Semiconductor device and semiconductor device production system

• US 7,582,162 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2006
• Issued: 09/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Arao, Tatsuya, Isobe, Atsuo, Shibata, Hiroshi, Miyairi, Hidekazu, Shimomura, Akihisa, Tanaka, Koichiro, Akiba, Mai, Hayakawa, Masahiko, Yamazaki, Shunpei, Dairiki, Koji, Kokubo, Chiho
• Primary Examiner(s): Kunemund; Robert M
• Assistant Examiner(s): RAO, G NAGESH
• Application Number:
  US11/600,833
• Publication Number:
  US 20070070346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 438/142, 117200-220, 118620-643, 118/900
• US Class Current: 117/201
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0738 into a linear shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02354 using a coherent radiation, e.g. a laser
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02356 treatment to change the morphology of the insulating layer, e.g. transformation of an amorphous layer into a crystalline layer
• 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 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02672 using crystallisation enhancing elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02675 using laser beams
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32139 using masks
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/84 the substrate being other than a semiconductor body, e.g. being an insulating body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1214 comprising a plurality of TFTs formed on a non-semiconducting substrate, e.g. driving circuits for AMLCDs
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1218 with a particular composition or structure of the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1222 with a particular composition, shape or crystalline structure of the active layer
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/124 : with a particular composition, shape or layout of the wiring layers specially adapted to the circuit arrangement, e.g. scanning lines in LCD pixel circuits wiring structures per se H01L23/52
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1255 : integrated with passive devices, e.g. auxiliary capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1274 : using crystallisation of amorphous semiconductor or recrystallisation of crystalline semiconductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1281 : by using structural features to control crystal growth, e.g. placement of grain filters
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1296 : adapted to increase the uniformity of device parameters
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78603 : characterised by the insulating substrate or support H01L29/78657 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78675 : with normal-type structure, e.g. with top gate
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 29/78696 : characterised by the structure of the channel, e.g. multichannel, transverse or longitudinal shape, length or width, doping structure, or the overlap or alignment between the channel and the gate, the source or the drain, or the contacting structure of the channel H01L29/78612 takes precedence; transistors having a drain offset region or a lightly doped drain [LDD] H01L29/78621
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 118/90 : Semiconductor vapor doping
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/10 : Apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1004 : with means for measuring, testing, or sensing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 117/1008 : with responsive control means

Abstract

A semiconductor device production system using a laser crystallization method is provided which can avoid forming grain boundaries in a channel formation region of a TFT, thereby preventing grain boundaries from lowering the mobility of the TFT greatly, from lowering ON current, and from increasing OFF current. Rectangular or stripe pattern depression and projection portions are formed on an insulating film. A semiconductor film is formed on the insulating film. The semiconductor film is irradiated with continuous wave laser light by running the laser light along the stripe pattern depression and projection portions of the insulating film or along the major or minor axis direction of the rectangle. Although continuous wave laser light is most preferred among laser light, it is also possible to use pulse oscillation laser light in irradiating the semiconductor film.

Claims

1. A semiconductor device production system comprising:

first means for forming an insulating film that has a rectangular or stripe pattern depression portion and a projection portion on a substrate;

second means for forming a semiconductor film on the insulating film;

third means for storing a pattern information of the insulating film;

a plurality of laser oscillators;

a plurality of AO modulators, each corresponding to the plurality of laser oscillators;

an optical system for collecting a plurality of laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser oscillators into a linear, laser beam on an irradiation position;

fourth means for moving the irradiation position of the linear laser beam;

fifth means for determining a scanning path of the linear laser beam and for controlling the fourth means, the scanning path being determined so as to include the depression portion of the semiconductor film from the pattern information of the insulating film referring to a marker that is formed on the substrate, and the fourth means being controlled to move the linear laser beam along the scanning path, thereby improving a crystallinity of the semiconductor film;

sixth means for patterning the semiconductor film with improved crystallinity to form an island between a center and an edge of the depression portion; and

seventh means for measuring an energy density of the plurality of laser lights located between the plurality of laser oscillators and the plurality of AO modulators.

2. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 1, wherein laser light scanning is conducted under a reduced pressure atmosphere or inert gas atmosphere.

3. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from one or more kinds of lasers selected from the group consisting of a YAG laser, a YVO₄ laser, a YLF laser, a YAlO₃ laser, a glass laser, a ruby laser, an alexandrite laser, a Ti:

sapphire laser, and a Nd;

YVO₄ laser.

4. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from a slab laser.

5. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser lights is continuous wave laser light.

6. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of laser lights is second harmonic.

27. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 1, further comprising an eighth means for forming a gate insulating film over the island.

