Method for processing polysilicon thin film and method for fabricating thin film transistor

• US 9,985,116 B2
• Filed: 11/14/2016
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: BOE Technology Group Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Li, Xiaolong, Liu, Zheng, Li, Dong, Zhang, Huijuan, Min, Jian
• Primary Examiner(s): Kebede, Brook
• Application Number:
  US15/350,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20170194461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 438149-167
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02595 polycrystalline
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/3065 Plasma etching; Reactive-ion etching
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32115 Planarisation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/32132 of silicon-containing layers
• 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 29/78675 with normal-type structure, e.g. with top gate

Abstract

A method for processing a polysilicon thin film and a method for fabricating a thin film transistor are provided. The method for processing a polysilicon thin film includes: etching the polysilicon thin film using etching particles. An angle between an incident direction of the etching particles and the polysilicon thin film is larger than 0° and less than 90°.

Claims

1. A method for processing a polysilicon thin film, comprising:

etching the polysilicon thin film using etching particles,

wherein an angle between an incident direction of the etching particles and the polysilicon thin film is larger than 0° and

less than 90°

;

wherein the etching the polysilicon thin film using etching particles comprises;

fixing a substrate having the polysilicon thin film formed thereon on a supporting platform placed in an electromagnetic resonant cavity;

tilting the supporting platform such that an angle between the tilted supporting platform and a horizontal plane is larger than 0° and

less than 90°

;

applying a negative bias to the supporting platform;

introducing an inert gas to the electromagnetic resonant cavity;

allowing the inert gas to form a plasma, wherein the plasma moves downwards; and

etching the polysilicon thin film using the plasma.

2. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 1, wherein the angle between the incident direction of the etching particles and the polysilicon thin film is larger than 30°

and less than 90°

.

3. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 1, wherein a one-time etching area of the plasma is smaller than an area of the polysilicon thin film, and the etching the polysilicon thin film using etching particles further comprises:

moving the supporting platform along a horizontal direction so as to allow the plasma to etch the whole polysilicon thin film homogeneously during etching the polysilicon thin film using the plasma.

4. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 3, wherein a coupling antenna is disposed on top of the electromagnetic resonant cavity, and a range of the plasma is adjusted by adjusting a length of a portion of the coupling antenna extending into the electromagnetic resonant cavity, such that the one-time etching area of the plasma is smaller than the area of the polysilicon thin film.

5. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 3, wherein a range of the plasma is adjusted by adjusting a height from the supporting platform to a bottom of the electromagnetic resonant cavity in a case that the supporting platform is placed horizontally, such that the one-time etching area of the plasma is smaller than the area of the polysilicon thin film.

6. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 3, wherein a waveguide is connected to the electromagnetic resonant cavity, three tuner pins are provided on the waveguide, and a range of the plasma is adjusted by adjusting a length of a portion of each of the three tuner pins extending into the waveguide, such that the one-time etching area of the plasma is smaller than the area of the polysilicon thin film.

7. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 3, wherein a moving speed of the supporting platform is 5 mm/s ±

0.5 mm/s.

8. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 1, wherein the inert gas is argon, and the plasma is argon plasma.

9. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 8, wherein a flux of the argon is 300 sccm±

30 sccm.

10. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 8, wherein a pressure of the argon in the electromagnetic resonant cavity is 0.1 Pa±

0.01 Pa.

11. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 8, wherein the argon plasma is generated by treating the argon with a RF power source of a frequency of 13.56 MHz.

12. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 1, wherein the negative bias applied to the supporting platform is −

15 V±

1.5 V.

13. The method for processing the polysilicon thin film of claim 1, wherein the etching lasts 0.5 hour to 1 hour.

14. A method for fabricating a thin film transistor, comprising:

forming a polysilicon thin film on a substrate;

processing the polysilicon thin film using the method of claim 1; and

patterning the processed polysilicon thin film to form an active layer of the thin film transistor.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising forming a gate electrode, a gate insulation layer, a source electrode and a drain electrode.