Semiconductor material, a semiconductor device using the same, and a manufacturing method thereof

• US 5,824,574 A
• Filed: 03/18/1996
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Teramoto, Satoshi, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Miyanaga, Akiharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booth, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US08/620,759
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 437/21, 437/41, 437/101, 438/150, 438/733, 438/753, 438/166, 117/7
• US Class Current: 438/150
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0242 Crystalline insulating materials
• 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 21/02491 Conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02496 Layer structure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02645 Seed materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02667 Crystallisation or recrystallisation of non-monocrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. regrowth
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02672 using crystallisation enhancing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02675 using laser beams
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02691 Scanning of a beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/30608 Anisotropic liquid etching H01L21/3063 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/12 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1277 using a crystallisation promoting species, e.g. local introduction of Ni catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1281 by using structural features to control crystal growth, e.g. placement of grain filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/04 characterised by their crystalline structure, e.g. polycrystalline, cubic or particular orientation of crystalline planes characterised by physical imperfections H01L29/30

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a semiconductor includes the steps of: forming a first semiconductor film on a substrate having an insulating surface; applying an energy to the first semiconductor film to crystallize the first semiconductor film; patterning the first semiconductor film to form a region that forms a seed crystal; etching the seed crystal to selectively leave a predetermined crystal face in the seed crystal; covering the seed crystal to form a second semiconductor film; and applying an energy to the second semiconductor film to conduct a crystal growth from the seed crystal in the second semiconductor film.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first semiconductor film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying a first energy to said first semiconductor film to crystallize said first semiconductor film;

patterning said first semiconductor film to form a region as a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a crystal face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

forming a second semiconductor film to cover said upper face of seed crystal; and

applying a second energy to said second semiconductor film to conduct a crystal growth starting from said seed crystal in said second semiconductor film, to form a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said crystal face in an upper face of said second semiconductor film.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second semiconductor films comprise a silicon film, respectively.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second semiconductor films comprise an amorphous silicon film.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said first or second energy is applied by at least one method selected from the group consisting of heating, laser irradiation, intense light irradiation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said second energy comprises a laser beam or an intense light beam irradiated to the region as the seed crystal while heating.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a glass substrate is used as a substrate.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein said semiconductor comprises silicon.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising patterning the region in which said seed crystal is formed, said patterning including at least a removal of the region to form an active layer of the semiconductor device.

31. The method of claim 26 wherein, in the active layer of the semiconductor device, substantially no grain boundary exists;

and a hydrogen or halogen element which neutralizes a point defect is contained at a density of 0.001 to 1 atm.

7. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first silicon film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first silicon film to crystallize, said first silicon film;

patterning said first silicon film to form a region that forms a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a crystal face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

covering said upper face of said seed crystal to form a second silicon film;

patterning said second silicon film in a specified shape which has corners;

applying an energy to said second silicon film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second silicon film, wherein said second silicon film results in a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said crystal face in an upper face of said second silicon film; and

conducting a patterning including at least a removal of the region in which said seed crystal is formed with respect to said second silicon film to form an active layer of the semiconductor device;

wherein said seed crystal is positioned at one of the corners of said second silicon film which is formed in the specified shape.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said specified shape is polygonal and a laser beam is irradiated onto said second silicon film while being scanned from the corner of said second silicon film which is formed in a polygonal shape to crystallize said second silicon film.

27. The method of claim 7 wherein the specified shape is rectangular.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising irradiating a laser beam onto said second silicon film while scanning from the corner of said second silicon film which is formed in a rectangular shape to crystallize said second silicon film.

29. The method of claim 7 wherein the specified shape is polygonal.

9. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first silicon film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first silicon film to crystallize said first silicon film;

patterning said first silicon film to form a region that forms a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a crystal face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

covering said seed crystal to form a second silicon film;

applying an energy to said second silicon film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second silicon film, said crystal growth forms a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said crystal face in an upper face of said second silicon film; and

patterning said second silicon film to remove at least a portion where said seed crystal exists;

wherein said second silicon film after having been patterned includes therein a hydrogen content of between 0.001 to 1 atm %.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 wherein, in said second silicon film after having been patterned, there exists substantially no grain boundary, a hydrogen or halogen element which neutralizes a point defect is contained at a density of 0.001 to 1 atm %.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said applying the energy is conducted instantaneously or gradually by using a selected one of heating, a laser beam irradiation and an intense light beam irradiation.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein a laser beam or an intense light beam is irradiated to the region that forms the seed crystal while heating.

