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US6071766A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for fabricating semiconductor thin film

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1998-07-15
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Granted: 2000-06-06
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Expires: 2018-07-15
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Abstract

Abstract An object of the present invention is to provide a technology of reducing a nickel element in the silicon film which is crystallized by using nickel. An extremely small amount of nickel is introduced into an amorphous silicon film which is formed on the glass substrate. Then this amorphous silicon film is crystallized by heating. At this time, the nickel element remains in the crystallized silicon film. Then an amorphous silicon film is formed on the surface of the silicon film crystallized with the action of nickel. Then the amorphous silicon film is further heat treated. By carrying out this heat treatment, the nickel element is dispersed from the crystallized silicon film into the amorphous silicon film with the result that the nickel density in the crystallized silicon film is lowered.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki
  • 👤 Hisashi Ohtani
  • 👤 Akiharu Miyanaga
  • 👤 Satoshi Teramoto

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:53
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2922; C; C03; C03C; C03C17/00; C03C17/34; C03C17/3411; C03C17/3429; C03C17/3482; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/60; H10D30/67; H10D30/6729; H10D30/673; H10D30/6731; H10D30/674; H10D30/6741; H10D30/6743; H10D30/6745; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3204; H10P14/3211; H10P14/3238; H10P14/3242; H10P14/3244; H10P14/3251; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3806; H10P14/3808; C03C2218/00; C03C2218/10; C03C2218/15; C03C2218/152; C03C2218/153

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 104 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous semiconductor film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said amorphous semiconductor film by heat treatment to obtain a crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said crystalline semiconductor film; forming a metal element diffusion film comprising a semiconductor in contact with said silicon nitride film; diffusing said metal element into said metal element diffusion film; and removing said metal element diffusion film into which said metal element has been diffused, using said silicon nitride film as an etching stopper.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 104 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous semiconductor film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said amorphous semiconductor film by heat treatment to obtain a crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said crystalline semiconductor film; forming a metal element diffusion film comprising a semiconductor in contact with said silicon nitride film; diffusing said metal element into said metal element diffusion film; and removing said metal element diffusion film into which said metal element has been diffused, using said silicon nitride film as an etching stopper.
Claim 3
Independent Claim 114 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous silicon film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said silicon film; obtaining a crystalline silicon film by crystallizing said amorphous silicon film by heat treatment; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said crystalline silicon film; forming an amorphous semiconductor film in contact with said silicon nitride film; dispersing by heat treatment the metal element in said crystalline silicon film into the amorphous semiconductor film formed in contact with said silicon nitride film; and removing the semiconductor film formed in contact with said silicon nitride film by using said silicon nitride film as an etching stopper.
Claim 4
Independent Claim 114 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous silicon film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said silicon film; obtaining a crystalline silicon film by crystallizing said amorphous silicon film by heat treatment; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said crystalline silicon film; forming an amorphous semiconductor film in contact with said silicon nitride film; dispersing by heat treatment the metal element in said crystalline silicon film into the amorphous semiconductor film formed in contact with said silicon nitride film; and removing the semiconductor film formed in contact with said silicon nitride film by using said silicon nitride film as an etching stopper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said amorphous semiconductor film comprises silicon.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 109 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous silicon film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said silicon film; obtaining a crystalline silicon film by crystallizing said amorphous silicon film by heat treatment; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said crystalline silicon film; forming an amorphous semiconductor film in contact with said silicon nitride film; crystallizing by heat treatment the amorphous semiconductor film which is formed in contact with said silicon nitride film; and removing the semiconductor film which is formed in contact with said silicon nitride film by using said silicon nitride film as an etching stopper.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 109 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous silicon film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said silicon film; obtaining a crystalline silicon film by crystallizing said amorphous silicon film by heat treatment; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said crystalline silicon film; forming an amorphous semiconductor film in contact with said silicon nitride film; crystallizing by heat treatment the amorphous semiconductor film which is formed in contact with said silicon nitride film; and removing the semiconductor film which is formed in contact with said silicon nitride film by using said silicon nitride film as an etching stopper.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 12 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said amorphous semiconductor film comprises silicon.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 94 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous semiconductor film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said amorphous semiconductor film by heat treatment to obtain a crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said semiconductor film; forming a metal element diffusion film comprising a semiconductor in contact with said silicon nitride film; diffusing said metal element into said metal element diffusion film; and removing said metal element diffusion film into which said metal element has been diffused.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 94 words
A method for fabricating a semiconductor thin film comprising the steps of: providing an amorphous semiconductor film with a metal element which promotes crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said amorphous semiconductor film by heat treatment to obtain a crystalline semiconductor film; forming a silicon nitride film in contact with said semiconductor film; forming a metal element diffusion film comprising a semiconductor in contact with said silicon nitride film; diffusing said metal element into said metal element diffusion film; and removing said metal element diffusion film into which said metal element has been diffused.

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-06-06 2003-12-06 2004-06-06 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-06-06 2007-12-06 2008-06-06 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-06-06 2011-12-06 2012-06-06 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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