Patents by Inventor Toshimitsu Konuma

Toshimitsu Konuma 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).

  • LIQUID-CRYSTAL ELECTRO-OPTICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20090269873
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising: a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement thereon; an orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; and a ferroelectric or antiferroelectric liquid crystal layer interposed between said substrates, said liquid crystal layer being uniaxially oriented by virtue of said orientation control means, wherein means for suppressing an orientation control effect of said orientation control means with respect to said liquid crystal layer is provided between said liquid crystal layer and said orientation control means.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu KONUMA, Takeshi NISHI, Michio SHIMIZU, Harumi MORI, Kouji MORIYA, Satoshi MURAKAMI
  • EL DISPLAY DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
    Publication number: 20090267076
    Abstract: Plurality of pixels (102) are arranged on the substrate. Each of the pixels (102) is provided with an EL element which utilizes as a cathode a pixel electrode (105) connected to a current control TFT (104). On a counter substrate (110), a light shielding film (112) is disposed at the position corresponding to periphery of each pixel (102), while a color filter (113) is disposed at the position corresponding to each of the pixels (102). This light shielding film makes the contour of the pixels clear, resulting in an image display with high definition. In addition, it is possible to fabricate the EL display device of the present invention with most of an existing manufacturing line for liquid crystal display devices. Thus, an amount of equipment investment can be significantly reduced, thereby resulting in a reduction in the total manufacturing cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Publication date: October 29, 2009
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Mayumi MIZUKAMI, Toshimitsu KONUMA
  • Light emitting device
    Patent number: 7592193
    Abstract: In an active matrix type light emitting device, a top surface exit type light emitting device in which an anode formed at an upper portion of an organic compound layer becomes a light exit electrode is provided. In a light emitting element made of a cathode, an organic compound layer and an anode, a protection film is formed in an interface between the anode that is a light exit electrode and the organic compound layer. The protection film formed on the organic compound layer has transmittance in the range of 70 to 100%, and when the anode is deposited by use of the sputtering method, a sputtering damage to the organic compound layer can be inhibited from being inflicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 7569856
    Abstract: A TFT formed on an insulating substrate source, drain and channel regions, a gate insulating film formed on at least the channel region and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. Between the channel region and the drain region, a region having a higher resistivity is provided in order to reduce an Ioff current. A method for forming this structure comprises the steps of anodizing the gate electrode to form a porous anodic oxide film on the side of the gate electrode; removing a portion of the gate insulating using the porous anodic oxide film as a mask so that the gate insulating film extends beyond the gate electrode but does not completely cover the source and drain regions. Thereafter, an ion doping of one conductivity element is performed. The high resistivity region is defined under the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Akira Sugawara, Yukiko Uehara, Hongyong Zhang, Atsunori Suzuki, Hideto Ohnuma, Naoaki Yamaguchi, Hideomi Suzawa, Hideki Uochi, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Electro-optical device with liquid crystal
    Patent number: 7567320
    Abstract: A liquid-crystal electro-optical device is offered which can operate at high speeds and easily oriented. The value of the surface tension of liquid crystal-orienting layers is 40 dynes/cm or more, and these layers are rubbed in antiparallel directions to each other. This reduces the pretilt angle of the molecules of a nematic liquid crystal sandwiched between two substrates. The anisotropy of the dielectric constant of the nematic liquid crystal is positive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Liquid-crystal electro-optical apparatus and method of manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 7561246
    Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising: a pair of substrates having an electrode arrangement thereon; an orientation control means provided on at least one of said substrates; and a ferroelectric or antiferroelectric liquid crystal layer interposed between said substrates, said liquid crystal layer being uniaxially oriented by virtue of said orientation control means, wherein means for suppressing an orientation control effect of said orientation control means with respect to said liquid crystal layer is provided between said liquid crystal layer and said orientation control means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi, Michio Shimizu, Harumi Mori, Kouji Moriya, Satoshi Murakami
  • LIGHT EMITTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF AND THIN FILM FORMING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20090155941
