Abstract: In accordance with one aspect, the present invention provides a method for providing polycrystalline films having a controlled microstructure as well as a crystallographic texture. The methods provide elongated grains or single-crystal islands of a specified crystallographic orientation. In particular, a method of processing a film on a substrate includes generating a textured film having crystal grains oriented predominantly in one preferred crystallographic orientation; and then generating a microstructure using sequential lateral solidification crystallization that provides a location-controlled growth of the grains orientated in the preferred crystallographic orientation.

Abstract: A process and system for processing a thin film sample are provided. In particular, a beam generator can be controlled to emit at least one beam pulse. The beam pulse is then masked to produce at least one masked beam pulse, which is used to irradiate at least one portion of the thin film sample. With the at least one masked beam pulse, the portion of the film sample is irradiated with sufficient intensity for such portion to later crystallize. This portion of the film sample is allowed to crystallize so as to be composed of a first area and a second area. Upon the crystallization thereof, the first area includes a first set of grains, and the second area includes a second set of grains whose at least one characteristic is different from at least one characteristic of the second set of grains. The first area surrounds the second area, and is configured to allow an active region of a thin-film transistor (“TFT”) to be provided at a distance therefrom.

Abstract: Under one aspect, a method for processing a thin film includes generating a first set of shaped beamlets from a first laser beam pulse, each of the beamlets of the first set of beamlets having a length defining the y-direction, a width defining the x-direction, and a fluence that is sufficient to substantially melt a film throughout its thickness in an irradiated film region and further being spaced in the x-direction from adjacent beamlets of the first set of beamlets by gaps; irradiating a first region of the film with the first set of shaped beamlets to form a first set of molten zones which laterally crystallize upon cooling to form a first set of crystallized regions including crystal grains that are substantially parallel to the x-direction and having a length and width substantially the same as the length and width of each of the shaped beamlets and being separated from adjacent crystallized regions by gaps substantially the same as the gaps separating the shaped beamlets; generating a second set of sh

Abstract: Under one aspect, a method of processing a film includes defining a plurality of spaced-apart regions to be crystallized within a film, the film being disposed on a substrate and capable of laser-induced melting; generating a sequence of laser pulses having a fluence that is sufficient to melt the film throughout its thickness in an irradiated region, each pulse forming a line beam having a length and a width; continuously scanning the film in a first scan with a sequence of laser pulses at a velocity selected such that each pulse irradiates and melts a first portion of a corresponding spaced-apart region, wherein the first portion upon cooling forms one or more laterally grown crystals; and continuously scanning the film in a second time with a sequence of laser pulses at a velocity selected such that each pulse irradiates and melts a second portion of a corresponding spaced-apart region, wherein the first and second portions in each spaced-apart region partially overlap, and wherein the second portion upon

Abstract: Methods for processing an amorphous silicon thin film sample into a polycrystalline silicon thin film are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for processing an amorphous silicon thin film sample into a polycrystalline silicon thin film are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a thin metal layer on a substrate to control the grain size, grain shape, and grain boundary location and orientation in the metal layer by irradiating the metal layer with a first excimer laser pulse having an intensity pattern defined by a mask to have shadow regions and beamlets. Each region of the metal layer overlapped by a beamlet is melted throughout its entire thickness, and each region of the metal layer overlapped by a shadow region remains at least partially unmelted. Each at least partially unmelted region adjoins adjacent melted regions. After irradiation by the first excimer laser pulse, the melted regions of the metal layer are permitted to resolidify. During resolidification, the at least partially unmelted regions seed growth of grains in adjoining melted regions to produce larger grains.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to systems and methods for preparing epitaxially textured polycrystalline films. In one or more embodiments, the method for making a textured thin film includes providing a precursor film on a substrate, the film includes crystal grains having a surface texture and a non-uniform degree of texture throughout the thickness of the film, wherein at least a portion of the this substrate is transparent to laser irradiation; and irradiating the textured precursor film through the substrate using a pulsed laser crystallization technique at least partially melt the film wherein the irradiated film crystallizes upon cooling to form crystal grains having a uniform degree of texture.

Abstract: The disclosed subject matter relates to the use of laser crystallization of thin films to create epitaxially textured crystalline thick films. In one or more embodiments, a method for preparing a thick crystalline film includes providing a film for crystallization on a substrate, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is substantially transparent to laser irradiation, said film including a seed layer having a predominant surface crystallographic orientation; and a top layer disposed above the seed layer; irradiating the film from the back side of the substrate using a pulsed laser to melt a first portion of the top layer at an interface with the seed layer while a second portion of the top layer remains solid; and re-solidifying the first portion of the top layer to form a crystalline laser epitaxial with the seed layer thereby releasing heat to melt an adjacent portion of the top layer.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to methods and systems for processing a thin film samples. In an exemplary method, semiconductor thin films are loaded onto two different loading fixtures, laser beam pulses generated by a laser source system are split into first laser beam pulses and second laser beam pulses, the thin film loaded on one loading fixture is irradiated with the first laser beam pulses to induce crystallization while the thin film loaded on the other loading fixture is irradiated with the second laser beam pulses. In a preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the thin film that is loaded on the first loading fixture is irradiated while at least a portion of the thin film that is loaded on the second loading fixture is also being irradiated. In an exemplary embodiment, the laser source system includes first and second laser sources and an integrator that combines the laser beam pulses generated by the first and second laser sources to form combined laser beam pulses.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of processing a film is provided, the method comprising defining a plurality of spaced-apart regions to be pre-crystallized within the film, the film being disposed on a substrate and capable of laser-induced melting; generating a laser beam having a fluence that is selected to form a mixture of solid and liquid in the film and where a fraction of the film is molten throughout its thickness in an irradiated region; positioning the film relative to the laser beam in preparation for at least partially pre-crystallizing a first region of said plurality of spaced-apart regions; directing the laser beam onto a moving at least partially reflective optical element in the path of the laser beam, the moving optical element redirecting the beam so as to scan a first portion of the first region with the beam in a first direction at a first velocity, wherein the first velocity is selected such that the beam irradiates and forms the mixture of solid and liquid in the first portion of the firs

Abstract: Method and system for generating a metal thin film with a uniform crystalline orientation and a controlled crystalline microstructure are provided. For example, a metal layer is irradicated with a pulsed laser to completely melt the film throughout its entire thickness. The metal layer can then resolidify to form grains with a substantially uniform orientation. The resolidified metal layer can be irradiated with a sequential lateral solidification technique to modify the crystalline microstructure (e.g., create larger grains, single-crystal regions, grain boundary controlled microstructures, etc.) The metal layer can be irradiated by patterning a beam using a mask which includes a first region capable of attenuating the pulsed laser and a second region allowing complete irradiation of sections of the thin film being impinged by the masked laser beam. An inverse dot-patterned mask can be used, the microstructure that may have substantially the same as the geometric pattern as that of the dots of the mask.

Abstract: A process and system are provided for processing at least one section of each of a plurality of semiconductor film samples. In these process and system, the irradiation beam source is controlled to emit successive irradiation beam pulses at a predetermined repetition rate. Using such emitted beam pulses, at least one section of one of the semiconductor film samples is irradiated using a first sequential lateral solidification (“SLS”) technique and/or a first uniform small grained material (“UGS”) techniques to process the such section(s) of the first sample. Upon the completion of the processing of this section of the first sample, the beam pulses are redirected to impinge at least one section of a second sample of the semiconductor film samples. Then, using the redirected beam pulses, such section(s) of the second sample are irradiated using a second SLS technique and/or a second UGS technique to process the at least one section of the second sample.

Abstract: A process and system are provided for processing at least one section of each of a plurality of semiconductor film samples. In these process and system, the irradiation beam source is controlled to emit successive irradiation beam pulses at a predetermined predetermined repetition rate. Using such emitted beam pulses, at least one section of one of the semiconductor film samples is irradiated using a first sequential lateral solidification (“SLS”) technique and/or a first uniform small grained material (“UGS”) techniques to process the such sections) of the first sample. Upon the completion of the processing of this section of the first sample, the beam pulses are redirected to impinge at least one section of a second sample of the semiconductor film samples. Then, using the redirected beam pulses, such sections) of the second sample are irradiated using a second SLS technique and/or a second UGS technique to process the at least one section of the second sample.

Abstract: Methods for processing an amorphous silicon thin film sample into a polycrystalline silicon thin film are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of processing a polycrystalline film on a substrate includes generating a plurality of laser beam pulses, positioning the film on a support capable of movement in at least one direction, directing the plurality of laser beam pulses through a mask to generate patterned laser beams; each of said beams having a length l?, a width w? and a spacing between adjacent beams d?, irradiating a region of the film with the patterned beams, said beams having an intensity that is sufficient to melt an irradiated portion of the film to induce crystallization of the irradiated portion of the film, wherein the film region is irradiated n times; and after irradiation of each film portion, translating either the film or the mask, or both, a distance in the x- and y-directions, where the distance of translation in the y-direction is in the range of about 1?/n-?, where ? is a value selected to form overlapping the beamlets from the one irradiation step to the next, and where the distance of translation in the x-direction

Abstract: A process and system for processing a thin film sample, as well as the thin film structure are provided. In particular, a beam generator can be controlled to emit successive irradiation beam pulses at a predetermined repetition rate. Each irradiation beam pulse may be masked to define a first plurality of beamlets and a second plurality of beamlets. The first and second plurality of beamlets of each of the irradiation pulses being provided for impinging the film sample and having an intensity which is sufficient to at least partially melt irradiated portions of the section of the film sample. A particular portion of the section of the film sample is irradiated with the first beamlets of a first pulse of the irradiated beam pulses to melt first areas of the particular portion, the first areas being at least partially melted, leaving first unirradiated regions between respective adjacent ones of the first areas, and being allowed to resolidify and crystallize.

Abstract: A process and system for processing a thin film sample (e.g., a semiconductor thin film), as well as the thin film structure are provided. In particular, a beam generator can be controlled to emit at least one beam pulse. With this beam pulse, at least one portion of the film sample is irradiated with sufficient intensity to fully melt such section of the sample throughout its thickness, and the beam pulse having a predetermined shape. This portion of the film sample is allowed to resolidify, and the re-solidified at least one portion is composed of a first area and a second area. Upon the re-solidification thereof, the first area includes large grains, and the second area has a region formed through nucleation. The first area surrounds the second area and has a grain structure which is different from a grain structure of the second area. The second area is configured to facilitate thereon an active region of an electronic device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing a surface roughness of a polycrystalline or single crystal thin film produced by the sequential lateral solidification process are disclosed.

Abstract: A thin film transistor array panel is provided, which includes: a substrate including a plurality of pixel areas; a semiconductor layer formed on the substrate and including a plurality of pairs of first and second semiconductor portions in respective pixel areas; a first insulating layer formed on the semiconductor layer; a gate wire formed on the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer formed on the gate wire; a data wire formed on the second insulating layer; a third insulating layer formed on the data wire; a pixel electrode formed on the third insulating layer and connected to the data wire, wherein width and length of at least one of the first and the second semiconductor portions vary between at least two pixel areas.