Patents by Inventor Tetsunori Maruyama

Tetsunori Maruyama 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).

  • Patent number: 10050060
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device with excellent electrical characteristics or a semiconductor device with stable electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a first wiring, and a first plug. The first transistor includes silicon. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The first insulator is located over the first transistor. The second insulator is located over the first insulator. The second transistor is located over the second insulator. The first wiring is located over the second insulator and the first plug. The first transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected to each other through the first wiring and the first plug. The first wiring has low hydrogen permeability. The hydrogen permeability of the second insulator is lower than the hydrogen permeability of the first insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Miyairi, Yuichi Sato, Yuji Asano, Tetsunori Maruyama, Tatsuya Onuki, Shuhei Nagatsuka
  • Publication number: 20180182894
    Abstract: To provide a highly reliable semiconductor device manufactured by giving stable electric characteristics to a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. In a manufacturing process of a transistor, an oxide semiconductor layer, a source electrode layer, a drain electrode layer, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode layer, and an aluminum oxide film are formed in this order, and then heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor layer and the aluminum oxide film, whereby an oxide semiconductor layer from which an impurity containing a hydrogen atom is removed and which includes a region containing oxygen more than the stoichiometric proportion is formed. In addition, when the aluminum oxide film is formed, entry and diffusion of water or hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer from the air due to heat treatment in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device or an electronic appliance including the transistor can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Yuhei SATO, Keiji SATO, Toshinari SASAKI, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Atsuo ISOBE, Tsutomu MURAKAWA, Sachiaki TEZUKA
  • Patent number: 10002775
    Abstract: In a manufacturing process of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, oxygen doping treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor film, and then heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor film and an aluminum oxide film provided over the oxide semiconductor film. Consequently, an oxide semiconductor film which includes a region containing more oxygen than a stoichiometric composition is formed. The transistor formed using the oxide semiconductor film can have high reliability because the amount of change in the threshold voltage of the transistor by a bias-temperature stress test (BT test) is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Yuhei Sato, Keiji Sato, Tetsunori Maruyama, Junichi Koezuka
  • Patent number: 9960278
    Abstract: To provide a highly reliable semiconductor device manufactured by giving stable electric characteristics to a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. In a manufacturing process of a transistor, an oxide semiconductor layer, a source electrode layer, a drain electrode layer, a gate insulating film, a gate electrode layer, and an aluminum oxide film are formed in this order, and then heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor layer and the aluminum oxide film, whereby an oxide semiconductor layer from which an impurity containing a hydrogen atom is removed and which includes a region containing oxygen more than the stoichiometric proportion is formed. In addition, when the aluminum oxide film is formed, entry and diffusion of water or hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer from the air due to heat treatment in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device or an electronic appliance including the transistor can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2018
    Inventors: Yuhei Sato, Keiji Sato, Toshinari Sasaki, Tetsunori Maruyama, Atsuo Isobe, Tsutomu Murakawa, Sachiaki Tezuka
  • Patent number: 9941310
    Abstract: The silicon nitride layer 910 formed by plasma CVD using a gas containing a hydrogen compound such as silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3) is provided on and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354, and the silicon nitride layer 910 is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355 with the silicon oxide layer 909 serving as a barrier layer interposed therebetween. Therefore, a higher concentration of hydrogen is introduced into the oxide semiconductor layer 905 than into the oxide semiconductor layer 906. As a result, the resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354 is made lower than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Koyama, Junichiro Sakata, Tetsunori Maruyama, Yuki Imoto, Yuji Asano, Junichi Koezuka
  • Publication number: 20170243899
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device with excellent electrical characteristics or a semiconductor device with stable electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a first wiring, and a first plug. The first transistor includes silicon. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The first insulator is located over the first transistor. The second insulator is located over the first insulator. The second transistor is located over the second insulator. The first wiring is located over the second insulator and the first plug. The first transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected to each other through the first wiring and the first plug. The first wiring has low hydrogen permeability. The hydrogen permeability of the second insulator is lower than the hydrogen permeability of the first insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Inventors: Hidekazu MIYAIRI, Yuichi SATO, Yuji ASANO, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Tatsuya ONUKI, Shuhei NAGATSUKA