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a light emitting device of upward emission type and a thin film forming apparatus used in the method are provided. A plurality of film forming chambers are connected to a first transferring chamber. The plural film forming chambers include a metal material evaporation chamber, an EL layer forming chamber, a sputtering chamber, a CVD chamber, and a sealing chamber. By using this thin film forming apparatus, an upward emission type EL element can be fabricated without exposing the element to the outside air. As a result, a highly reliable light emitting device is obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Active matrix display and forming method thereof
    Patent number: 7538849
    Abstract: An active matrix liquid crystal display having improved reliability. Pixel regions and a peripheral driver circuit are integrally packed on the display. TFTs forming the peripheral driver circuit are located inside a sealing material layer on the side of a liquid crystal material, thus protecting the peripheral driver circuit from external moisture and contaminants. This enhances the long-term reliability of the peripheral driver circuit. Pixel TFTs are arranged in pixel regions. The leads going from the TFTs forming the peripheral driver circuit to the pixel TFTs are shortened. This results in a reduction in the resistance. As a result, the display characteristics are improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Yuji Kawasaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Satoshi Teramoto, Yoshiharu Hirakata
  • Semiconductor device having pixel electrode and peripheral circuit
    Patent number: 7525158
    Abstract: A TFT formed on an insulating substrate source, drain and channel regions, a gate insulating film formed on at least the channel region and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. Between the channel region and the drain region, a region having a higher resistivity is provided in order to reduce an Ioff current. A method for forming this structure comprises the steps of anodizing the gate electrode to form a porous anodic oxide film on the side of the gate electrode; removing a portion of the gate insulating using the porous anodic oxide film as a mask so that the gate insulating film extends beyond the gate electrode but does not completely cover the source and drain regions. Thereafter, an ion doping of one conductivity element is performed. The high resistivity region is defined under the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Akira Sugawara, Yukiko Uehara, Hongyong Zhang, Atsunori Suzuki, Hideto Ohnuma, Naoaki Yamaguchi, Hideomi Suzawa, Hideki Uochi, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Liquid crystal display device comprising drive circuits that include thin film transistors formed on both substrates
    Patent number: 7525629
    Abstract: A highly reliable liquid crystal display device in which the drive circuit region is protected, which comprises a first substrate having thereon a display region and a drive circuit region comprising a drive circuit for controlling the display in said display region and a second substrate opposed to said first substrate, provided that said regions are partitioned by a sealing agent and that a liquid crystal material is incorporated between said first substrate and said second substrate opposed to the first one, wherein, said second substrate opposed to the first is extended to oppose both of said display region and said drive circuit region provided on the first substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Takahiro Tsuji, Kouji Moriya
  • EL display device including color filter and light shielding film
    Patent number: 7518146
    Abstract: Plurality of pixels (102) are arranged on the substrate. Each of the pixels (102) is provided with an EL element which utilizes as a cathode a pixel electrode (105) connected to a current control TFT (104). On a counter substrate (110), a light shielding film (112) is disposed at the position corresponding to periphery of each pixel (102), while a color filter (113) is disposed at the position corresponding to each of the pixels (102). This light shielding film makes the contour of the pixels clear, resulting in an image display with high definition. In addition, it is possible to fabricate the EL display device of the present invention with most of an existing manufacturing line for liquid crystal display devices. Thus, an amount of equipment investment can be significantly reduced, thereby resulting in a reduction in the total manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Mayumi Mizukami, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Light emitting device
    Patent number: 7488986
    Abstract: In an active matrix type light emitting device, an upper surface injection type light emitting device in which an anode formed on the upper portion of the organic compound layer becomes an electrode for taking out the light is provided. In a light emitting element consisting of an cathode, an organic compound layer and an anode, it is characterized in that a protector is formed on the interface between the anode being an electrode for taking out the light and the organic compound layer. Noted that the protector formed on the organic compound layer has a transmittance of 70-100%, and the damage given to the organic compound layer when the anode is formed by a sputtering method can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Film formation apparatus and film formation method
    Patent number: 7482631
    Abstract: There is provided a film formation apparatus which is capable of forming an EL layer using an EL material with high purity. The EL material is purified by sublimation immediately before film formation in the film formation apparatus, to thereby remove oxygen, water, and another impurity, which are included in the EL material. Also, when film formation is performed using the EL material (high purity EL material) obtained by purifying with sublimation as an evaporation source, a high purity EL layer can be formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2009
