Patents by Inventor Tetsuo Kikuchi
Tetsuo Kikuchi 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).
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Publication number: 20230418123Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a pixel TFT including an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer provided on the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode disposed so as to face the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, a plurality of gate lines, an interlayer insulating layer provided so as to cover the gate electrode and the plurality of gate lines, a plurality of source lines provided on the interlayer insulating layer, an upper insulating layer provided so as to cover the plurality of source lines, and an organic insulating layer provided on the upper insulating layer. The interlayer insulating layer includes a first layer formed of silicon oxide, a second layer provided on the first layer and formed of silicon nitride, and a third layer provided on the second layer and formed of silicon oxide.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 20, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA
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Patent number: 11791345Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a first TFT having an oxide semiconductor layer formed from a first oxide semiconductor film and a second TFT having an oxide semiconductor layer formed from a second oxide semiconductor film. The oxide semiconductor layer of each TFT includes a high-resistance region including a channel region and offset regions and low-resistance regions including a source contact region, a drain contact region, and interposed regions. The first TFT has a gate insulating layer including a first insulating film and a second insulating film. The second TFT has a gate insulating layer including the second insulating film but not including the first insulating film. A total length L1 of the offset regions of the first TFT in a channel length direction is greater than a total length L2 of the offset regions of the second TFT in the channel length direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hitoshi Takahata, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Kengo Hara, Setsuji Nishimiya, Masahiko Suzuki, Tohru Daitoh
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Patent number: 11790867Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an active matrix substrate (100) includes a display region (DR) defined by a plurality of pixel regions (P) arranged in a matrix and a peripheral region (FR) located around the display region. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate (1), a first TFT (10), and a second TFT (20). The first TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the peripheral region. The second TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the display region. The first TFT includes a crystalline silicon semiconductor layer (11), which is an active layer. The second TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer (21), which is an active layer. The first TFT and the second TFT each have a top-gate structure.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2022Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Toshikatsu Itoh, Masahiko Suzuki, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara, Setsuji Nishimiya, Tohru Daitoh
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Publication number: 20230317739Abstract: The active matrix substrate includes a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs supported by a substrate. Each of the plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer including a channel region, a lower electrode positioned between the oxide semiconductor layer and the substrate, and an insulating layer positioned between the oxide semiconductor layer and the lower electrode. The insulating layer has a layered structure including a lower layer, an upper layer positioned between the lower layer and the oxide semiconductor layer, and an intermediate layer positioned between the lower layer and the upper layer. The upper layer is a silicon oxide layer, the intermediate layer contains at least silicon and nitrogen, and the lower layer contains at least silicon, nitrogen, and oxygen. A hydrogen desorption amount in the lower layer is larger than a hydrogen desorption amount in the intermediate layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2023Publication date: October 5, 2023Inventors: Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH, Yoshihito HARA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Teruyuki UEDA, Masaki MAEDA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Yoshiharu HIRATA
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Publication number: 20230307465Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines, a lower insulating layer covering the source bus lines, a plurality of gate bus lines formed above the lower insulating layer, and an oxide semiconductor TFT disposed to correspond to each pixel area. The oxide semiconductor TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, and a gate electrode disposed above the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode is formed in a different layer from the gate bus lines, and is disposed to be separated from another gate electrode disposed in an adjacent pixel area. The gate electrode is covered by an interlayer insulating layer. The gate bus line is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and in a gate contact hole formed in the interlayer insulating layer, and is connected to the gate electrode in the gate contact hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Inventors: Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH, Teruyuki UEDA, Yoshihito HARA, Masaki MAEDA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Yoshiharu HIRATA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI
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Patent number: 11721704Abstract: The oxide semiconductor layer is electrically connected to a source electrode or the source bus line within the source opening formed in the lower insulating layer, each wiring line connection section includes a lower conductive portion formed using the first conductive film, the lower insulating layer extending over the lower conductive portion, an oxide connection layer formed using an oxide film the same as the oxide semiconductor layer and electrically connected to the lower conductive portion within the lower opening formed in the lower insulating layer, an insulating layer covering the oxide connection layer, and an upper conductive portion electrically connected to the oxide connection layer within the upper opening formed in the insulating layer, wherein the oxide connection layer includes a region lower in a specific resistance than the channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2022Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hajime Imai, Tohru Daitoh, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masamitsu Yamanaka, Yoshihito Hara, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya
