Abstract: A functional device free from cracking and having excellent functional characteristics, and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A low-temperature softening layer (12) and a heat-resistant layer (13) are formed in this order on a substrate (11) made of an organic material such as polyethylene terephthalate, and a functional layer (14) made of polysilicon is formed thereon. The functional layer (14) is formed by crystallizing an amorphous silicon layer, which is a precursor layer, with laser beam irradiation. When a laser beam is applied, heat is transmitted to the substrate (11) and the substrate (11) tends to expand. However, a stress caused by a difference in a thermal expansion coefficient between the substrate (11) and the functional layer (14) is absorbed by the low-temperature softening layer (12), so that no cracks and peeling occurs in the functional layer (14). The low-temperature softening layer (12) is preferably made of a polymeric material containing an acrylic resin.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flat panel display capable of manufacturing and preparing TFT of a pixel part and TFT of a scanning part with high reliability, comprising the steps of forming an amorphous silicon thin film on a substrate comprising a pixel part and a drive part, removing hydrogen from the amorphous silicon thin film formed in the drive part by irradiating a laser beam while without irradiating the amorphous silicon thin film formed in the pixel part, and crystallizing the amorphous silicon thin film formed in the drive part by irradiating a laser beam further, thereby changing the amorphous silicon thin film into a polycrystalline silicon thin film.

Abstract: A process of forming a silicon thin film includes the steps of: irradiating a pulsed rectangular ultraviolet beam on an amorphous or polycrystalline silicon layer formed on a base body, to thereby form a silicon thin film composed of a group of silicon single crystal grains which are each approximately rectangular-shaped and which are arranged in a grid pattern on the base body. In this process, the moved amount of a ultraviolet beam irradiating position in a period from completion of an irradiation of the rectangular ultraviolet beam to starting of the next irradiation of the rectangular-ultraviolet beam is specified at 40 &mgr;m or less, and a ratio of the moved amount to a width of the rectangular ultraviolet beam measured in the movement direction thereof is in a range of 0.1 to 5%. Further, a selected orientation of the silicon single crystal grains to the surface of the base body is approximately the <100> direction.

Abstract: An optical energy conversion apparatus 10 includes a first impurity doped semiconductor layer 5, formed on a substrate, and which is of a semiconductor material admixed with a first impurity, an optically active layer 6, formed on the first impurity doped semiconductor layer 5, and which is of a hydrogen-containing amorphous semiconductor material, and a second impurity doped semiconductor layer 7, admixed with a second impurity and formed on the optically active semiconductor layer 6. The second impurity doped semiconductor layer is of a polycrystallized semiconductor material lower in hydrogen concentration than the material of the optically active semiconductor layer 6. The average crystal grain size in the depth-wise direction in an interfacing structure between the optically active semiconductor layer 6 and the second impurity doped semiconductor layer 7 is decreased stepwise in a direction proceeding from the surface of the second impurity doped semiconductor layer towards the substrate 1.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method manufacturing a crystalline semiconductor material capable of improving the crystallinity and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. An amorphous film made of silicon (Si) is formed on a substrate with a protective film inbetween. Then, a short-wavelength energy beam is irradiated to the amorphous film as a first heat treatment, thereby forming a crystalline film made of quasi-single crystal. Subsequently, another short-wavelength energy beam is irradiated to the crystalline film as a second heat treatment in order to selectively fuse and re-crystallize only the grain boundary of the crystalline film and the neighboring region. As a result, a crystalline film with excellent crystallinity can be obtained.

Abstract: A functional device and method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A low-temperature softening layer and a heat-resistant layer are formed in this order on a substrate made of organic material such as polyethylene terephthalate, and a functional layer made of polysilicon is formed thereon. The functional layer is formed by crystallizing an amorphous silicon layer (precursor layer), with laser beam irradiation. When a laser beam is applied, heat causes the substrate to expand. However, stress caused by a difference in a thermal expansion coefficient between the substrate and the functional layer is absorbed by the low-temperature softening layer, so that no cracks and peeling occurs in the functional layer. The low-temperature softening layer is preferably made of a polymeric material containing acrylic resin. By properly interposing a metal layer and a heat-resistant layer between the substrate and the functional layer, a laser beam of higher intensity can be irradiated.

