Thin film semiconductor device, polycrystalline semiconductor thin film production process and production apparatus

• US 6,756,614 B2
• Filed: 02/26/2001
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Liquid Crystal Display Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Yoshinobu, Hatano, Mutsuko, Park, Seong-Kee, Yamaguchi, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Fourson, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Estrada, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US09/791,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20020119609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 438/150, 438/166, 438/198, 438/488, 438/FOR.253, 257/192
• US Class Current: 257/192
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0622 by shaping pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02686 Pulsed laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02691 Scanning of a beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1281 by using structural features to control crystal growth, e.g. placement of grain filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1285 using control of the annealing or irradiation parameters, e.g. using different scanning direction or intensity for different transistors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1296 adapted to increase the uniformity of device parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78675 with normal-type structure, e.g. with top gate

Abstract

In an MIS field effect transistor having a gate electrode formed on a first semiconductor layer which is a polycrystalline silicon film on an insulating substrate through a gate insulating film, a channel region formed in the semiconductor layer and a source region and a drain region arranged on both sides of the channel region, a thin film semiconductor device has a main orientation of at least the channel region of {110} with respect to the surface of the gate insulating film. Further, a polycrystalline semiconductor film having a main orientation of the surface almost perpendicular to a direction for connecting the source and drain regions of {100} is preferably used in the channel of a semiconductor device. According to the present invention, a semiconductor device having a high-quality polycrystalline semiconductor film whose grain boundary, grain size and crystal orientation can be controlled and whose film roughness and crystal defects formed by crystallization have been reduced can be obtained on the insulating substrate.

Claims

1. A thin film semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate,

a first semiconductor film comprised of a polycrystalline semiconductor film,

a gate electrode

a gate insulating film formed between the first semiconductor film and the gate electrode,

first charge transmitting and receiving means and second charge transmitting and receiving means formed in the first semiconductor film at a predetermined interval therebetween, and

a channel region formed in the first semiconductor film between the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means, wherein;

a main orientation of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region is {110} with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate or the gate insulating film; and

a main orientation of a surface of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region substantially perpendicular to a direction for connecting the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means of the first semiconductor film is {100}.

2. The thin film semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate,

a first semiconductor film which is a polycrystalline semiconductor film,

a gate electrode,

a gate insulating film formed between the first semiconductor film and the gate electrode,

first charge transmitting and receiving means and second charge transmitting and receiving means formed in the first semiconductor film at a predetermined interval therebetween and

a channel region formed between the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means, wherein;

a main orientation of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region is {110} with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate or the gate insulating film, and

wherein a region thicker than the channel region is formed on part of the charge transmitting and receiving means constituting the above semiconductor layer.

4. A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 2, wherein a main orientation of a surface of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region substantially perpendicular to a direction for connecting the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means of the first semiconductor film is {100}.

3. The thin film semiconductor device comprising:

an insulating substrate,

a first semiconductor film which is a polycrystalline semiconductor film,

a gate electrode,

a gate insulating film formed between the first semiconductor film and the gate electrode,

first charge transmitting and receiving means and second charge transmitting and receiving means formed in the first semiconductor film at a predetermined interval therebetween, and

a channel region formed between the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means, wherein;

a main orientation of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region is {110} with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate or the gate insulating film, and

wherein at least one projection having a width of 5 μ

m or less and a length of 5 μ

m or less is formed on the peripheral portion on the same plane of the semiconductor layer.

5. A thin film semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein a main orientation of a surface of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region substantially perpendicular to a direction for connecting the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means of the first semiconductor film is {100}.

6. An image display device comprising:

an insulating substrate, and

a thin semiconductor device provided on the insulating substrate, wherein the thin film semiconductor device includes;

a first semiconductor film comprised of a polycrystalline semiconductor film,

a gate electrode,

a gate insulating film formed between the first semiconductor film and the gate electrode,

first charge transmitting and receiving means and second charge transmitting and receiving means formed in the first semiconductor film at a predetermined interval therebetween, and

a channel region formed in the first semiconductor film between the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means,

wherein a main orientation of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region is {110} with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate or the gate insulating film; and

wherein a main orientation of a surface of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region substantially perpendicular to a direction for connecting the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means of the first semiconductor film is {100}.

7. An image display device comprising:

an insulating substrate, and

a thin semiconductor device provided on the insulating substrate, wherein the thin film semiconductor device includes;

a first semiconductor film comprised of a polycrystalline semiconductor film,

a gate electrode,

a gate insulating film formed between the first semiconductor film and the gate electrode,

first charge transmitting and receiving means and second charge transmitting and receiving means formed in the first semiconductor film at a predetermined interval therebetween, and

a channel region formed in said first semiconductor film between the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means,

wherein a main orientation of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region is {110} with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate or the gate insulating film; and

wherein a thick region thicker than the channel region is formed on part of the charge transmitting and receiving means constituting the above semiconductor layer.

9. An image display device according to claim 7, wherein

a main orientation of a surface of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region substantially perpendicular to a direction for connecting the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means of the first semiconductor film is {100}.

8. An image display device comprising:

an insulating substrate, and

a thin semiconductor device provided on the insulating substrate, wherein the thin film semiconductor device includes;

a first semiconductor film comprised of a polycrystalline semiconductor film,

a gate electrode,

a gate insulating film formed between the first semiconductor film and the gate electrode,

first charge transmitting and receiving means and second charge transmitting and receiving means formed in the first semiconductor film at a predetermined interval therebetween, and

a channel region formed in the first semiconductor film between the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means,

wherein a main orientation of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region is {110} with respect to a main surface of the insulating substrate or the gate insulating film; and

wherein at least one projection having a width of 5 μ

m or less and a length of 5 μ

m or less is formed on the peripheral portion on the same plane of the semiconductor layer.

10. An image display device according to claim 8, wherein

a main orientation of a surface of the first semiconductor film constituting the channel region substantially perpendicular to a direction for connecting the first and second charge transmitting and receiving means of the first semiconductor film is {100}.