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:
Nov. 14, 2000
Filed:
May. 20, 1997
Toshiyuki Hirota, Tokyo, JP;
Hirohito Watanabe, Tokyo, JP;
Fumiki Aiso, Tokyo, JP;
Shuji Fujiwara, Tokyo, JP;
Masanobu Zenke, Tokyo, JP;
NEC Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
In a process of forming hemi-spherical silicon grains on an amorphous silicon film in accordance with the 'crystal nucleation' process, in order to form crystal nuclei on a top surface and a side surface of the amorphous silicon film, SiH.sub.4 is irradiated onto the top and side surfaces of the amorphous silicon film at a stabilized temperature which is lower than, by at least 5.degree. C., an annealing temperature for growing the hemi-spherical silicon grains from the crystal nuclei, with the result that it is possible to suppress or retard the growth of the crystals growing into the amorphous silicon film from a boundary between the amorphous silicon film and an interlayer insulator film. Thereafter, the amorphous silicon film having the crystal nuclei thus formed on the surface thereof is annealed at the annealing temperature so that the hemi-spherical silicon grains are formed on the whole surface of the top and side surfaces of the amorphous silicon film.