Abstract: A lower concentration impurity diffusion region can be formed under excellent control, even when a low heat-resistant substrate is used. At the time of doping a semiconductor layer, a mask such as sidewalls (24) where an energy beam passes through, is formed on a part of a surface of a semiconductor layer (21), dopant ions (25) are adsorbed on the surface of the semiconductor layer (21) except a region in which the mask is formed, and an energy beam EBL is irradiated onto the semiconductor layer (21) having the formed mask to introduce the dopant ions into the semiconductor layer (21). In the lower part of the mask such sidewalls (24), diffusion in transverse direction occurs and lower concentration impurity diffusion regions can be formed in excellent reproducibility under excellent control.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a source/drain region and a channel region formed in a silicon thin film composed of a group of silicon single crystal grains which are each approximately rectangular-shaped and which are arranged in a grid pattern on the base body, where a selected orientation of the silicon single crystal grains to the surface of the base body is approximately the <100> direction.

Abstract: An amorphous film made of Si is formed on an insulating substrate sandwiching a protecting film in between and then a short-wave energy beam in pulse taking the form of an area beam is irradiated on the amorphous film to poly-crystallize, thereby obtaining a polycrystalline film. The number of shots of the short-wave energy beam on the same area of the polycrystalline film is between 2 and 60, more preferably 4 and 40. Therefore, a region in which (100) face is parallel to the substrate is obtained, and the region in which (100) face is parallel to the substrate is preferentially obtained. Also, the size of crystal grains is made larger. As a result, high-performance TFT's with uniform characteristics in which threshold is well controlled can be manufactured effectively.

Abstract: A process for producing a thin film (particularly semiconductor thin film) which includes irradiating a raw thin film containing a volatile gas with an excimer laser beam having a pulse width of 60 ns or more, thereby removing the volatile gas from the raw thin film. The process effectively reduces the content of volatile gas such as hydrogen in thin film as in the case where degassing is performed by using an electric furnace. The degassed thin film can be recrystallized in a short time without breaking by irradiation with an excimer laser beam. Alternatively, the process consists of irradiating a thin film containing 2 atom % or more volatile gas with an excimer laser beam having a pulse width of 60 ns or more, thereby removing the volatile gas from the thin film and simultaneously crystallizing the thin film. This procedure brings about uniform nucleation, gives rise to uniform crystal grains, and prevents variation in characteristic properties.

Abstract: A memory device, a manufacturing method thereof, and an integrated circuit thereof are provided for storing information over a long period of time even if the memory device is manufactured at low temperatures. On a substrate made of glass, etc., a memory transistor and a selection transistor are formed, with a silicon nitride film and a silicon dioxide film in between. The memory transistor and the selection transistor are connected in series at a second impurity region. The conduction region for memory of the memory transistor is made of non-single crystal silicon and a storage region comprises a plurality of dispersed particulates made of non-single crystal silicon. Therefore, electrical charges can be stored partially if a tunnel insulating film has any defects. The tunnel insulating film is formed by exposing the surface of the conduction region for memory to the ionized gas containing oxygen atoms.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a monolithic liquid crystal display panel with a large area and high-image quality. A protecting film and an amorphous silicon film are sequentially formed on an insulating substrate. Annealing is performed on a region intended for pixel area formation by irradiating ultraviolet rays by a ultraviolet ray lamp, whereas annealing is performed on a region intended for horizontal scan area formation and a region intended for vertical scan area formation by irradiating an excimer laser at the same time, respectively. Thus obtained polycrystalline silicon film formed on the region intended for pixel area formation has uniform crystal grains while polycrystalline silicon films formed on the region intended for horizontal scan area formation and the region for vertical scan area formation have larger crystal grains. Thin-film transistors are formed in these regions, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method of manufacturing a crystalline semiconductor material capable of improving the crystallinity and a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device using the same. An amorphous film made of silicon (Si) is formed on a substrate with a protective film inbetween. Then, a short-wavelength energy beam is irradiated to the amorphous film as a first heat treatment, thereby forming a crystalline film made of quasi-single crystal. Subsequently, another short-wavelength energy beam is irradiated to the crystalline film as a second heat treatment in order to selectively fuse and re-crystallize only the grain boundary of the crystalline film and the neighboring region. As a result, a crystalline film with excellent crystallinity can be obtained.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating memory devices having a multi-dot floating gate ensuring a desirable crystallization of a semiconductor film without ruining the flatness of the surface of the polycrystallized silicon layer and a tunnel oxide film, allowing desirable semiconductor dots to be produced, and allowing production of the memory devices having a multi-dot floating gate with ease and at low costs even when a substrate is made of glass or plastic.