7. A semiconductor device production system comprising:

first means for storing a pattern information of an insulating film;

second means for forming the insulating film that has a rectangular or stripe pattern depression portion and a projection portion on a substrate in accordance with the pattern information of the insulating film;

third means for forming a semiconductor film on the insulating film;

fourth means for reading a position information of the semiconductor film;

fifth means for storing the position information of the semiconductor film read;

a plurality of laser oscillators;

a plurality of AO modulators, each corresponding to the plurality of laser oscillators;

an optical system for collecting a plurality of laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser oscillators into a linear laser beam on an irradiation position;

sixth means for moving the irradiation position of the linear laser beam;

seventh means for determining a scanning path of the linear laser beam and for controlling the sixth means, the scanning path being determined so as to include the depression portion based on the pattern information of the insulating film stored in the first means, the position information of the semiconductor film stored in the fifth means, and a thickness of the semiconductor film, and the sixth means being controlled to move the linear laser beam along the scanning path, thereby improving a crystallinity of the semiconductor film;

eighth means for patterning the semiconductor film with improved crystallinity to form an island between a center and an edge of the depression portion; and

ninth means for measuring an energy density of the plurality of laser lights located between the plurality of laser oscillators and the plurality of AO modulators.

8. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, wherein the fourth means uses a charge-coupled device.

9. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, wherein laser light scanning is conducted under a reduced pressure atmosphere or inert gas atmosphere.

10. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from one or more kinds of lasers selected from the group consisting of a YAG laser, a YVO₄ laser, a YLF laser, a YAlO₃ laser, a glass laser, a ruby laser, an alexandrite laser, a Ti:

sapphire laser, and a Nd;

YVO₄ laser.

11. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from a slab laser.

12. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of laser lights is continuous wave laser light.

13. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of laser lights is second harmonic.

28. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 7, further comprising a tenth means for forming a gate insulating film over the island.

14. A semiconductor device production system comprising:

first means for forming an insulating film that has a rectangular or stripe pattern depression portion and a projection portion on a substrate;

second means for forming a semiconductor film on the insulating film;

third means for storing a pattern information of the insulating film;

a plurality of laser oscillators;

a plurality of AO modulators, each corresponding to the plurality of laser oscillators;

an optical system for collecting a plurality of laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser oscillators into a linear laser beam on an irradiation position;

fourth means for moving the irradiation position of the linear laser beam;

fifth means for determining a scanning path of the linear laser beam and for controlling the fourth means, the scanning path being determined so as to include the projection portion of the semiconductor film from the pattern information of the insulating film referring to a marker that is formed on the substrate, and the fourth means being controlled to move the linear laser beam along the scanning path, thereby improving a crystallinity of the semiconductor film;

sixth means for patterning the semiconductor film with improved crystallinity to form an island between a center and an edge of the projection portion; and

seventh means for measuring an energy density of the plurality of laser lights located between the plurality of laser oscillators and the plurality of AO modulators.

15. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 14, wherein laser light scanning is conducted under a reduced pressure atmosphere or inert gas atmosphere.

16. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from one or more kinds of lasers selected from the group consisting of a YAG laser, a YVO₄ laser, a YLF laser, a YAlO₃ laser, a glass laser, a ruby laser, an alexandrite laser, a Ti:

sapphire laser, and a Nd;

YVO₄ laser.

17. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from a slab laser.

18. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of laser lights is continuous wave laser light.

19. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of laser lights is second harmonic.

29. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 14, further comprising an eighth means for forming a gate insulating film over the island.

20. A semiconductor device production system comprising:

first means for storing a pattern information of an insulating film;

second means for forming the insulating film that has a rectangular or stripe pattern depression portion and a projection portion on a substrate in accordance with the pattern information of the insulating film;

third means for forming a semiconductor film on the insulating film;

fourth means for reading a position information of the semiconductor film;

fifth means for storing the position information of the semiconductor film read;

a plurality of laser oscillators;

a plurality of AO modulators, each corresponding to the plurality of laser oscillators;

an optical system for collecting a plurality of laser lights emitted from the plurality of laser oscillators into a linear laser beam on an irradiation position;

sixth means for moving the irradiation position of the linear laser beam;

seventh means for determining a scanning path of the linear laser beam and for controlling the sixth means, the scanning path being determined so as to include the projection portion based .on the pattern information of the insulating film stored in the first means, the position information of the semiconductor film stored in the fifth means, and a thickness of the semiconductor film, and the sixth means being controlled to move the linear laser beam along the scanning path, thereby improving a crystallinity of the semiconductor film;

eighth means for patterning the semiconductor film with improved crystallinity to form an island between a center and an edge of the projection portion; and

ninth means for measuring an energy density of the plurality of laser lights located between the plurality of laser oscillators and the plurality of AO modulators.

21. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, wherein the fourth means uses a charge-coupled device.

22. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, wherein laser light scanning is conducted under a reduced pressure atmosphere or inert gas atmosphere.

23. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from one or more kinds of lasers selected from the group consisting of a YAG laser, a YVO₄ laser, a YLF laser, a YalO₃ laser, a glass laser, a ruby laser, an alexandrite laser, a Ti:

sapphire laser, and a NdYVO₄ laser.

24. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of laser lights is outputted from a slab laser.

25. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of laser lights is continuous wave laser light.

26. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of laser lights is second harmonic.

30. The semiconductor device production system according to claim 20, further comprising a tenth means for forming a gate insulating film over the island.