US5278093A
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Method for forming semiconductor thin film
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1992-07-29
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Granted: 1994-01-11
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Expires: 2012-07-29
Abstract
Abstract A method for forming a semiconductor thin film comprises crystallizing an amorphous silicon thin film by a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for ten hours or longer and carrying out a second thermal treatment at 1200° C. or higher in which a lamp light is radiated to the crystallized thin film.
Inventors
- 👤 Takao Yonehara
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 14:06
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/22; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/2921; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3238; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3451; H10P14/3452; H10P14/3456; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/154
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises: (i) crystallizing an amorphous thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate by a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for at least ten hours to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μm; (ii) providing a capping material on said crystallized thin film; and (iii) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200° C. or higher by irradiating said crystallized thin film with a lamp light and conducting a second thermal treatment at 1200° C. or higher by keeping said crystallized thin film at a temperature of 1200° C. or higher for about 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
133 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises: (i) crystallizing an amorphous thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate by a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for at least ten hours to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μm; (ii) providing a capping material on said crystallized thin film; and (iii) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200° C. or higher by irradiating said crystallized thin film with a lamp light and conducting a second thermal treatment at 1200° C. or higher by keeping said crystallized thin film at a temperature of 1200° C. or higher for about 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 1, wherein said capping material is silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 2, wherein the temperature rising rate in the second thermal treatment is from 100° C./sec to 500° C./sec.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to Claim 1, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 5, wherein the temperature rising rate to the second thermal treatment is from 100° C./sec. to 500° C./sec.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to Claim 1, wherein the temperature rising rate to the second thermal treatment temperature is from 100° C./sec to 500° C./sec.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous material thin film is an amorphous silicon thin film.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous material thin film is formed on the substrate by deposition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous thin film is formed by making a polycrystalline material thin film formed on said amorphous insulating surface of the substrate amorphous.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises: (i) subjecting an amorphous material thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate to a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for at least ten hours to generate a nucleus in the amorphous material thin film; (ii) growing the nucleus, thereby crystallizing the amorphous material thin film to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μm; (iii) providing a capping material on said crystallized thin film; and (iv) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200° C. or higher and subjecting said crystallized thin film to a second thermal treatment at 1200° C. or higher for about 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
136 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises: (i) subjecting an amorphous material thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate to a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for at least ten hours to generate a nucleus in the amorphous material thin film; (ii) growing the nucleus, thereby crystallizing the amorphous material thin film to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μm; (iii) providing a capping material on said crystallized thin film; and (iv) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200° C. or higher and subjecting said crystallized thin film to a second thermal treatment at 1200° C. or higher for about 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the second thermal treatment is carried out by use of a lamp.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the crystallized amorphous material thin film is polycrystalline.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the second thermal treatment is carried out after setting a desired temperature at a rate of 100° C./sec to 500° C./sec.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 11, wherein said capping material is silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises (i) subjecting an amorphous material thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate to a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for at least ten hours to generate a nucleus in the amorphous material thin film; (ii) growing the nucleus, thereby crystallizing the amorphous material thin film to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μm; (iii) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200° C. or higher and subjecting said crystallized thin film to a second thermal treatment by keeping said crystallized thin film at 1200° C. or higher for 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
130 words
A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises (i) subjecting an amorphous material thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate to a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for at least ten hours to generate a nucleus in the amorphous material thin film; (ii) growing the nucleus, thereby crystallizing the amorphous material thin film to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μm; (iii) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200° C. or higher and subjecting said crystallized thin film to a second thermal treatment by keeping said crystallized thin film at 1200° C. or higher for 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said second thermal treatment is carried out by use of a lamp.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 18, said crystallized amorphous material thin film is polycrystalline.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said second thermal treatment is carried out after setting a desired temperature at a rate of 100° C./sec to 500° C./sec.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein a capping material is provided on said crystallized thin film before said second thermal treatment.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein said capping material is silicon oxide or silicon nitride.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method according to claim 22, said capping material is provided to prevent the surface unevenness of said crystallized thin film.
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