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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Patent number: 10818766Abstract: An active matrix substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of thin film transistors supported on a substrate and an inorganic insulating layer covering the plurality of thin film transistors. Each thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer, a source electrode, and a drain electrode. At least one of the gate insulating layer and the inorganic insulating layer is an insulating layer stack having a multilayer structure including a silicon oxide layer and a silicon nitride layer. The insulating layer stack further includes an intermediate layer disposed between the silicon oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer, the intermediate layer having a refractive index nC higher than a refractive index nA of the silicon oxide layer and lower than a refractive index nB of the silicon nitride layer.Type: GrantFiled: March 23, 2018Date of Patent: October 27, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Hideki Kitagawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Toshikatsu Itoh, Setsuji Nishimiya, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara, Hajime Imai, Tohru Daitoh
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Patent number: 10812704Abstract: An image sensor, comprising: a plurality of photo-diodes arranged divided in a specified pupil division direction, so that a pixel signal is generated by subjecting respective light flux, that passes through different exit pupil regions of an imaging optical systems for a single micro-lens, to photoelectric conversion, and a control circuit that implements an imaging mode for alternately and repeatedly executing a first imaging operation and a second imaging operation, wherein the first imaging operation combines pixel signals corresponding to the pupil division direction and generates and outputs a pixel signal for storage, and the second imaging operation generates and outputs a pixel signal corresponding to the pupil division direction, for focus detection.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Ryo Hatakeyama
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Patent number: 10797082Abstract: A TFT array substrate includes gate electrodes constructed from a first metal film, a first insulating film on the first metal film, channels constructed from a semiconductor film on the first insulating film, source electrodes constructed from a second metal film on the semiconductor film, drain electrodes constructed from the second metal film, pixel electrodes constructed from portions of the semiconductor film having reduced resistances, a second insulating film on the semiconductor film and the second metal film, and a common electrode constructed from a transparent electrode film on the second insulating film. The channels overlap the gate electrodes. The source electrodes and the drain electrodes are connected to first ends and second ends of the channels, respectively. The pixel electrodes are connected to the drain electrodes. The second insulating film includes sections overlapping the pixel electrodes without openings. The common electrode overlaps at least the pixel electrodes.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Masahiko Suzuki, Setsuji Nishimiya, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara
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Publication number: 20200312885Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2020Publication date: October 1, 2020Inventors: Hajime IMAI, Tohru DAITOH, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Yoshihito HARA, Tatsuya KAWASAKI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA
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Publication number: 20200303425Abstract: A method for manufacturing an active matrix board includes (E) a step of forming a source contact hole and a drain contact hole in an interlayer insulating layer such that a portion of a source contact region of an oxide semiconductor layer and a portion of a drain contact region thereof are exposed and forming a connecting portion contact hole in the interlayer insulating layer and a lower insulating layer such that a portion of a lower conductive layer is exposed; and (F) a step of forming a source electrode, a drain electrode, and an upper conductive layer on the interlayer insulating layer; and the step (E) includes (e-1) a step of forming a photoresist film on the interlayer insulating layer and (e-2) a step of forming a photoresist layer in such a manner that the photoresist film is exposed to light using a multi-tone mask and is then developed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2020Publication date: September 24, 2020Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Teruyuki UEDA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