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Publication number: 20230221605Abstract: A semiconductor device including a substrate, and a first circuit supported by the substrate and including a plurality of TFTs including a first TFT, wherein the first TFT includes a semiconductor layer, a lower gate electrode located on a side of the substrate of the semiconductor layer and overlapping a part of the semiconductor layer via a lower gate insulating layer, and an upper gate electrode located on a side opposite to the substrate of the semiconductor layer and overlapping a part of the semiconductor layer via an upper gate insulating layer, one of the lower gate electrode and the upper gate electrode is a first gate electrode and the other is a second gate electrode, a first signal is supplied to the first gate electrode, and a second signal different from the first signal is supplied to the second gate electrode, the first TFT has a threshold voltage between a high-level potential and a low-level potential of the first signal and between a high-level potential and a low-level potential of the secType: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2023Publication date: July 13, 2023Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Takuya WATANABE, Tohru DAITOH
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Publication number: 20230215877Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines and a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs that have a plurality of pixel TFTs, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of pixel regions, and a plurality of circuit TFTs constituting a peripheral circuit, in which each of oxide semiconductor TFTs has an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on a channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer via a gate insulating layer, the plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs have a plurality of first TFTs, a plurality of second TFTs, and/or a plurality of third TFTs, and the plurality of first TFTs have the plurality of pixel TFTs, and the plurality of second TFTs and/or the plurality of third TFTs have at least a portion of the plurality of circuit TFTs.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2023Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
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Publication number: 20230215876Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines located closer to the substrate side; a lower insulating layer that covers the source bus lines; an interlayer insulating layer that covers the gate bus lines; a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs disposed in association with respective pixel regions; a pixel electrode disposed in each of the pixel regions; and a plurality of source contact portions each of which electrically connects one of the oxide semiconductor TFTs to the corresponding one of the source bus lines, in which each of the oxide semiconductor TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, a gate electrode disposed on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode formed of a conductive film, and each of the source contact portions includes a source contact hole, and a connection electrode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2023Publication date: July 6, 2023Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH
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Patent number: 11695020Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines, a lower insulating layer covering the source bus lines, a plurality of gate bus lines formed above the lower insulating layer, and an oxide semiconductor TFT disposed to correspond to each pixel area. The oxide semiconductor TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, and a gate electrode disposed above the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate electrode is formed in a different layer from the gate bus lines, and is disposed to be separated from another gate electrode disposed in an adjacent pixel area. The gate electrode is covered by an interlayer insulating layer. The gate bus line is disposed on the interlayer insulating layer and in a gate contact hole formed in the interlayer insulating layer, and is connected to the gate electrode in the gate contact hole.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2020Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hajime Imai, Tohru Daitoh, Teruyuki Ueda, Yoshihito Hara, Masaki Maeda, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Yoshiharu Hirata, Tetsuo Kikuchi
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Patent number: 11695016Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a first TFT and a second TFT, each of TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode arranged on the oxide semiconductor layer with a gate insulating layer therebetween, in which in the first TFT, in the oxide semiconductor layer, in at least a part of a first region covered with the gate electrode with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, a layered structure including a high mobility oxide semiconductor film having a relatively high mobility and a low mobility oxide semiconductor film placed on the high mobility oxide semiconductor film and having a lower mobility than the high mobility oxide semiconductor film is provided, and in the second TFT, in a first region of the oxide semiconductor layer, throughout, of the high mobility oxide semiconductor film and the low mobility oxide semiconductor film, one oxide semiconductor film is provided, and the other oxide semiconductor film is not provided.Type: GrantFiled: July 1, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tohru Daitoh, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata, Tetsuo Kikuchi
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Publication number: 20230135065Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a substrate, a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs each including an oxide semiconductor layer, a lower gate electrode positioned on the substrate side of the oxide semiconductor layer, and an upper gate electrode positioned on the oxide semiconductor layer on a side opposite from the substrate, a plurality of source wiring lines extending in a column direction, a plurality of upper gate wiring lines extending in a row direction, and a plurality of lower gate wiring lines extending in the row direction. The plurality of lower gate wiring lines include a first gate wiring line, and the plurality of upper gate wiring lines include a second gate wiring line partially overlapping the first gate wiring line via the lower gate insulating layer and the upper gate insulating layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2022Publication date: May 4, 2023Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH
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Patent number: 11637132Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of gate bus lines, a plurality of source bus lines located closer to the substrate side; a lower insulating layer that covers the source bus lines; an interlayer insulating layer that covers the gate bus lines; a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs disposed in association with respective pixel regions; a pixel electrode disposed in each of the pixel regions; and a plurality of source contact portions each of which electrically connects one of the oxide semiconductor TFTs to the corresponding one of the source bus lines, in which each of the oxide semiconductor TFTs includes an oxide semiconductor layer disposed on the lower insulating layer, a gate electrode disposed on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer, and a source electrode formed of a conductive film, and each of the source contact portions includes a source contact hole, and a connection electrode.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2021Date of Patent: April 25, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Setsuji Nishimiya, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata, Tohru Daitoh
