← Back to Patent Explorer
US5608232A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Semiconductor, semiconductor device, and method for fabricating the same

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1995-06-05
•
Granted: 1997-03-04
•
Expires: 2015-06-05
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract Method or fabricating semiconductor devices such as thin-film transistors by annealing a substantially amorphous silicon film at a temperature either lower than normal crystallization temperature of amorphous silicon or lower than the glass transition point of the substrate so as to crystallize the silicon film. Islands, stripes, lines, or dots of nickel, iron, cobalt, or platinum, silicide, acetate, or nitrate of nickel, iron, cobalt, or platinum, film containing various salts, particles, or clusters containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, and platinum are used as starting materials for crystallization. These materials are formed on or under the amorphous silicon film.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
  • 👤 Yasuhiko Takemura
  • 👤 Hongyong Zhang
  • 👤 Toru Takayama
  • 👤 Hideki Uochi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 23:30
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3806; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0314; H10D30/0321; H10D30/67; H10D30/6704; H10D30/6713; H10D30/674; H10D30/6757; H10D86/00; H10D86/01; H10D86/021; H10D86/0221; H10D86/0223; H10D86/0225; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2922; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3238; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3808; H10P14/3816

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim 49 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a silicon film containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; an insulating film provided on said silicon film; and a gate electrode provided on said insulating film; wherein concentration of said material does not exceed 1×10 19 atom/cm 3 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 49 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a silicon film containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; an insulating film provided on said silicon film; and a gate electrode provided on said insulating film; wherein concentration of said material does not exceed 1×10 19 atom/cm 3 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 18 words
The transistor of claim 1 wherein said concentration of said material is 1×10 3 atoms/cm 3 or more.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 20 words
The transistor of claim 1 wherein said silicon film contains 1×10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 5 atomic % of hydrogen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 48 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a source and a drain; wherein at least one of said source and said drain consists of a semiconductor containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; and concentration of said material does not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 48 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a source and a drain; wherein at least one of said source and said drain consists of a semiconductor containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; and concentration of said material does not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 18 words
The transistor of claim 4 wherein said concentration of said material is 1×10 15 atoms/cm 3 or more.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 19 words
The transistor of claim 4 wherein said silicon film contains 1×10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 5 atomic % hydrogen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 36 words
A semiconductor comprising: a crystalline silicon film; wherein said silicon film contains at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; and concentration of said material does not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 36 words
A semiconductor comprising: a crystalline silicon film; wherein said silicon film contains at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; and concentration of said material does not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 18 words
The transistor of claim 7 wherein said concentration of said material is 1×10 15 atoms/cm 3 or more.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 20 words
The transistor of claim 7 wherein said silicon film contains 1×10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 5 atomic % of hydrogen.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 21 words
The semiconductor of claim 7 wherein the semiconductor contains 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 or less each of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 18 words
The semiconductor of claim 7 wherein the crystallization of the silicon film is confirmed by Raman scattering spectroscopy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 14 words
The semiconductor of claim 7 wherein the semiconductor is formed on an insulating surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 63 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a silicon film containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; an insulating film provided on said silicon film; a gate electrode provided on said insulating film; wherein said material is introduced into said silicon film for crystallization thereof and removed such that concentration of said material do not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 63 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a silicon film containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; an insulating film provided on said silicon film; a gate electrode provided on said insulating film; wherein said material is introduced into said silicon film for crystallization thereof and removed such that concentration of said material do not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 22 words
The transistor of the claim 13 wherein said removal is performed by annealing said silicon film in an atmosphere containing chlorine atoms.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 30 words
The transistor of the claim 13 wherein said removal is performed by dissolving a metal silicide in hydrofluoric acid or hydrochloric acid, said metal silicide being formed by said introducing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 64 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a source and a drain; wherein at least one of said source and said drain consists of a semiconductor film containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; and said material is introduced into said silicon film for crystallization thereof and removed such that concentration of said material do not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 64 words
A thin-film transistor comprising: a source and a drain; wherein at least one of said source and said drain consists of a semiconductor film containing at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium; and said material is introduced into said silicon film for crystallization thereof and removed such that concentration of said material do not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 22 words
The transistor of the claim 16 wherein said removal is performed by annealing said silicon film in an atmosphere containing chlorine atoms.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 30 words
The transistor of the claim 16 wherein said removal is performed by dissolving a metal silicide in hydrofluoric acid or hydrochloric acid, said metal silicide being formed by said introducing.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 49 words
A semiconductor comprising: a crystalline silicon film; wherein said silicon film contains at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum; and said material is introduced into said silicon film for crystallization thereof and removed such that concentration of said material do not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 49 words
A semiconductor comprising: a crystalline silicon film; wherein said silicon film contains at least one material of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum; and said material is introduced into said silicon film for crystallization thereof and removed such that concentration of said material do not exceed 1×10 19 atoms/cm 3 .
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 22 words
The transistor of the claim 19 wherein said removal is performed by annealing said silicon film in an atmosphere containing chlorine atoms.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 30 words
The transistor of the claim 19 wherein said removal is performed by dissolving a metal silicide in hydrofluoric acid or hydrochloric acid, said metal silicide being formed by said introducing.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4727044A Cited
US5147826A Cited
US5313076A Cited
US5275851A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2000-03-03 2000-09-02 2001-03-04 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2004-03-03 2004-09-02 2005-03-04 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2008-03-03 2008-09-02 2009-03-04 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag