In Combination With Or Also Constituting Light Responsive Device Patents (Class 257/80)
  • Patent number: 8716693
    Abstract: A light emitting device, a method of manufacturing the same, a light emitting device package, and a lighting system are disclosed. The light emitting device may include a first conductive semiconductor layer, a second conductive semiconductor layer, and an active layer interposed between the first and second conductive semiconductor layers. The first conductive semiconductor layer, the active layer, and the second conductive semiconductor layer may include Al. The second conductive semiconductor layer may have Al content higher than Al content of the first conductive semiconductor layer. The first conductive semiconductor layer may have Al content higher than Al content of the active layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hyo Kun Son
  • Patent number: 8716719
    Abstract: Provided is a solid-state imaging device including: a first-conductivity-type substrate; a second-conductivity-type well formed in a surface side of the first-conductivity-type substrate; a photoelectric conversion area configured with a first-conductivity-type-impurity area formed in the second-conductivity-type well to convert incident light to charges; a first-conductivity-type-charge retaining area configured with the first-conductivity-type-impurity area formed in the second-conductivity-type well to retain the charges converted by the photoelectric conversion area until the charges are read out; a charge voltage conversion area configured with the first-conductivity-type-impurity area formed in the second-conductivity-type well to convert the charges retained in the charge retaining area to a voltage; and a first-conductivity-type-layer area configured by forming a first-conductivity-type-in a convex shape from a boundary between the first-conductivity-type substrate and the second-conductivity-type wel
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Yusuke Matsumura, Takashi Machida
  • Patent number: 8711334
    Abstract: A light barrier comprising a semiconductor component (1) and to a method for detecting objects with a carrier (2), a semiconductor chip (4) which detects an electromagnetic radiation, a semiconductor chip (4) which emits an electromagnetic radiation, and a direction-selective element (5, 8), which delimits an angle range of the radiation which can be received by the detecting semiconductor chip (4) and/or of the radiation to be emitted by the emitting semiconductor chip (3), wherein a main radiation axis (V) of the radiation which can be received is tilted relative to a main radiation axis (U) of the radiation to be emitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: OSRAM Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Heinz Haas, Wojciech Giziewicz
  • Patent number: 8698167
    Abstract: In a display apparatus, a light sensor of a display includes a light sensing layer, a source electrode, a drain electrode, an insulating layer, and a gate electrode to sense light from an external source. The light sensing layer is disposed on the substrate to sense light, and the source and drain electrodes are disposed on the light sensing layer and are covered by the insulating layer. The gate electrode is disposed on the insulating layer. An edge of the gate electrode is disposed on the light sensing layer at least in an area where the light sensing layer is overlapped with the source and drain electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Woongkwon Kim, Daecheol Kim, Ki-Hun Jeong, SungHoon Yang, Yunjong Yeo, Sang Youn Han, Sungryul Kim, Suk Won Jung, Byeonghoon Cho, HeeJoon Kim, Hong-Kee Chin, Kyung-Sook Jeon, Seungmi Seo, Kyung-ho Park, Jung suk Bang, Kun-Wook Han, Mi-Seon Seo
  • Patent number: 8686571
    Abstract: A structure comprises a first semiconductor substrate, a first bonding layer deposited on a bonding side the first semiconductor substrate, a second semiconductor substrate stacked on top of the first semiconductor substrate and a second bonding layer deposited on a bonding side of the second semiconductor substrate, wherein the first bonding layer is of a horizontal length greater than a horizontal length of the second semiconductor substrate, and wherein there is a gap between an edge of the second bonding layer and a corresponding edge of the second semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hsin-Ting Huang, Jung-Huei Peng, Shang-Ying Tsai, Li-Min Hung, Yao-Te Huang, Yi-Chuan Teng, Chin-Yi Cho
  • Patent number: 8680558
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, semiconductor dies are embedded within polymeric binder to form, e.g., freestanding white light-emitting dies and/or composite wafers containing multiple light-emitting dies embedded in a single volume of binder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Cooledge Lighting Inc.
    Inventor: Michael A. Tischler
  • Patent number: 8680540
    Abstract: The optical semiconductor apparatus includes, on an n-GaAs substrate, a surface-emitting semiconductor laser device and a photodiode integrated on the periphery of the laser device with an isolation region interposed there between. The laser device is composed of an n-DBR mirror, an active region, and a p-DBR mirror and includes a columnar layered structure with its sidewall covered with an insulating film. The photodiode is formed on the substrate and has a circular layered structure wherein an i-GaAs layer and a p-GaAs layer surrounds the laser device with an isolating region interposed between the i-GaAs and p-GaAs layers and the laser device. The diameter of the photodiode is smaller than the diameter of the optical fiber core optically coupled with the optical semiconductor apparatus. Since the laser device and the photodiode are monolithically integrated, the devices do not require optical alignment, and thus, facilitate optical coupling with an optical fiber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Hironobu Narui, Tomonori Hino, Nobukata Okano, Jugo Mitomo
  • Patent number: 8679868
    Abstract: An improved bifacial solar cell is disclosed. In some embodiments, the front side includes an n-type field surface field, while the back side includes a p-type emitter. In other embodiments, the p-type emitter is on the front side. To maximize the diffusion of majority carriers and lower the series resistance between the contact and the substrate, the regions beneath the metal contacts are more heavily doped. Thus, regions of higher dopant concentration are created in at least one of the FSF or the emitter. These regions are created through the use of selective implants, which can be performed on one or two sides of the bifacial solar cell to improve efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Atul Gupta, Nicholas P. T. Bateman
  • Publication number: 20140061677
    Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to an infrared (IR) opto-electronic sensor having a silicon waveguide implemented on a single silicon integrated chip. The IR sensor has a semiconductor substrate having a silicon waveguide extends along a length between a radiation input conduit and a radiation output conduit. The radiation input conduit couples radiation into the silicon waveguide, while the radiation output conduit couples radiation out from the silicon waveguide. The silicon waveguide conveys the IR radiation from the radiation input conduit to the radiation output conduit at a single mode. As the radiation is conveyed by the silicon waveguide, an evanescent field is formed that extends outward from the silicon waveguide to interact with a sample positioned between the radiation input conduit and the radiation output conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: Infineon Technologies AG
    Inventors: Bernhard Jakoby, Ventsislav Lachiev, Thomas Grille, Peter Irsigler, Sokratis Sgouridis, Ursula Hedenig, Thomas Krotscheck Ostermann
  • Patent number: 8664666
    Abstract: A thin stacked semiconductor device has a plurality of circuits that are laminated and formed sequentially in a specified pattern to form a multilayer wiring part. At the stage for forming the multilayer wiring part, a filling electrode is formed on the semiconductor substrate such that the surface is covered with an insulating film, a post electrode is formed on specified wiring at the multilayer wiring part, a first insulating layer is formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate, the surface of the first insulating layer is removed by a specified thickness to expose the post electrode, and the other surface of the semiconductor substrate is ground to expose the filling electrode and to form a through-type electrode. A second insulating layer if formed on one surface of the semiconductor substrate while exposing the forward end of the through-type electrode, and bump electrodes are formed on both electrodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Oki Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Masamichi Ishihara
  • Publication number: 20140042463
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, there is provided an optoelectronic integrated package module including a silicon interposer that has an electrical interconnection and an optical waveguide, and formed on a silicon substrate, an optical semiconductor element formed in the silicon interposer, and electrically connected to the electrical interconnection and optically coupled to the optical waveguide, an electrical circuit element formed in the silicon interposer, and electrically connected to the optical semiconductor element, and a semiconductor integrated circuit chip mounted on the silicon interposer, and electrically connected to the electrical circuit element. The semiconductor integrated circuit chip transmits an electrical signal to the optical semiconductor element via the electrical circuit element or receives an electrical signal from the optical semiconductor element via the electrical circuit element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi UEMURA, Hideto FURUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20140034815
    Abstract: A self-powered photodetector is provided including: a photovoltaic sensor element for generating an electrical charge under exposure to electromagnetic radiation; a charge storage section for accumulating the electrical charge generated by the photovoltaic sensor element; an electrical load configured to be powered by the accumulated electrical charge from the charge storage section and outputs a signal in response thereto, the signal being analyzable to determine a measurement of the electromagnetic radiation; and a switch for controlling a flow of the accumulated electrical charge from the charge storage section to the electrical load for powering the electrical load. There is also provided a wireless receiver for analyzing a signal from the self-powered photodetector to provide a measurement of the electromagnetic radiation, a photodetector system including the self-powered photodetector and the wireless receiver, and a method of fabricating the self-powered photodetector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Agency for Science, Technology and Research
    Inventors: Szu Cheng Lai, Kui Yao
  • Patent number: 8637329
    Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor optical integrated device includes the steps of forming a substrate product including first and second stacked semiconductor layer portions; forming a first mask on the first and second stacked semiconductor layer portions, the first mask including a stripe-shaped first pattern region and a second pattern region, the second pattern region including a first end edge; forming a stripe-shaped mesa structure; removing the second pattern region of the first mask; forming a second mask on the second stacked semiconductor layer portion; and selectively growing a buried semiconductor layer with the first and second masks. The second mask includes a second end edge separated from the first end edge of the first mask, the second end edge being located on the side of the second stacked semiconductor layer portion in the predetermined direction with respect to the first end edge of the first mask.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Yoneda, Hirohiko Kobayashi, Kenji Koyama, Masaki Yanagisawa, Kenji Hiratsuka
  • Patent number: 8637802
    Abstract: An object is to provide a photosensor utilizing an oxide semiconductor in which a refreshing operation is unnecessary, a semiconductor device provided with the photosensor, and a light measurement method utilizing the photosensor. It is found that a constant gate current can be obtained by applying a gate voltage in a pulsed manner to a transistor including a channel formed using an oxide semiconductor, and this is applied to a photosensor. Since a refreshing operation of the photosensor is unnecessary, it is possible to measure the illuminance of light with small power consumption through a high-speed and easy measurement procedure. A transistor utilizing an oxide semiconductor having a relatively high mobility, a small S value, and a small off-state current can form a photosensor; therefore, a multifunction semiconductor device can be obtained through a small number of steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Kamata
  • Patent number: 8633496
    Abstract: Provided is an optical device including a base wafer containing silicon, a plurality of seed crystals disposed on the base wafer, and a plurality of Group 3-5 compound semiconductors lattice-matching or pseudo lattice-matching the plurality of seed crystals. At least one of the Group 3-5 compound semiconductors has a photoelectric semiconductor formed therein, the photoelectric semiconductor including a light emitting semiconductor that emits light in response to a driving current supplied thereto or a light receiving semiconductor that generates a photocurrent in response to light applied thereto, and at least one of the plurality of Group 3-5 compound semiconductors other than the Group 3-5 compound semiconductor having the photoelectric semiconductor has a heterojunction transistor formed therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
    Inventors: Masahiko Hata, Sadanori Yamanaka, Tomoyuki Takada
  • Patent number: 8629441
    Abstract: The semiconductor device includes a driver circuit including a first thin film transistor and a pixel including a second thin film transistor over one substrate. The first thin film transistor includes a first gate electrode layer, a gate insulating layer, a first oxide semiconductor layer, a first oxide conductive layer, a second oxide conductive layer, an oxide insulating layer which is in contact with part of the first oxide semiconductor layer and which is in contact with peripheries and side surfaces of the first and second oxide conductive layers, a first source electrode layer, and a first drain electrode layer. The second thin film transistor includes a second gate electrode layer, a second oxide semiconductor layer, and a second source electrode layer and a second drain electrode layer each formed using a light-transmitting material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Junichiro Sakata, Miyuki Hosoba, Tatsuya Takahashi
  • Patent number: 8624292
    Abstract: A light emitting device includes a silicon substrate having a (100) upper surface. The (100) upper surface has a recess, the recess being defined in part by (111) surfaces of the silicon substrate. The light emitting device includes a GaN crystal structure over one of the (111) surfaces which has a non-polar plane and a first surface along the non-polar plane. Light emission layers over the first surface have at least one quantum well comprising GaN.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: SiPhoton Inc.