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Patent number: 11631704Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a plurality of source bus lines and a plurality of gate bus lines and a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs that have a plurality of pixel TFTs, each of which is associated with one of the plurality of pixel regions, and a plurality of circuit TFTs constituting a peripheral circuit, in which each of oxide semiconductor TFTs has an oxide semiconductor layer and a gate electrode disposed on a channel region of the oxide semiconductor layer via a gate insulating layer, the plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs have a plurality of first TFTs, a plurality of second TFTs, and/or a plurality of third TFTs, and the plurality of first TFTs have the plurality of pixel TFTs, and the plurality of second TFTs and/or the plurality of third TFTs have at least a portion of the plurality of circuit TFTs.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Hitoshi Takahata
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Publication number: 20230100273Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an active matrix substrate (100) includes a display region (DR) defined by a plurality of pixel regions (P) arranged in a matrix and a peripheral region (FR) located around the display region. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate (1), a first TFT (10), and a second TFT (20). The first TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the peripheral region. The second TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the display region. The first TFT includes a crystalline silicon semiconductor layer (11), which is an active layer. The second TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer (21), which is an active layer. The first TFT and the second TFT each have a top-gate structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2022Publication date: March 30, 2023Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Hajime IMAI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tohru DAITOH
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Publication number: 20230075289Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes: a first oxide semiconductor layer including a first channel region; a first gate electrode disposed on the substrate side of the first oxide semiconductor layer; a channel protection layer disposed on a side of the first oxide semiconductor layer opposite to the substrate and covering the first channel region; a first TFT having a first source electrode and a first drain electrode in an upper layer of the channel protection layer; a second oxide semiconductor layer; a second gate electrode disposed on a side of the second oxide semiconductor layer opposite to the substrate; and the second TFT having a second source electrode and a second drain electrode disposed on an interlayer insulating layer that covers the second gate electrode, wherein the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer are formed of the same layered oxide semiconductor film, the layered oxide semiconductor film has a layered structure including a high mobility oxide semicondType: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2022Publication date: March 9, 2023Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
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Patent number: 11581340Abstract: An active matrix substrate is provided with a plurality of oxide semiconductor TFTs including a plurality of first TFTs. An oxide semiconductor layer of each oxide semiconductor TFT includes a channel region, a source contact region, and a drain contact region. In a view from a normal direction of the substrate, the channel region is a region located between the source contact region and the drain contact region and overlapping a gate electrode, and the channel region includes a first end portion and a second end portion that oppose each other and extend in a first direction from the source contact region side toward the drain contact region side, a source side end portion that is located on the source contact region side of the first and second end portions and extends in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and a drain side end portion that is located on the drain contact region side of the first and second end portions and extends in the second direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 2021Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Hitoshi Takahata
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Patent number: 11557679Abstract: An active matrix substrate has pixel regions, and includes a substrate, pixel TFTs disposed to respectively correspond to the pixel regions, and pixel electrodes electrically connected to the pixel TFTs. The pixel TFTs are each a top gate structure TFT that has an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer on the oxide semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode opposing the oxide semiconductor layer with the gate insulating layer therebetween. The gate insulating layer is formed of silicon oxide and includes a lower layer contacting the oxide semiconductor layer, and an upper layer on the lower layer. The lower layer H/N ratio of hydrogen atoms to nitrogen atoms in the lower layer is 1.5 to 5.0. The upper layer H/N ratio of hydrogen atoms to nitrogen atoms in the upper layer is 0.9 to 2.0. The lower layer H/N ratio is larger than the upper layer H/N ratio.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2021Date of Patent: January 17, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Tohru Daitoh, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Kengo Hara, Hitoshi Takahata
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Patent number: 11551629Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, an active matrix substrate (100) includes a display region (DR) defined by a plurality of pixel regions (P) arranged in a matrix and a peripheral region (FR) located around the display region. The active matrix substrate includes a substrate (1), a first TFT (10), and a second TFT (20). The first TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the peripheral region. The second TFT is supported by the substrate and disposed in the display region. The first TFT includes a crystalline silicon semiconductor layer (11), which is an active layer. The second TFT includes an oxide semiconductor layer (21), which is an active layer. The first TFT and the second TFT each have a top-gate structure.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2022Date of Patent: January 10, 2023Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hideki Kitagawa, Hajime Imai, Toshikatsu Itoh, Masahiko Suzuki, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara, Setsuji Nishimiya, Tohru Daitoh
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Publication number: 20220406942Abstract: Each first thin film transistor of a semiconductor device includes: a lower electrode; a first oxide semiconductor layer including a channel region and first and second contact regions; a gate electrode disposed on the channel region with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween; and a source electrode and a drain electrode connected to the first contact region and the second contact region, respectively. When viewed from a normal direction of the substrate, at least a part of the channel region overlaps the lower electrode, and at least one of the first and second contact regions is located outside the lower electrode. The channel region has a layered structure including a lower layer, an upper layer located between the lower layer and the gate insulating layer, and a high mobility layer disposed between the lower layer and the upper layer and having mobility higher than mobility of the lower layer and the upper layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2022Publication date: December 22, 2022Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA