Method of manufacturing a semiconductor film and a semiconductor device by sputtering in a hydrogen atmosphere and crystallizing

• US 5,236,850 A
• Filed: 09/18/1991
• Issued: 08/17/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Zhang, Hongyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Hearn, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHAUDHARI, CHANDRA P
• Application Number:
  US07/761,648
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 148/DIG. 1, 148/DIG. 122, 148/DIG. 158, 204/192.25, 437/21, 437/41, 437/62, 437/101, 437/967, 437/980, 437/937
• US Class Current: 438/166
• 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 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02667 Crystallisation or recrystallisation of non-monocrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. regrowth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/66757 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with non-inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed before the gate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 148/158 Sputtering
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/909 Controlled atmosphere

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor film and a semiconductor device is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of:

forming a non-single crystal semiconductor film on a surface by sputtering in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen; and

crystallizing the non-single crystal semiconductor film at a temperature of 450° C. to 750° C.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of:

forming a non-single crystal semiconductor film layer on an insulating substrate by sputtering in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen and an inert gas where a proportion of the hydrogen in the atmosphere is not lower than 20 volume %;

crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor film layer by heating the film layer to form a semiconductive current path connecting a current source region which is adapted for connection to an external source of current and a current drain region adapted for connection to a receiver of current, so that said current path conveys current from said current source region to said current drain region; and

forming said current source region and said current drain region at opposite ends of the crystallized film layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said non-single crystal semiconductor film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an amorphous semiconductor, a semi-amorphous semiconductor, a microcrystal semiconductor, and an imperfect polycrystal semiconductor.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor film layer is carried out at a temperature of 450°

C. to 750°

C.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said inert gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of argon and helium.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor film comprises silicon.

6. A method of manufacturing an insulated gate field effect transistor comprising the steps of:

forming a non-single crystal semiconductor film on an insulating substrate by sputtering in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen and an inert gas where a proportion of the hydrogen in the atmosphere is not lower than 20 volume %;

crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor film by heating said film;

forming a gate electrode adjacent to said non-single crystal semiconductor film with a gate insulator therebetween so that a channel region is defined by said gate electrode where said gate electrode may be formed either before the formation of said non-single crystal semiconductor film or after crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor film; and

forming source and drain semiconductor regions adjacent to said channel region.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said source and drain regions are formed by forming a doped semiconductor pattern coated on said semiconductor film in advance of the step of forming the insulating film.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the step of crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor film layer is carried out at a temperature of 450°

C. to 750°

C.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein said inert gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of argon and helium.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein said semiconductor film comprises silicon.

11. The method of claim 6 wherein said atmosphere further comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of monosilane and disilane.

12. The method of claim 6 wherein said non-single crystal semiconductor film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an amorphous semiconductor, a semi-amorphous semiconductor, a microcrystal semiconductor, and an imperfect polycrystal semiconductor.

13. The method of claim 6 wherein said source and drain regions are formed by ion implantation with said gate electrode as a mask.

14. The method of claim 6 wherein said source and drain regions are formed by ion implantation with a mask used for forming said gate electrode as a mask.

15. A method of manufacturing an insulated-gate field effect transistor comprising the steps of:

forming a non-single crystal semiconductor film on an insulating substrate by sputtering in an atmosphere comprising hydrogen and an inert gas;

crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor film; and

annealing said crystallized non-single crystal semiconductor film in a hydrogen containing atmosphere.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said source and drain regions are formed by forming a doped semiconductor patterned film coated on said semiconductor film except on said channel region.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein a proportion of the hydrogen in said atmosphere is not lower than 20%.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein said inert gas comprises a gas selected from the group consisting of argon and helium.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein said non-single crystal semiconductor film comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an amorphous semiconductor, a semi-amorphous semiconductor, a microcrystal semiconductor, and an imperfect polycrystal semiconductor.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein said semiconductor film comprises silicon.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein said method further comprises the steps of forming a gate electrode, a gate insulator, source and drain regions, before the step of annealing said crystallized non-single crystal semiconductor film in the hydrogen containing atmosphere.