    Inventors: Shaoher X. Pan, Jay Chen, Justin A. Payne, Michael Heuken
  • Publication number: 20140001492
    Abstract: A photo-coupler device includes a P-type substrate, a P-type epitaxial layer, an insulation layer, a plurality of shielding layers, a metal layer and a passivation layer. The P-type epitaxial layer is deposited on the P-type substrate and including two conducting regions and a plurality of N+ electrode regions between the two conducting regions. The insulation layer is deposited on the P-type epitaxial layer. The shielding layers are deposited in the insulation layer in a transverse juxtaposition manner, and the portion of the shielding layers is arranged for correspondingly covering the two conducting regions, another portion of the shielding layers is arranged for correspondingly covering the part of the N+ electrode regions. The metal layer is made of Ag and is deposited on the insulation layer. The passivation layer is deposited on the metal layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Applicant: CAPELLA MICROSYSTEMS (TAIWAN), INC.
    Inventors: Cheng-Chung Shih, Yuh-Min Lin, Koon-Wing Tsang
  • Publication number: 20130336346
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide optical connection techniques and configurations. In one embodiment, an opto-electronic assembly includes a first semiconductor die including a light source to generate light, and a first mode expander structure comprising a first optical material disposed on a surface of the first semiconductor die, the first optical material being optically transparent at a wavelength of the light, and a second semiconductor die including a second mode expander structure comprising a second optical material disposed on a surface of the second semiconductor die, the second material being optically transparent at the wavelength of the light, wherein the second optical material is evanescently coupled with the first optical material to receive the light from the first optical material. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2012
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Mauro J. Kobrinsky, Jia-Hung Tseng, Bruce A. Block
  • Patent number: 8610134
    Abstract: A light emitting diode (LED) package may include a base, at least one light emitting die on the base, and a flextape on the base. The flextape includes at least one metal trace connected to the light emitting die. In a method of manufacturing the LED package, the base may be formed so as to include a basin and at least one light emitting die may be placed within the basin. The flextape may be provided to include at least one metal trace that is electrically connected to the light emitting die.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventor: Peter Andrews
  • Patent number: 8610133
    Abstract: Two light receiving elements are formed on a support substrate. A first light receiving element is formed of a p-type layer, an n-type layer, a light absorption semiconductor layer, an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, a protection film, etc. A second light receiving element is formed of a p-type layer, an n-type layer, a transmissive film, an anode electrode, a cathode electrode, a protection film, etc. The light absorption semiconductor layer absorbs light in a wavelength range ? and disposed closer to the light receiving surface than is the pn junction region. The transmissive film has no light absorption range and disposed closer to the light receiving surface than is the pn junction region. The amount of light in the wavelength range ? is measured through computation using a detection signal from the first light receiving element and a detection signal from the second light receiving element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: Rohm Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Nakahara, Shunsuke Akasaka, Koki Sakamoto, Tetsuo Fujii, Shunsuke Furuse, Soichiro Arimura
  • Publication number: 20130320359
    Abstract: A heterogeneous stack structure is provided which includes one or more optical signal-based chips and multiple electrical signal-based chips. The optical chip(s) and the electrical chip(s) are different layers of the stack structure, and the optical chip(s) includes optical signal paths extending at least partially laterally within the optical chip(s). Electrical signal paths are provided extending between and coupling the optical chip(s) and the electrical chips. The electrical signal paths include one or more through substrate vias (TSVs) through one or more electrical chips of the multiple electrical chips in the stack structure. In one embodiment, the optical chip(s) is configured laterally to locally distribute, via one or more paths of the electrical signal paths, a timing reference signal for one or more electrical chips in the stack. Conversion between optical and electrical signals within the stack structure occurs within the optical chip(s).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: SEMATECH, INC.
