METHOD OF FORMING POLYCRYSTALLINE SILICON LAYER AND ATOMIC LAYER DEPOSITION APPARATUS USED FOR THE SAME

• US 20110263107A1
• Filed: 07/07/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Company Limited (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: YANG, Tae-Hoon, SEO, Jin-Wook, LEE, Ki-Yong, YOON, Sang-Yon, PARK, Jong-Ryuk, CHOI, Bo-Kyung, LEE, Kil-Won, CHUNG, Yun-Mo, LISACHENKO, Maxim, LEE, Dong-Hyun, KIM, Young-Dae, PARK, Byoung-Keon, KANG, Eu-Gene, JEONG, Min-Jae, AHN, Ji-Su, HONG, Jong-Won, NA, Heung-Yeol, CHANG, Seok-Rak
• Granted Patent: US 8,546,248 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/487
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/04 Coating on selected surface areas, e.g. using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02422 Non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass, polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02488 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02672 using crystallisation enhancing elements

Abstract

A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer and an atomic layer deposition apparatus used for the same. The method includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate, exposing the substrate having the amorphous silicon layer to a hydrophilic or hydrophobic gas atmosphere, placing a mask having at least one open and at least one closed portion over the amorphous silicon layer, irradiating UV light toward the amorphous silicon layer and the mask using a UV lamp, depositing a crystallization-inducing metal on the amorphous silicon layer, and annealing the substrate to crystallize the amorphous silicon layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer. This method and apparatus provide for controlling the seed position and grain size in the formation of a polycrystalline silicon layer.

Claims

1. A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer, comprising:

forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate;

exposing the substrate having the amorphous silicon layer to a hydrophobic gas atmosphere;

placing a mask having an open portion and a closed portion over the amorphous silicon layer;

irradiating UV light at the amorphous silicon layer through the open portion of the mask using a UV lamp;

depositing a crystallization-inducing metal on the amorphous silicon layer; and

annealing the substrate to crystallize the amorphous silicon layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a closed portion of the mask corresponds to a region in which the crystallization-inducing metal will be deposited on the amorphous silicon layer.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the crystallization-inducing metal is deposited only on a region of the amorphous silicon layer masked from the UV light because of a closed portion of the mask.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic gas is at least one of the series of gases C_xF_y (where x and y are natural numbers).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the crystallization-inducing metal is deposited by atomic layer deposition.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the mask and the UV lamp is within the range of distances over which the wavelength of the UV lamp maintains linearity.

7. An atomic layer deposition apparatus, comprising:

a chamber;

a chuck disposed in the chamber to hold a substrate and an amorphous silicon layer disposed on the substrate;

mask disposed on the amorphous silicon layer and having an open and a closed portion;

a UV lamp disposed over the mask;

and a gas inlet disposed in one side of the chamber.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the mask is disposed within the range of distances over which the wavelength of the UV lamp maintains linearity.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising an exhaust hole connected to the chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the gas inlet is a plurality of gas inlets.

11. A method of making a thin film transistor comprising a polycrystalline silicon layer, the method comprising:

forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate;

exposing the substrate having the amorphous silicon layer to a hydrophobic gas atmosphere;

placing a mask having an open portion and a closed portion over the amorphous silicon layer;

irradiating UV light at the amorphous silicon layer through an open portion of the mask using a UV lamp;

depositing a crystallization-inducing metal on the amorphous silicon layer; and

annealing the substrate to crystallize the amorphous silicon layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer.