Patents by Inventor Toshiya Endo

Toshiya Endo 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: 20160380106
    Abstract: In a transistor having a top-gate structure in which a gate electrode layer overlaps with an oxide semiconductor layer which faints a channel region with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, when a large amount of hydrogen is contained in the insulating layer, hydrogen is diffused into the oxide semiconductor layer because the insulating layer is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; thus, electric characteristics of the transistor are degraded. An object is to provide a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics. An insulating layer in which the concentration of hydrogen is less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 is used for the insulating layer being in contact with oxide semiconductor layer which forms the channel region. Using the insulating layer, diffusion of hydrogen can be prevented and a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2016
    Publication date: December 29, 2016
    Inventors: Yuta ENDO, Toshinari SASAKI, Kosei NODA, Mizuho SATO, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO
  • Publication number: 20160372492
    Abstract: A nitride insulating film which prevents diffusion of hydrogen into an oxide semiconductor film in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Further, a semiconductor device which has favorable electrical characteristics by using a transistor including a silicon semiconductor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Two nitride insulating films having different functions are provided between the transistor including a silicon semiconductor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Specifically, a first nitride insulating film which contains hydrogen is provided over the transistor including a silicon semiconductor, and a second nitride insulating film which has a lower hydrogen content than the first nitride insulating film and functions as a barrier film against hydrogen is provided between the first nitride insulating film and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Tetsuhiro TANAKA, Yoshinori IEDA, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO
  • Patent number: 9490368
    Abstract: One object is to provide a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, which has stable electric characteristics and high reliability. Another object is to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device in a high yield. In a top-gate staggered transistor including an oxide semiconductor film, as a first gate insulating film in contact with the oxide semiconductor film, a silicon oxide film is formed by a plasma CVD method with use of a deposition gas containing silicon fluoride and oxygen; and as a second gate insulating film stacked over the first gate insulating film, a silicon oxide film is formed by a plasma CVD method with use of a deposition gas containing silicon hydride and oxygen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kunio Kimura, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo
  • Publication number: 20160322503
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor, a first conductor, a second conductor, a third conductor, a fourth conductor, a first insulator, a second insulator, a third insulator, and a fourth insulator. The first conductor and the semiconductor partly overlap with each other with the first insulator positioned therebetween. The second conductor and the third conductor have regions in contact with the semiconductor. The semiconductor has a region in contact with the second insulator. The fourth insulator has a first region and a second region. The first region is thicker than the second region. The first region has a region in contact with the second insulator. The second region has a region in contact with the third insulator. The fourth conductor and the second insulator partly overlap with each other with the fourth insulator positioned therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2016
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Inventors: Sachiaki TEZUKA, Tetsuhiro TANAKA, Toshiya ENDO, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO
  • Patent number: 9478664
    Abstract: A change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability in a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is improved. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor film over an insulating surface, an antioxidant film over the insulating surface and the oxide semiconductor film, a pair of electrodes in contact with the antioxidant film, a gate insulating film over the pair of electrodes, and a gate electrode which is over the gate insulating film and overlaps with the oxide semiconductor film. In the antioxidant film, a width of a region overlapping with the pair of electrodes is longer than a width of a region not overlapping with the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Akihisa Shimomura, Yasumasa Yamane, Yuhei Sato, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Masashi Tsubuku, Toshihiko Takeuchi, Ryo Tokumaru, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Satoshi Toriumi, Takashi Ohtsuki, Toshiya Endo
  • Publication number: 20160308060
    Abstract: A transistor with stable electrical characteristics. A semiconductor device includes a first insulator over a substrate, a second insulator over the first insulator, an oxide semiconductor in contact with at least part of a top surface of the second insulator, a third insulator in contact with at least part of a top surface of the oxide semiconductor, a first conductor and a second conductor electrically connected to the oxide semiconductor, a fourth insulator over the third insulator, a third conductor which is over the fourth insulator and at least part of which is between the first conductor and the second conductor, and a fifth insulator over the third conductor. The first insulator contains a halogen element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Tetsuhiro TANAKA, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO, Akihisa SHIMOMURA, Yuji EGI, Sachiaki TEZUKA, Shunpei YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 9443988
    Abstract: In a transistor having a top-gate structure in which a gate electrode layer overlaps with an oxide semiconductor layer which faints a channel region with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, when a large amount of hydrogen is contained in the insulating layer, hydrogen is diffused into the oxide semiconductor layer because the insulating layer is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; thus, electric characteristics of the transistor are degraded. An object is to provide a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics. An insulating layer in which the concentration of hydrogen is less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 is used for the insulating layer being in contact with oxide semiconductor layer which forms the channel region. Using the insulating layer, diffusion of hydrogen can be prevented and a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Endo, Toshinari Sasaki, Kosei Noda, Mizuho Sato, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo
  • Patent number: 9437594
    Abstract: A nitride insulating film which prevents diffusion of hydrogen into an oxide semiconductor film in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Further, a semiconductor device which has favorable electrical characteristics by using a transistor including a silicon semiconductor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Two nitride insulating films having different functions are provided between the transistor including a silicon semiconductor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Specifically, a first nitride insulating film which contains hydrogen is provided over the transistor including a silicon semiconductor, and a second nitride insulating film which has a lower hydrogen content than the first nitride insulating film and functions as a barrier film against hydrogen is provided between the first nitride insulating film and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Yoshinori Ieda, Toshiyuki Miyamoto, Masafumi Nomura, Takashi Hamochi, Kenichi Okazaki, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo