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Publication number: 20200296295Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor having image pixels and phase difference pixels, a phase difference detection section that detects a phase difference based on pixel data of the phase difference pixels, a pixel data calculation section that calculates pixel data of virtual imaging pixels at positions of the phase difference pixels, a degree of coincidence calculation section that calculates a degree of coincidence between each pixel data of the virtual imaging pixels that has been calculated, a reliability determination section that determines reliability of the phase difference detection result in accordance with the degree of coincidence, and a focus adjustment section that performs focus adjustment based on the phase difference detection result and the reliability.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventors: Akira UGAWA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20200287054Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer positioned between the semiconductor layer and the gate electrode, and a source electrode and a drain electrode that are electrically connected to the semiconductor layer, wherein the semiconductor layer has a stacked layer structure including a first oxide semiconductor layer including In, Ga, Zn, and Sn, and a second oxide semiconductor layer including In, Ga, Zn, and Sn, having a lower mobility than the first oxide semiconductor layer, and disposed on the first oxide semiconductor layer so as to be in direct contact with the first oxide semiconductor layer, the first and the second oxide semiconductor layers are amorphous, and a Sn atomic ratio R1 relative to all metal elements in the first oxide semiconductor layer and a Sn atomic ratio R2 relative to all metal elements in the second oxide semiconductor layer satisfy 0.8×R1?R2?1.2×R1.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 4, 2020Publication date: September 10, 2020Inventors: Masahiko SUZUKI, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Yoshimasa CHIKAMA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA, Tohru DAITOH
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Patent number: 10756116Abstract: An active matrix substrate includes a gate metal layer including a plurality of gate bus lines, and a thin film transistor arranged in each pixel region, wherein: the thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer arranged on the gate electrode with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, wherein the gate electrode is formed in the gate metal layer and is electrically connected to a corresponding one of the plurality of gate bus lines, the gate metal layer has a layered structure including a copper alloy layer and a copper layer arranged on the copper alloy layer, wherein the copper alloy layer is of a copper alloy including Cu and at least one additive metal element, wherein the additive metal element includes Al, and an Al content of the copper alloy is 2 at % or more and 8 at % or less.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Teruyuki Ueda, Yoshihito Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Masaki Maeda, Tatsuya Kawasaki, Yoshiharu Hirata, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Toshikatsu Itoh
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Patent number: 10754286Abstract: A sheet housing apparatus including a housing unit, which houses a sheet to be discharged from a discharging opening of a printer, and a pair of housing-side feet disposed on both sides, in a width direction, of the sheet housing apparatus. The sheet housing apparatus can be combined with the printer. The printer includes a pair of body-side feet disposed on both sides, in the width direction, of the printer. In a state in which the sheet housing apparatus is combined with the printer, the body-side feet and the housing-side feet are arranged not to overlap with each other in the width direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 3, 2018Date of Patent: August 25, 2020Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Toshiro Sugiyama, Yasuyuki Asai, Hiromasa Yoneyama, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Itaru Wada, Daiki Anayama
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Publication number: 20200264485Abstract: An active matrix substrate 10 includes: switching elements 120 that are connected with gate lines and data lines provided on a substrate; pixel electrodes 130 that are connected with the switching elements 120; counter electrodes 140 that overlap with the pixel electrodes 130 when viewed in a plan view; a flattening film 154; and lines 142. The flattening film 154 covers the switching elements 120, and first contact holes CH1 that pass through the flattening film 154 are formed at positions that overlap with the lines 142 when viewed in a plan view. The pixel electrodes 130 and the counter electrodes 140 are arranged so that each of the same partially covers the flattening film 154. The line 142 and the counter electrode 140 are connected with each other in the first contact hole CH1.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Inventors: Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Kengo HARA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA
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Patent number: 10748939Abstract: A semiconductor device (100A) is provided with: a gate electrode (3); an oxide semiconductor layer (5); a thin-film transistor (101) including a gate insulating layer (4), a source electrode (7S), and a drain electrode (7D); an inter-layer insulating layer (11) arranged so as to cover the thin-film transistor (101) and come into contact with a channel area (5c) of the thin-film transistor (101); and a transparent electroconductive layer (19) arranged on the inter-layer insulating layer (11), the source electrode (7S) and the drain electrode (7D) each having a copper layer (7a), and the device being further provided with a copper oxide film (8) arranged between the source and drain electrodes and the inter-layer insulating layer (11). The inter-layer insulating layer (11) covers the drain electrode (7D) with the copper oxide film (8) interposed therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2018Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hideki Kitagawa, Tohru Daitoh, Hajime Imai, Hisao Ochi, Tetsuo Fujita, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Shingo Kawashima, Masahiko Suzuki
