Patents by Inventor Tomoya Aoyama

Tomoya Aoyama 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).

  • Publication number: 20150069358
    Abstract: A highly reliable flexible light-emitting device is provided. The light-emitting device includes a first flexible substrate, a second flexible substrate, a light-emitting element between the first flexible substrate and the second flexible substrate, a first bonding layer; and a second bonding layer in a frame shape surrounding the first bonding layer. The first bonding layer and the second bonding layer are between the second flexible substrate and the light-emitting element. The light-emitting element includes layer containing a light-emitting organic compound between the pair of electrodes. The second bonding layer has a higher gas barrier property than the first bonding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Akihiro Chida, Tomoya Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20150059987
    Abstract: A processing apparatus of a stack is provided. The stack includes two substrates attached to each other with a gap provided between their end portions. The processing apparatus includes a fixing mechanism that fixes part of the stack, a plurality of adsorption jigs that fix an outer peripheral edge of one of the substrates of the stack, and a wedge-shaped jig that is inserted into a corner of the stack. The plurality of adsorption jigs include a mechanism that allows the adsorption jigs to move separately in a vertical direction and a horizontal direction. The processing apparatus further includes a sensor sensing a position of the gap between the end portion in the stack. A tip of the wedge-shaped jig moves along a chamfer formed on an end surface of the stack. The wedge-shaped jig is inserted into the gap between the end portions in the stack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Inventors: Kayo KUMAKURA, Tomoya AOYAMA, Akihiro CHIDA, Kohei YOKOYAMA, Masakatsu OHNO, Satoru IDOJIRI, Hisao IKEDA, Hiroki ADACHI, Yoshiharu HIRAKATA, Shingo EGUCHI, Yasuhiro JINBO
  • Patent number: 8956709
    Abstract: A first substrate including, on one of surfaces, a light absorption layer having metal nitride and a material layer which is formed so as to be in contact with the light absorption layer is provided; the surface of the first substrate on which the material layer is formed and a deposition target surface of a second substrate are disposed to face each other; and part of the material layer is deposited on the deposition target surface of the second substrate in such a manner that irradiation with laser light having a repetition rate of greater than or equal to 10 MHz and a pulse width of greater than or equal to 100 fs and less than or equal to 10 ns is performed from the other surface side of the first substrate to selectively heat part of the material layer which overlaps with the light absorption layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Tomoya Aoyama, Takuya Tsurume, Takao Hamada
  • Publication number: 20150044792
    Abstract: To improve the yield in a peeling process and improve the yield in a manufacturing process of a flexible light-emitting device or the like, a peeling method includes a first step of forming a peeling layer over a first substrate, a second step of forming a layer to be peeled including a first layer in contact with the peeling layer over the peeling layer, a third step of curing a bonding layer in an overlapping manner with the peeling layer and the layer to be peeled, a fourth step of removing part of the first layer overlapping with the peeled layer and the bonding layer to form a peeling starting point, and a fifth step of separating the peeling layer and the layer to be peeled. The peeling starting point is preferably formed by laser light irradiation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoya Aoyama, Akihiro Chida, Ryu Komatsu
  • Patent number: 8920562
    Abstract: An object is to improve use efficiency of an evaporation material, to reduce manufacturing cost of a light-emitting device, and to reduce manufacturing time needed for a light-emitting device including a layer containing an organic compound. The pressure of a film formation chamber is reduced, a plate is rapidly heated by heat conduction or heat radiation by using a heat source, a material layer on a plate is vaporized in a short time to be evaporated to a substrate on which the material layer is to be formed (formation substrate), and then the material layer is formed on the formation substrate. The area of the plate that is heated rapidly is set to have the same size as the formation substrate and film formation on the formation substrate is completed by one application of heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisao Ikeda, Tomoya Aoyama, Takahiro Ibe, Yoshiharu Hirakata, Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8900675
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a deposition method for forming a layer 13a containing a deposition material on a deposition target surface of a second substrate, comprising the steps of forming an absorbing layer 12 over one surface of a first substrate 11; forming a material layer 13 containing the deposition material over the absorbing layer; performing first heat treatment on the material layer from the other surface of the first substrate to a temperature lower than the sublimation temperature of the deposition material so as to remove an impurity 14 in the material layer 13; disposing the one surface of the first substrate and the deposition target surface of the second substrate to face each other; and performing second heat treatment on the material layer from the other surface of the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Ibe, Tomoya Aoyama, Rena Tsuruoka, Satoshi Inoue, Tohru Sonoda
  • Publication number: 20140306260
    Abstract: A light-emitting device or a display device that is less likely to be broken is provided. Provided is a light-emitting device including an element layer and a substrate over the element layer. At least a part of the substrate is bent to the element layer side. The substrate has a light-transmitting property and a refractive index that is higher than that of the air. The element layer includes a light-emitting element that emits light toward the substrate side. Alternatively, provided is a light-emitting device including an element layer and a substrate covering a top surface and at least one side surface of the element layer. The substrate has a light-transmitting property and a refractive index that is higher than that of the air. The element layer includes a light-emitting element that emits light toward the substrate side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 16, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Yoshiharu HIRAKATA, Tomoya AOYAMA, Akihiro CHIDA
