Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes selecting a target material; mixing at least two gases to form a sputtering gas mixture, wherein a first sputtering gas is helium and a second sputtering gas is taken from the gases consisting of neon, argon krypton, xenon and radon; forming a plasma in the sputtering gas mixture atmosphere to sputter atoms from the target material to the substrate thereby forming a layer of target material on the substrate; and annealing the substrate and the deposited layer thereon. An improved physical vapor deposition vacuum chamber includes a target held in a target holder, a substrate held in a substrate holder, a plasma arc generator, and heating rods. A sputtering gas feed system is provided for introducing a mixture of sputtering gases into the chamber; as is a vacuum mechanism comprising at least one turbomolecular pump for evacuating the chamber to a pressure of less than 16 mTorr during deposition.

Abstract: A TFT fabricated from a single crystal grain, and fabrication method has been provided. A large crystal grain is made by precise control of annealment, transition metal concentration, the density of transition metal nucleation sites, and the distance between nucleation sites. In one aspect of the invention, a diffusion layer permits the continual delivery of transition metal at a rate that both supports the lateral growth of di-silicide, and large distances between nucleation sites.

Abstract: A high-quality dielectric film is formed by generating plasma of a high electron density by a method such as diluting a rare gas or raising a frequency of a power supplier, and generating oxygen atoms or nitrogen atoms of a high density. The dielectric film contains silicon oxide in which the composition ratio of silicon and oxygen is between (1:1.94) and (1:2) both inclusive, silicon nitride in which the composition ratio of silicon and nitrogen is between (1:1.94) and (1:2) both inclusive, or silicon oxynitride in which the composition ratio of silicon and nitrogen is between (3:3.84) and (3:4) both inclusive.

Abstract: Disclosed is a plasma processing apparatus for performing a plasma processing, comprising an electromagnetic wave source for generating an electromagnetic wave, a rectangular waveguide, a plurality of slots formed in the rectangular waveguide and constituting a waveguide antenna, an electromagnetic wave radiation window consisting of a dielectric body, and a vacuum chamber, wherein a plasma is generated by an electromagnetic wave radiated from the slots into the vacuum chamber through the electromagnetic wave radiation window, the plasma processing apparatus being constructed to include an electromagnetic wave distributing waveguide portion for distributing the electromagnetic wave generated from the electromagnetic wave source into each of the waveguides, the plural waveguides being branched from the electric field plane or a plane perpendicular to the magnetic field plane of the electromagnetic wave distributing waveguide portion.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus comprises: a chamber 12 having at least one opening and for generating plasma; a dielectric member 14 provided to cover the opening air-tightly; at least one wave guide 16 provided in the exterior of the chamber such that the one end side opposes the dielectric member; an electromagnetic wave source 20 provided on the other end side of the wave guide; a plurality of holes 38, 40, 42, 44, 46 provided on a surface opposing the dielectric member of the wave guide; and hole area adjusting means 18 provided in at least one of the above-mentioned holes so as to adjust the opening area of the hole.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a light source, a plurality of light transmitting windows, and a reaction chamber, in which a substrate is placed. And a surface of the substrate, which opposes the light transmitting windows is processed by using a reaction which occurs when the light from the light source is irradiated into the reaction chamber through the light transmitting windows. This substrate processing apparatus includes a driving mechanism which moves the substrate relative to the light transmitting windows in a direction parallel to the surface. The width of each of the light transmitting windows in the direction in which the substrate moves relative to the light transmitting windows is smaller than the length of the substrate in the moving direction.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes an active silicon layer deposited by physical vapor deposition (PVD), wherein a silicon precursor is doped with impurities prior to use as a target in the PVD chamber, wherein the precursor has a resistivity in the range of about 0.5 &OHgr;-cm<&rgr;s<60 &OHgr;-cm; and wherein the target includes plural, rectangular tiles wherein all individual tiles are larger than 8.5 inches square.

Abstract: A method for forming an insulator film at a semiconductor temperature of 600° C. or less comprises the steps of forming a first insulator film by oxidizing a surface of a semiconductor in an atmosphere containing oxygen atom radicals, and forming a second insulator film on the first insulator film by deposition without exposing the first insulator film to outside air.

Abstract: A TFT fabricated from a single crystal grain, and fabrication method has been provided. A large crystal grain is made by precise control of annealment, transition metal concentration, the density of transition metal nucleation sites, and the distance between nucleation sites. In one aspect of the invention, a diffusion layer permits the continual delivery of transition metal at a rate that both supports the lateral growth of di-silicide, and large distances between nucleation sites.

Abstract: The invention provides apparatus for forming an insulating film which is able to reduce the decrease in the light amount due to the light transmittable window, to process the large scale base plate, and to improve the oxidation speed.

Abstract: A method is provided for cleaning resin residue in liquid crystal display (LCD) or integrated circuit (IC) fabrication process. The method comprises: forming an electrode layer; forming an interlayer film of resin overlying the electrode later; patterning the resin interlayer; forming a via to access the first area of the electrode layer; in response to forming the via, forming a resin residue overlying a first area of the electrode layer; introducing a gas mixture including ozone into water to create a moist ozone gas, where the gas mixture is approximately 10% ozone by molecular weight (wt %); wet ashing the resin residue overlying the first area of the electrode layer using the moist ozone gas; and, depositing a metal layer overlying the first area of the electrode to form a pixel electrode.

