Method for producing semiconductor device

Claim 1

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film to be crystallized on an insulating surface of a substrate, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in one direction parallel with said insulating surface; patterning said semiconductor film into an island after the step of crystallization thereof; and forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein the step of patterning the semiconductor film is conducted in such a manner that said source, drain and channel regions are arranged along said one direction.

Claim 2

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film to be crystallized on an insulating surface of a substrate, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in one direction parallel with said insulating surface; patterning said semiconductor film into an island after the step of crystallization thereof; and forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein the step of patterning the semiconductor film is conducted in such a manner that said source, drain and channel regions are arranged along said one direction.

Claim 6

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film to be crystallized on an insulating surface of a substrate, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in one direction parallel with said insulating surface; patterning said semiconductor film into an island after the step of crystallization thereof; and forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein the step of patterning the semiconductor film is conducted in such a manner that said source, drain and channel regions are arranged along said one direction, and wherein said method further comprises a step of introducing silicon ions into said semiconductor film in order to remove crystal components therefrom before said crystallizing step.

Claim 7

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film to be crystallized on an insulating surface of a substrate, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in one direction parallel with said insulating surface; patterning said semiconductor film into an island after the step of crystallization thereof; and forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein the step of patterning the semiconductor film is conducted in such a manner that said source, drain and channel regions are arranged along said one direction, and wherein said method further comprises a step of introducing silicon ions into said semiconductor film in order to remove crystal components therefrom before said crystallizing step.

Claim 11

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film on an insulating surface of a substrate to be crystallized, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film wherein said region has a rectangular shape lengthened in a first direction; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel with said insulating surface; removing crystal components from said semiconductor film before the step of crystallizing; patterning said semiconductor film into an island after the step of crystallization thereof so that, said island comprise the crystals extending in the second direction; and forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein said island is so arranged that the crystals of the transistor extend between the source and drain regions through the channel region in a direction which is coincidence with a direction in which carriers of the transistor flow.

Claim 12

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film on an insulating surface of a substrate to be crystallized, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film wherein said region has a rectangular shape lengthened in a first direction; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel with said insulating surface; removing crystal components from said semiconductor film before the step of crystallizing; patterning said semiconductor film into an island after the step of crystallization thereof so that, said island comprise the crystals extending in the second direction; and forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein said island is so arranged that the crystals of the transistor extend between the source and drain regions through the channel region in a direction which is coincidence with a direction in which carriers of the transistor flow.

Claim 18

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a plurality of thin film transistors, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film on an insulating surface of a substrate to be crystallized, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film wherein said region has an elongated shape in a first direction; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel with said insulating surface; removing crystal components from said semiconductor film before the step of crystallizing; patterning said semiconductor film into a plurality of islands after the step of crystallization thereof so that each of said islands comprises the crystals extending in the second direction; and forming source and drain regions in each of said islands with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein said islands are so arranged that the crystals of the respective transistors extend between the source and drain regions through the channel region in a direction which is in coincidence with a direction in which carriers of the respective transistors flow.

Claim 19

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a plurality of thin film transistors, comprising the steps of: disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with a region of a semiconductor film on an insulating surface of a substrate to be crystallized, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film wherein said region has an elongated shape in a first direction; crystallizing said semiconductor film by heating where crystals grow from said region in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and parallel with said insulating surface; removing crystal components from said semiconductor film before the step of crystallizing; patterning said semiconductor film into a plurality of islands after the step of crystallization thereof so that each of said islands comprises the crystals extending in the second direction; and forming source and drain regions in each of said islands with a channel region defined therebetween, wherein said islands are so arranged that the crystals of the respective transistors extend between the source and drain regions through the channel region in a direction which is in coincidence with a direction in which carriers of the respective transistors flow.

Claim 28

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film to be crystallized on an insulating surface, said semiconductor film having a first portion; disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with the first portion of the semiconductor film, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film wherein said first portion has a rectangular shape lengthened in a first direction; heating said semiconductor film so that a crystal growth proceeds from said first portion uniformly through a second portion of the semiconductor film adjacent to said first portion in a second direction substantially orthogonal to said first direction; patterning said semiconductor film into at least one island after the step of crystallization thereof, said island being located within said second portion of the semiconductor film; forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween so that a channel length direction extending between the source and drain regions intersects with said first direction to form an angle.

Claim 29

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having at least one thin film transistor, comprising the steps of: forming a semiconductor film to be crystallized on an insulating surface, said semiconductor film having a first portion; disposing a catalyst containing material in contact with the first portion of the semiconductor film, said catalyst being capable of promoting crystallization of said semiconductor film wherein said first portion has a rectangular shape lengthened in a first direction; heating said semiconductor film so that a crystal growth proceeds from said first portion uniformly through a second portion of the semiconductor film adjacent to said first portion in a second direction substantially orthogonal to said first direction; patterning said semiconductor film into at least one island after the step of crystallization thereof, said island being located within said second portion of the semiconductor film; forming source and drain regions in said island with a channel region defined therebetween so that a channel length direction extending between the source and drain regions intersects with said first direction to form an angle.