30. The method of claim 9 further comprising forming two semiconductor devices as one pair the region where said seed crystal is removed.

13. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first semiconductor film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying energy to said first semiconductor film to crystallize said first semiconductor film;

patterning said first semiconductor film to form a region as a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a (100) face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

forming a second semiconductor film to cover said seed crystal; and

applying an energy to said second semiconductor film to conduct a crystal growth from said upper face of said seed crystal in said second semiconductor film, to form a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said (100) face in an upper face of second semiconductor film.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said etching the seed crystal uses an etchant that comprises H₂ O, KOH and isopropanol.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein etching the seed crystal is performed by using an etching gas that comprises ClF₃ and N₂ H₄.

14. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first semiconductor film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first semiconductor film to crystallize said first semiconductor film;

patterning said first semiconductor film to form a region as a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a (111) face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

forming a second semiconductor film to cover said upper face of said seed crystal; and

applying an energy to said second semiconductor film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second semiconductor film, to form a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said (111) face in an upper face of said second semiconductor film.

17. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first silicon film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first silicon film to crystallize said first silicon film;

patterning said first silicon film to form a region that forms a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a (100) face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

covering said upper face of said seed crystal to form a second silicon film;

conducting a patterning to form said second silicon film in a specified shape;

applying an energy to said second silicon film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second silicon film, wherein said second silicon film results in a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said (100) face in an upper face of said second silicon film; and

patterning said second silicon film including at least removing of the region in which said seed crystal is formed with respect to said second silicon film to form an active layer of the semiconductor device;

wherein said seed crystal is positioned at a corner of said second silicon film which is formed in the specified shape.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein said etching the seed crystal is performed by using an etchant which comprises H₂ O, KOH and isopropanol.

18. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first silicon film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first silicon film to crystallize said first silicon film;

patterning said first silicon film to form a region that forms a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a (111) face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

covering said upper face of said seed crystal to form a second silicon film;

conducting a patterning to form said second silicon film into a specified shape;

applying an energy to said second silicon film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second silicon film, wherein said second silicon film results in a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said (111) face in an upper face of said second silicon film; and

patterning said second silicon film including at least removing a of the region in which said seed crystal is formed with respect to said second silicon film to form an active layer of the semiconductor device;

wherein said seed crystal is positioned at a corner of said second silicon film which is formed in the specified shape.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein etching the seed crystal is performed by using an etching gas which comprises ClF₃ and N₂ H₄.

21. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first silicon film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first silicon film to crystallize said first silicon film;

patterning said first silicon film to form a region that forms a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a (100) face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

covering said upper face of said seed crystal to form a second silicon film;

applying an energy to said second silicon film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second silicon film, wherein said second silicon film results in a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said (100) face in an upper face of said second silicon film; and

patterning said second silicon film to remove at least a portion where said seed crystal exists;

wherein said second silicon film after having been patterned includes therein a hydrogen component of 0.001 to 1 atm %.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein etching the seed crystal is performed by using an etchant which comprises H₂ O, KOH and isopropanol.

22. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor, comprising:

forming a first silicon film on a substrate having an insulating surface;

applying an energy to said first silicon film to crystallize said first silicon film;

patterning said first silicon film to form a region that forms a seed crystal;

etching said seed crystal to selectively leave a (111) face in an upper face of said seed crystal;

covering said upper face of said seed crystal to form a second silicon film;

applying an energy to said second silicon film to conduct a crystal growth from said seed crystal in said second silicon film, wherein said second silicon film results in a single crystal or a substantially single crystal with said (111) face in an upper face of said second silicon film; and

patterning said second silicon film to remove at least a portion where said seed crystal exists;

wherein said second silicon film after having been patterned includes therein a hydrogen component of 0.001 to 1 atm %.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein etching the seed crystal is performed by using an etching gas which comprises ClF₃ and N₂ H₄.