[LASER ANNEALING APPARATUS AND LASER ANNEALING PROCESS]

• US 20050199597A1
• Filed: 04/08/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: AU Optronics Corporation
• Inventors: Lin, Wen-Cheng, Lin, Wu-Hsiung, Tsao, I-Chang, Wu, Huan-Chao
• Application Number:
  US10/709,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20050199597A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/121.66
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/40 Semiconductor devices
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/03 Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted to a procedure covered by only one of the preceding main groups eye-shields for welders worn on the operator's body or carried in the hand A61F9/00 , i.e. A61F9/02; applicable to metal-working machines other than soldering, welding, or flame-cutting machines B23Q; laser protective screens B23K26/706; protective shields for other welding methods F16P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/047 moving work to adjust its position between soldering, welding or cutting steps B23K37/053 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02675 using laser beams

Abstract

A laser annealing apparatus is disclosed, which is adapted for a laser annealing process. The laser annealing apparatus comprises a laser-generating module, a resistance-measuring module, and a host circuit module, wherein the laser-generating module provides a laser beam to recrystallize an amorphous silicon thin film to form a polysilicon thin film. The resistance-measuring module is adapted for measuring the sheet resistance of the polysilicon thin film. Besides, the host circuit module is electrically coupled to and between the laser-generating module and the resistance-measuring module. The host circuit module outputs a feedback signal to the laser-generating module in accordance with the sheet resistance value. Then, the energy density of the laser beam is optimized. The laser annealing apparatus can improve the quality of the thin film, and increase the yield rate of the laser annealing process.

Claims

1. A laser annealing apparatus, adapted to perform a laser annealing process for annealing an amorphous silicon thin film, comprising:

a laser-generating module, adapted to provide a laser beam to recrystallize the amorphous silicon thin film to form a polysilicon thin film;

a resistance-measurement module, adapted to measure a sheet resistance of the polysilicon thin film for obtaining a sheet resistance value; and

a host circuit module, electrically coupled to and between the laser-generating module and the resistance-measurement module, the host circuit module, according to the sheet resistance value, outputting a feedback signal to the laser-generating module, for optimizing an energy density of the laser beam.

2. The laser annealing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a supporting module, wherein the supporting module is moveably located between the laser-generating module and the resistance-measurement module, adapted to support the amorphous silicon thin film, and electrically coupled to the host circuit module.

3. The laser annealing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the laser-generating module comprises:

a laser beam source; and

a control circuit, electrically coupled to and between the laser beam source and the host circuit module.

4. The laser annealing apparatus of claim 3, wherein the laser beam source comprises an excimer laser.

5. The laser annealing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistance-measurement module comprises:

a measurement terminal; and

an output circuit, electrically coupled to and between the measurement terminal and the host circuit module.

6. The laser annealing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the measurement terminal comprises a probe set.

7. The laser annealing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the host circuit module is installed in a database, and the host circuit module is adapted to compare the sheet resistance with a plurality of referential resistance values stored in the database for generating the feedback signal.

8-11. -11. (canceled)