    Inventor: Klaus HUMMLER
  • Patent number: 8598604
    Abstract: An optoelectronic component with a semiconductor body that comprises an active semiconductor layer sequence is disclosed, which is suitable for generating electromagnetic radiation of a first wavelength that is emitted from a front face of the semiconductor body. The component also comprises a first wavelength conversion substance following the semiconductor body in its direction of emission, which converts radiation of the first wavelength into radiation of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength, and a first selectively reflecting layer between the active semiconductor layer sequence and the first wavelength conversion substance that selectively reflects radiation of the second wavelength and is transparent to radiation of the first wavelength.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH
    Inventors: Dominik Eisert, Norbert Linder, Raimund Oberschmid, Dirk Berben, Frank Jermann, Martin Zachau
  • Publication number: 20130313579
    Abstract: Detectors based on such Ge(Sn) alloys of the formula Ge1-xSnx (e.g., 0<x<0.01) have increased responsivity while keeping alloy scattering to a minimum. Such small amounts of Sn are also useful for improving the performance of the recently demonstrated Ge-on-Si laser structures, since the addition of Sn monotonically reduces the separation between the direct and indirect minima in the conduction band of Ge. Thus, provided herein are Ge(Sn) alloys of the formula Ge1xSnx, wherein x is less than 0.01, wherein the alloy is optionally n-doped or p-doped; and assemblies and photodiodes comprising the same, and methods for their formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: John Kouvetakis, Richard Beeler, Jose Menendez, Radek Roucka
  • Patent number: 8592801
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to an IR photodetector that broadly absorbs electromagnetic radiation including at least a portion of the near infrared (NIR) spectrum. The IR photodetector comprises polydispersed QDs of PbS and/or PbSe. The IR photodetector can be included as a layer in an up-conversion device when coupled to a light emitting diode (LED) according to an embodiment of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: University of Florida Research Foundation, Inc., Nanoholdings, LLC
    Inventors: Franky So, Do Young Kim, Bhabendra Pradhan, Jae Woong Lee
  • Patent number: 8585207
    Abstract: Method and system for an up conversion lighting system for use with displays. The system includes an up converter-semiconductor light source for emitting an up conversion emission and a spectrally selective optical element in the path of the emission for selectively passing selected wavelengths. The optical element has a coating selected to pass selected wavelengths. The up converter-semiconductor light source includes an up converter for emitting the up conversion emission, a semiconductor light source coupled with the up converter to excite an up conversion material within the up converter to emit an up conversion emission and a spatial light modulator for modulating the up conversion emission. For a full color display, the up converter includes a red, green and blue up converter and a separate a light source coupled with the red, green and blue up converters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: University of Central Florida Research Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bass, Dennis G. Deppe
  • Publication number: 20130299841
    Abstract: An optocoupler includes a GaN-based photosensor disposed on a substrate and a GaN-based light source disposed on the same substrate as the GaN-based photosensor. A transparent material is interposed between the GaN-based photosensor and the GaN-based light source. The transparent material provides galvanic isolation and forms an optical channel between the GaN-based photosensor and the GaN-based light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: INFINEON TECHNOLOGIES AUSTRIA AG
    Inventors: Jan Ranglack, Gianmauro Pozzovivo
  • Patent number: 8575626
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a bi-section semiconductor laser device includes the steps of (A) forming a stacked structure obtained by stacking, on a substrate in sequence, a first compound semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type, a compound semiconductor layer that constitutes a light-emitting region and a saturable absorption region, and a second compound semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type; (B) forming a belt-shaped second electrode on the second compound semiconductor layer; (C) forming a ridge structure by etching at least part of the second compound semiconductor layer using the second electrode as an etching mask; and (D) forming a resist layer for forming a separating groove in the second electrode and then forming the separating groove in the second electrode by wet etching so that the separating groove separates the second electrode into a first portion and a second portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Sony Corporation, Tohoku University
    Inventors: Hideki Watanabe, Takao Miyajima, Masao Ikeda, Hiroyuki Yokoyama, Tomoyuki Oki, Masaru Kuramoto
  • Patent number: 8575713
