Method for manufacturing a semiconductor device

• US 5,254,208 A
• Filed: 07/15/1991
• Issued: 10/19/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/1990
• 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): Kunemund, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garrett, Felisa
• Application Number:
  US07/729,999
• Time in Patent Office: 827 Days
• Field of Search: 156/603, 156/DIG. 73, 156/DIG. 89, 437/21, 437/101, 437/174, 437/247
• US Class Current: 438/479
• 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 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02675 using laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1218 with a particular composition or structure of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1262 with a particular formation, treatment or coating of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1274 using crystallisation of amorphous semiconductor or recrystallisation of crystalline semiconductor
• 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 438/938 Lattice strain control or utilization

Abstract

A semiconductor device is manufactured by the use of a glass substrate which has previously been heated. An amorphous semiconductor layer is formed on the previously heated glass substrate and then crystallized by heat. By virtue of the previous heating, shrink of the glass substrate after the crystallization process is reduced. Accordingly, internal stress is not generated in the crystallized semiconductor layer. The semiconductor device thus manufactured is superior in electrical property.

Claims

1. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming a non-single crystal semiconductor layer on a glass substrate and crystallizing said non-single crystal semiconductor layer, the improvement comprising:

heating said glass substrate at a temperature not higher than strain point of said glass substrate before forming said non-single crystal semiconductor layer in an atmosphere comprising a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide gas;

.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said atmosphere further includes a nitrogen gas.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said crystallizing step is carried out in an atmosphere comprising at least one of an inactive gas, nitrogen, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide.

8. The method of claims 1 or 4 wherein a silicon compound layer is formed on said glass substrate either before or after said preheating the glass substrate but before forming said non-single crystal semiconductor layer.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said silicon compound layer comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide silicon nitride, silicon carbide, and silicon oxynitride.

4. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of forming a non-single crystalline semiconductor layer on a glass substrate and crystallizing said non-single crystalline semiconductor layer at a temperature from 400°

C. to 800°

C., the improvement comprising;

heating said glass substrate before forming said non-single crystal semiconductor layer in an atmosphere comprising a gas selected from the group consisting of hydrogen gas or carbon monoxide gas

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said atmosphere further includes a nitrogen gas.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein said crystallizing step is carried out in an atmosphere comprising at least one of an inactive gas, nitrogen, and carbon monoxide.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein said inactive gas comprises argon.

10. In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device on a glass substrate comprising at least a non-single crystal semiconductor layer, the improvement comprising preheating said glass substrate in an atmosphere comprising at least hydrogen or carbon monoxide before forming said non-single crystal semiconductor layer in order to minimize the thermal contraction of said substrate during the formation of said semiconductor layer.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said non-single crystal semiconductor is formed by depositing a non-single crystal semiconductor layer by a vapor deposition method and crystallizing said layer by heating.