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Patent number: 10750079Abstract: A focus adjustment device, comprising a processor having a focus region setting section, a focus detection section, a determination section and a control section, wherein the focus detection region setting section sets a first focus detection region, and a second focus detection region, that is contained in the first focus detection region and that is narrower than the first focus detection region, in an imaging region, the control section, when it is determined that that there is not a periodicity-containing subject for the first focus detection region, and it is determined that there is a periodicity-containing subject for the second focus detection region, performs a focus adjustment operation by selecting a phase difference that is closest to a phase difference that has been detected for the first focus detection region, among a plurality of phase differences that have been detected for the second focus detection region.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2019Date of Patent: August 18, 2020Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Yukie Yamazaki, Kazumasa Kunugi, Yoshinobu Omata, Tetsuo Kikuchi
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Patent number: 10741696Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a thin film transistor including a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a gate insulating layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, the semiconductor layer includes a layered structure including a first oxide semiconductor layer including In and Zn, in which an atomic ratio of In with respect to all metallic elements included in the first oxide semiconductor layer is higher than an atomic ratio of Zn, a second oxide semiconductor layer including In and Zn, in which an atomic ratio of Zn with respect to all metallic elements included in the second oxide semiconductor layer is higher than an atomic ratio of In, and an intermediate oxide semiconductor layer arranged between the first oxide semiconductor layer and the second oxide semiconductor layer, and the first and second oxide semiconductor layers are crystalline oxide semiconductor layers, and the intermediate oxide semiconductor layer is an amorphous oxide semiconductor layer, and the first oxide semiconductor layer isType: GrantFiled: September 21, 2017Date of Patent: August 11, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Masahiko Suzuki, Hajime Imai, Hideki Kitagawa, Tetsuo Kikuchi, Setsuji Nishimiya, Teruyuki Ueda, Kengo Hara, Tohru Daitoh, Toshikatsu Itoh
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Publication number: 20200236291Abstract: A focus adjustment method comprising setting a first range including at least one AF area, or a second range including the first range, every time the defocus amount is detected, selecting the first range or the second range based on a focus target position of an AF area included in the second range, and a reference position, updating the reference position based on the plurality of focus target positions of AF areas included in the range that has been selected, and the reference position, and selecting an AF area used in the focus adjustment from the plurality of AF areas, based on the plurality of focus target positions of AF areas included in the range that has been selected, and the reference position that has been updated.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2019Publication date: July 23, 2020Inventors: Tomohiro HOSHINO, Tetsuo KIKUCHI
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Publication number: 20200227560Abstract: A semiconductor device (100) of an embodiment of the present invention includes: a substrate (1); a plurality of TFTs (10) supported by the substrate; and a protecting layer (20) covering the plurality of TFTs. Each of the TFTs is a back channel etch type TFT which includes a gate electrode (2), a gate insulating layer (3), an oxide semiconductor layer (4), a source electrode (5) and a drain electrode (6). The gate electrode includes a tapered portion (TP) defined by a lateral surface (2s) which has a tapered shape. When viewed in a direction normal to a substrate surface, a periphery of the oxide semiconductor layer includes an edge (4e1, 4e2) which extends in a direction intersecting a channel width direction (DW) and which is more internal than an edge of the gate electrode in the channel width direction. The distance from the edge of the oxide semiconductor layer to an inside end of the tapered portion is not less than 1.5 ?m.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 1, 2018Publication date: July 16, 2020Inventors: Toshikatsu ITOH, Hajime IMAI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Masahiko SUZUKI
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Patent number: 10700210Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a substrate and a thin film transistor supported by the substrate. The thin film transistor includes a gate electrode, an oxide semiconductor layer, a gate insulating layer provided between the gate electrode and the oxide semiconductor layer, and source and drain electrodes electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor layer. The gate insulating layer includes a first portion which is covered with the oxide semiconductor layer and a second portion which is adjacent to the first portion and which is not covered with any of the oxide semiconductor layer, the source electrode and the drain electrode. The second portion is smaller in thickness than the first portion, and the difference in thickness between the second portion and the first portion is more than 0 nm and not more than 50 nm.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2015Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Hajime Imai, Hisao Ochi, Tetsuo Fujita, Hideki Kitagawa, Masahiko Suzuki, Shingo Kawashima, Tohru Daitoh
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Publication number: 20200185425Abstract: Each of pixel regions of an active matrix substrate (1002) includes: a lower insulating layer (5); an oxide semiconductor layer (7) that is arranged on the lower insulating layer and includes an active region (7a) of an oxide semiconductor TFT; an upper insulating layer (9) that is arranged on a portion of the oxide semiconductor layer so as not to be in contact with the lower insulating layer; an upper gate layer (10) that is arranged on the upper insulating layer and includes an upper gate electrode (10a) and one of a plurality of gate bus lines (GL); and a source electrode and a drain electrode, wherein: the oxide semiconductor layer 7 further includes an extension region (7e) that extends from the active region (7a) in a direction x different from a channel length direction y of the oxide semiconductor TFT as seen from a normal direction to the substrate; and the extension region (7e) is arranged on the substrate side of one of the plurality of gate bus lines (GL) with an upper insulating layer (9) interpType: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2018Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Kengo HARA, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Teruyuki UEDA, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Toshikatsu ITOH
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Publication number: 20200183208Abstract: Provided is an active matrix substrate provided with a substrate (1), a peripheral circuit that includes a first oxide semiconductor thin-film transistor (TFT) (101), a plurality of second oxide semiconductor TFTs (102) disposed in a display area, and a first inorganic insulating layer (11) covering the plurality of second oxide semiconductor TFTs (102), the first oxide semiconductor TFT (101) having a lower gate electrode (3A), a gate insulating layer (4), an oxide semiconductor (5A) disposed so as to face the lower gate electrode with the gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, a source electrode (7A) and a drain electrode (8A), and an upper gate electrode (BG) disposed on the oxide semiconductor (5A) with an insulating layer that includes the first inorganic insulating layer (11) interposed therebetween, and furthermore having, on the upper gate electrode (BG), a second inorganic insulating layer (17) covering the first oxide semiconductor TFT (101).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 13, 2017Publication date: June 11, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Toshikatsu ITOH, Hisao OCHI, Hideki KITAGAWA, Masahiko SUZUKI, Teruyuki UEDA, Ryosuke GUNJI, Kengo HARA, Setsuji NISHIMIYA
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Patent number: 10666851Abstract: An imaging device, comprising an image sensor that receives subject light and generates image data, and a processor comprising a focus control section, an index generating section, and a control section, wherein the focus control section performs focus detection based on the image data, and controls focus drive based on focus detection results, the index generating section is input with the image data, and generates a first index representing which image of a given plurality of types of image the image data is close to, and a second index representing Bokeh state of an image corresponding to the image data, and the control section changes control of focus drive by the focus control section based on output of the index generating section.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 2019Date of Patent: May 26, 2020Assignee: Olympus CorporationInventors: Tetsuo Kikuchi, Tetsuya Toyoda
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Publication number: 20200150472Abstract: A substrate includes thin film transistors, each of which includes: an upper gate electrode formed of a first conductive film and continuous with one of gate lines; a source electrode formed of a second conductive film and continuous with one of source lines; a channel region formed of a portion of a semiconductor film over which an upper gate insulating film is disposed and overlapping the upper gate electrode; a source region formed of a portion of the semiconductor film and continuous with the channel region, and a drain region formed of a portion of the semiconductor film and continuous with the channel region on an opposite side of the channel region from the source region. The source electrode connects the source line and the source region through a first contact hole in an interlayer insulating film disposed over the first conductive film and containing a photosensitive material.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2019Publication date: May 14, 2020Inventors: Tetsuo KIKUCHI, Tohru DAITOH, Hajime IMAI, Masahiko SUZUKI, Setsuji NISHIMIYA, Teruyuki UEDA, Kengo HARA, Masamitsu YAMANAKA, Hitoshi TAKAHATA