  • Publication number: 20160225909
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO, Kunihiko SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9349820
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo, Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150295061
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 15, 2015
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO, Kunihiko SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 9076876
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo, Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20150179810
    Abstract: A change in electrical characteristics is suppressed and reliability in a semiconductor device using a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is improved. The semiconductor device includes an oxide semiconductor film over an insulating surface, an antioxidant film over the insulating surface and the oxide semiconductor film, a pair of electrodes in contact with the antioxidant film, a gate insulating film over the pair of electrodes, and a gate electrode which is over the gate insulating film and overlaps with the oxide semiconductor film. In the antioxidant film, a width of a region overlapping with the pair of electrodes is longer than a width of a region not overlapping with the pair of electrodes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Akihisa Shimomura, Yasumasa Yamane, Yuhei Sato, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Masashi Tsubuku, Toshihiko Takeuchi, Ryo Tokumaru, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Satoshi Toriumi, Takashi Ohtsuki, Toshiya Endo
  • Publication number: 20150053975
    Abstract: In a transistor having a top-gate structure in which a gate electrode layer overlaps with an oxide semiconductor layer which faints a channel region with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, when a large amount of hydrogen is contained in the insulating layer, hydrogen is diffused into the oxide semiconductor layer because the insulating layer is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; thus, electric characteristics of the transistor are degraded. An object is to provide a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics. An insulating layer in which the concentration of hydrogen is less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 is used for the insulating layer being in contact with oxide semiconductor layer which forms the channel region. Using the insulating layer, diffusion of hydrogen can be prevented and a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Yuta ENDO, Toshinari SASAKI, Kosei NODA, Mizuho SATO, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO
  • Patent number: 8853684
    Abstract: In a transistor having a top-gate structure in which a gate electrode layer overlaps with an oxide semiconductor layer which forms a channel region with a gate insulating layer interposed therebetween, when a large amount of hydrogen is contained in the insulating layer, hydrogen is diffused into the oxide semiconductor layer because the insulating layer is in contact with the oxide semiconductor layer; thus, electric characteristics of the transistor are degraded. An object is to provide a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics. An insulating layer in which the concentration of hydrogen is less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 is used for the insulating layer being in contact with oxide semiconductor layer which forms the channel region. Using the insulating layer, diffusion of hydrogen can be prevented and a semiconductor device having favorable electric characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Endo, Toshinari Sasaki, Kosei Noda, Mizuho Sato, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo
  • Publication number: 20140027764
    Abstract: A nitride insulating film which prevents diffusion of hydrogen into an oxide semiconductor film in a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Further, a semiconductor device which has favorable electrical characteristics by using a transistor including a silicon semiconductor and a transistor including an oxide semiconductor is provided. Two nitride insulating films having different functions are provided between the transistor including a silicon semiconductor and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor. Specifically, a first nitride insulating film which contains hydrogen is provided over the transistor including a silicon semiconductor, and a second nitride insulating film which has a lower hydrogen content than the first nitride insulating film and functions as a barrier film against hydrogen is provided between the first nitride insulating film and the transistor including an oxide semiconductor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei YAMAZAKI, Tetsuhiro TANAKA, Yoshinori IEDA, Toshiyuki MIYAMOTO, Masafumi NOMURA, Takashi HAMOCHI, Kenichi OKAZAKI, Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO
  • Publication number: 20140001470
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro ICHIJO, Toshiya ENDO, Kunihiko SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 8552425
    Abstract: An object is to provide a semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics. A gate insulating layer having a hydrogen concentration less than 6×1020 atoms/cm3 and a fluorine concentration greater than or equal to 1×1020 atoms/cm3 is used as a gate insulating layer in contact with an oxide semiconductor layer forming a channel region, so that the amount of hydrogen released from the gate insulating layer can be reduced and diffusion of hydrogen into the oxide semiconductor layer can be prevented. Further, hydrogen present in the oxide semiconductor layer can be eliminated with the use of fluorine; thus, the hydrogen content in the oxide semiconductor layer can be reduced. Consequently, the semiconductor device having good electrical characteristics can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Toshiya Endo, Kunihiko Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8486777
    Abstract: A technique for manufacturing a microcrystalline semiconductor layer with high mass productivity is provided. In a reaction chamber of a plasma CVD apparatus, an upper electrode and a lower electrode are provided in almost parallel to each other. A hollow portion is formed in the upper electrode, and the upper electrode includes a shower plate having a plurality of holes formed on a surface of the upper electrode which faces the lower electrode. A substrate is provided over the lower electrode. A gas containing a deposition gas and hydrogen is supplied to the reaction chamber from the shower plate through the hollow portion of the upper electrode, and a rare gas is supplied to the reaction chamber from a portion different from the upper electrode. Accordingly, high-frequency power is supplied to the upper electrode to generate plasma, so that a microcrystalline semiconductor layer is formed over the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Kazutaka Kuriki, Tomokazu Yokoi, Toshiya Endo
  • Patent number: 8476638
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for manufacturing a dense crystalline semiconductor film without a cavity between crystal grains. A plasma region is formed between a first electrode and a second electrode by supplying high-frequency power of 60 MHz or less to the first electrode under a condition where a pressure of a reactive gas in a reaction chamber of a plasma CVD apparatus is set to 450 Pa to 13332 Pa, and a distance between the first electrode and the second electrode of the plasma CVD apparatus is set to 1 mm to 20 mm; crystalline deposition precursors are formed in a gas phase including the plasma region; a crystal nucleus of 5 nm to 15 nm is formed by depositing the deposition precursors; and a microcrystalline semiconductor film is formed by growing a crystal from the crystal nucleus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Toriumi, Ryota Tajima, Takashi Ohtsuki, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Ryo Tokumaru, Mitsuhiro Ichijo, Kazutaka Kuriki, Tomokazu Yokoi, Toshiya Endo, Shunpei Yamazaki