  • Patent number: 8815352
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a film forming method including the steps of forming an absorption layer 12 over one surface of a first substrate 11; forming a layer 16 containing a high molecular compound over the absorption layer; removing an impurity in the layer containing the high molecular compound by performing a first heat treatment on the layer 16; forming a material layer 18 containing a first film formation material and a second film formation material over the layer 16; performing a second heat treatment to form a mixed layer 19 in which the material layer and the layer 16 are mixed over the absorption layer; and performing third heat treatment to form a layer 19a containing the first film formation material and the second film formation material on a film-formation target surface of a second substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoya Aoyama, Hisao Ikeda, Satoshi Inoue, Tohru Sonoda
  • Patent number: 8815419
    Abstract: A light emitting device comprises a pair of electrodes and a mixed layer provided between the pair of electrodes. The mixed layer contains an organic compound which contains no nitrogen atoms, i.e., an organic compound which dose not have an arylamine skeleton, and a metal oxide. As the organic compound, an aromatic hydrocarbon having an anthracene skeleton is preferably used. As such an aromatic hydrocarbon, t-BuDNA, DPAnth, DPPA, DNA, DMNA, t-BuDBA, and the like are listed. As the metal oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, ruthenium oxide, rhenium oxide, and the like are preferably used. Further, the mixed layer preferably shows absorbance per 1 ?m of 1 or less or does not show a distinct absorption peak in a spectrum of 450 to 650 nm when an absorption spectrum is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Iwaki, Satoshi Seo, Takahiro Kawakami, Hisao Ikeda, Junichiro Sakata, Tomoya Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8734914
    Abstract: A binder material layer including an evaporation material is formed over a main surface of an evaporation source substrate, a substrate on which a film is formed is placed so that the binder material layer and a main surface thereof face each other, and heat treatment is performed on a rear surface of the evaporation source substrate so that the evaporation material in the binder material layer is heated to be subjected to sublimation or the like, whereby a layer of the evaporation material is formed on the substrate on which a film is formed. When a low molecular material is used for the evaporation material and a high molecular material is used for the binder material, the viscosity can be easily adjusted, and thus, film formation is possible with higher throughput than conventional film formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisao Ikeda, Takahiro Ibe, Tomoya Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8618568
    Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a light-emitting device according to an embodiment of the present invention, one surface of a first substrate including a reflective layer including an opening, a light absorption layer formed over the reflective layer to cover the opening in the reflective layer, a protective layer formed over the light absorption layer and including a groove at a position overlapped with the opening in the reflective layer, and a material layer formed over the protective layer and a deposition surface of a second substrate are disposed to face each other and light irradiation is performed from the other surface side of the first substrate, so that an EL layer is formed in a region on the deposition surface of the second substrate, which is overlapped with the opening in the reflective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Aoyama, Kohei Yokoyama, Rena Tsuruoka, Hideki Uchida, Toru Sonoda, Satoshi Inoue
  • Publication number: 20130320321
    Abstract: A light emitting device comprises a pair of electrodes and a mixed layer provided between the pair of electrodes. The mixed layer contains an organic compound which contains no nitrogen atoms, i.e., an organic compound which dose not have an arylamine skeleton, and a metal oxide. As the organic compound, an aromatic hydrocarbon having an anthracene skeleton is preferably used. As such an aromatic hydrocarbon, t-BuDNA, DPAnth, DPPA, DNA, DMNA, t-BuDBA, and the like are listed. As the metal oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, ruthenium oxide, rhenium oxide, and the like are preferably used. Further, the mixed layer preferably shows absorbance per 1 ?m of 1 or less or does not show a distinct absorption peak in a spectrum of 450 to 650 nm when an absorption spectrum is measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji IWAKI, Satoshi SEO, Takahiro KAWAKAMI, Hisao IKEDA, Junichiro SAKATA, Tomoya AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 8569783
    Abstract: An organic EL light-emitting device with excellent total luminous flux or with reduced emission unevenness and low power consumption is provided. Light from an organic EL layer in a region sandwiched between a light-transmitting conductive film of a lower electrode and a light-reflecting conductive film of an upper electrode is selectively emitted to the lower electrode side, and extracted outside by a first optical structure body. Light from the organic EL layer in a region sandwiched between a light-reflecting conductive film of the lower electrode and a light-transmitting conductive film of the upper electrode is selectively emitted to the upper electrode side, and extracted outside by a second optical structure body. The first optical structure body and the second optical structure body are formed on different planes and can overlap with each other; thus, light from the organic EL layer can be efficiently extracted outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Aoyama, Satoshi Seo, Satoko Shitagaki
  • Patent number: 8541114