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi
  • Method for manufacturing an electro-optical device
    Patent number: 7462501
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device having high operation performance and reliability. A third passivation film 45 is disposed under the EL element 203 comprising a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, and diffusion of alkali metals from the EL element 203 formed by ink jet method into TFTs is prevented. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents penetration of moisture and oxygen from the TFTs, and suppress degradation of the EL element 203 by dispersing the heat generated by the EL element 203.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kunitaka Yamamoto, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Light emitting device, method of manufacturing the same, and thin film forming apparatus
    Patent number: 7462372
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a light emitting device of upward emission type and a thin film forming apparatus used in the method are provided. A plurality of film forming chambers are connected to a first transferring chamber. The plural film forming chambers include a metal material evaporation chamber, an EL layer forming chamber, a sputtering chamber, a CVD chamber, and a sealing chamber. By using this thin film forming apparatus, an upward emission type EL element can be fabricated without exposing the element to the outside air. As a result, a highly reliable light emitting device is obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Hiroko Yamazaki
  • Light emitting device and manufacturing method thereof
    Patent number: 7453095
    Abstract: An element structure is provided in which film formation irregularities and deterioration of an organic compound layer formed on an electrode are prevented in an active matrix light emitting device. After forming an insulating film so as to cover edge portions of a conductor which becomes a light emitting element electrode, polishing is performed using a CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) method in the present invention, thus forming a structure in which surfaces of a first electrode and a leveled insulating layer are coplanar. The film formation irregularities in the organic compound layer formed on the electrode can thus be prevented, and electric field concentration from the edge portions of the electrode can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Method for manufacturing an electro-optical device
    Patent number: 7393707
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device having high operation performance and reliability. A third passivation film 45 is disposed under the EL element 203 comprising a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, and diffusion of alkali metals from the EL element 203 formed by ink jet method into TFTs is prevented. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents penetration of moisture and oxygen from the TFTs, and suppress degradation of the EL element 203 by dispersing the heat generated by the EL element 203.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kunitaka Yamamoto, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same
    Patent number: 7381599
    Abstract: A TFT formed on an insulating substrate source, drain and channel regions, a gate insulating film formed on at least the channel region and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film. Between the channel region and the drain region, a region having a higher resistivity is provided in order to reduce an Ioff current. A method for forming this structure comprises the steps of anodizing the gate electrode to form a porous anodic oxide film on the side of the gate electrode; removing a portion of the gate insulating using the porous anodic oxide film as a mask so that the gate insulating film extends beyond the gate electrode but does not completely cover the source and drain regions. Thereafter, an ion doping of one conductivity element is performed. The high resistivity region is defined under the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Akira Sugawara, Yukiko Uehara, Hongyong Zhang, Atsunori Suzuki, Hideto Ohnuma, Naoaki Yamaguchi, Hideomi Suzawa, Hideki Uochi, Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Method of manufacturing an electro-optical device
    Patent number: 7342251
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to reduce the manufacturing cost of EL display devices and electronic devices incorporating the EL display devices. An EL material is formed by printing in an active matrix EL display device. Relief printing or screen printing may be used as the method of printing. Manufacturing steps of the EL layer is therefore simplified and reduction of manufacturing cost is devised.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Mayumi Mizukami, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Electronic Device
    Publication number: 20080029765
    Abstract: There is provided an electronic device having high reliability and high color reproducibility. A pixel structure is made such that a switching FET (201) and an electric current controlling FET (202) are formed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate (11), and an EL element (203) is electrically connected to the electric current controlling FET (202). The fluctuation in characteristics of the electric current controlling FET (202) is very low among pixels, and an image with high color reproducibility can be obtained. By taking hot carrier measures in the electric current controlling FET (202), the electronic device having high reliability can be obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Jun Koyama, Kazutaka Inukai, Mayumi MIzukami