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).

  • Publication number: 20080014822
    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: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi
  • Patent number: 7317282
    Abstract: To provide a method of improving an efficiency for extracting light in a self light-emitting device using an organic EL material. In the self light-emitting device having a structure in which an EL layer (102) is sandwiched between a transparent electrode (103) and a cathode (101), a film thickness of the EL layer (102) and a film thickness of the transparent electrode (102) are equivalent to the film thicknesses in which there is no occurrence of a guided light, and an inert gas is filled in a space between the transparent electrode (103) and a cover material (105).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Toshimitsu Konuma, Mayumi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 7288420
    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 the TFTs, and suppress degradation of the EL element 203 by dispersing the heat generated by the EL element 203.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kunitaka Yamamoto, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Publication number: 20070236647
    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: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi, Michio Shimizu, Harumi Mori, Kouji Moriya, Satoshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 7279752
    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: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Jun Koyama, Kazutaka Inukai, Mayumi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 7271109
    Abstract: In etching using an etching solution, irradiating ultraviolet light is irradiated into a resist patterned on an etching substrate or a film formed on the etching substrate and then an etching solution is applied to the etching substrate while rotating the etching substrate. Also, ozone water is applied in contact with the resist and then an etching solution is applied to the etching substrate while rotating the etching substrate. In crystallization using a metal element such as nickel for promoting crystallization of silicon, irradiating ultraviolet light is irradiated into a resist patterned on an substrate or a film formed on the substrate and then a nickel solution is applied to the substrate while rotating the substrate. Also, ozone water is applied in contact with the resist and then the nickel solution is applied to the substrate while rotating the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Publication number: 20070159583
    Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optical device comprising a pair of substrates at least one of them is light-transmitting, electrodes being provided on said substrates, and an electro-optical modulating layer being supported by said pair of substrates, provided that said electro-optical modulating layer comprises an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal material or a smectic liquid crystal material which exhibits anti-ferroelectricity, and a transparent material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2006
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Takeshi Nishi, Toshimitsu Konuma, Michio Shimizu, Kouji Moriya
  • Publication number: 20070138473
    Abstract: There is provided a method by which lightly doped drain (LDD) regions can be formed easily and at good yields in source/drain regions in thin film transistors possessing gate electrodes covered with an oxide covering. A lightly doped drain (LDD) region is formed by introducing an impurity into an island-shaped silicon film in a self-aligning manner, with a gate electrode serving as a mask. First, low-concentration impurity regions are formed in the island-shaped silicon film by using rotation-tilt ion implantation to effect ion doping from an oblique direction relative to the substrate. Low-concentration impurity regions are also formed below the gate electrode at this time. After that, an impurity at a high concentration is introduced normally to the substrate, so forming high-concentration impurity regions. In the above process, a low-concentration impurity region remains below the gate electrode and constitutes a lightly doped drain region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyong Zhang, Yasuhiko Takemura, Toshimitsu Konuma, Hideto Ohnuma, Naoaki Yamaguchi, Hideomi Suzawa, Hideki Uochi
  • Patent number: 7227603
    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: April 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi, Michio Shimizu, Harumi Mori, Kouji Moriya, Satoshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 7208765
    Abstract: To provide an electronic device capable of bright image display. A pixel is structured such that a switching TFT and a current controlling TFT are formed on a substrate and an EL element is electrically connected to the current controlling TFT. A gate capacitor formed between a gate electrode of the current controlling TFT and an LDD region thereof holds a voltage applied to the gate electrode, and hence a capacitor (condenser) is not particularly necessary in the pixel, thereby making the effective light emission area of the pixel large.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Jun Koyama, Kazutaka Inukai, Mayumi Mizukami
  • Publication number: 20070063646
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device, which has a high operating performance and reliability. A third passivation film 45 is disposed under an EL element 203 which comprises a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, to make a structure in which heat generated by the EL element 203 is radiated. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents alkali metals within the EL element 203 from diffusing into the TFTs side, and prevents moisture and oxygen of the TFTs side from penetrating into the EL element 203. More preferably, heat radiating effect is given to a fourth passivation film 50 to make the EL element 203 to be enclosed by heat radiating layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kunitaka Yamamoto, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Publication number: 20070051959
    Abstract: Failure light emission of an EL element due to failure film formation of an organic EL material in an electrode hole 46 is improved. By forming the organic EL material after embedding an insulator in an electrode hole 46 on a pixel electrode and forming a protective portion 41b, failure film formation in the electrode hole 46 can be prevented. This can prevent concentration of electric current due to a short circuit between a cathode and an anode of the EL element, and can prevent failure light emission of an EL layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2006
