US5773327A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Semiconductor device and method of fabricating the same
Assignee: Intier Automotive Inc
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Filing: 1996-10-09
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Granted: 1998-06-30
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Expires: 2016-10-09
Abstract
Abstract A method for improving the reliability and yield of a thin film transistor by controlling the crystallinity thereof. The method comprises the steps of forming a gate electrode on an island amorphous silicon film, injecting an impurity using the gate electrode as a mask, forming a coating film containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium so that it adheres to parts of the impurity regions, and annealing it at a temperature lower than the crystallization temperature of pure amorphous silicon to advance the crystallization starting therefrom and to crystallize the impurity regions and channel forming region.
Inventors
- 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
- 👤 Hongyong Zhang
- 👤 Yasuhiko Takemura
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 23:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D86/00; H10D86/01; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0314; H10D30/0321; H10D30/67; H10D30/6729; H10D30/673; H10D30/6731; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6744; H10D30/6745; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2922; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3238; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3806
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a gate insulating film on a semiconductor film comprising silicon: forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film; introducing an impurity into said semiconductor film using said gate electrode as a mask to form a pair of impurity regions in said semiconductor film with a channel region defined therebetween; disposing a substance containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium on said pair of impurity regions; and heating said semiconductor film after introducing said impurity and disposing said substance, thereby crystallizing said channel region in such a manner that crystals grow through said channel region from a portion of said semiconductor film on which said substance have been disposed.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
125 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a gate insulating film on a semiconductor film comprising silicon: forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film; introducing an impurity into said semiconductor film using said gate electrode as a mask to form a pair of impurity regions in said semiconductor film with a channel region defined therebetween; disposing a substance containing at least one of nickel, iron, cobalt, platinum and palladium on said pair of impurity regions; and heating said semiconductor film after introducing said impurity and disposing said substance, thereby crystallizing said channel region in such a manner that crystals grow through said channel region from a portion of said semiconductor film on which said substance have been disposed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of annealing said semiconductor film in an atmosphere comprising chlorine at 400° to 650° C. after said semiconductor film is crystallized.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of radiating a laser beam or a light having an equivalent intensity to a laser beam to said semiconductor film after crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substance comprises acetate of nickel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said annealing step is carried out at a temperature of 450° to 650° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of anodic oxidizing said gate electrode to form an anodic oxide on a surface of said gate electrode before said introducing step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the introduction of said impurity is carried out using said gate electrode and said anodic oxide as a mask.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said semiconductor film is formed on an insulating surface of a substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said radiating step is carried out with said substrate being heated at a temperature of 200° to 450° C.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon in the form of an island on an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film on said semiconductor film; forming a pair of gate electrodes on said gate insulating film to define a pair of channel regions in said semiconductor film just below said pair of gate electrodes, a second region in said semiconductor film interposed between said pair of channel regions, and a pair of third regions adjacent to said pair of channel regions, respectively, wherein each of said pair of channel regions is interposed between said second region and adjacent one of said pair of third regions; disposing a catalyst capable of promoting a crystallization of silicon on said pair of third regions; and then heating said semiconductor film to crystallize said semiconductor film, wherein crystals grow from said pair of third regions toward said second region through said pair of channel regions.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
162 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon in the form of an island on an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film on said semiconductor film; forming a pair of gate electrodes on said gate insulating film to define a pair of channel regions in said semiconductor film just below said pair of gate electrodes, a second region in said semiconductor film interposed between said pair of channel regions, and a pair of third regions adjacent to said pair of channel regions, respectively, wherein each of said pair of channel regions is interposed between said second region and adjacent one of said pair of third regions; disposing a catalyst capable of promoting a crystallization of silicon on said pair of third regions; and then heating said semiconductor film to crystallize said semiconductor film, wherein crystals grow from said pair of third regions toward said second region through said pair of channel regions.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising a step of annealing said semiconductor film in an atmosphere comprising chlorine at 400° to 650° after said heating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 10 further comprising a step of radiating a laser beam or a light equivalent to a laser beam to said semiconductor film after said said semiconductor film is crystallized by heating.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said catalyst comprises acetate of nickel.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said heating is carried out at a temperature of 450° to 650°.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon in the form of an island on an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film on said semiconductor film; forming a pair of gate electrodes on said gate insulating film to define a pair of channel regions in said semiconductor film just below said pair of gate electrodes, a second region in said semiconductor film interposed between said pair of channel regions, and a pair of third regions adjacent to said pair of channel regions, respectively, wherein each of said pair of channel regions is interposed between said second region and adjacent one of said pair of third regions; disposing a catalyst capable of promoting a crystallization of silicon on said second region; and then heating said semiconductor film to crystallize said semiconductor film, wherein crystals grow from said second region toward said pair of third regions through said pair of channel regions.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
160 words
A method of fabricating a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising silicon in the form of an island on an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film on said semiconductor film; forming a pair of gate electrodes on said gate insulating film to define a pair of channel regions in said semiconductor film just below said pair of gate electrodes, a second region in said semiconductor film interposed between said pair of channel regions, and a pair of third regions adjacent to said pair of channel regions, respectively, wherein each of said pair of channel regions is interposed between said second region and adjacent one of said pair of third regions; disposing a catalyst capable of promoting a crystallization of silicon on said second region; and then heating said semiconductor film to crystallize said semiconductor film, wherein crystals grow from said second region toward said pair of third regions through said pair of channel regions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gate electrode comprises a material selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, silicon, and chromium.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said pair of gate electrodes comprise a material selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, silicon, and chromium.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said pair of gate electrodes comprise a material selected from the group consisting of tantalum, titanium, silicon, and chromium.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said semiconductor device is a CMOS device.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said semiconductor device is a CMOS device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a concentration of said substance throughout said semiconductor film is within the range of 10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 1 atomic % after crystallizing said semiconductor film.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 10 wherein a concentration of said catalyst throughout said semiconductor film is within the range of 10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 1 atomic % after crystallizing said semiconductor film.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 10 wherein a concentration of said catalyst throughout said semiconductor film is within the range of 10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 1 atomic % after crystallizing said semiconductor film.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising an amorphous silicon on an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film on said semiconductor film; forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film to define a channel region below said gate electrode in said semiconductor film; disposing a catalyst on at least one portion of said semiconductor film which are uncovered by said gate electrode, said catalyst being capable of promoting a crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating so that crystals grow from said portion of the semiconductor film toward said channel region, whereby said channel region is crystallized.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film comprising an amorphous silicon on an insulating surface; forming a gate insulating film on said semiconductor film; forming a gate electrode on said gate insulating film to define a channel region below said gate electrode in said semiconductor film; disposing a catalyst on at least one portion of said semiconductor film which are uncovered by said gate electrode, said catalyst being capable of promoting a crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating so that crystals grow from said portion of the semiconductor film toward said channel region, whereby said channel region is crystallized.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 24 wherein said gate electrode comprises polycrystal silicon.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 25 wherein said polycrystal silicon is doped with phosphorous.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 24 wherein a concentration of said catalyst throughout said semiconductor film is within the range of 10 15 atoms/cm 3 to 1 atomic % after crystallizing said semiconductor film.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 24 further comprising a step of introducing an impurity to portions of said semiconductor film with said gate electrode as a mask to form a pair of impurity semiconductor regions having an impurity conductivity type.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-06-29 | 2001-12-29 | 2002-06-30 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-06-29 | 2005-12-29 | 2006-06-30 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-06-29 | 2009-12-29 | 2010-06-30 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |