The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 21, 1998
Filed:
Sep. 07, 1995
Takashi Motoda, Itami, JP;
Manabu Kato, Itami, JP;
Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An apparatus for zone-melting recrystallization of a semiconductor layer includes a first heater, on which a semiconductor wafer including the semiconductor layer and upper and lower insulating films sandwiching the semiconductor layer is mounted, for radiantly heating a rear surface of the semiconductor wafer to a temperature at which the semiconductor layer and the insulating layers are not melted; and a second heater disposed above the semiconductor wafer and radiantly heating a front surface of the semiconductor wafer. The second heater has a heat generating point that produces a heated spot in the semiconductor layer and moves spirally while maintaining a fixed distance from the semiconductor wafer, thereby producing a large-area monocrystalline region in the semiconductor layer. In this zone-melting recrystallization, a single crystalline nucleus is produced in the semiconductor layer, and the entire semiconductor layer is recrystallized with the crystalline nucleus as a seed crystal. Therefore, the semiconductor layer is recrystallized with the same crystal structure and orientation as the crystalline nucleus, so that grain boundaries are reduced, resulting in a semiconductor layer with increased grain size.