Abstract: An SOI substrate is manufactured by a method in which a first insulating film is formed over a first substrate over which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor films is formed; the first insulating film is planarized; heat treatment is performed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate attached to the first insulating film; a second single crystal semiconductor film is formed; a third single crystal semiconductor film is formed using the first single crystal semiconductor films and the second single crystal semiconductor films as seed layers; a fragile layer is formed by introducing ions into the third single crystal semiconductor film; a second insulating film is formed over the third single crystal semiconductor film; heat treatment is performed on a second substrate superposed on the second insulating film; and a part of the third single crystal semiconductor film is fixed to the second substrate.

Abstract: To provide a novel photoelectric conversion device and a manufacturing method thereof. Over a base substrate having a light-transmitting property, a light-transmitting insulating layer and a single crystal semiconductor layer over the insulating layer are formed. A plurality of first impurity semiconductor layers each having one conductivity type is provided in a band shape in a surface layer of the single crystal semiconductor layer or on a surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer, and a plurality of second impurity semiconductor layers each having a conductivity type which is opposite to the one conductivity type is provided in a band shape in such a manner that the first impurity semiconductor layers and the second impurity semiconductor layers are alternately provided and do not overlap with each other.

Abstract: A second single crystal semiconductor film is formed over a first single crystal semiconductor film; a separation layer is formed by addition of ions into the second single crystal semiconductor film; a second insulating film functioning as a bonding layer is formed over the second single crystal semiconductor film; a surface of a first SOI substrate and a surface of a second substrate are made to face each other, so that a surface of the second insulating film and the surface of the second substrate are bonded to each other; and then heat treatment is performed to cause cleavage at the separation layer, so that a second SOI substrate in which a part of the second single crystal semiconductor film is provided over the second substrate with the second insulating film interposed therebetween is formed.

Abstract: An SOI substrate is manufactured by a method in which a first insulating film is formed over a first substrate over which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor films is formed; the first insulating film is planarized; heat treatment is performed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate attached to the first insulating film; a second single crystal semiconductor film is formed; a third single crystal semiconductor film is formed using the first single crystal semiconductor films and the second single crystal semiconductor films as seed layers; a fragile layer is formed by introducing ions into the third single crystal semiconductor film; a second insulating film is formed over the third single crystal semiconductor film; heat treatment is performed on a second substrate superposed on the second insulating film; and a part of the third single crystal semiconductor film is fixed to the second substrate.

Abstract: An object is to manufacture a semiconductor substrate having a single crystal semiconductor layer with favorable characteristics, without requiring CMP treatment and/or heat treatment at high temperature. In addition, another object is to improve productivity of semiconductor substrates. Vapor-phase epitaxial growth is performed by using a first single crystal semiconductor layer provided over a first substrate as a seed layer, whereby a second single crystal semiconductor layer is formed over the first single crystal semiconductor layer, and separation is performed at an interface of the both layers. Thus, the second single crystal semiconductor layer is transferred to the second substrate to provide a semiconductor substrate, and the semiconductor substrate is reused by performing laser light treatment on the seed layer.

Abstract: An object is to provide a single crystal semiconductor layer with extremely favorable characteristics without performing CMP treatment or heat treatment at high temperature. Further, an object is to provide a semiconductor substrate (or an SOI substrate) having the above single crystal semiconductor layer. A first single crystal semiconductor layer is formed by a vapor-phase epitaxial growth method on a surface of a second single crystal semiconductor layer over a substrate; the first single crystal semiconductor layer and a base substrate are bonded to each other with an insulating layer interposed therebetween; and the first single crystal semiconductor layer and the second single crystal semiconductor layer are separated from each other at an interface therebetween so as to provide the first single crystal semiconductor layer over the base substrate with the insulating layer interposed therebetween. Thus, an SOI substrate can be manufactured.

Abstract: A stack including at least an insulating layer, a first electrode, and a first impurity semiconductor layer is provided over a supporting substrate; a first semiconductor layer to which an impurity element imparting one conductivity type is added is formed over the first impurity semiconductor layer; a second semiconductor layer to which an impurity element imparting the one conductivity type is added is formed over the first semiconductor layer under a condition different from that of the first semiconductor layer; crystallinity of the first semiconductor layer and crystallinity of the second semiconductor layer are improved by a solid-phase growth method to form a second impurity semiconductor layer; an impurity element imparting the one conductivity type and an impurity element imparting a conductivity type different from the one conductivity type are added to the second impurity semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode layer is formed via a gate insulating layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate is provided by a method suitable for mass production. Further, a semiconductor substrate having an excellent characteristic with effective use of resources is provided.

Abstract: An embrittlement layer is formed in the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a first impurity semiconductor layer, a first electrode, and an insulating layer are formed on one surface of the single crystal semiconductor substrate. After attaching the insulating layer and a supporting substrate to each other to bond the single crystal semiconductor substrate and the supporting substrate, the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated along the embrittlement layer to form a stack including a first single crystal semiconductor layer. A first semiconductor layer and a second semiconductor layer are formed over the first single crystal semiconductor layer. A second single crystal semiconductor layer is formed by solid phase growth. A second impurity semiconductor layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of the first impurity semiconductor layer is formed on the second single crystal semiconductor layer. A second electrode is formed on the second impurity semiconductor layer.

Abstract: The purpose is manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device with excellent photoelectric conversion characteristics typified by a solar cell with effective use of a silicon material. A single crystal silicon layer is irradiated with a laser beam through an optical modulator to form an uneven structure on a surface thereof. The single crystal silicon layer is obtained in the following manner; an embrittlement layer is formed in a single crystal silicon substrate; one surface of a supporting substrate and one surface of an insulating layer formed over the single crystal silicon substrate are disposed to be in contact and bonded; heat treatment is performed; and the single crystal silicon layer is formed over the supporting substrate by separating part of the single crystal silicon substrate fixed to the supporting substrate along the embrittlement layer or a periphery of the embrittlement layer.

Abstract: An SOI substrate is manufactured by a method in which a first insulating film is formed over a first substrate over which a plurality of first single crystal semiconductor films is formed; the first insulating film is planarized; heat treatment is performed on a single crystal semiconductor substrate attached to the first insulating film; a second single crystal semiconductor film is formed; a third single crystal semiconductor film is formed using the first single crystal semiconductor films and the second single crystal semiconductor films as seed layers; a fragile layer is formed by introducing ions into the third single crystal semiconductor film; a second insulating film is formed over the third single crystal semiconductor film; heat treatment is performed on a second substrate superposed on the second insulating film; and a part of the third single crystal semiconductor film is fixed to the second substrate.

Abstract: There are provided a semiconductor device having a structure which can realize not only suppression of a punch-through current but also reuse of a silicon wafer used for bonding, in manufacturing a semiconductor device using an SOI technique, and a manufacturing method thereof. A semiconductor film into which an impurity imparting a conductivity type opposite to that of a source region and a drain region is implanted is formed over a substrate, and a single crystal semiconductor film is bonded to the semiconductor film by an SOI technique to form a stacked semiconductor film. A channel formation region is formed using the stacked semiconductor film, thereby suppressing a punch-through current in a semiconductor device.

Abstract: A second single crystal semiconductor film is formed over a first single crystal semiconductor film; a separation layer is formed by addition of ions into the second single crystal semiconductor film; a second insulating film functioning as a bonding layer is formed over the second single crystal semiconductor film; a surface of a first SOI substrate and a surface of a second substrate are made to face each other, so that a surface of the second insulating film and the surface of the second substrate are bonded to each other; and then heat treatment is performed to cause cleavage at the separation layer, so that a second SOI substrate in which a part of the second single crystal semiconductor film is provided over the second substrate with the second insulating film interposed therebetween is formed.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device having an excellent photoelectric conversion characteristic is provided while effectively utilizing limited resources. A fragile layer is formed in a region at a depth of less than 1000 nm from one surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate, and a first impurity semiconductor layer, a first electrode, and an insulating layer are formed on the one surface side of the single crystal semiconductor substrate. After bonding the insulating layer to a supporting substrate, the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated with the fragile layer or its vicinity used as a separation plane, thereby forming a first single crystal semiconductor layer over the supporting substrate.