Abstract: A method is provided to optimize the channel characteristics of thin film transistors (TFTs) on polysilicon films. The method is well suited to the production of TFTs for use as drivers on liquid crystal display devices. Regions of polycrystalline silicon can be formed with different predominant crystal orientations. These crystal orientations can be selected to match the desired TFT channel orientations for different areas of the device. The crystal orientations are selected by rotating a mask pattern to a different orientation for each desired crystal orientation. The mask is used in connection with lateral crystallization ELA processes to crystallize deposited amorphous silicon films.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to sequentially deposit a silicon dioxide base coat barrier layer adjacent a thin silicon film, to minimize the formation of water and —OH radicals. Both the base coat and thin silicon films are sputter to eliminate hydrogen chemistries. Further, the sputter processes are conducted sequentially, without breaking the vacuum seat to minimize the absorption of water in the base coat layer that conventionally occurs between deposition steps. This process eliminates the total number of process steps required, as there is no longer a need for furnace annealing the base coat before the deposition of the thin silicon film, and no longer a need for a dehydrogenation annealing step after the deposition of the thin silicon film.

Abstract: A method is provided to optimize the channel characteristics of thin film transistors (TFTs) on polysilicon films. The method is well suited to the production of TFTs for use as drivers on liquid crystal display devices. The method is also well suited to the production of other devices using polysilicon films. Regions of polycrystalline silicon can be formed with different predominant crystal orientations. These crystal orientations can be selected to match the desired TFT channel orientations for different areas of the device. The crystal orientations are selected by selecting different mask patterns for each of the desired crystal orientation. The mask patterns are used in connection with lateral crystallization ELA processes to crystallize deposited amorphous silicon films.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method of forming multi-layers such as base-coat and active layers for TFTs. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a first layer is formed on a transparent substrate using a physical vapor deposition. And a second layer is sequentially formed using a physical vapor deposition on the first layer without breaking vacuum.

Abstract: A method is provided to optimize the channel characteristics of thin film transistors (TFTs) on polysilicon films. The method is well suited to the production of TFTs for use as drivers on liquid crystal display devices. Regions of polycrystalline silicon can be formed with different predominant crystal orientations. These crystal orientations can be selected to match the desired TFT channel orientations for different areas of the device. The crystal orientations are selected by rotating a mask pattern to a different orientation for each desired crystal orientation. The mask is used in connection with lateral crystallization ELA processes to crystallize deposited amorphous silicon films.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to sequentially deposit a silicon dioxide base coat barrier layer adjacent a thin silicon films, to minimize the formation of water and —OH radicals. Both the base coat and thin silicon films are sputter deposited to eliminate hydrogen chemistries. Further, the sputter processes are conducted sequentially, with breaking the vacuum seal, to minimize the absorption of water in the base coat layer that conventionally occurs between deposition steps. This process eliminates the total number of process steps required, as there is no longer a need for furnace annealing the base coat before the deposition of the thin silicon film, and no longer a need for a dehydrogenation annealing step after the deposition of the thin silicon film.

Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes selecting a target material; mixing at least two gases to form a sputtering gas mixture, wherein a first sputtering gas is helium and a second sputtering gas is taken from the gases consisting of neon, argon krypton, xenon and radon; forming a plasma in the sputtering gas mixture atmosphere to sputter atoms from the target material to the substrate thereby forming a layer of target material on the substrate; and annealing the substrate and the deposited layer thereon. An improved physical vapor deposition vacuum chamber includes a target held in a target holder, a substrate held in a substrate holder, a plasma arc generator, and heating rods. A sputtering gas feed system is provided for introducing a mixture of sputtering gases into the chamber; as is a vacuum mechanism comprising at least one turbomolecular pump for evacuating the chamber to a pressure of less than 16 mTorr during deposition.

Abstract: A method of physical vapor deposition includes selecting a target material; mixing at least two gases to form a sputtering gas mixture, wherein a first sputtering gas is helium and a second sputtering gas is taken from the gases consisting of neon, argon krypton, xenon and radon; forming a plasma in the sputtering gas mixture atmosphere to sputter atoms from the target material to the substrate thereby forming a layer of target material on the substrate; and annealing the substrate and the deposited layer thereon. An improved physical vapor deposition vacuum chamber includes a target held in a target holder, a substrate held in a substrate holder, a plasma arc generator, and heating rods. A sputtering gas feed system is provided for introducing a mixture of sputtering gases into the chamber; as is a vacuum mechanism comprising at least one turbomolecular pump for evacuating the chamber to a pressure of less than 16 mTorr during deposition.

Abstract: A method of forming a thin film device includes preparing a substrate; forming a silicon target having predetermined impurities therein; depositing a layer of amorphous silicon by physical vapor deposition from the target; and crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer to form a polysilicon layer. The method of the invention is particularly suited to the formation of thin film transistors and liquid crystal displays incorporating thin film transistors.