Method of laser irradiation, laser irradiation apparatus, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

• US 10,488,671 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tanaka, Koichiro, Moriwaka, Tomoaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinrich, Samuel M
• Application Number:
  US15/911,409
• Publication Number:
  US 20180188546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 2191216-12186
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/06 Shaping the laser beam, e.g. by masks or multi-focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0604 by a combination of beams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0732 into a rectangular shape
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0736 into an oval shape, e.g. elliptic shape
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0738 into a linear shape
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/09 Beam shaping, e.g. changing the cross-sectional area, not otherwise provided for adapting the beam shape of a laser diode G02B19/0052; adapting the beam shape of an LED G02B19/0061; coupling into light guides using intermediate optical elements G02B6/4204; beam shaping specially adapted for lasers H01S3/005
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/095 Refractive optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0955 Lenses lenses per se G02B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02422 Non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass, polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02678 Beam shaping, e.g. using a mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02683 Continuous wave laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02686 Pulsed laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/268 using electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser radiation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/28017 the insulator being formed after the semiconductor body, the semiconductor being silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1285 using control of the annealing or irradiation parameters, e.g. using different scanning direction or intensity for different transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/08 with a plurality of light emitting regions, e.g. laterally discontinuous light emitting layer or photoluminescent region integrated within the semiconductor body H01L27/15 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 3/005 Optical devices external to the laser cavity, specially adapted for lasers, e.g. for homogenisation of the beam or for manipulating laser pulses, e.g. pulse shaping shaping laser beam for working metal or other materials B23K26/06; optical elements, systems or apparatus in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4012 Beam combining, e.g. by the use of fibres, gratings, polarisers, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: H01S 5/4025 : Array arrangements, e.g. constituted by discrete laser diodes or laser bar H01S5/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/84 : Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 50/8426 : Peripheral sealing arrangements, e.g. adhesives, sealants
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/12 : Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/122 : Pixel-defining structures or layers, e.g. banks
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 59/87 : Passivation; Containers; Encapsulations

Abstract

If an optical path length of an optical system is reduced and a length of a laser light on an irradiation surface is increased, there occurs curvature of field which is a phenomenon that a convergent position deviates depending on an incident angle or incident position of a laser light with respect to a lens. To avoid this phenomenon, an optical element having a negative power such as a concave lens or a concave cylindrical lens is inserted to regulate the optical path length of the laser light and a convergent position is made coincident with a irradiation surface to form an image on the irradiation surface.

Claims

1. A laser irradiation apparatus, comprising:

a laser;

a first cylindrical lens array for dividing a laser beam emitted from the laser into a plurality of laser beams in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the laser beam;

a cylindrical lens for superposing into one the plurality of laser beams which are divided in the first direction;

a second cylindrical lens array for dividing the laser beam into a plurality of laser beams in a second direction perpendicular to both the optical axis and the first direction; and

a toroidal lens or a crossed cylindrical lens for setting a convergent position of the laser beam superposed in the first direction on an irradiation surface and superposing into one the plurality of laser beams which are divided in the second direction on the irradiation surface.

2. A laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser is a solid laser or gas laser of a continuous oscillation type or pulse oscillation type.

3. A laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser is one selected from the group consisting of a continuous oscillation or pulse oscillation YAG laser, YVO₄ laser, YLF laser, YAlO₃ laser, glass laser, ruby laser, alexandrite laser, and Ti:

sapphire laser.

4. A laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser is one selected from the group consisting of a continuous oscillation or pulse oscillation excimer laser, Ar laser and Kr laser.

5. A laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam is converted into a harmonic by a non-linear optical element.

6. A laser irradiation apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam is one selected from the group consisting of a continuous oscillation or pulse oscillation excimer laser, Ar laser and Kr laser.

7. An optical system for a laser irradaition, comprising:

a first cylindrical lens array for dividing a laser beam emitted from a laser into a plurality of laser beams in a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the laser beam;

a cylindrical lens for superposing into one the plurality of laser beams which are divided in the first direction;

a second cylindrical lens array for dividing the laser beam into a plurality of laser beams in a second direction perpendicular to both the optical axis and the first direction; and

a toroidal lens or a crossed cylindrical lens for setting a convergent position of the laser beam superposed in the first direction on an irradiation surface and superposing into one the plurality of laser beams which are divided in the second direction on the irradiation surface.

8. An optical system according to claim 7, wherein the laser is a solid laser or gas laser of a continuous oscillation type or pulse oscillation type.

9. An optical system according to claim 7, wherein the laser is one selected from the group consisting of a continuous oscillation or pulse oscillation YAG laser, YVO₄ laser, YLF laser, YAlO₃ laser, glass laser, ruby laser, alexandrite laser, and Ti:

sapphire laser.

10. An optical system according to claim 7, wherein the laser is one selected from the group consisting of a continuous oscillation or pulse oscillation excimer laser, Ar laser and Kr laser.

11. An optical system according to claim 7, wherein the laser beam is converted into a harmonic by a non-linear optical element.

12. An optical system according to claim 7, wherein the laser beam is one selected from the group consisting of a continuous oscillation or pulse oscillation excimer laser, Ar laser and Kr laser.