    Abstract: A semiconductor device 700 includes a substrate and an optical sensor unit 700 formed on the substrate for sensing light and for generating a sensing signal, the optical sensor unit 700 including a first thin film diode 701A for detection of light in a first wavelength range, a second thin film diode 701B detecting light in a second wavelength range that contains wavelengths longer than the longest wavelength in the first wavelength range. The first thin film diode 701A and the second thin film diode 701B are connected in parallel to each other. The sensing signal is generated based on the output from one of the first thin film diode 701A and the second thin film diode 701B. By this means, the wavelength range that can be detected by the optical sensor unit can be expanded and the sensing sensitivity can be increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Makita, Masahiro Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8575677
    Abstract: A semiconductor device having, on a silicon substrate, a gate insulating film and a gate electrode in this order; wherein the gate insulating film comprises a nitrogen containing high-dielectric-constant insulating film which has a structure in which nitrogen is introduced into metal oxide or metal silicate; and the nitrogen concentration in the nitrogen containing high-dielectric-constant insulating film has a distribution in the direction of the film thickness; and a position at which the nitrogen concentration in the nitrogen containing high-dielectric-constant insulating film reaches the maximum in the direction of the film thickness is present in a region at a distance from the silicon substrate. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device including introducing nitrogen by irradiating the high-dielectric-constant insulating film which is made of metal oxide or metal silicate, with a nitrogen containing plasma, is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Renesas Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Heiji Watanabe, Kazuhiko Endo, Kenzo Manabe
  • Patent number: 8569771
    Abstract: An LED module having an LED semiconductor chip mounted directly or indirectly on a platform. The platform is made from silicon and extends laterally beyond the LED semiconductor chip having an active light emitting layer and a substrate. At least one electronic component that is part of the control circuitry for the LED semiconductor chip is integrated in the silicon platform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Lexedis Lighting GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Tasch, Nick Shepherd
  • Patent number: 8569794
    Abstract: A Group III nitride semiconductor device of the present invention is obtained by laminating at least a buffer layer (12) made of a Group III nitride compound on a substrate (11), wherein the buffer layer (12) is made of AlN, and a lattice constant of a-axis of the buffer layer (12) is smaller than a lattice constant of a-axis of AlN in a bulk state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisayuki Miki, Yasunori Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 8563990
    Abstract: An electronic device comprising at least one die stack having at least a first die (D1) comprising a first array of light emitting units (OLED) for emitting light, a second layer (D2) comprising a second array of via holes (VH) and a third die (D3) comprising a third array of light detecting units (PD) for detecting light from the first array of light emitting units (OELD) is provided. The second layer (D2) is arranged between the first die (D1) and the third die (D3). The first, second and third array are aligned such that light emitted from the first array of light emitting units (OLED) passed through the second array of via holes (VH) and is detected by the third array of light detecting units (PD). The first array of light emitting units and/or the third array of light detecting units are manufactured based on standard semiconductor manufacturing processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Freddy Roozeboom, Herbert Lifka, Frederik Vanhelmont, Wouter Dekkers
  • Patent number: 8563991
    Abstract: An optical semiconductor device has a semiconductor substrate, an optical semiconductor region and a heater. The optical semiconductor region is provided on the semiconductor substrate and has a width smaller than that of the semiconductor substrate. The heater is provided on the optical semiconductor region. The optical semiconductor region has a cladding region, an optical waveguide layer and a low thermal conductivity layer. The optical waveguide layer is provided in the cladding region and has a refractive index higher than that of the cladding region. The low thermal conductivity layer is provided between the optical waveguide layer and the semiconductor substrate and has a thermal conductivity lower than that of the cladding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Eudyna Devices Inc.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 8558234
    Abstract: Highly efficient, low energy, low light level imagers and photodetectors are provided. In particular, a novel class of Della-Doped Electron Bombarded Array (DDEBA) photodetectors that will reduce the size, mass, power, complexity, and cost of conventional imaging systems while improving performance by using a thinned imager that is capable of detecting low-energy electrons, has high gain, and is of low noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Shouleh Nikzad, Chris Martin, Michael E. Hoenk
  • Patent number: 8552470
    Abstract: A photovoltaic cell is provided as a composite unit together with elements of an integrated circuit on a common substrate. In a described embodiment, connections are established between a multiple photovoltaic cell portion and a circuitry portion of an integrated structure to enable self-powering of the circuitry portion by the multiple photovoltaic cell portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Texas Instruments Incorporated
