Abstract: The laser beam projection mask 14 has three rectangular-shaped slits 25, 26, 27 as transmission areas. These three slits 25, 26, 27 are formed in sequence in X direction shown by an arrow X in FIG. 2C at specified intervals, and the width in the X direction decreases in the order of the slit 25, the slit 26 and the slit 27. More particularly, transmission coefficients of the transmission areas change in conformity with a temperature distribution curve V1 of a silicon film 4 shown in FIG. 2B.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a substrate and a semiconductor film deposited on the substrate, characterized in that the semiconductor film has a laterally grown crystal having an end with a surface projection height smaller than the thickness of the semiconductor film. There are also provided a semiconductor device fabrication method and apparatus utilizing a method and apparatus for fabricating the semiconductor device, that is capable of reducing a surface projection height or a ridge formed in a last region in repeating laser exposure in the SLS method, and a semiconductor device fabricated thereby.

Abstract: A first laser beam is emitted from a first laser oscillator in a pulsed manner at a high repetition frequency, and converged onto a substrate by a first intermediate optical system 2 so as to form a slit-like first beam spot. A second laser beam is emitted from a second laser beam oscillator in a pulsed manner to rise precedent to and fall subsequent to the first laser beam, and converged onto the substrate by a second intermediate optical system so as to form a second beam spot similar in configuration to the first beam spot and to contain the first beam spot. Crystallization of a semiconductor thin film on the substrate is carried out while the substrate or the first, second beam spots are moved. Thereby, the whole semiconductor thin film is formed into a crystal surface that has grown in one direction and free from ridges. Thus, the semiconductor thin film has an extremely flat surface, extremely few defects, large crystal grains and high throughput.

Abstract: A first laser beam is emitted from a first laser oscillator in a pulsed manner at a high repetition frequency, and converged onto a substrate by a first intermediate optical system 2 so as to form a slit-like first beam spot. A second laser beam is emitted from a second laser beam oscillator in a pulsed manner to rise precedent to and fall subsequent to the first laser beam, and converged onto the substrate by a second intermediate optical system so as to form a second beam spot similar in configuration to the first beam spot and to contain the first beam spot. Crystallization of a semiconductor thin film on the substrate is carried out while the substrate or the first, second beam spots are moved. Thereby, the whole semiconductor thin film is formed into a crystal surface that has grown in one direction and free from ridges. Thus, the semiconductor thin film has an extremely flat surface, extremely few defects, large crystal grains and high throughput.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to credibly crystallize an amorphous material for use as a semiconductor material and effect crystallization to a region of desired scope. A first region drawn on a surface of a layer of amorphous material formed on the surface layer of sample (21) is irradiated with laser beam to thereby effect melting, solidification and crystallization of the amorphous material. A second region drawn on the surface of the layer of amorphous material so as to partially overlap the first region is determined, and the second region is irradiated with laser beam to thereby melt the amorphous material within the second region. At the time of solidification of the molten amorphous material, epitaxial growth with the use of the crystal of the first region as a seed crystal is carried out to thereby attain crystallization.

Abstract: A first laser beam is emitted from a first laser oscillator in a pulsed manner at a high repetition frequency, and converged onto a substrate by a first intermediate optical system 2 so as to form a slit-like first beam spot. A second laser beam is emitted from a second laser beam oscillator in a pulsed manner to rise precedent to and fall subsequent to the first laser beam, and converged onto the substrate by a second intermediate optical system so as to form a second beam spot similar in configuration to the first beam spot and to contain the first beam spot. Crystallization of a semiconductor thin film on the substrate is carried out while the substrate or the first, second beam spots are moved. Thereby, the whole semiconductor thin film is formed into a crystal surface that has grown in one direction and free from ridges. Thus, the semiconductor thin film has an extremely flat surface, extremely few defects, large crystal grains and high throughput.

Abstract: The laser beam projection mask 14 has three rectangular-shaped slits 25, 26, 27 as transmission areas. These three slits 25, 26, 27 are formed in sequence in X direction shown by an arrow X in FIG. 2C at specified intervals, and the width in the X direction decreases in the order of the slit 25, the slit 26 and the slit 27. More particularly, transmission coefficients of the transmission areas change in conformity with a temperature distribution curve V1 of a silicon film 4 shown in FIG. 2B.

Abstract: A semiconductor device having a semiconductor film formed on a substrate, characterized in that the semiconductor film has laterally grown crystal, and at an end portion of the laterally grown crystal, height of surface projection is lower than film thickness of said semiconductor film, is provided.

Abstract: A plasma information display element of the present invention includes a first substrate; a second substrate opposing the first substrate; a plurality of barrier ribs provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of discharge channels defined by the first substrate, the second substrate and the barrier ribs. The plasma information display element further includes: an anode and a cathode provided on one side of the first substrate that is closer to the second substrate; and a protective layer provided so as to cover the anode and the cathode, wherein the protective layer is a layer that contains (220)-oriented MgO and (200)-oriented MgO.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and devices formed thereby, a semiconductor material (26) (e.g., amorphous silicon or microcrystallized silicon film) is formed on a substrate (22). At least a region (R) of the semiconductor material is irradiated with a laser (38) for heating and melting the semiconductor material in the region. The manufacturing method is controlled to promote uniform cooling of the semiconductor material in the irradiated region. Uniform cooling of the silicon film after irradiation is promoted so that, after irradiation, a desirable polycrystalline microstructure (CM) is formed in the semiconductor material by lateral solidification from a boundary (B) of the region. Uniform and/or slow cooling reduces occurrence of growth-restricting microcrystals in the center of the melted region, so that advantageously lateral crystal growth is relatively unrestricted, resulting in longer lateral growth and preferably also wider crystal growth essentially uniformly.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device and devices formed thereby, a semiconductor material layer (e.g., amorphous silicon or microcrystallized silicon film) is formed on a substrate. At least a region of the semiconductor material layer is irradiated with a laser for heating and melting the semiconductor material in the region. The manufacturing method is controlled to promote uniform cooling of the semiconductor material in the irradiated region. Uniform cooling of the semiconductor material after irradiation is promoted so that, after irradiation, a desirable polycrystalline microstructure is formed in the semiconductor material layer by lateral solidification from a boundary of the region.

Abstract: A liquid crystal data display device has a liquid crystal panel unit, and a backlight unit is further equipped with an illuminometer for measuring ambient illuminance. Panel brightness Bp (cd/m2) is done by using an equation Bp=a×1n (I)+b when ambient illuminance is I (1x), wherein 10<a<340, and 50<b<250.

Abstract: Featured is a recording and reproducing method of a magneto-optical recording medium including a recording layer for recording thereon information magneto-optically and a readout layer which has in-plane magnetization at room temperature and where a transition occurs from in-plane magnetization to perpendicular magnetization as temperature raises. The method includes projecting a light beam onto such a magneto-optical recording medium so as to form a perpendicularly magnetized area in the readout layer by duplication of the magnetization of said recording layer to the area. In further embodiments, the recording medium further includes an intermediate layer made of non-magnetic film formed between the readout and recording layers and the readout and recording layers are composed of rare-earth transition metal alloys such as TbFeCo (recoding layer) readout layer, made of GdFeCo (readout layer).

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium is composed of a base which has a property that a light can be transmitted therethrough, a readout layer formed on the base, which has in-plane magnetization at room temperature, whereas, a transition occurs from in-plane magnetization to perpendicular magnetization as the temperature thereof is raised and a recording layer formed on the readout layer for recording information magneto-optically. A recording and reproducing method and the optical head are designed for the magneto-optical recording medium. By the recording and reproducing method using the optical head, information recorded at high density can be reproduced.

Abstract: A plasma information display element of the present invention includes a first substrate; a second substrate opposing the first substrate; a plurality of barrier ribs provided between the first substrate and the second substrate; and a plurality of discharge channels defined by the first substrate, the second substrate and the barrier ribs. The plasma information display element further includes: an anode and a cathode provided on one side of the first substrate that is closer to the second substrate; and a protective layer provided so as to cover the anode and the cathode, wherein the protective layer is a layer that contains (220)-oriented MgO and (200)-oriented MgO.

Abstract: Featured is a recording and reproducing method for recording and reproducing information on and from a recording medium. The medium includes a base having a property that a light can be transmitted therethrough, a readout layer formed on the base, which has an in-plane magnetization at room temperature, whereas, a transition occurs from in-plane magnetization to perpendicular magnetization as temperature rises and a recording layer formed on said readout layer for recording thereon information magneto-optically. A groove for guiding a light beam is formed on a readout layer side of the base and a groove width is set substantially equal to a land width formed between grooves. The recording layer on the grooves and the recording layer on lands are used in recording and reproducing information.

Abstract: An optical disk has address recording sections each of which has a wobbled part of one of side walls of a groove. Each address recording section is formed by providing convexes of a groove in an adjacent land so as to widen the groove. With the wobbles thus provided in a concavo-convex form, address information is recorded. Besides, the address recording sections thus provided in the grooves are linearly disposed in radial directions of the optical disk. By thus arranging the optical disk on whose grooves and/or lands information is recorded, mixing of wobble frequency components in reproduced information signals does not occur, the sector method is applicable to the optical disk, and information signals of high quality can be obtained.

Abstract: A liquid crystal data display device comprising a liquid crystal panel unit 1 and a backlight unit 2 is further equipped with an illuminometer 4 for measuring ambient illuminance, and a means for computing the panel brightness Bp (cd/m2) using the equation Bp=a×1n (I)+b when the ambient illuminance is I (1x), wherein 10≦a≦40, and 50≦b≦250.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium is composed of a base which has a property that a light can be transmitted therethrough, a readout layer formed on the base, which has in-plane magnetization at room temperature, whereas, a transition occurs from in-plane magnetization to perpendicular magnetization as the temperature thereof is raised and a recording layer formed on the readout layer for recording information magneto-optically. A recording and reproducing method and the optical head are designed for the magneto-optical recording medium. By the recording and reproducing method using the optical head, information recorded at high density can be reproduced.

Abstract: The plasma address information display device of this invention includes a plasma address cell and a display medium layer which is addressed by the plasma address cell, the plasma address cell including: a substrate; a transparent thin substrate opposing to the substrate; a plurality of partitions made of dielectrics formed between the substrate and the transparent thin substrate; and electrodes disposed on a surface of the substrate facing the transparent thin substrate, wherein a mixed gas composed of an inactive gas and an active gas is sealed in plasma discharge spaces each surrounded by the substrate, the transparent thin substrate, and the plurality of partitions.