Patents by Inventor Toshifumi Minami

Toshifumi Minami 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: 20110163774
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a probe card includes a substrate, a probe provided on the substrate, and a contact terminal. The contact terminal is provided at a position on the substrate where the contact terminal comes in contact with the probe when a shape anomaly is generated in the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Publication date: July 7, 2011
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Toshifumi MINAMI, Hiroki Murotani
  • Patent number: 7830715
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including an element region which is surrounded by an element isolation insulation layer, a transistor including a gate electrode which is provided on the element region, and a source region and a drain region which are provided in the first element region, a first auxiliary wiring layer and a second auxiliary wiring layer which extend in a channel length direction and are provided on the element isolation insulation layer such that the first transistor is interposed between the first auxiliary wiring layer and the second auxiliary wiring layer, and a control circuit which sets, while the first transistor is in an ON state, the first auxiliary wiring layer and the second auxiliary wiring layer at a first voltage of the same polarity as a gate voltage of the first transistor that is in the ON state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Taniwaki, Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20100237438
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a circuit element region formed on a semiconductor substrate, and a protective pattern formed so as to surround the circuit element region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takafumi IKEDA, Takahito Nakazawa, Hideaki Maekawa, Yuuichi Tatsumi, Toshifumi Minami
  • Patent number: 7709906
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate insulation film provided on a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode provided on the gate insulation film, a pair of first diffusion layers, a pair of second diffusion layers which are provided in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the gate electrode is interposed between the second diffusion layers, the second diffusion layers have a lower impurity concentration than the first diffusion layers, contact wiring lines provided on the first diffusion layers, respectively, and a first insulation layer which is an insulation layer formed in at least one of the second diffusion layers between the gate electrode and the contact wiring lines, the first insulation layer having a greater depth in the semiconductor substrate than the first diffusion layer and a less depth than the second diffusion layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Teppei Higashitsuji, Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20090236672
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a plurality of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) transistors formed on a surface portion of a semiconductor substrate; and an isolation region isolating each of element regions of the MIS transistors, the isolation region including a first isolation region formed with a coating type insulating film embedded in a first trench, the first trench surrounding each of the element regions of the MIS transistors, and a second isolation region formed with a coating type insulating film embedded in a second trench, the second trench surrounding at least one of the first isolation regions with a predetermined distance from each of the first isolation regions, wherein the semiconductor substrate exists between the first isolation region and the second isolation region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Hiromitsu HARASHIMA, Toshifumi Minami
  • Patent number: 7576411
    Abstract: In manufacturing a semiconductor memory, a gate oxide film, a polysilicon film and a WSi film are laminated on the major surface of a semiconductor wafer corresponding to both an element region on which a semiconductor chip is to be formed and a dicing region serving as a dicing line. These laminated films are patterned to form a projected dummy pattern having substantially the same wiring structure as that of a gate electrode portion of a selective transistor. The dummy pattern is formed between element isolation regions along a dicing direction at the same time when the gate electrode portion is formed. The dummy pattern prevents stress caused by dicing from being concentrated on an insulation film in the dicing region, thereby minimizing a crack waste. Consequently, in the semiconductor memory, a malfunction due to a large crack waste caused by the dicing, can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Miki Sasaki, Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20090194841
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate of a first conductivity type; first to third high-voltage insulated-gate field effect transistors formed on a principal surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first device isolation insulating film that is formed in the semiconductor substrate and isolates the first high-voltage insulated-gate field effect transistor and the second high-voltage insulated-gate field effect transistor from each other; a second device isolation insulating film that is formed in the semiconductor substrate and isolates the first high-voltage insulated-gate field effect transistor and the third high-voltage insulated-gate field effect transistor from each other; a first impurity diffusion layer of the first conductivity type that is formed below the first device isolation insulating film; and a second impurity diffusion layer of the first conductivity type that is formed below the second device isolation insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Norio MAGOME, Toshifumi Minami, Tomoaki Hatano, Norihisa Arai
