Abstract: A crystallization apparatus according to the present invention includes a first irradiation system which irradiates a predetermined area on a glass substrate having an irradiation target, i.e., an a-Si thin film with light beams having a substantially homogeneous light intensity distribution, and a second irradiation system which irradiates the predetermined area with light beams having a light intensity distribution with an inverse peak pattern that a light intensity is increased toward the periphery from an area in which the light intensity is minimum.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin-film transistor offering a higher electron (or hole) mobility, a method for manufacturing the thin-film transistor, and a display using the thin-film transistor. The present invention provides a thin-film transistor having a source region, a channel region, and a drain region in a semiconductor thin film with a crystal grown in a horizontal direction, the thin-film transistor having a gate insulating film and a gate electrode over the channel region, wherein a drain edge of the drain region which is adjacent to the channel region is formed in the vicinity of a crystal growth end position.

Abstract: According to a crystallization method, in the crystallization by irradiating a non-single semiconductor thin film of 40 to 100 nm provided on an insulation substrate with a laser light, a light intensity distribution having an inverse peak pattern is formed on the surface of the substrate, a light intensity gradient of the light intensity distribution is controlled, a crystal grain array is formed in which each crystal grain is aligned having a longer shape in a crystal growth direction than in a width direction and having a preferential crystal orientation (100) in a grain length direction, and a TFT is formed in which a source region and a drain region are formed so that current flows across a plurality of crystal grains of the crystal grain array in the crystal growth direction.

Abstract: A light application apparatus includes an optical modulation element provided with a plurality of phase steps, a light beam which is entered into the optical modulation element being phase-modulated by the phase steps and exits from the optical modulation element as a light beam having a first light intensity distribution. An optical system is arranged between the optical modulation element and an predetermined plane. The optical system divides the phase-modulated light beam into at least two light fluxes having second and third light intensity distributions and different optical characteristics from each other, and projects a light beam including the divided two light fluxes, the light intensity distributions of the projected light fluxes being combined with each other, so that the projected light beam has a fourth light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape on the predetermined plane and enters the predetermined plane.

Abstract: A light irradiation apparatus includes a light modulation element that modulates a phase of incident light to emit the modulated light therefrom, and an image forming optical system that is arranged between the light modulation element and an irradiation target plane, and forms an image of the emitted light to irradiate the irradiation target plane with the light having a predetermined light intensity. The light modulation element has in a unit region a plurality of area ratio changing structures including a first area ratio changing structure and a second area ratio changing structure. The first area ratio changing structure has at least one first phase modulation region in which an area share ratio varies in a first direction. The second area ratio changing structure has at least one second phase modulation region in which an area share ratio varies in a second direction different from the first direction.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a light modulation optical system having a first element which forms a desired light intensity gradient distribution to an incident light beam and a second element which forms a desired light intensity minimum distribution with an inverse peak shape to the same, and an image formation optical system which is provided between the light modulation optical system and a substrate having a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film, wherein the incident light beam to which the light intensity gradient distribution and the light intensity minimum distribution are formed is applied to the polycrystal semiconductor film or the amorphous semiconductor film through the image formation optical system, thereby crystallizing a non-crystal semiconductor film. The pattern of the first element is opposed to the pattern of the second element.

Abstract: A light application apparatus includes an optical modulation element provided with a plurality of phase steps, a light beam which is entered into the optical modulation element being phase-modulated by the phase steps and exits from the optical modulation element as a light beam having a first light intensity distribution. An optical system is arranged between the optical modulation element and an predetermined plane. The optical system divides the phase-modulated light beam into at least two light fluxes having second and third light intensity distributions and different optical characteristics from each other, and projects a light beam including the divided two light fluxes, the light intensity distributions of the projected light fluxes being combined with each other, so that the projected light beam has a fourth light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape on the predetermined plane and enters the predetermined plane.

Abstract: A crystallization apparatus includes an illumination system which illuminates a phase shifter having a phase shift portion, and irradiates a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film with a light beam having a predetermined light intensity distribution in which a light intensity is minimum in a point area corresponding to the phase shift portion of the phase shifter, thereby forming a crystallized semiconductor film, the phase shifter has four or more even-numbered phase shift lines which intersect at a point constituting the phase shift portion. An area on one side and an area on the other side of each phase shift line have a phase difference of approximately 180 degrees.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a light modulation optical system having a first element which forms a desired light intensity gradient distribution to an incident light beam and a second element which forms a desired light intensity minimum distribution with an inverse peak shape to the same, and an image formation optical system which is provided between the light modulation optical system and a substrate having a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film, wherein the incident light beam to which the light intensity gradient distribution and the light intensity minimum distribution are formed is applied to the polycrystal semiconductor film or the amorphous semiconductor film through the image formation optical system, thereby crystallizing a non-crystal semiconductor film. The pattern of the first element is opposed to the pattern of the second element.

