Method for manufacturing semiconductor device

• US 8,563,431 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2007
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Miyairi, Hidekazu, Higa, Eiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Landau, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SNOW, COLLEEN ERIN
• Application Number:
  US11/840,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20080050895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,258 Days
• Field of Search: 438/507, 438/671, 438/706, 438/707, 438/708, 438/709, 257/E21.09, 257/E21.476
• US Class Current: 438/671
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/311 Etching the insulating layers by chemical or physical means H01L21/31058 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32139 using masks
• 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 27/1288 employing particular masking sequences or specially adapted masks, e.g. half-tone mask

Abstract

In a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, a manufacturing technique for reducing the number of lithography processes using a photoresist and simplifying the process is provided, and the throughput is improved. An etching mask for forming a pattern of a layer to be processed such as a conductive layer or a semiconductor layer is manufactured without using a lithography technique that uses a photoresist. The etching mask is formed of a stacked layer structure of a light absorption layer and an insulating layer utilizing laser ablation by laser beam irradiation through a photomask.

Claims

1. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a layer to be processed;

forming a light absorption layer over the layer to be processed;

forming an insulating layer over the light absorption layer;

irradiating the light absorption layer and the insulating layer with a laser beam through a photomask, so that at least an irradiated region of the light absorption layer and the insulating layer is removed;

etching the layer to be processed using a left part of the light absorption layer and a left part of the insulating layer as a mask; and

removing the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer after etching the layer to be processed,

wherein the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer exist on the layer to be processed after the step of the etching,

wherein the mask is formed by the step of the irradiating, and

wherein the light absorption layer comprises a conductive material.

2. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the layer to be processed comprises a conductive material or a semiconductor material.

3. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light absorption layer comprises a material which absorbs the laser beam.

4. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the light absorption layer comprises at least one of elements of chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and aluminum (Al).

5. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the insulating layer comprises a material which transmits the laser beam.

6. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a mask including a region which transmits the laser beam and a region which blocks the laser beam is used as the photomask.

7. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein a boiling point or a sublimation point of the light absorption layer is lower than a melting point of the layer to be processed.

8. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein an inert gas is added to the light absorption layer.

9. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer are removed by laser ablation.

10. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device, comprising:

forming a layer to be processed;

forming a light absorption layer over the layer to be processed;

forming an insulating layer over the light absorption layer;

irradiating the light absorption layer and the insulating layer with a laser beam through a photomask, so that at least an irradiated region of the light absorption layer and the insulating layer is removed;

etching the layer to be processed using a left part of the light absorption layer and a left part of the insulating layer as a mask, so that the layer having a tapered shape is formed; and

removing the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer after etching the layer to be processed,

wherein the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer exist on the layer to be processed after the step of the etching,

wherein the mask is formed by the step of the irradiating, and

wherein the light absorption layer comprises a conductive material.

11. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein a wet etching method or a combination of a dry etching method and a wet etching method is used for etching the layer to be processed.

12. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the layer to be processed comprises a conductive material or a semiconductor material.

13. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the light absorption layer comprises a material which absorbs the laser beam.

14. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the light absorption layer comprises at least one of elements of chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and aluminum (Al).

15. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the insulating layer comprises a material which transmits the laser beam.

16. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein a mask including a region which transmits the laser beam and a region which blocks the laser beam is used as the photomask.

17. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein a boiling point or a sublimation point of the light absorption layer is lower than a melting point of the layer to be processed.

18. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein an inert gas is added to the light absorption layer.

19. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 10, wherein the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer are removed by laser ablation.

20. A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device comprising:

forming a layer to be processed;

forming a light absorption layer over the layer to be processed;

forming an insulating layer over the light absorption layer;

irradiating the light absorption layer and the insulating layer with a laser beam through a photomask, so that at least an irradiated region of the light absorption layer and the insulating layer is removed;

etching the layer to be processed using a left part of the light absorption layer and a left part of the insulating layer as a mask, so that the layer having a perpendicular shape is formed; and

removing the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer after etching the layer to be processed,

wherein the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer exist on the layer to be processed after the step of the etching,

wherein the mask is formed by the step of the irradiating, and

wherein the light absorption layer comprises a conductive material.

21. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein a dry etching method is used for etching the layer to be processed.

22. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein the layer to be processed comprises a conductive material or a semiconductor material.

23. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein the light absorption layer comprises a material which absorbs the laser beam.

24. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein the light absorption layer comprises at least one of elements of chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and aluminum (Al).

25. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein the insulating layer comprises a material which transmits the laser beam.

26. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein a mask including a region which transmits the laser beam and a region which blocks the laser beam is used as the photomask.

27. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein a boiling point or a sublimation point of the light absorption layer is lower than a melting point of the layer to be processed.

28. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein an inert gas is added to the light absorption layer.

29. The manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 20, wherein the left part of the light absorption layer and the left part of the insulating layer are removed by laser ablation.