  • Patent number: 9653479
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device with excellent electrical characteristics or a semiconductor device with stable electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a first wiring, and a first plug. The first transistor includes silicon. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The first insulator is located over the first transistor. The second insulator is located over the first insulator. The second transistor is located over the second insulator. The first wiring is located over the second insulator and the first plug. The first transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected to each other through the first wiring and the first plug. The first wiring has low hydrogen permeability. The hydrogen permeability of the second insulator is lower than the hydrogen permeability of the first insulator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Miyairi, Yuichi Sato, Yuji Asano, Tetsunori Maruyama, Tatsuya Onuki, Shuhei Nagatsuka
  • Patent number: 9634082
    Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device is manufactured by giving stable electric characteristics to a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film is used for a channel. An oxide semiconductor film which can have a first crystal structure by heat treatment and an oxide semiconductor film which can have a second crystal structure by heat treatment are formed so as to be stacked, and then heat treatment is performed; accordingly, crystal growth occurs with the use of an oxide semiconductor film having the second crystal structure as a seed, so that an oxide semiconductor film having the first crystal structure is formed. An oxide semiconductor film formed in this manner is used for an active layer of the transistor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Masahiro Takahashi, Tetsunori Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20170025448
    Abstract: The silicon nitride layer 910 formed by plasma CVD using a gas containing a hydrogen compound such as silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3) is provided on and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354, and the silicon nitride layer 910 is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355 with the silicon oxide layer 909 serving as a barrier layer interposed therebetween. Therefore, a higher concentration of hydrogen is introduced into the oxide semiconductor layer 905 than into the oxide semiconductor layer 906. As a result, the resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354 is made lower than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Jun KOYAMA, Junichiro SAKATA, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Yuki IMOTO, Yuji ASANO, Junichi KOEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20170016108
    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.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Yuki IMOTO, Hitomi SATO, Masahiro WATANABE, Mitsuo MASHIYAMA, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Motoki NAKASHIMA, Takashi SHIMAZU
  • Patent number: 9530872
    Abstract: An object is to provide a thin film transistor and a method for manufacturing the thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor with a controlled threshold voltage, high operation speed, a relatively easy manufacturing process, and sufficient reliability. An impurity having influence on carrier concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer, such as a hydrogen atom or a compound containing a hydrogen atom such as H2O, may be eliminated. An oxide insulating layer containing a large number of defects such as dangling bonds may be formed in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer, such that the impurity diffuses into the oxide insulating layer and the impurity concentration in the oxide semiconductor layer is reduced. The oxide semiconductor layer or the oxide insulating layer in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer may be formed in a deposition chamber which is evacuated with use of a cryopump whereby the impurity concentration is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichiro Sakata, Akiharu Miyanaga, Masayuki Sakakura, Junichi Koezuka, Tetsunori Maruyama, Yuki Imoto
  • Publication number: 20160358950
    Abstract: The silicon nitride layer 910 formed by plasma CVD using a gas containing a hydrogen compound such as silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3) is provided on and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354, and the silicon nitride layer 910 is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355 with the silicon oxide layer 909 serving as a barrier layer interposed therebetween. Therefore, a higher concentration of hydrogen is introduced into the oxide semiconductor layer 905 than into the oxide semiconductor layer 906. As a result, the resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354 is made lower than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Jun KOYAMA, Junichiro SAKATA, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Yuki IMOTO, Yuji ASANO, Junichi KOEZUKA
  • Patent number: 9472676
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having excellent electric characteristics and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor device are provided. A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a gate electrode; forming a gate insulating film to cover the gate electrode; forming an oxide semiconductor film over the gate insulating film; forming a hydrogen permeable film over the oxide semiconductor film; forming a hydrogen capture film over the hydrogen permeable film; performing heat treatment to release hydrogen from the oxide semiconductor film; forming a source electrode and a drain electrode to be in contact with a part of the oxide semiconductor film; and removing an exposed portion of the hydrogen capture film to form a channel protective film formed of the hydrogen permeable film. A semiconductor device manufactured by the above method is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Imoto, Tetsunori Maruyama, Yuta Endo