Abstract: The semiconductor device according to the present invention has a semiconductor layer having not smaller than two types of crystal grains different in size within a semiconductor circuit on a same substrate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a thin film transistor having a high mobility and having fewer fluctuations in the mobility or threshold voltage characteristics. A non-single-crystal semiconductor thin film having a thickness of less than 50 nm and disposed on an insulating substrate is irradiated with laser light having an inverse-peak-patterned light intensity distribution to grow crystals unidirectionally in a lateral direction. Thus, band-like crystal grains having a dimension in a crystal growth direction, which is longer than a width, are arranged adjacent to each other in a width direction to form a crystal grain array. A source region and a drain region of a TFT are formed so that a current flows in the crystal growth direction in an area including a plurality of crystal grains of this crystal grain array.

Abstract: The semiconductor device according to the present invention has a semiconductor layer having not smaller than two types of crystal grains different in size within a semiconductor circuit on a same substrate.

Abstract: A phase shift mask is arranged before a laser device through a beam expander, a homogenizer and a mirror, and a processed substrate is set on an opposed surface of the phase shift mask with an image forming optical system therebetween. The processed substrate is held at a predetermined position by using a substrate chuck such as a vacuum chuck or an electrostatic chuck.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display includes pixels arrayed in a matrix of rows and columns, scanning lines extending along the rows of the pixels, signal lines extending along the columns of the pixels, and pixel driving sections which are disposed near intersections of the scanning lines and signal lines, and each of which is controlled via one scanning line to capture a data signal on one signal line and output the data signal to one pixel. Particularly, each pixel driving section includes a memory circuit having a transistor whose gate is connected to the one signal line, and first and second storage capacitances which are charged to positive and negative power supply voltages and connected to a source and drain of the transistor to store the data signal as analog drive voltages of positive and negative polarities, respectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin-film transistor having a higher mobility for electrons or holes, a method for manufacturing the thin-film transistor, and a display using the thin-film transistor. Thus, the present invention provides a thin-film transistor having a source region, a channel region, and a drain region in a semiconductor thin film having a crystallization region with a crystal grown in a horizontal direction, the thin-film transistor having a gate insulating film and a gate electrode over the channel region, wherein a drain edge of the drain region which is adjacent to the channel region is formed in the vicinity of a crystal growth end position.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes a one conductive type semiconductor layer (11); a source region (12) and a drain region (13) which are separately provided in the semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode (14) provided above or below the semiconductor layer with an insulating film interposed therebetween, wherein the width (Ws) of the junction face between the source region and the channel (16) which is provided between the source region and drain region, is different from the width (Wd) of the junction face between the above channel region and the drain region.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin-film transistor offering a higher electron (or hole) mobility, a method for manufacturing the thin-film transistor, and a display using the thin-film transistor. The present invention provides a thin-film transistor having a source region, a channel region, and a drain region in a semiconductor thin film with a crystal grown in a horizontal direction, the thin-film transistor having a gate insulating film and a gate electrode over the channel region, wherein a drain edge of the drain region which is adjacent to the channel region is formed in the vicinity of a crystal growth end position.

Abstract: A crystallization apparatus includes an illumination system which illuminates a phase shifter having a phase shift portion, and irradiates a polycrystal semiconductor film or an amorphous semiconductor film with a light beam having a predetermined light intensity distribution in which a light intensity is minimum in a point area corresponding to the phase shift portion of the phase shifter, thereby forming a crystallized semiconductor film, the phase shifter has four or more even-numbered phase shift lines which intersect at a point constituting the phase shift portion. An area on one side and an area on the other side of each phase shift line have a phase difference of approximately 180 degrees.

Abstract: A knife edge is disposed at a height corresponding to a section on which a sectional image (light intensity distribution) is picked up in such a manner as to intercept a part of the section of the laser light. The knife edge is irradiated with the laser light, and the sectional image of the laser light is enlarged with an image forming optics, and is picked up by a CCD. While picking up the sectional image in this manner, focusing of the image forming optics is performed. Next, the knife edge is retracted from the optical path of the laser light, the laser light is allowed to enter the CCD via the image forming optics, and the sectional image of the laser light is picked up.

Abstract: A thin-film semiconductor substrate includes an insulative substrate, an amorphous semiconductor thin film that is formed on the insulative substrate, and a plurality of alignment marks that are located on the semiconductor thin film and are indicative of reference positions for crystallization.