Method of laser irradiation, laser irradiation apparatus, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing an active matrix display device comprising:
- forming a semiconductor film over a substrate;
emitting a laser beam having a first cross section perpendicular to a propagation direction of the laser beam;
expanding the laser beam along a first direction to increase the cross section of the laser beam along the first direction;
regulating an optical path length of the expanded laser beam along the first direction using a concave lens;
condensing the laser beam along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and
increasing crystallinity of the semiconductor film by scanning the semiconductor film with the laser beam along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction wherein the laser beam has a second cross section on a surface of the semiconductor film, the second cross section being larger than the first cross section along the first direction and shorter than the first direction along the third direction;
after increasing the crystallinity, patterning the semiconductor film into a plurality of semiconductor layers, each including a region to become a channel forming region of a thin film transistor;
forming an insulating layer over the plurality of semiconductor layers; and
forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over the insulating layer.
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Abstract
If an optical path length of an optical system is reduced and a length of a laser light on an irradiation surface is increased, there occurs curvature of field which is a phenomenon that a convergent position deviates depending on an incident angle or incident position of a laser light with respect to a lens. To avoid this phenomenon, an optical element having a negative power such as a concave lens or a concave cylindrical lens is inserted to regulate the optical path length of the laser light and a convergent position is made coincident with a irradiation surface to form an image on the irradiation surface.
78 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing an active matrix display device comprising:
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forming a semiconductor film over a substrate; emitting a laser beam having a first cross section perpendicular to a propagation direction of the laser beam; expanding the laser beam along a first direction to increase the cross section of the laser beam along the first direction; regulating an optical path length of the expanded laser beam along the first direction using a concave lens; condensing the laser beam along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and increasing crystallinity of the semiconductor film by scanning the semiconductor film with the laser beam along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction wherein the laser beam has a second cross section on a surface of the semiconductor film, the second cross section being larger than the first cross section along the first direction and shorter than the first direction along the third direction; after increasing the crystallinity, patterning the semiconductor film into a plurality of semiconductor layers, each including a region to become a channel forming region of a thin film transistor; forming an insulating layer over the plurality of semiconductor layers; and forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over the insulating layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 21)
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10. A method of manufacturing an active matrix display device comprising:
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forming a semiconductor film over a substrate; emitting a laser beam having a first cross section perpendicular to a propagation direction of the laser beam; expanding the laser beam along a first direction by dividing the laser beam into a plurality of laser beams and superposing the plurality of laser beams along the first direction whereby a uniformity of the laser beam is homogenized along the first direction; regulating an optical path length of the expanded laser beam along the first direction using a concave lens; condensing the laser beam along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and increasing crystallinity of the semiconductor film by scanning the semiconductor film with the laser beam in a third direction orthogonal to the first direction wherein the laser beam has a second cross section on a surface of the semiconductor film, the second cross section being larger than the first cross section along the first direction and shorter than the first direction along the third direction; after increasing the crystallinity, patterning the semiconductor film into a plurality of semiconductor layers, each including a region to become a channel forming region of a thin film transistor; forming an insulating layer over the plurality of semiconductor layers; and forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over the insulating layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 22)
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20. A method of manufacturing an active matrix display device comprising:
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forming a semiconductor film over a substrate; emitting a laser beam having a first cross section perpendicular to a propagation direction of the laser beam; expanding the laser beam along a first direction by dividing the laser beam into a plurality of laser beams using a first cylindrical lens array and superposing the plurality of laser beams along the first direction using a first cylindrical lens whereby a uniformity of the laser beam is homogenized along the first direction; regulating an optical path length of the expanded laser beam along the first direction using a concave lens; dividing the laser beam along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction into a plurality of laser beams using a second cylindrical lens array and superposing the plurality of laser beams along the second direction using a second cylindrical lens whereby a uniformity of the laser beam along the second direction is homogenized; condensing the laser beam along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and increasing crystallinity of the semiconductor film by scanning the semiconductor film with the laser beam along a third direction orthogonal to the first direction wherein the laser beam has a second cross section on a surface of the semiconductor film, the second cross section being larger than the first cross section along the first direction and shorter than the first direction along the third direction; after increasing the crystallinity, patterning the crystallized semiconductor film into a plurality of semiconductor layers, each including a region to become a channel forming region of a thin film transistor; forming an insulating layer over the plurality of semiconductor layers; and forming a plurality of pixel electrodes over the insulating layer.
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Specification