    Inventors: Yuanning Chen, Thomas Patrick Conroy, Jeffrey DeBord, Nagarajan Sridhar
  • Patent number: 8546157
    Abstract: An improved bifacial solar cell is disclosed. In some embodiments, the front side includes an n-type field surface field, while the back side includes a p-type emitter. In other embodiments, the p-type emitter is on the front side. To maximize the diffusion of majority carriers and lower the series resistance between the contact and the substrate, the regions beneath the metal contacts are more heavily doped. Thus, regions of higher dopant concentration are created in at least one of the FSF or the emitter. These regions are created through the use of selective implants, which can be performed on one or two sides of the bifacial solar cell to improve efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Atul Gupta, Nicholas P. T. Bateman
  • Publication number: 20130248886
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having first and second main surfaces, and including a first semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type in the substrate, a second semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type on a surface of the first semiconductor layer on a first main surface side, a third semiconductor layer of the first conductivity type on a surface of the second semiconductor layer, and a fourth semiconductor layer of the second conductivity type on a surface of the first semiconductor layer on a second main surface side. The device further includes a control electrode and a first main electrode on the first main surface side of the substrate, and a second main electrode and a junction termination portion on the second main surface side of the substrate, the junction termination portion having an annular planar shape surrounding the fourth semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Mitsuhiko KITAGAWA
  • Patent number: 8541790
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a lighting device which can suppress luminance nonuniformity in a light emitting region when the lighting device has large area. A layer including a light emitting material is formed between a first electrode and a second electrode, and a third electrode is formed to connect to the first electrode through an opening formed in the second electrode and the layer including a light emitting material. An effect of voltage drop due to relatively high resistivity of the first electrode can be reduced by electrically connecting the third electrode to the first electrode through the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuyuki Arai
  • Patent number: 8536591
    Abstract: A light emitting device may be provided that includes a conductive support member; a first conductive layer disposed on the conductive support member; a second conductive layer disposed on the first conductive layer; a light emitting structure including a second semiconductor layer formed on the second conductive layer, an active layer formed on the second semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer formed on the active layer and an insulation layer. The first conductive layer includes at least one via penetrating the second conductive layer, the second semiconductor layer and the active layer and projecting into a certain area of the first semiconductor layer. The first semiconductor layer includes an ohmic contact layer formed on or above the conductive via. The insulation layer is formed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer and is formed on the side wall of the via.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: JHyun Kyong Cho
  • Patent number: 8530908
    Abstract: An organic EL element includes: an organic EL layer including a transparent electrode, a reflective electrode, and a light-emitting layer; a transparent layer disposed on a light-exiting side of the transparent electrode; and a light extraction structure disposed on a light-exiting side of the transparent layer and having a protruding shape with inclined portions. The transparent layer and the light extraction structure have a larger refractive index than the light-emitting layer. The inclined portions of the light extraction structure satisfy Condition 1 or 2 for extracting guided wave light emitted from the light-emitting layer and incident on the light extraction structure from the light extraction structure to the outside of the organic EL element, in a cross section taken along a plane perpendicular to the reflective electrode, where two inclination angles ?1 and ?2 formed between the reflective electrode and the inclined portions are the largest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Ishizuya
  • Patent number: 8525191
    Abstract: An optoelectronic device assembly can include: a coated element and an optoelectronic device on the coated element. The coated element can include a thermoplastic substrate and a protective weathering layer. The thermoplastic substrate can include a bisphenol-A polycarbonate homopolymer and a polycarbonate copolymer, and wherein the polycarbonate copolymer is selected from a copolymer of tetrabromobisphenol A carbonate and BPA carbonate; a copolymer of 2-phenyl-3,3-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)phthalimidine carbonate and BPA carbonate; a copolymer of 4,4?-(1-phenylethylidene) biphenol carbonate and BPA carbonate; a copolymer of 4,4?-(1-methylethylidene) bis[2,6-dimethyl-phenol]carbonate and BPA carbonate; and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing. The protective weathering layer can include resorcinol polyarylate and polycarbonate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Sabic Innovative Plastics IP B.V.
