Method for forming semiconductor thin film

• US 5,278,093 A
• Filed: 07/29/1992
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yonehara, Takao
• Primary Examiner(s): Hearn, Brian E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleck, Linda J.
• Application Number:
  US07/919,372
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 437/173, 437/942, 437/966, 437/973, 437/109, 437/108, 148/DIG. 1, 148/DIG. 3, 148/DIG. 152, 148/DIG. 154
• US Class Current: 438/479
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02488 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02595 polycrystalline
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• 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: Y10S 148/154 Solid phase epitaxy

Abstract

A method for forming a semiconductor thin film comprises crystallizing an amorphous silicon thin film by a first thermal treatment at 700° C. or lower for ten hours or longer and carrying out a second thermal treatment at 1200° C. or higher in which a lamp light is radiated to the crystallized thin film.

Claims

1. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises:

(i) crystallizing an amorphous thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate by a first thermal treatment at 700°

C. or lower for at least ten hours to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μ

m;

(ii) providing a capping material on said crystallized thin film; and

(iii) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200°

C. or higher by irradiating said crystallized thin film with a lamp light and conducting a second thermal treatment at 1200°

C. or higher by keeping said crystallized thin film at a temperature of 1200°

C. or higher for about 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.

2. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 1, wherein said capping material is silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

3. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 2, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.

4. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 2, wherein the temperature rising rate in the second thermal treatment is from 100°

C./sec to 500°

C./sec.

5. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to Claim 1, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.

6. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 5, wherein the temperature rising rate to the second thermal treatment is from 100°

C./sec. to 500°

C./sec.

7. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to Claim 1, wherein the temperature rising rate to the second thermal treatment temperature is from 100°

C./sec to 500°

C./sec.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous material thin film is an amorphous silicon thin film.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous material thin film is formed on the substrate by deposition.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the amorphous thin film is formed by making a polycrystalline material thin film formed on said amorphous insulating surface of the substrate amorphous.

11. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises:

(i) subjecting an amorphous material thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate to a first thermal treatment at 700°

C. or lower for at least ten hours to generate a nucleus in the amorphous material thin film;

(ii) growing the nucleus, thereby crystallizing the amorphous material thin film to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μ

m;

(iii) providing a capping material on said crystallized thin film; and

(iv) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200°

C. or higher and subjecting said crystallized thin film to a second thermal treatment at 1200°

C. or higher for about 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second thermal treatment is carried out by use of a lamp.

13. A method according to claim 11, wherein the crystallized amorphous material thin film is polycrystalline.

14. A method according to claim 11, wherein the second thermal treatment is carried out after setting a desired temperature at a rate of 100°

C./sec to 500°

C./sec.

15. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 11, wherein said capping material is silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

16. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 15, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.

17. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.

18. A method for forming a semiconductor thin film which comprises

(i) subjecting an amorphous material thin film formed on an amorphous insulating surface of a substrate to a first thermal treatment at 700°

C. or lower for at least ten hours to generate a nucleus in the amorphous material thin film;

(ii) growing the nucleus, thereby crystallizing the amorphous material thin film to form a crystallized thin film having a grain size of at least 1 μ

m;

(iii) rapidly heating said crystallized thin film to a temperature of 1200°

C. or higher and subjecting said crystallized thin film to a second thermal treatment by keeping said crystallized thin film at 1200°

C. or higher for 1 to 3 minutes while maintaining said grain size, thereby forming said semiconductor thin film.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein said second thermal treatment is carried out by use of a lamp.

20. A method according to claim 18, said crystallized amorphous material thin film is polycrystalline.

21. A method according to claim 18, wherein said second thermal treatment is carried out after setting a desired temperature at a rate of 100°

C./sec to 500°

C./sec.

22. A method according to claim 18, wherein a capping material is provided on said crystallized thin film before said second thermal treatment.

23. A method according to claim 22, wherein said capping material is silicon oxide or silicon nitride.

24. A method according to claim 22, wherein the thickness of said capping material is from 10 nm to 100 nm.

25. A method according to claim 22, said capping material is provided to prevent the surface unevenness of said crystallized thin film.