US4498951A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of manufacturing single-crystal film
Assignee: Hitachi Ltd
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Filing: 1982-09-24
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Granted: 1985-02-12
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Expires: 2002-09-24
Abstract
Abstract The whole surface of a polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film deposited so as to continuously cover the surface of a single-crystal substrate and an insulating film is irradiated with a laser beam or electron beam, thereby to selectively melt only those parts of the polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film which overlie the insulating film. Thus, a single-crystal semiconductor film is formed only the insular insulating film formed on the single-crystal substrate.
Inventors
- 👤 Masao Tamura
- 👤 Naotsugu Yoshihiro
- 👤 Nobuyoshi Natsuaki
- 👤 Masanobu Miyao
- 👤 Makoto Ohkura
- 👤 Hideo Sunami
- 👤 Takashi Tokuyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 13:54
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/60; H10P14/24; H10P14/27; H10P14/271; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3421; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3808; H10P34/00; H10P34/40; H10P34/42; H10P95/00; H10P95/90; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S117/00; Y10S117/903; Y10S117/904; Y10S117/905; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/003; Y10S148/09; Y10S148/123; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/969
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film, comprising: (1) a step of forming an insulating film in a desired position on a single-crystal substrate to provide a pattern with openings through which portions of the surface of said single-crystal substrate are exposed, said insulating film having a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of said single-crystal substrate; (2) a step of depositing a polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film to continuously cover said exposed surface portions of said substrate and said insulating film; and (3) a step of irradiating a whole surface of said polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film with a laser beam or electron beam having an energy intensity below a critical energy so that the beam will not cause the polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film deposited on the substrate to turn into a single crystal and whereby those portions of said polycrystalline or amorphouse semiconductor film which are deposited on said insulating film are selectively melted and turned into a single crystal.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
164 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film, comprising: (1) a step of forming an insulating film in a desired position on a single-crystal substrate to provide a pattern with openings through which portions of the surface of said single-crystal substrate are exposed, said insulating film having a thermal conductivity lower than the thermal conductivity of said single-crystal substrate; (2) a step of depositing a polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film to continuously cover said exposed surface portions of said substrate and said insulating film; and (3) a step of irradiating a whole surface of said polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film with a laser beam or electron beam having an energy intensity below a critical energy so that the beam will not cause the polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film deposited on the substrate to turn into a single crystal and whereby those portions of said polycrystalline or amorphouse semiconductor film which are deposited on said insulating film are selectively melted and turned into a single crystal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1, further comprising, after the irradiating step, a step of selectively removing the polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film which has remained without being turned into the single crystal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film is a silicon film or a compound semiconductor film.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 3, wherein said insulating film is selected from the group consisting of an SiO 2 film, an Si 4 N 4 film and an Al 2 O 3 film.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 3, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film is about 100 nm-1 μm thick.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 5, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film is irradiated with the laser beam by a Q-switched ruby or YAG pulse laser which has an intensity of approximately 1-2 J/cm 2 .
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 5, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film is irradiated with the laser beam by a CW argon laser which has an intensity of approximately 5-7 W and a beam diameter of approximately 50 μm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 4, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film is about 100 nm-1 μm thick.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 8, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film is irradiated with the laser beam by a Q-switched ruby or YAG pulse laser which has an intensity of approximately 1-2 J/cm 2 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
46 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 8, wherein said polycrystalline or amorphous silicon film is irradiated with the laser beam of a CW argon laser which has an intensity of approximately 5-7 W and a beam diameter of approximately 50 μm.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1 or 2, wherein said insulating film is selected from the group consisting of an SiO 2 film, an Si 3 N 4 film and an Al 2 O 3 film.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 11, wherein said insulating film has a thermal conductivity of 1.3×10 -2 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1, wherein said openings in said insulating film are formed by thermal oxidation and photolithography.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate is a single-crystal silicon substrate.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 14, wherein said single-crystal silicon substrate has a thermal conductivity of 1.45×10 -2 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1, wherein those portions of said polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film which are deposited on said single-crystal substrate are not melted.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1, wherein the said critical energy is changed by varying the beam diameter or scanning speed of the laser beam.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of manufacturing a single-crystal film as defined in claim 1, wherein said critical energy is changed proportionately in relation to the thickness of said polycrystalline or amorphous semiconductor film.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-02-12 | 1988-08-13 | 1989-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-02-12 | 1992-08-13 | 1993-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-02-12 | 1996-08-13 | 1997-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |