Abstract: An insulating film having depressions and projections are formed on a substrate. A semiconductor film is formed on the insulating film. Thus, for crystallization by using laser light, a part where stress concentrates is selectively formed in the semiconductor film. More specifically, stripe or rectangular depressions and projections are provided in the semiconductor film. Then, continuous-wave laser light is irradiated along the stripe depressions and projections formed in the semiconductor film or in a direction of a major axis or minor axis of the rectangle.

Abstract: To provide a method of efficiently configuring a circuit requiring high inter-device consistency by using thin-film transistors. A semiconductor layer is formed on a substrate and is patterned into desired shapes to form first semiconductor islands. The first semiconductor islands are uniformly crystallized by laser irradiation within the surface areas thereof. Thereafter, the semiconductor layers are patterned into desired shapes to become active layers of the thin-film transistors layer. Active layers of all of thin-film transistors constituting one unitary circuit are formed of one of the first semiconductor islands in this case. Thus, the TFTs mutually realize high consistency.

Abstract: A semiconductor device production system using a laser crystallization method is provided which can avoid forming grain boundaries in a channel formation region of a TFT, thereby preventing grain boundaries from lowering the mobility of the TFT greatly, from lowering ON current, and from increasing OFF current. Rectangular or stripe pattern depression and projection portions are formed on an insulating film. A semiconductor film is formed on the insulating film. The semiconductor film is irradiated with continuous wave laser light by running the laser light along the stripe pattern depression and projection portions of the insulating film or along the major or minor axis direction of the rectangle. Although continuous wave laser light is most preferred among laser light, it is also possible to use pulse oscillation laser light in irradiating the semiconductor film.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a semiconductor device manufactured by using the manufacturing method, in which a laser crystallization method is used that is capable of preventing the formation of grain boundaries in TFT channel formation regions, and is capable of preventing conspicuous drops in TFT mobility, reduction in the ON current, and increases in the OFF current, all due to grain boundaries. Stripe shape or rectangular shape unevenness or opening is formed. Continuous wave laser light is then irradiated to a semiconductor film formed on an insulating film. Note that although it is most preferable to use continuous wave laser light at this point, pulse wave oscillation laser light may also be used.

Abstract: A laser irradiation method using a laser crystallization method which can heighten an efficiency of substrate processing as compared to a conventional one and also heighten mobility of a semiconductor film is provided. It is an irradiation method of a laser beam in which, pattern information of a sub-island formed on a substrate is stored, and a beam spot of a laser beam is condensed so as to become linear, and by use of the stored pattern information, a scanning path of the beam spot is determined so as to include the sub-island, and by moving the beam spot along the scanning path, the laser beam is irradiated to the sub-island, characterized in that on the occasion of scanning the beam spot, when the beam spot has reached to the sub-island, the beam spot and the sub-island are contacted at a plurality of points.

Abstract: It is a problem to provide a semiconductor device production system using a laser crystallization method capable of preventing grain boundaries from forming in a TFT channel region and further preventing conspicuous lowering in TFT mobility due to grain boundaries, on-current decrease or off-current increase. An insulation film is formed on a substrate, and a semiconductor film is formed on the insulation film. Due to this, preferentially formed is a region in the semiconductor film to be concentratedly applied by stress during crystallization with laser light. Specifically, a stripe-formed or rectangular concavo-convex is formed on the semiconductor film. Continuous-oscillation laser light is irradiated along the striped concavo-convex or along a direction of a longer or shorter axis of rectangle.

Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor device and a method of fabricating the semiconductor device in which a heat treatment time required for crystal growth is shortened and a process is simplified. Two catalytic element introduction regions are arranged at both sides of one active layer and crystallization is made. A boundary portion where crystal growth from one catalytic element introduction region meets crystal growth from the other catalytic element introduction region is formed in a region which becomes a source region or drain region.

Abstract: An objective is to provide a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, and a semiconductor device manufactured by using the manufacturing method, in which a laser crystallization method is used that is capable of preventing the formation of grain boundaries in TFT channel formation regions, and is capable of preventing conspicuous drops in TFT mobility, reduction in the ON current, and increases in the OFF current, all due to grain boundaries. Depressions and projections with stripe shape or rectangular shape are formed. Continuous wave laser light is then irradiated to a semiconductor film formed on an insulating film along the depressions and projections with stripe shape of the insulating film, or along a longitudinal axis direction or a transverse axis direction of the rectangular shape. Note that although it is most preferable to use continuous wave laser light at this point, pulse wave laser light may also be used.

Abstract: To provide a semiconductor device composed of a semiconductor element or a group of semiconductor elements, in which a crystalline semiconductor film having as few grain boundaries as possible in a channel formation region is formed on an insulating surface, which can operate at high speed, which have high current drive performance, and which are less fluctuated between elements.

Abstract: To effectively crystallize an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon by utilizing nickel element and remove nickel element contributed to the crystallization, a mask 103 is provided on an amorphous silicon film 102, oxide film patterns 107 and 108 including nickel are formed, phosphorus is doped in a region 109, thereafter, heating is performed, nickel element is diffused via paths 110 and 111 and nickel element diffuses in the amorphous silicon film and gettered by phosphorus at the region 109 by which crystallization of diffusion of nickel and gettering of nickel can be carried out simultaneously.

Abstract: To effectively crystallize an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon by utilizing nickel element and remove nickel element contributed to the crystallization, a mask 103 is provided on an amorphous silicon film 102, oxide film patterns 107 and 108 including nickel are formed, phosphorus is doped in a region 109, thereafter, heating is performed, nickel element is diffused via paths 110 and 111 and nickel element diffuses in the amorphous silicon film and gettered by phosphorus at the region 109 by which crystallization of diffusion of nickel and gettering of nickel can be carried out simultaneously.

Abstract: In a crystalline silicon film fabricated by a related art method, the orientation planes of its crystal randomly exist and the orientation rate relative to a particular crystal orientation is low. A semiconductor material which contains silicon as its main component and 0.1-10 atomic % of germanium is used as a first layer, and an amorphous silicon film is used as a second layer. Laser light is irradiated to crystallize the amorphous semiconductor films, whereby a good semiconductor film is obtained. In addition, TFTs are fabricated by using such a semiconductor film.

Abstract: Crystal orientation planes exist randomly in a crystalline silicon film manufactured by a conventional method, and the orientation ratio is low with respect to a specific crystal orientation. A semiconductor film having a high orientation ratio for the {101} lattice plane is obtained if crystallization of an amorphous semiconductor film, which has silicon as its main constituent and contains from 0.1 to 10 atom % germanium, is performed after introduction of a metal element. A TFT is manufactured utilizing the semiconductor film.

Abstract: The orientation of a crystalline semiconductor film obtained by crystallizing an amorphous semiconductor film is improved and a TFT formed from this crystalline semiconductor film is provided. In a semiconductor device whose TFT is formed from a semiconductor layer mainly containing silicon, the semiconductor layer has a channel formation region and an impurity region doped with an impurity of one type of conductivity.

Abstract: To effectively crystallize an amorphous semiconductor film comprising silicon by utilizing nickel element and remove nickel element contributed to the crystallization, a mask 103 is provided on an amorphous silicon film 102, oxide film patterns 107 and 108 including nickel are formed, phosphorus is doped in a region 109, thereafter, heating is performed, nickel element is diffused via paths 110 and 111 and nickel element diffuses in the amorphous silicon film and gettered by phosphorus at the region 109 by which crystallization of diffusion of nickel and gettering of nickel can be carried out simultaneously.

Abstract: The orientation ratio of a crystalline semiconductor film obtained by crystallizing an amorphous semiconductor film through heat treatment and irradiation of intense light such as laser light, ultraviolet rays, or infrared rays is enhanced, and a semiconductor device whose active region is formed from the crystalline semiconductor film and a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device are provided. In a semiconductor film containing silicon and germanium as its ingredient and having a crystal structure, the {101} plane reaches 30% or more of all the lattice planes detected by Electron backscatter diffraction.

Abstract: The TFT has a channel-forming region formed of a crystalline semiconductor film obtained by heat-treating and crystallizing an amorphous semiconductor film containing silicon as a main component and germanium in an amount of not smaller than 0.1 atomic % but not larger than 10 atomic % while adding a metal element thereto, wherein not smaller than 20% of the lattice plane {101} has an angle of not larger than 10 degrees with respect to the surface of the semiconductor film, not larger than 3% of the lattice plane {001} has an angle of not larger than 10 degrees with respect to the surface of the semiconductor film, and not larger than 5% of the lattice plane {111} has an angle of not larger than 10 degrees with respect to the surface of the semiconductor film as detected by the electron backscatter diffraction pattern method.

Abstract: In a crystallization process of an amorphous semiconductor film, a first polycrystalline semiconductor film, in which amorphous regions are dotted within the continuous crystal region, is obtained by performing heat treatment after introducing a metallic element which promotes crystallization on the amorphous semiconductor film. At this point, the amorphous regions are kept within a predetermined range. A laser beam having a wave length region, which can give more energy to the amorphous region than to the crystal region, is irradiated to the first polycrystalline semiconductor film, it is possible to crystallize the amorphous region without destroying the crystal region. If a TFT is manufactured based on a second polycrystalline semiconductor film, which is obtained through the above-mentioned crystallization processes, the TFT with high electric characteristics and less fluctuation can be obtained.

Abstract: In a crystallization process of an amorphous semiconductor film, a first crystalline semiconductor film having crystalline regions, and dotted with amorphous regions within the crystalline regions, is obtained by performing heat treatment processing after introducing a metallic element which promotes crystallization on the amorphous semiconductor film. The amorphous regions are kept within a predetermined range by regulating the heat treatment conditions at this point. Laser annealing is performed on the first crystalline semiconductor film, to form a second crystalline semiconductor film. Electrical characteristics for a TFT manufactured based on the second crystalline semiconductor film can be obtained having less dispersion.