  • Publication number: 20160300952
    Abstract: A minute transistor is provided. A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor over a substrate, a first conductor and a second conductor over the semiconductor, a first insulator over the first conductor and the second conductor, a second insulator over the semiconductor, a third insulator over the second insulator, and a third conductor over the third insulator. The third insulator is in contact with a side surface of the first insulator. The semiconductor includes a first region where the semiconductor overlaps with a bottom surface of the first conductor, a second region where the semiconductor overlaps with a bottom surface of the second conductor, and a third region where the semiconductor overlaps with a bottom surface of the third conductor. The length between a top surface of the semiconductor and the bottom surface of the third conductor is longer than the length between the first region and the third region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Inventors: Satoshi TORIUMI, Takashi HAMADA, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Yuki IMOTO, Yuji ASANO, Ryunosuke HONDA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Publication number: 20160284564
    Abstract: In a manufacturing process of a transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, oxygen doping treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor film, and then heat treatment is performed on the oxide semiconductor film and an aluminum oxide film provided over the oxide semiconductor film. Consequently, an oxide semiconductor film which includes a region containing more oxygen than a stoichiometric composition is formed. The transistor formed using the oxide semiconductor film can have high reliability because the amount of change in the threshold voltage of the transistor by a bias-temperature stress test (BT test) is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yuhei SATO, Keiji SATO, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Junichi KOEZUKA
  • Publication number: 20160276370
    Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device with excellent electrical characteristics or a semiconductor device with stable electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device includes a first transistor, a second transistor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a first wiring, and a first plug. The first transistor includes silicon. The second transistor includes an oxide semiconductor. The first insulator is located over the first transistor. The second insulator is located over the first insulator. The second transistor is located over the second insulator. The first wiring is located over the second insulator and the first plug. The first transistor and the second transistor are electrically connected to each other through the first wiring and the first plug. The first wiring has low hydrogen permeability. The hydrogen permeability of the second insulator is lower than the hydrogen permeability of the first insulator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Hidekazu MIYAIRI, Yuichi SATO, Yuji ASANO, Tetsunori MARUYAMA, Tatsuya ONUKI, Shuhei NAGATSUKA
  • Patent number: 9443888
    Abstract: The silicon nitride layer 910 formed by plasma CVD using a gas containing a hydrogen compound such as silane (SiH4) and ammonia (NH3) is provided on and in direct contact with the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354, and the silicon nitride layer 910 is provided over the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355 with the silicon oxide layer 909 serving as a barrier layer interposed therebetween. Therefore, a higher concentration of hydrogen is introduced into the oxide semiconductor layer 905 than into the oxide semiconductor layer 906. As a result, the resistance of the oxide semiconductor layer 905 used for the resistor 354 is made lower than that of the oxide semiconductor layer 906 used for the thin film transistor 355.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jun Koyama, Junichiro Sakata, Tetsunori Maruyama, Yuki Imoto, Yuji Asano, Junichi Koezuka
  • Patent number: 9397225
    Abstract: In the transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, which includes a film for capturing hydrogen from the oxide semiconductor film (a hydrogen capture film) and a film for diffusing hydrogen (a hydrogen permeable film), hydrogen is transferred from the oxide semiconductor film to the hydrogen capture film through the hydrogen permeable film by heat treatment. Specifically, a base film or a protective film of the transistor including an oxide semiconductor film has a stacked-layer structure of the hydrogen capture film and the hydrogen permeable film. At this time, the hydrogen permeable film is formed on a side which is in contact with the oxide semiconductor film. After that, hydrogen released from the oxide semiconductor film is transferred to the hydrogen capture film through the hydrogen permeable film by the heat treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Imoto, Tetsunori Maruyama, Yuta Endo
  • Patent number: 9382611
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Tetsunori Maruyama, Yuki Imoto, Hitomi Sato, Masahiro Watanabe, Mitsuo Mashiyama, Kenichi Okazaki, Motoki Nakashima, Takashi Shimazu
  • Publication number: 20160181434
    Abstract: A highly reliable semiconductor device is manufactured by giving stable electric characteristics to a transistor in which an oxide semiconductor film is used for a channel. An oxide semiconductor film which can have a first crystal structure by heat treatment and an oxide semiconductor film which can have a second crystal structure by heat treatment are formed so as to be stacked, and then heat treatment is performed; accordingly, crystal growth occurs with the use of an oxide semiconductor film having the second crystal structure as a seed, so that an oxide semiconductor film having the first crystal structure is formed. An oxide semiconductor film formed in this manner is used for an active layer of the transistor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Masahiro TAKAHASHI, Tetsunori MARUYAMA