  • Publication number: 20090039408
    Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory of an aspect of the present invention comprises a first element isolation insulating film containing an organic substance which surrounds a first region, a memory cell arranged in the first region, a second element isolation insulating film containing an organic substance which surrounds a second region, a peripheral transistor arranged in the second region, and a first impurity layer which is provided in the semiconductor substrate along a side surface of the second element isolation insulating film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hatano, Toshifumi Minami, Norihisa Arai
  • Publication number: 20080298125
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate including an element region which is surrounded by an element isolation insulation layer, a transistor including a gate electrode which is provided on the element region, and a source region and a drain region which are provided in the first element region, a first auxiliary wiring layer and a second auxiliary wiring layer which extend in a channel length direction and are provided on the element isolation insulation layer such that the first transistor is interposed between the first auxiliary wiring layer and the second auxiliary wiring layer, and a control circuit which sets, while the first transistor is in an ON state, the first auxiliary wiring layer and the second auxiliary wiring layer at a first voltage of the same polarity as a gate voltage of the first transistor that is in the ON state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Inventors: Kazuhiro TANIWAKI, Toshifumi MINAMI
  • Patent number: 7402904
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first wiring layer having a first wiring pitch and a second wiring layer having a second wiring pitch that differs from the first wiring pitch. The device further includes a third wiring layer which connects the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and has a wiring incident angle of less than 45 degrees to at least the first wiring layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toshifumi Minami, Satoshi Oonuki
  • Publication number: 20080128795
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate insulation film provided on a semiconductor substrate, a gate electrode provided on the gate insulation film, a pair of first diffusion layers, a pair of second diffusion layers which are provided in the semiconductor substrate in such a manner that the gate electrode is interposed between the second diffusion layers, the second diffusion layers have a lower impurity concentration than the first diffusion layers, contact wiring lines provided on the first diffusion layers, respectively, and a first insulation layer which is an insulation layer formed in at least one of the second diffusion layers between the gate electrode and the contact wiring lines, the first insulation layer having a greater depth in the semiconductor substrate than the first diffusion layer and a less depth than the second diffusion layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Inventors: Teppei Higashitsuji, Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20070040242
    Abstract: In manufacturing a semiconductor memory, a gate oxide film, a polysilicon film and a WSi film are laminated on the major surface of a semiconductor wafer corresponding to both an element region on which a semiconductor chip is to be formed and a dicing region serving as a dicing line. These laminated films are patterned to form a projected dummy pattern having substantially the same wiring structure as that of a gate electrode portion of a selective transistor. The dummy pattern is formed between element isolation regions along a dicing direction at the same time when the gate electrode portion is formed. The dummy pattern prevents stress caused by dicing from being concentrated on an insulation film in the dicing region, thereby minimizing a crack waste. Consequently, in the semiconductor memory, a malfunction due to a large crack waste caused by the dicing, can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Miki SASAKI, Toshifumi MINAMI
  • Patent number: 7176061
    Abstract: In manufacturing a semiconductor memory, a gate oxide film, a polysilicon film and a WSi film are laminated on the major surface of a semiconductor wafer corresponding to both an element region on which a semiconductor chip is to be formed and a dicing region serving as a dicing line. These laminated films are patterned to form a projected dummy pattern having substantially the same wiring structure as that of a gate electrode portion of a selective transistor. The dummy pattern is formed between element isolation regions along a dicing direction at the same time when the gate electrode portion is formed. The dummy pattern prevents stress caused by dicing from being concentrated on an insulation film in the dicing region, thereby minimizing a crack waste. Consequently, in the semiconductor memory, a malfunction due to a large crack waste caused by the dicing, can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Miki Sasaki, Toshifumi Minami
  • Patent number: 7143476
    Abstract: In order to provide a tilt hinge small in size and diameter capable of generating a stable friction torque of approximately 100 kgf/mm, a hinge friction-rotatably coupling a first member and a second member that are relatively opened/closed includes: a holder attached to one of the first member and the second member; a shaft attached to the other one of the first member and the second member to be rotatable relative to the holder and immovable in an axial direction; a plurality of first friction discs restrained by the holder to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction, with the shaft being inserted through insertion holes thereof; a plurality of second friction discs interposed between the first friction discs to be movable in the axial direction with rotation thereof restrained by the shaft; and a plurality of disc springs and/or spring washers attached to the shaft so as to bring the first friction discs and the second friction discs to be in contact with each other by pressing the first friction di
