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:
Mar. 16, 2010
Filed:
Aug. 09, 2002
Shunpei Yamazaki, Setagata-ku, JP;
Satoshi Teramoto, Atsugi, JP;
Jun Koyama, Sagamihara, JP;
Yasushi Ogata, Atsugi, JP;
Masahiko Hayakawa, Atsugi, JP;
Mitsuaki Osame, Atsugi, JP;
Hisashi Ohtani, Isehara, JP;
Toshiji Hamatani, Atsugi, JP;
Shunpei Yamazaki, Setagata-ku, JP;
Satoshi Teramoto, Atsugi, JP;
Jun Koyama, Sagamihara, JP;
Yasushi Ogata, Atsugi, JP;
Masahiko Hayakawa, Atsugi, JP;
Mitsuaki Osame, Atsugi, JP;
Hisashi Ohtani, Isehara, JP;
Toshiji Hamatani, Atsugi, JP;
Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd., Atsugi-shi, Kanagawa-ken, JP;
Abstract
There is disclosed a method of fabricating a thin-film transistor having excellent characteristics. Nickel element is held in contact with selected regions of an amorphous silicon film. Then, thermal processing is performed to crystallize the amorphous film. Subsequently, thermal processing is carried out in an oxidizing ambient containing a halogen element to form a thermal oxide film. At this time, the crystallinity is improved. Also, gettering of the nickel element proceeds. This crystalline silicon film consists of crystals grown radially from a number of points. Consequently, the thin-film transistor having excellent characteristics can be obtained.