Patents by Inventor Tomohiro SHIMOOKA

Tomohiro SHIMOOKA 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: 10263152
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor element includes a sapphire substrate including: a main surface extending in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections disposed at the main surface, the plurality of projections including at least one projection having an elongated shape in a plan view; and a nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the main surface of the sapphire substrate. The at least one projection has an outer edge extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongated shape, the outer edge extending in a direction oriented at an angle in a range of ?10° to +10° with respect to an a-plane of the sapphire substrate in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Shimooka, Masahiko Sano, Naoki Azuma
  • Patent number: 10134944
    Abstract: A light-emitting element includes: a sapphire substrate including: a principal surface that is in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections on the principal surface, wherein each of the plurality of projections has a shape of pseudo-hexagonal pyramid including six lateral surfaces, each of the six lateral surfaces including an inwardly curved surface portion, and wherein, in a top view of the sapphire substrate, each of the plurality of projections has a shape of a pseudo-hexagon; and a semiconductor layered body comprising a nitride semiconductor on the principal surface side of the sapphire substrate, the semiconductor layered body including an active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Inoue, Tomohiro Shimooka
  • Publication number: 20180240934
    Abstract: A light-emitting element includes: a sapphire substrate including: a principal surface that is in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections on the principal surface, wherein each of the plurality of projections has a shape of pseudo-hexagonal pyramid including six lateral surfaces, each of the six lateral surfaces including an inwardly curved surface portion, and wherein, in a top view of the sapphire substrate, each of the plurality of projections has a shape of a pseudo-hexagon; and a semiconductor layered body comprising a nitride semiconductor on the principal surface side of the sapphire substrate, the semiconductor layered body including an active layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2018
    Publication date: August 23, 2018
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki INOUE, Tomohiro SHIMOOKA
  • Patent number: 9978903
    Abstract: A light-emitting element includes a sapphire substrate including: a principal surface that is in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections on the principal surface, wherein each of the plurality of projections has a shape of pseudo-hexagonal pyramid including six lateral surfaces, each of the six lateral surfaces including an inwardly curved surface portion, and wherein, in a top view of the sapphire substrate, each of the plurality of projections has a shape of a pseudo-hexagon that includes first curved lines and second curved lines that are alternately connected to one another, the first curved lines being curved toward a center of a corresponding hexagon and disposed between respective adjacent pairs of six vertices of the hexagon, and the second curved lines passing through respective vertices of the hexagon; and a semiconductor layered body comprising a nitride semiconductor on the principal surface side of the sapphire substrate, the semiconductor layered body including an act
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Inoue, Tomohiro Shimooka
  • Publication number: 20180047874
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor element includes a sapphire substrate including: a main surface extending in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections disposed at the main surface, the plurality of projections including at least one projection having an elongated shape in a plan view; and a nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the main surface of the sapphire substrate. The at least one projection has an outer edge extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongated shape, the outer edge extending in a direction oriented at an angle in a range of ?10° to +10° with respect to an a-plane of the sapphire substrate in the plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro SHIMOOKA, Masahiko SANO, Naoki AZUMA
  • Patent number: 9859465
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element includes dry etching a main surface of a sapphire substrate at a c-plane side thereof, using a mask provided on the main surface, to form a plurality of projections, each having a circular bottom surface; wet etching the sapphire substrate to form an upper part of each projection into a triangular pyramid shape while maintaining the circular bottom surface of the projection; and growing a semiconductor layer made of a nitride semiconductor on a dry etched surface and a wet etched surface of the sapphire substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiro Shimooka
  • Patent number: 9806232
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor element includes a sapphire substrate including: a main surface extending in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections disposed at the main surface, the plurality of projections including at least one projection having an elongated shape in a plan view; and a nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the main surface of the sapphire substrate. The at least one projection has an outer edge extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongated shape, the outer edge extending in a direction oriented at an angle in a range of ?10° to +10° with respect to an a-plane of the sapphire substrate in the plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Shimooka, Masahiko Sano, Naoki Azuma
  • Publication number: 20170155014
    Abstract: A light-emitting element includes a sapphire substrate including: a principal surface that is in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections on the principal surface, wherein each of the plurality of projections has a shape of pseudo-hexagonal pyramid including six lateral surfaces, each of the six lateral surfaces including an inwardly curved surface portion, and wherein, in a top view of the sapphire substrate, each of the plurality of projections has a shape of a pseudo-hexagon that includes first curved lines and second curved lines that are alternately connected to one another, the first curved lines being curved toward a center of a corresponding hexagon and disposed between respective adjacent pairs of six vertices of the hexagon, and the second curved lines passing through respective vertices of the hexagon; and a semiconductor layered body comprising a nitride semiconductor on the principal surface side of the sapphire substrate, the semiconductor layered body including an act
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Inoue, Tomohiro Shimooka
  • Publication number: 20170062658
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element includes dry etching a main surface of a sapphire substrate at a c-plane side thereof, using a mask provided on the main surface, to form a plurality of projections, each having a circular bottom surface; wet etching the sapphire substrate to form an upper part of each projection into a triangular pyramid shape while maintaining the circular bottom surface of the projection; and growing a semiconductor layer made of a nitride semiconductor on a dry etched surface and a wet etched surface of the sapphire substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiro SHIMOOKA
  • Patent number: 9525105
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element includes dry etching a main surface of a sapphire substrate at a c-plane side thereof, using a mask provided on the main surface, to form a plurality of projections, each having a circular bottom surface; wet etching the sapphire substrate to form an upper part of each projection into a triangular pyramid shape while maintaining the circular bottom surface of the projection; and growing a semiconductor layer made of a nitride semiconductor on a dry etched surface and a wet etched surface of the sapphire substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiro Shimooka
  • Publication number: 20150349203
    Abstract: A nitride semiconductor element includes a sapphire substrate including: a main surface extending in a c-plane of the sapphire substrate, and a plurality of projections disposed at the main surface, the plurality of projections including at least one projection having an elongated shape in a plan view; and a nitride semiconductor layer disposed on the main surface of the sapphire substrate. The at least one projection has an outer edge extending in a longitudinal direction of the elongated shape, the outer edge extending in a direction oriented at an angle in a range of ?10° to +10° with respect to an a-plane of the sapphire substrate in the plan view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2015
    Publication date: December 3, 2015
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro SHIMOOKA, Masahiko SANO, Naoki AZUMA
  • Publication number: 20150311388
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor element includes dry etching a main surface of a sapphire substrate at a c-plane side thereof, using a mask provided on the main surface, to form a plurality of projections, each having a circular bottom surface; wet etching the sapphire substrate to form an upper part of each projection into a triangular pyramid shape while maintaining the circular bottom surface of the projection; and growing a semiconductor layer made of a nitride semiconductor on a dry etched surface and a wet etched surface of the sapphire substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: NICHIA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tomohiro SHIMOOKA