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Katoh Electrical Machinery Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20060038292
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a first wiring layer having a first wiring pitch and a second wiring layer having a second wiring pitch that differs from the first wiring pitch. The device further includes a third wiring layer which connects the first wiring layer and the second wiring layer and has a wiring incident angle of less than 45 degrees to at least the first wiring layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Publication date: February 23, 2006
    Inventors: Toshifumi Minami, Satoshi Oonuki
  • Publication number: 20060032022
    Abstract: The present invention provides a tilt hinge configured so that friction torque members accommodated in a leaf spring housing can be visually checked from outside and an electronic apparatus using the tilt hinge. The tilt hinge pivotally couples a first member to a second member and includes: a holder attached to one of the first and second members and including a leaf spring housing; a shaft attached to the other of the first and second members and rotatably supported by the leaf spring housing; and a plurality of friction torque members accommodated in the leaf spring housing and generating a friction torque when the holder or the shaft rotates. The friction torque members include a friction torque member that is constrained from rotation by the holder and a friction torque member that is constrained from rotation by the shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2005
    Publication date: February 16, 2006
    Inventor: Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20050145993
    Abstract: In manufacturing a semiconductor memory, a gate oxide film, a polysilicon film and a WSi film are laminated on the major surface of a semiconductor wafer corresponding to both an element region on which a semiconductor chip is to be formed and a dicing region serving as a dicing line. These laminated films are patterned to form a projected dummy pattern having substantially the same wiring structure as that of a gate electrode portion of a selective transistor. The dummy pattern is formed between element isolation regions along a dicing direction at the same time when the gate electrode portion is formed. The dummy pattern prevents stress caused by dicing from being concentrated on an insulation film in the dicing region, thereby minimizing a crack waste. Consequently, in the semiconductor memory, a malfunction due to a large crack waste caused by the dicing, can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Miki Sasaki, Toshifumi Minami
  • Patent number: 6879025
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a dicing region provided on a semiconductor substrate to separate a plurality of semiconductor chips each having a gate portion from each other. The semiconductor device further includes a plurality of element isolation regions provided on a surface portion of the semiconductor substrate within the dicing region, a plurality of first dummy patterns formed on a surface of the semiconductor substrate so as to correspond to intervals of the plurality of element isolation regions, respectively, and a plurality of second dummy patterns formed above the semiconductor substrate within the dicing region so as to correspond to the plurality of first dummy patterns, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Miki Sasaki, Toshifumi Minami
  • Publication number: 20050066475
    Abstract: In order to provide a tilt hinge small in size and diameter capable of generating a stable friction torque of approximately 100 kgf/mm, a hinge friction-rotatably coupling a first member and a second member that are relatively opened/closed includes: a holder attached to one of the first member and the second member; a shaft attached to the other one of the first member and the second member to be rotatable relative to the holder and immovable in an axial direction; a plurality of first friction discs restrained by the holder to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction, with the shaft being inserted through insertion holes thereof; a plurality of second friction discs interposed between the first friction discs to be movable in the axial direction with rotation thereof restrained by the shaft; and a plurality of disc springs and/or spring washers attached to the shaft so as to bring the first friction discs and the second friction discs to be in contact with each other by pressing the first friction di
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventor: Toshifumi Minami
  • Patent number: 6713837
    Abstract: A semiconductor device has a first conductor, a first insulating film formed on the first conductor, a columnar second conductor formed on the first conductor, and a third conductor formed on a top surface of the second columnar conductor and first insulating film. A second insulating film is formed on the third conductor and the first insulating film. The second insulating film is thinned above the second conductor. The second and third conductors form a fuse that is blown if irradiated with a laser beam. The fuse needs a small space, and a peripheral circuit related to the fuse is formed on one side of the fuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Sadayuki Mori, Toshifumi Minami