US6417031B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
•
Filing: 2001-04-24
•
Granted: 2002-07-09
•
Expires: 2021-04-24
Abstract
Abstract A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which has a crystalline silicon film comprises the steps of forming crystal nuclei in a surface region of an amorphous silicon film and then growing the crystals from the nuclei by a laser light. Typically the crystal nuclei are silicon crystals or metal silicides having an equivalent structure as silicon crystal.
Inventors
- 👤 Hisashi Ohtani
- 👤 Akiharu Miyanaga
- 👤 Junichi Takeyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 08:52
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10D; H10D30/00; H10D30/01; H10D30/021; H10D30/031; H10D30/0312; H10D30/0314; H10D30/0321; H10P14/24; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2921; H10P14/2922; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3238; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3451; H10P14/3452; H10P14/3454; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3806; H10P14/3808; H10P14/3816
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of manufacturing an electric device, said method comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon on an insulating surface; forming discrete silicon crystals within the amorphous semiconductor film by applying a first energy; growing the discrete silicon crystals by irradiating with an infrared light to form a crystalline semiconductor film; patterning the crystalline semiconductor film to form a crystalline semiconductor island; forming an insulating film adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island; forming a gate electrode adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island with the insulating film interposed therebetween; and introducing an impurity into the crystalline semiconductor island to form at least a source region, a drain region and a channel region, wherein the first energy is a different energy form from the infrared light.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
128 words
A method of manufacturing an electric device, said method comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon on an insulating surface; forming discrete silicon crystals within the amorphous semiconductor film by applying a first energy; growing the discrete silicon crystals by irradiating with an infrared light to form a crystalline semiconductor film; patterning the crystalline semiconductor film to form a crystalline semiconductor island; forming an insulating film adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island; forming a gate electrode adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island with the insulating film interposed therebetween; and introducing an impurity into the crystalline semiconductor island to form at least a source region, a drain region and a channel region, wherein the first energy is a different energy form from the infrared light.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the first energy is applied by heating.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the electric device is a thin film integrated circuit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the crystalline semiconductor island includes a catalyst element being capable of promoting crystallization of the amorphous semiconductor film at a concentration not higher than 3×10 18 cm −3 .
Claim 6
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon on an insulating surface; forming discrete silicon crystals within the amorphous semiconductor film by applying a first energy; growing the discrete silicon crystals by irradiating with an infrared light to form a crystalline semiconductor film; patterning the crystalline semiconductor film to form a crystalline semiconductor island; forming an insulating film adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island; irradiating the crystalline semiconductor island with the infrared light to promote further crystallization; forming a gate electrode adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island with the insulating film interposed therebetween; and introducing an impurity to the crystalline semiconductor island to form at least a source region, a drain region and a channel region, wherein the first energy is a different energy form from the infrared light.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
142 words
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, said method comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous crystalline semiconductor film comprising silicon on an insulating surface; forming discrete silicon crystals within the amorphous semiconductor film by applying a first energy; growing the discrete silicon crystals by irradiating with an infrared light to form a crystalline semiconductor film; patterning the crystalline semiconductor film to form a crystalline semiconductor island; forming an insulating film adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island; irradiating the crystalline semiconductor island with the infrared light to promote further crystallization; forming a gate electrode adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island with the insulating film interposed therebetween; and introducing an impurity to the crystalline semiconductor island to form at least a source region, a drain region and a channel region, wherein the first energy is a different energy form from the infrared light.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein the first energy is applied by heating.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein the electric device is a thin film integrated circuit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein the crystalline semiconductor island includes a catalyst element being capable of promoting the amorphous semiconductor film at a concentration not higher than 3×10 18 cm 3 .
Claim 11
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of manufacturing electric device, said method comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon on an insulating surface; forming discrete silicon crystals in an upper portion of the-amorphous semiconductor film by applying a first energy; crystallizing the amorphous semiconductor film by irradiating with an infrared light to form a crystalline semiconductor film; patterning the crystalline semiconductor film to form a crystalline semiconductor island; forming an insulating film adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island; forming a gate electrode adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island with the insulating film interposed therebetween; introducing an impurity into the crystalline semiconductor island to form at least a source region, a drain region and a channel region; and activating the impurity in the crystalline semiconductor island by irradiating with the infrared light, wherein the crystallizing step proceeds only from the discrete silicon crystals through the semiconductor film, wherein the first energy is a different energy form from the infrared light.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
159 words
A method of manufacturing electric device, said method comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon on an insulating surface; forming discrete silicon crystals in an upper portion of the-amorphous semiconductor film by applying a first energy; crystallizing the amorphous semiconductor film by irradiating with an infrared light to form a crystalline semiconductor film; patterning the crystalline semiconductor film to form a crystalline semiconductor island; forming an insulating film adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island; forming a gate electrode adjacent to the crystalline semiconductor island with the insulating film interposed therebetween; introducing an impurity into the crystalline semiconductor island to form at least a source region, a drain region and a channel region; and activating the impurity in the crystalline semiconductor island by irradiating with the infrared light, wherein the crystallizing step proceeds only from the discrete silicon crystals through the semiconductor film, wherein the first energy is a different energy form from the infrared light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein the first energy is applied by heating.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein the electric device is a thin film integrated circuit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein the crystalline semiconductor island includes a catalyst element being capable of promoting the amorphous semiconductor film at a concentration not higher than 3×10 18 cm −3 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein the catalyst element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, In, Sn, Pb, P, As and Sb.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: forming an interlayer insulating film over the crystalline semiconductor island, the insulating film and the gate electrode; forming a contact hole in the interlayer insulating film; and forming at least a wiring electrically connected to one selected from the group consisting of the source and drain regions through the contact hole.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the infrared light is emitted from a lamp.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein the electric device is a liquid crystal display device.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 8 , wherein the catalyst element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, In, Sn, Pb, P, As and Sb.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 5 , further comprising the steps of: forming an interlayer insulating film over the crystalline semiconductor island, the insulating film and the gate electrode; forming a contact hole in the interlayer insulating film; and forming at least a wiring electrically connected to one selected from the group consisting of the source and drain regions through the contact hole.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein the infrared light is emitted from a lamp.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein the electric device is a liquid crystal display device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 12 , wherein the catalyst element comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, In, Sn, Pb, P, As and Sb.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
63 words
A method according to claim 9 , further comprising the steps of: forming an interlayer insulating film over the crystalline semiconductor island, the insulating film and the gate electrode; forming a contact hole in the interlayer insulating film; and forming at least a wiring electrically connected to one selected from the group consisting of the source and drain regions through the contact hole.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein the infrared light is emitted from a lamp.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method according to claim 9 , wherein the electric device is a liquid crystal display device.
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