Semiconductor device and method for manufacturing the same

• US 6,338,991 B1
• Filed: 11/15/1999
• Issued: 01/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fukunaga, Takeshi, Takayama, Toru, Takemura, Yasuhiko, Uochi, Hideki, Zhang, Hongyong
• Primary Examiner(s): Bowers, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kebede, Brook
• Application Number:
  US09/439,997
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 438/162, 438/164, 438/166, 438/168, 438/96, 438/21, 438/482, 438/149
• US Class Current: 438/162
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/0408 Integration of the drivers onto the display substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02672 using crystallisation enhancing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1251 comprising TFTs having a different architecture, e.g. top- and bottom gate TFTs
• 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 29/66757 Lateral single gate single channel transistors with non-inverted structure, i.e. the channel layer is formed before the gate

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device such as a thin film transistor using a crystal silicon film is provided. The crystal silicon film is obtained by selectively forming films, particles or clusters containing nickel, iron, cobalt, ruthenium, rhodium, parad.ium, osmium, iridium, platinum, scandium, titanium, vanadium, chrome, manganese, copper, zinc, gold, silver or silicide thereof in a form of island, line, stripe, dot or film on or under an amorphous silicon film and using them as a starting point, by advancing its crystallization by annealing at a temperature lower than a normal crystallization temperature of an amorphous silicon. A transistor whose leak current is low and a transistor in which a mobility is high are obtained in the same time in structuring a dynamic circuit having a thin film transistor by selectively forming a cover film on a semiconductor layer which is to become an active layer of the transistor and by thermally crystallizing it thereafter.

Claims

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

forming a semiconductor film comprising amorphous silicon over a substrate;

forming a metal layer on said semiconductor film by sputtering;

heating said semiconductor film and said metal layer so that a portion of said metal layer reacts with said semiconductor film to form a metal silicide layer;

removing a non-reacted portion of the metal layer so that said metal silicide layer remains on said semiconductor film; and

heating said semiconductor film and said metal silicide layer to crystallize said semiconductor film.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said heating step to form said metal silicide layer is performed at a temperature of 250-450°

C.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said metal layer has a thickness of 500 angstrom.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said removing step is performed by etching in a nitric or hydrochloric acid solution.

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

forming a semiconductor film comprising amorphous silicon over a substrate;

forming a metal layer on said semiconductor film by sputtering;

heating said semiconductor film and said metal layer so that a portion of said metal layer reacts with said semiconductor film to form a metal silicide layer;

removing a non-reacted portion of the metal layer so that said metal silicide layer remains on said semiconductor film;

heating said non-crystalline semiconductor film and said metal silicide layer to crystallize said semiconductor film;

forming at least one semiconductor island by patterning said semiconductor film;

forming a gate insulating film adjacent to said semiconductor island;

forming a gate electrode adjacent to said gate insulating film; and

introducing an impurity element into selected portions of said semiconductor island.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein said heating step to form said metal silicide layer is performed at a temperature of 250-450°

C.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein said metal layer has a thickness of 500 angstrom.

10. A method according to claim 6 wherein said removing step is performed by etching in a nitric or hydrochloric acid solution.

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

forming a semiconductor film comprising amorphous silicon over a substrate;

forming a metal layer on a selected portion of said semiconductor film by sputtering;

heating said semiconductor film and said metal layer so that a portion of said metal layer reacts with said semiconductor film to form a metal silicide layer;

removing a non-reacted portion of the metal layer so that said metal silicide layer remains on said semiconductor film; and

heating said semiconductor film and said metal silicide layer to crystallize said semiconductor film wherein crystallization proceeds horizontally with respect to an upper surface of the substrate in a second portion of the semiconductor film adjacent to the selected portion.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.

13. A method according to claim 11 wherein said heating step to form said metal silicide layer is performed at a temperature of 250-450°

C.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein said metal layer has a thickness of 500 angstrom.

15. A method according to claim 11 wherein said removing step is performed by etching in a nitric or hydrochloric acid solution.

16. A method according to claim 11 wherein silicon oxide film is used as a mask in the step of forming a metal layer.

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

forming a semiconductor film comprising amorphous silicon over a substrate;

forming at least one semiconductor island by patterning said semiconductor film;

forming a metal layer on a selected portion of said semiconductor film by sputtering;

heating said semiconductor film and said metal layer so that a portion of said metal layer reacts with said semiconductor film to form a metal silicide layer;

removing a non-reacted portion of the metal layer so that said metal silicide layer remains on said semiconductor film;

heating said semiconductor film and said metal silicide layer to crystallize said semiconductor film wherein crystallization proceeds horizontally with respect to an upper surface of the substrate in a second portion of the semiconductor film adjacent to the selected portion;

forming a gate insulating film adjacent to said semiconductor island;

forming a gate electrode adjacent to said gate Insulating film; and

introducing an impurity element into selected portions of said semiconductor island.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein said metal layer comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.

19. A method according to claim 17 wherein said heating step to form said metal silicide layer is performed at a temperature of 250-450°

C.

20. A method according to claim 17 wherein said metal layer has a thickness of 500 angstrom.

21. A method according to claim 17 wherein said removing step is performed by etching in a nitric or hydrochloric acid solution.

22. A method according to claim 17 wherein silicon oxide film is used as a mask in the step of forming a metal layer.

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

forming a semiconductor film comprising amorphous silicon over a substrate;

forming a layer containing a metal element on said semiconductor film;

heating said semiconductor film and said layer so that a portion of said metal reacts with said semiconductor film to form a metal silicide layer;

removing a non-reacted portion of said layer so that said metal silicide layer remains on said semiconductor film; and

heating said semiconductor film and said metal silicide layer to crystallize said semiconductor film.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein said metal comprises one selected from the group consisting of Ni, Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.

25. A method according to claim 23 wherein said heating step to form said metal silicide layer is performed at a temperature of 250-450°

C.

26. A method according to claim 23 wherein said layer has a thickness of 500 angstrom.

27. A method according to claim 23 wherein said removing step is performed by etching in a nitric or hydrochloric acid solution.

28. A method according to claim 23 wherein said layer containing said metal element is formed by a sputtering method.

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

forming a semiconductor film comprising amorphous silicon over a substrate;

forming a layer containing a metal element on said semiconductor film;

heating said semiconductor film and said layer so that a portion of said metal reacts with said semiconductor film to form a metal silicide layer;

removing a non-reacted portion of said layer so that said metal silicide layer remains on said semiconductor film; and

heating said semiconductor film and said metal silicide layer to crystallize said semiconductor film wherein crystallization proceeds so that said metal silicide is diffused into said semiconductor film.

30. A method according to claim 29 wherein said metal comprises one selected from the group consisting of NiL Fe, Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Os, Ir, Pt, Sc, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Cu, Zn, Au, and Ag.

31. A method according to claim 29 wherein said heating step to form said metal silicide layer is performed at a temperature of 250-450°

C.

32. A method according to claim 29 wherein said layer has a thickness of 500 angstrom.

33. A method according to claim 29 wherein said removing step is performed by etching in a nitric or hydrochloric acid solution.

34. A method according to claim 29 wherein said layer containing said metal element is formed by a sputtering method.