Semiconductror fabricating apparatus

• US 7,050,878 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2002
• Issued: 05/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ohtani, Hisashi, Hiroki, Masaaki, Shiga, Aiko, Tanaka, Koichiro, Akiba, Mai, Yamazaki, Shunpei
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): KOSOWSKI, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US10/300,927
• Publication Number:
  US 20030171837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 700/121, 438/150, 438/401
• US Class Current: 700/121
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/04 Automatically aligning, aiming or focusing the laser beam, e.g. using the back-scattered light
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0604 by a combination of beams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/064 by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0648 comprising lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0665 by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/12 in a special atmosphere, e.g. in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1224 in vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/123 in an atmosphere of particular gases
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/127 in an enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02381 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• 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 21/02425 Conductive materials, e.g. metallic silicides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02488 Insulating materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02672 using crystallisation enhancing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02678 Beam shaping, e.g. using a mask
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02683 Continuous wave laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02686 Pulsed laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02691 : Scanning of a beam

Abstract

Providing a semiconductor fabricating apparatus using a laser crystallization technique for enhancing the processing efficiency for substrate and for increasing the mobility of a semiconductor film. The semiconductor fabricating apparatus of multi-chamber system includes a film formation equipment for forming a semiconductor film, and a laser irradiation equipment. The laser irradiation equipment includes first means for controlling a laser irradiation position relative to an irradiation object, second means (laser oscillator) for emitting laser light, third means (optical system) for processing or converging the laser light, and fourth means for controlling the oscillation of the second means and for controlling the first means in a manner that a beam spot of the laser light processed by the third means may cover a place determined based on data on a mask configuration (pattern information).

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

at least one laser oscillator;

an optical system for converging the laser light from the laser oscillator; and

a computer,

wherein the second chamber includes position control means for controlling the position of the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates, to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

13. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first and second chambers are maintained in a vacuum or inert gas atmosphere.

14. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the laser light is irradiated on the specific area using SLS technique.

15. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the laser light is a continuous wave type laser light.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

at least one laser oscillator;

an optical system for converging the laser light from the laser oscillator;

a computer; and

storage means for storing pattern information on a group of devices formed on the substrate,

wherein the second chamber includes position control means for controlling the position of the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers the of the group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and the pattern information stored in the storage means, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser irradiation equipment with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

3. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

at least one laser oscillator,

an optical system for converging the laser light from the laser oscillator; and

a computer,

wherein the second chamber includes position control means for moving the substrate in a first or a second direction, the first and second directions intersecting each other, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

4. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

at least one laser oscillator;

an optical system for converging the laser light from the laser oscillator; and

a computer,

wherein the optical system includes position control means for controlling a position irradiated with the converged laser light relative to the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

at least one laser oscillator;

an optical system for converging the laser light from the laser oscillator;

a computer; and

storage means for storing pattern information on a group of devices formed on the substrate,

wherein the optical system includes position control means for controlling a position irradiated with the converged laser light relative to the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of the device group based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and the pattern information stored in the storage means, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

at least one laser oscillator;

an optical system for converging the laser light from the laser oscillator; and

a computer;

wherein the optical system includes position control means for moving a position irradiated with the converged laser light relative to the substrate in a first or a second direction, the first and second directions intersecting each other, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

an optical system for converging the laser light; and

a computer;

wherein the second chamber includes position control means for controlling the position of the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

an optical system for converging the laser light;

a computer; and

storage means for storing pattern information on a group of devices formed on the substrate,

wherein the second chamber includes position control means for controlling the position of the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to define a position of a marker based on information indicative of the position of the substrate, to identify regions forming active layers of the device group based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and the pattern information stored in the storage means, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

an optical system for converging the laser light; and

a computer;

wherein the second chamber includes position control means for moving the substrate in a first or second direction, the first and second directions intersecting each other, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

an optical system for converging the laser light; and

a computer;

wherein the optical system includes position control means for controlling a position irradiated with the converged laser light relative to the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

an optical system for converging the laser light;

a computer; and

storage means for storing pattern information on a group of devices formed on the substrate,

wherein the optical system includes position control means for controlling a position irradiated with the converged laser light relative to the substrate, and

wherein the computer operates to define a position of a marker based on information indicative of the position of the substrate, to identify regions forming active layers of the device group based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and the pattern information stored in the storage means, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a first chamber for forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;

a second chamber for irradiating laser light on the semiconductor film;

a conveyance chamber separated from the first and second chambers by means of valves and operative to convey the substrate without exposing the substrate to the atmosphere;

an optical system for converging the laser light; and

a computer;

wherein the optical system includes position control means for moving a position irradiated with the converged laser light relative to the substrate in a first or second direction, the first and second directions intersecting each other, and

wherein the computer operates to define a position of a marker based on information indicative of the position of the substrate, to identify regions forming active layers of a group of devices based on a marker formed on the semiconductor film and information indicative of a pattern of the device group formed on the substrate, to define a specific area of the semiconductor film that includes the active layer forming regions and is subjected to laser irradiation with reference to the marker, and to synchronize the laser oscillator with the position control means thereby subjecting the specific area to the laser irradiation in the second chamber.