    Publication date: March 8, 2007
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Junya Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7183614
    Abstract: There is provided a method by which lightly doped drain (LDD) regions can be formed easily and at good yields in source/drain regions in thin film transistors possessing gate electrodes covered with an oxide covering. A lightly doped drain (LDD) region is formed by introducing an impurity into an island-shaped silicon film in a self-aligning manner, with a gate electrode serving as a mask. First, low-concentration impurity regions are formed in the island-shaped silicon film by using rotation-tilt ion implantation to effect ion doping from an oblique direction relative to the substrate. Low-concentration impurity regions are also formed below the gate electrode at this time. After that, an impurity at a high concentration is introduced normally to the substrate, so forming high-concentration impurity regions. In the above process, a low-concentration impurity region remains below the gate electrode and constitutes a lightly doped drain region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hongyong Zhang, Yasuhiko Takemura, Toshimitsu Konuma, Hideto Ohnuma, Naoaki Yamaguchi, Hideomi Suzawa, Hideki Uochi
  • Publication number: 20070018566
    Abstract: Technology to reduce the manufacturing cost of a manufacturing process of a light emitting device is provided. The manufacturing cost of a device using a light emitting element can be reduced by using a multilayout process for forming a plurality of light emitting devices from a large-sized substrate. In particular, a remarkable feature of the present invention resides in a point that an existing line for manufacturing liquid crystal cells can be diverted to a process of encapsulating light emitting elements according to the present invention, which can greatly reduce the manufacturing cost including the investment in plant and equipment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi
  • Publication number: 20070007870
    Abstract: By repeating a purification process of a light-emitting organic compound several times, a thin film made of the light-emitting organic compound to be used in an EL display device contains ionic impurities at the concentration of 0.1 ppm or lower and has a volume resistivity in the range of 3×1010 ?cm or larger. By using such a thin film as a light-emitting layer in the EL device, a current caused by reasons other than the carrier recombination can be prevented from flowing through the thin film, and deterioration caused by unnecessary heat generation can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain an EL display device with high reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2006
    Publication date: January 11, 2007
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Mayumi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 7147530
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an EL display device, which has a high operating performance and reliability. A third passivation film 45 is disposed so as to be in contact with an EL element 203 which comprises a pixel electrode (anode) 46, an EL layer 47 and a cathode 48, to make a structure in which heat generated by the EL element 203 is radiated. Further, the third passivation film 45 prevents alkali metals within the EL element 203 from diffusing into the TFTs side, and prevents moisture and oxygen of the TFTs side from penetrating into the EL element 203. More preferably, heat radiating effect is given to a fourth passivation film 50 to make the EL element 203 to be enclosed by heat radiating layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Jun Koyama, Kunitaka Yamamoto, Toshimitsu Konuma
  • Publication number: 20060267483
    Abstract: To provide a method of improving an efficiency for extracting light in a self light-emitting device using an organic EL material. In the self light-emitting device having a structure in which an EL layer (102) is sandwiched between a transparent electrode (103) and a cathode (101), a film thickness of the EL layer (102) and a film thickness of the transparent electrode (102) are equivalent to the film thicknesses in which there is no occurrence of a guided light, and an inert gas is filled in a space between the transparent electrode (103) and a cover material (105).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: Tetsuo Tsutsui, Toshimitsu Konuma, Mayumi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 7132693
    Abstract: Failure light emission of an EL element due to failure film formation of an organic EL material in an electrode hole 46 is improved. By forming the organic EL material after embedding an insulator in an electrode hole 46 on a pixel electrode and forming a protective portion 41b, failure film formation in the electrode hole 46 can be prevented. This can prevent concentration of electric current due to a short circuit between a cathode and an anode of the EL element, and can prevent failure light emission of an EL layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshimitsu Konuma, Junya Maruyama
  • Patent number: 7123320
    Abstract: A liquid crystal electro-optical device comprising a pair of substrates at least one of them is light-transmitting, electrodes being provided on said substrates, and an electro-optical modulating layer being supported by said pair of substrates, provided that said electro-optical modulating layer comprises an anti-ferroelectric liquid crystal material or a smectic liquid crystal material which exhibits anti-ferroelectricity, and a transparent material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Takeshi Nishi, Toshimitsu Konuma, Michio Shimizu, Kouji Moriya
  • Patent number: 7112115
    Abstract: Technology to reduce the manufacturing cost of a manufacturing process of a light emitting device is provided. The manufacturing cost of a device using a light emitting element can be reduced by using a multilayout process for forming a plurality of light emitting devices from a large-sized substrate. In particular, an existing line for manufacturing liquid crystal cells can be diverted to a process of encapsulating light emitting elements, which can greatly reduce the manufacturing cost including the investment in plant and equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2006
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Toshimitsu Konuma, Takeshi Nishi