    Abstract: A light emitting device comprises a pair of electrodes and a mixed layer provided between the pair of electrodes. The mixed layer contains an organic compound which contains no nitrogen atoms, i.e., an organic compound which dose not have an arylamine skeleton, and a metal oxide. As the organic compound, an aromatic hydrocarbon having an anthracene skeleton is preferably used. As such an aromatic hydrocarbon, t-BuDNA, DPAnth, DPPA, DNA, DMNA, t-BuDBA, and the like are listed. As the metal oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, ruthenium oxide, rhenium oxide, and the like are preferably used. Further, the mixed layer preferably shows absorbance per 1 ?m of 1 or less or does not show a distinct absorption peak in a spectrum of 450 to 650 nm when an absorption spectrum is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Iwaki, Satoshi Seo, Takahiro Kawakami, Hisao Ikeda, Junichiro Sakata, Tomoya Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20130240855
    Abstract: A method for exposing an electrode terminal covered with an organic film in a light-emitting device without damaging the electrode terminal is provided. In a region of the electrode terminal to which electric power from an external power supply or an external signal is input, an island-shaped organic compound-containing layer is formed and the organic film is formed thereover. The organic film is removed by utilizing low adhesion of an interface between the organic compound-containing layer and the electrode terminal, whereby the electrode terminal can be exposed without damage to the electrode terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Inventors: Akihiro Chida, Kaoru HANATO, Tomoya AOYAMA, Ryu KOMATSU, Masatoshi KATANIWA
  • Patent number: 8487332
    Abstract: Blue organic EL elements, which have a shorter lifetime and lower luminance characteristics than green and red ones, have had a problem: particularly when blue elements are used in a light-emitting device capable of modulating light emission colors, light significantly attenuates and characteristics further deteriorates. A dielectric mirror which is selective in wavelength is provided between organic EL elements, and the number of times especially blue light emission from an organic EL element is transmitted through an electrode having a light-transmitting property is reduced as much as possible, so that attenuation of light is suppressed. Thus, a light-emitting device capable of modulation of light emission colors which has a high luminance and a long lifetime can be provided. In the light-emitting device, voltages applied to the organic EL elements, which deteriorate individually, are separately controlled, whereby the color tone can be kept constant for a long period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomoya Aoyama, Satoshi Seo
  • Patent number: 8445121
    Abstract: One feature of the present invention is to provide a buffer layer made of a composite material for a light emitting element including aromatic hydrocarbon containing at least one vinyl skeleton and metal oxide in part of a light emitting substance containing layer, in the light emitting element formed by interposing the light emitting substance containing layer between a pair of electrodes. The composite material for a light emitting element for forming the buffer layer of the present invention has high conductivity and is superior in transparency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawakami, Tomoya Aoyama, Junichiro Sakata, Hisao Ikeda, Satoshi Seo, Yuji Iwaki
  • Patent number: 8436346
    Abstract: An object is to provide a white light-emitting element which emits broad white light which is close to natural light and covers a wide wavelength range; that is, a white light-emitting element which has a broad spectrum waveform. Further, there are various different kinds of white light; however, in particular, an object is to provide a white light-emitting element which emits white light which is close to the standard white color of the NTSC. Over a substrate 100, a second light-emitting element 110 and a first light-emitting element 120 are stacked in series. The first light-emitting element 120 exhibits a light emission spectrum having two peaks (two peaks in the blue to green wavelength range) and is disposed close to a film of light-reflecting material. The second light-emitting element 110 exhibits a light emission spectrum having a peak in the orange to red wavelength range, and is disposed in a position which is not close to the film of light-reflecting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Ushikubo, Satoshi Seo, Nozomu Sugisawa, Tomoya Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8431432
    Abstract: An object is to provide a manufacturing method of a light-emitting device including an organic compound layer, in which a desired organic compound layer is easily formed using a plurality of evaporation materials. A first organic compound layer containing a plurality of evaporation materials is formed over a first substrate. The first organic compound layer is formed using a mixture formed by mixture of the plurality of evaporation materials in advance. A second substrate is placed at a position facing the first substrate so as to face the first organic compound layer provided for the first substrate. The first organic compound layer as an evaporation source is heated to be vaporized and a desired second organic compound layer is formed over the second substrate placed so as to face the first substrate. Accordingly, a light-emitting device is manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisao Ikeda, Tomoya Aoyama
  • Patent number: 8425974
    Abstract: A first supporting substrate on a front surface of which a reflective layer having an opening is formed and a second supporting substrate on a front surface of which a light absorption layer patterned into island or stripe shapes and a material layer over the light absorption layer are formed are prepared, the first and second supporting substrates are disposed so that the opening of the reflective layer and the light absorption layer overlap with each other and the reflective layer is in contact with a back surface of the second supporting substrate, the second supporting substrate and a deposition target substrate are disposed so that the front surface of the second supporting substrate faces the deposition target substrate, and the material layer is attached to the deposition target substrate by irradiating the back surface of the first supporting substrate with light and by sublimating the material layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Rena Takahashi, Yosuke Sato, Kohei Yokoyama, Tomoya Aoyama