Abstract: A fragile layer is formed in a region at a depth of less than 1000 nm from one surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate, and a first impurity semiconductor layer and a first electrode are formed at the one surface side. After bonding the first electrode and a supporting substrate, the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated using the fragile layer or the vicinity as a separation plane, thereby forming a first single crystal semiconductor layer over the supporting substrate. An amorphous semiconductor layer is formed on the first single crystal semiconductor layer, and a second single crystal semiconductor layer is formed by heat treatment for solid phase growth of the amorphous semiconductor layer. A second impurity semiconductor layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of the first impurity semiconductor layer and a second electrode are formed over the second single crystal semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate including a single crystal semiconductor layer with a buffer layer interposed therebetween is manufactured. A semiconductor substrate is doped with hydrogen to form a damaged layer containing a large amount of hydrogen. After the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a supporting substrate are bonded, the semiconductor substrate is heated so that the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated along a separation plane. The single crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with a laser beam from the single crystal semiconductor layer side to melt a region in the depth direction from the surface of the laser-irradiated region of the single crystal semiconductor layer. Recrystallization progresses based on the plane orientation of the single crystal semiconductor layer which is solid without being melted; therefore, crystallinity of the single crystal semiconductor layer is recovered and the surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer is planarized.

Abstract: A single crystal semiconductor substrate bonded over a supporting substrate with a buffer layer interposed therebetween and having a separation layer is heated to separate the single crystal semiconductor substrate using the separation layer or a region near the separation layer as a separation plane, thereby forming a single crystal semiconductor layer over the supporting substrate. The single crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with a laser beam to re-single-crystallize the single crystal semiconductor layer through melting. An impurity element is selectively added into the single crystal semiconductor layer to form a pair of impurity regions and a channel formation region between the pair of impurity regions. The single crystal semiconductor layer is heated at temperature which is equal to or higher than 400° C. and equal to or lower than a strain point of the supporting substrate and which does not cause melting of the single crystal semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate is irradiated with accelerated hydrogen ions, thereby forming a damaged region including a large amount of hydrogen. After a single crystal semiconductor substrate and a supporting substrate are bonded to each other, the semiconductor substrate is heated, so that the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated in the damaged region. A single crystal semiconductor layer which is separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrate is irradiated with a laser beam. The single crystal semiconductor layer is melted by laser beam irradiation, whereby the single crystal semiconductor layer is recrystallized to recover its crystallinity and to planarized a surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer.

Abstract: To provide a high-performance semiconductor device using an SOI substrate in which a substrate having low heat resistance is used as a base substrate, to provide a high-performance semiconductor device without performing mechanical polishing, and to provide an electronic device using the semiconductor device, planarity of a semiconductor layer is improved and defects in the semiconductor layer are reduced by laser beam irradiation. Accordingly, a high-performance semiconductor device can be provided without performing mechanical polishing. In addition, a semiconductor device is manufactured using a region having the most excellent characteristics in a region irradiated with the laser beam. Specifically, instead of the semiconductor layer in a region which is irradiated with the edge portion of the laser beam, the semiconductor layer in a region which is irradiated with portions of the laser beam except the edge portion is used as a semiconductor element.

Abstract: A single crystal semiconductor substrate is irradiated with ions that are generated by exciting a hydrogen gas and are accelerated with an ion doping apparatus, thereby forming a damaged region that contains a large amount of hydrogen. After the single crystal semiconductor substrate and a supporting substrate are bonded, the single crystal semiconductor substrate is heated to be separated along the damaged region. While a single crystal semiconductor layer separated from the single crystal semiconductor substrate is heated, this single crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with a laser beam. The single crystal semiconductor layer undergoes re-single-crystallization by being melted through laser beam irradiation, thereby recovering its crystallinity and planarizing the surface of the single crystal semiconductor layer.