Abstract: A process for producing a thin film (particularly semiconductor thin film) which includes irradiating a raw thin film containing a volatile gas with an excimer laser beam having a pulse width of 60 ns or more, thereby removing the volatile gas from the raw thin film. The process effectively reduces the content of volatile gas such as hydrogen in thin film as in the case where degassing is performed by using an electric furnace. The degassed thin film can be recrystallized in a short time without breaking by irradiation with an excimer laser beam.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a semiconductor thin film which is free from damage to the film with radiation of a pulse laser beam with the optimum energy value for perfect polycrystallization. For forming an amorphous silicon thin film, a surface of a plastic substrate as a base and insulating layers are each radiated with a pulse laser beam for removing volatile contaminants like a resist as a pretreatment. Damage to the film caused by a gas emitted from the base substrate and the insulating layers resulting from volatile contaminants is thus prevented. A protective layer including a gas barrier layer and a refractory buffer layer is formed on the substrate. Gas penetration from the substrate to the amorphous silicon film is thereby prevented. Conduction of heat produced by energy beam radiation to the substrate is prevented as well.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method capable of producing, at a high throughput, a large-area FPD such as a liquid crystal display panel or O-ELD having a horizontal scanning circuit portion including a TFT characteristic having a high drive current (a high mobility), and a pixel portion and a vertical scanning circuit portion each of which contains crystal grains excellent in uniformity.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a single crystal thin film includes the steps of: forming a non-single crystal thin film on an insulating base; subjecting the non-single crystal thin film to a first heat-treatment, thereby forming a polycrystalline thin film in which polycrystalline grains are aligned in an approximately regular pattern; and subjecting the polycrystalline thin film to a second heat-treatment, thereby forming a single crystal thin film in which the polycrystalline grains are bonded to each other. In this method, either the first heat-treatment or the second heat-treatment may be performed by irradiation of laser beams, preferably, emitted from an excimer laser. A single crystal thin film formed by this fabrication method has a performance very higher than a related art polycrystalline thin film and is suitable for fabricating a device having stable characteristics. The single crystal thin film can be fabricated for a short-time by using laser irradiation as the heat-treatments.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a semiconductor thin film which is free from damage to the film with radiation of a pulse laser beam with the optimum energy value for perfect polycrystallization. For forming an amorphous silicon thin film, a surface of a plastic substrate as a base and insulating layers are each radiated with a pulse laser beam for removing volatile contaminants like a resist as a pretreatment. Damage to the film caused by a gas emitted from the base substrate and the insulating layers resulting from volatile contaminants is thus prevented. A protective layer including a gas barrier layer and a refractory buffer layer is formed on the substrate. Gas penetration from the substrate to the amorphous silicon film is thereby prevented. Conduction of heat produced by energy beam radiation to the substrate is prevented as well.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a semiconductor thin film which is free from damage to the film with radiation of a pulse laser beam with the optimum energy value for perfect polycrystallization. For forming an amorphous silicon thin film, a surface of a plastic substrate as a base and insulating layers are each radiated with a pulse laser beam for removing volatile contaminants like a resist as a pretreatment. Damage to the film caused by a gas emitted from the base substrate and the insulating layers resulting from volatile contaminants is thus prevented. A protective layer including a gas barrier layer and a refractory buffer layer is formed on the substrate. Gas penetration from the substrate to the amorphous silicon film is thereby prevented. Conduction of heat produced by energy beam radiation to the substrate is prevented as well.