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:
Feb. 17, 2004
Filed:
Feb. 04, 2002
Yukiyasu Sugano, Kanagawa, JP;
Masahiro Fujino, Kanagawa, JP;
Michio Mano, Kanagawa, JP;
Akihiko Asano, Kanagawa, JP;
Masumitsu Ino, Kanagawa, JP;
Takenobu Urazono, Kanagawa, JP;
Makoto Takatoku, Kanagawa, JP;
Sony Corporation, , JP;
Abstract
A polycrystalline thin film of good quality is obtained by improving a crystallization process of a semiconductor thin film using laser light. After conducting a film forming step of forming a non-single crystal semiconductor thin film on a surface of a substrate, an annealing step is conducted by irradiating with laser light to convert the non-single crystal semiconductor thin film to a polycrystalline material. The annealing step is conducted by changing and adjusting the cross sectional shape of the laser light to a prescribed region. The semiconductor thin film is irradiated once or more with a pulse of laser light having an emission time width from upstand to downfall of 50 ns or more and having a constant cross sectional area, so as to convert the semiconductor thin film contained in an irradiated region corresponding to the cross sectional area to a polycrystalline material at a time. At this time, the energy intensity of laser light from upstand to downfall is controlled to apply a desired change. According to the procedures, a polycrystalline material having a large particle diameter or a uniform particle diameter can be obtained. In some cases, upon irradiation with laser light, the substrate may be maintained in a non-oxidative atmosphere, or may be heated or cooled.