    Inventors: Jian Zhou, James Edward Pickett, Shreyas Chakravarti
  • Publication number: 20130214293
    Abstract: A micro optical device 10 comprises a body 12. The body comprises a movable member 14, which is moveable relative to another part 26 of the body. An optical element, such as an optical source 16, is provided on or within the movable member. The moveable member may be subjected to a parameter, such as mass, to be sensed and by monitoring at detector 22 changes of an optical signal emitted by the optical source, the parameter may be monitored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: Insiava(PTY)Limited
    Inventors: Monuko Duplessis, Alfons Willi Bogalecki
  • Patent number: 8513754
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a substrate of a first conductive type; an emitter layer that is positioned on the substrate and is a second conductive type that is opposite to the first conductive type; first electrodes that are connected to the emitter layer; and a second electrode that is connected to the substrate, wherein the emitter layer includes a first emitter portion and a second emitter portion, the first electrodes include a finger electrode, and a bus electrode intersecting and connected to the finger electrode, and the first emitter portion and the second emitter portion are positioned under the bus electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: JaeSung You
  • Publication number: 20130207125
    Abstract: A lightweight, thin, small size semiconductor device is provided. A pixel has a display portion, and a light receiving portion comprising a photodiode. A transistor is used with the semiconductor device for controlling the operation of the display portion and the light receiving portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
  • Publication number: 20130200396
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a semiconductor layer, a dielectric layer, and a light prevention structure. The semiconductor layer has a front surface and a backside surface. The semiconductor layer includes a light sensing element and a periphery circuit region containing a light emitting element and not containing the light sensing element. The dielectric layer contacts at least a portion of the backside surface of the semiconductor layer. At least a portion of the light prevention structure is disposed between the light sensing element and the light emitting element. The light prevention structure is positioned to prevent light emitted by the light emitting element from reaching the light sensing element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Wei Zheng, Vincent Venezia, Hsin-Chih Tai
  • Patent number: 8500297
    Abstract: A light emitting diode module is produced using at least one LED and at least two selectable components that form a light mixing chamber. First and second selectable components have first and second types of wavelength converting materials with different wavelength converting characteristics. The first and second wavelength converting characteristics alter the spectral power distribution of the light produced by the LED to produce light with a color point that is a predetermined tolerance from a predetermined color point. Moreover, a set of LED modules may be produced such that each LED module has the same color point within a predetermined tolerance. The LED module may be produced by pre-measuring the wavelength converting characteristics of the different components selecting components with wavelength converting characteristics that convert the spectral power distribution of the LED to a color point that is a predetermined tolerance from a predetermined color point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Xicato, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerard Harbers, Peter K. Tseng, Christopher R. Reed
  • Patent number: 8497512
    Abstract: To prevent a point defect and a line defect in forming a light-emitting device, thereby improving the yield. A light-emitting element and a driver circuit of the light-emitting element, which are provided over different substrates, are electrically connected. That is, a light-emitting element and a driver circuit of the light-emitting element are formed over different substrates first, and then electrically connected. By providing a light-emitting element and a driver circuit of the light-emitting element over different substrates, the step of forming the light-emitting element and the step of forming the driver circuit of the light-emitting element can be performed separately. Therefore, degrees of freedom of each step can be increased, and the process can be flexibly changed. Further, steps (irregularities) on the surface for forming the light-emitting element can be reduced than in the conventional technique.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Osamu Nakamura, Miyuki Higuchi, Yasuko Watanabe, Yasuyuki Arai
  • Publication number: 20130187174
    Abstract: In accordance with certain embodiments, semiconductor dies are embedded within polymeric binder to form, e.g., freestanding white light-emitting dies and/or composite wafers containing multiple light-emitting dies embedded in a single volume of binder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventor: Michael A. Tischler
  • Patent number: 8492784
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip including a nitride semiconductor layered structure including a carrier transit layer and a carrier supply layer; a first resin layer on the semiconductor chip, the first resin layer including a coupling agent; a second resin layer on the first resin layer, the second resin layer including a surfactant; and a sealing resin layer to seal the semiconductor chip with the first resin layer and the second resin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventors: Keishiro Okamoto, Tadahiro Imada, Nobuhiro Imaizumi, Keiji Watanabe