Single-shot semiconductor processing system and method having various irradiation patterns
First Claim
1. A method for recrystallizing a semiconductor thin film to improve its crystalline quality, comprising:
- (a) irradiating a first region of a surface of the semiconductor thin film with a pulse of a radiation beam, wherein the radiation beam is first patterned into at least one beamlet in a pattern of beamlets, wherein each beamlet is incident on a target area in the first region, wherein each beamlet has sufficient fluence to melt semiconductor material in the target area on which it is incident, and wherein the molten semiconductor material in the target area recrystallizes when it is no longer exposed to the incident beamlet; and
(b) continuously translating the semiconductor thin film relative to the radiation beam so that a second region of the surface of the semiconductor thin film is irradiated in the same manner as in (a), wherein the second region corresponds to a second area which is separate from a first area corresponding to the first region.
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Accused Products
Abstract
High throughput systems and processes for recrystallizing thin film semiconductors that have been deposited at low temperatures on a substrate are provided. A thin film semiconductor workpiece is irradiated with a laser beam to melt and recrystallize target areas of the surface exposed to the laser beam. The laser beam is shaped into one or more beamlets using patterning masks. The mask patterns have suitable dimensions and orientations to pattern the laser beam radiation so that the areas targeted by the beamlets have dimensions and orientations that are conducive to semiconductor recrystallization. The workpiece is mechanically translated along linear paths relative to the laser beam to process the entire surface of the work piece at high speeds. Position sensitive triggering of a laser can be used generate laser beam pulses to melt and recrystallize semiconductor material at precise locations on the surface of the workpiece while it is translated on a motorized stage.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for recrystallizing a semiconductor thin film to improve its crystalline quality, comprising:
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(a) irradiating a first region of a surface of the semiconductor thin film with a pulse of a radiation beam, wherein the radiation beam is first patterned into at least one beamlet in a pattern of beamlets, wherein each beamlet is incident on a target area in the first region, wherein each beamlet has sufficient fluence to melt semiconductor material in the target area on which it is incident, and wherein the molten semiconductor material in the target area recrystallizes when it is no longer exposed to the incident beamlet; and (b) continuously translating the semiconductor thin film relative to the radiation beam so that a second region of the surface of the semiconductor thin film is irradiated in the same manner as in (a), wherein the second region corresponds to a second area which is separate from a first area corresponding to the first region. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for recrystallizing a semiconductor thin film to improve its crystalline quality, comprising:
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(a) using a laser to generate a pulse of a radiation beam; (b) irradiating a first region of a surface of the semiconductor thin film with the pulse of the radiation beam, wherein the radiation beam is first patterned into at least one beamlet in a pattern of beamlets, wherein each beamlet is incident on a target area in the first region, wherein each beamlet has sufficient fluence to melt semiconductor material in the target area on which it is incident, and wherein the molten semiconductor material in the target area recrystallizes when it is no longer exposed to the incident beamlet; and (c) after irradiating the first region of the surface of the semiconductor thin film with the pulse of the radiation beam, translating the semiconductor thin film relative to the radiation beam so that a second region of the surface of the semiconductor thin film is irradiated in the manner of in (a) and (b), wherein the second region corresponds to a second area which is separate from a first area corresponding to the first region. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification