reliable transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor is manufactured. An oxide semiconductor film is deposited by a sputtering method, using a sputtering target including an oxide semiconductor having crystallinity, and in which the direction of the c-axis of a crystal is parallel to a normal vector of the top surface of the oxide semiconductor. The target is formed by mixing raw materials so that its composition ratio can obtain a crystal structure.

Abstract: To suppress deterioration in electrical characteristics in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer or a semiconductor device including the transistor. In a transistor in which a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, a silicon layer is provided in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor layer. Further, the silicon layer is provided in contact with at least a region of the oxide semiconductor layer, in which a channel is formed, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided in contact with regions of the oxide semiconductor layer, over which the silicon layer is not provided.

Abstract: There have been cases where transistors formed using oxide semiconductors are inferior in reliability to transistors formed using amorphous silicon. Thus, in the present invention, a semiconductor device including a highly reliable transistor formed using an oxide semiconductor is manufactured. An oxide semiconductor film is deposited by a sputtering method, using a sputtering target including an oxide semiconductor having crystallinity, and in which the direction of the c-axis of a crystal is parallel to a normal vector of the top surface of the oxide semiconductor. The target is formed by mixing raw materials so that its composition ratio can obtain a crystal structure.

Abstract: A larger substrate can be used, and a transistor having a desirably high field-effect mobility can be manufactured through formation of an oxide semiconductor layer having a high degree of crystallinity, whereby a large-sized display device, a high-performance semiconductor device, or the like can be put into practical use. A first multi-component oxide semiconductor layer is formed over a substrate and a single-component oxide semiconductor layer is formed thereover; then, crystal growth is carried out from a surface to an inside by performing heat treatment at 500° C. to 1000° C. inclusive, preferably 550° C. to 750° C. inclusive so that a first multi-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions and a single-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions are formed; and a second multi-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions is stacked over the single-component oxide semiconductor layer including single crystal regions.

Abstract: An object is to provide an oxide semiconductor layer having a novel structure which is preferably used for a semiconductor device. Alternatively, another object is to provide a semiconductor device using an oxide semiconductor layer having the novel structure. An oxide semiconductor layer includes an amorphous region which is mainly amorphous and a crystal region containing crystal grains of In2Ga2ZnO7 in a vicinity of a surface, in which the crystal grains are oriented so that the c-axis is almost vertical with respect to the surface. Alternatively, a semiconductor device uses such an oxide semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes a gate insulating layer covering a gate electrode, a semiconductor layer in contact with the gate insulating layer, and impurity semiconductor layers which are in contact with part of the semiconductor layer and which form a source region and a drain region. The semiconductor layer includes a microcrystalline semiconductor layer formed on the gate insulating layer and a microcrystalline semiconductor region containing nitrogen in contact with the microcrystalline semiconductor layer. The thin film transistor in which off-current is small and on-current is large can be manufactured with high productivity.

Abstract: A chemical heat accumulator includes a receptacle, a first reaction vessel, and a second reaction vessel. The first reaction vessel is hermetically connected to the receptacle and supplied with water from the receptacle. The first reaction vessel contains a chemical compound that causes a hydration reaction with the water from the receptacle to generate water vapor by a heat of reaction, and causes a dehydration reaction by receiving heat. The second reaction vessel is hermetically connected to the first reaction vessel and supplied with the water vapor from the first reaction vessel. The second reaction vessel contains a chemical heat storage material that generates heat by causing a hydration reaction with the water vapor from the first reaction vessel and stores heat through a dehydration reaction caused by receiving heat. The chemical heat storage material is thermally in contact with an object to be heated.

Abstract: To suppress deterioration in electrical characteristics in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer or a semiconductor device including the transistor. In a transistor in which a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, a silicon layer is provided in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor layer. Further, the silicon layer is provided in contact with at least a region of the oxide semiconductor layer, in which a channel is formed, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided in contact with regions of the oxide semiconductor layer, over which the silicon layer is not provided.

Abstract: A control device 7 obtains a reformed carbon quantity C supplied to a reform reaction flow channel 21 from a supplied fuel quantity Qf and also obtains a reformed water quantity S supplied to the reform reaction flow channel 21 from a generated power quantity W. Further, it obtains a oxygen consumed quantity consumed through power generation in a fuel cell 3 from the generated power quantity W, a supplied oxygen quantity to be supplied to a cathode flow channel 33 from a supplied cathode gas quantity Qc, and a reformed oxygen quantity O to be supplied to the reform reaction flow channel 21 based on a difference between the supplied oxygen quantity and the consumed oxygen quantity. By correcting a reformed carbon quantity C (delivery of a fuel pump 51) in accordance with the reformed oxygen quantity O, each of O/C and S/C is kept in a target value range.

Abstract: An object is to suppress deterioration in electric characteristics in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer or a semiconductor device including the transistor. In a transistor in which a channel layer is formed using an oxide semiconductor, a silicon layer is provided in contact with a surface of the oxide semiconductor layer, an impurity semiconductor layer is provided over the silicon layer, and a source electrode layer and a drain electrode layer are provided to be electrically connected to the impurity semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes: a stacked core formed by stacking a plurality of unit plate members in each of which passage formation portions are formed independently of each other to extend from a heat-exchange passage formation portion along a plane; a case formed in accordance with the outer shape of the stacked core, and which houses the stacked core such that heat-exchange media flow into and flow out of the stacked core; and a join portion that serves as a sealing mechanism that supports the stacked core such that the stacked core does not contact the case, and that forms a heat-insulation layer between the case and the stacked core, wherein the heat-insulation layer is a closed space separated from the outside.