Abstract: A laser annealing apparatus for sequential lateral solidification (SLS) to uniformly crystallize silicon on an entire silicon substrate by minimizing the dislocation of the silicon substrate during laser beam irradiation is disclosed. During the laser annealing, a vacuum chuck holds the silicon substrate on a movable stage. The device includes a laser source, an optical system patterning the shape and energy of a laser beam irradiated from the laser source, a vacuum chuck supporting a silicon substrate, and a movable stage supporting the vacuum chuck as well as transferring the vacuum chuck in a predetermined direction. Accordingly, the apparatus improves the degree of crystallization because it is able to uniformly carry out SLS on an entire surface of the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer includes: disposing a mask over the amorphous silicon layer, the mask having a plurality of transmissive regions, the plurality of transmissive regions being disposed in a stairstep arrangement spaced apart from each other in a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular from the first direction, each transmissive region having a central portion and first and second side portions that are adjacent to opposite ends of the central portion along the first direction, and wherein each of the portions has a length along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and wherein the width of first and second portions decreases away from the central portion along the first direction; irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon layer a first time through the mask to form a plurality of first irradiated regions corresponding to the plurality of transmissive regions, each first irradiated region having a central portion, and

Abstract: A sequential lateral solidification device, for enhancing optical characteristics of the device and for preventing damage caused by an ablation of a crystallization thin film, is disclosed. The device includes a laser light source generating a laser beam, a projection lens focusing the laser beam generated from the laser light source onto a substrate, a laser beam splitter between the projection lens and the substrate that passes the laser beam generated from the laser light source to irradiate the substrate and that blocks the laser beam reflected back from the substrate towards the projection lens, and a stage having the substrate mounted thereon.

Abstract: A thin film transistor and a fabricating method of a thin film transistor for a liquid crystal display device includes forming a polycrystalline silicon film on a substrate, the polycrystalline silicon film having square shaped grains; forming an active layer by etching the polycrystalline silicon film; forming a gate electrode over the active layer, the gate electrode overlapping the active layer to form a channel region, the channel region being formed inside one of the grains; and forming source and drain electrodes connected to both sides of the active layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and method for canceling a neighbor cell interference in a broadband wireless communication system.

Abstract: A crystallization method is provided which improves a crystallization process by deciding a best-fit focal plane for a laser beam using a test mask and then applying the decided best-fit focal plane to the crystallization process. The crystallization method includes loading a test mask on a mask stage; deciding a best-fit focal plane by performing a crystallization test using the test mask, checking the test result and deciding conditions of a best-fit focal plane from the test result; moving the mask stage to a position corresponding to the best-fit focal plane; loading a mask for crystallization process onto the moved mask stage; and performing the crystallization process using the mask for crystallization process.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for canceling an interference signal in a broadband wireless communication system are provided. A receiver of a wireless communication system includes at least two receive antennas for receiving a target signal of a serving base station and interference signals of at least one neighbor base station; a channel estimator for estimating channels of the signals received through the receive antennas; and a detector for detecting the target signal using channel estimation values of the received signals. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce error propagation caused by the incorrect estimation and detection of the interference signal. In addition, time delay for detecting/restoring/removing the interference signal does not occur. Moreover, the increase of additional buffers can be prevented. Consequently, the increase of hardware complexity can be prevented.

Abstract: A laser beam mask for shaping a laser beam includes a base substrate having first and second surfaces and having at least one first open portion, and a reflecting layer on the first surface of the base substrate, wherein the reflecting layer has at least one second open portion corresponding to the at least one first open portion and totally reflects the laser beam.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon deposition method includes the step of forming a buffer layer on a transparent substrate; depositing amorphous silicon on the buffer layer by a thickness ranging from 600 to 2,000 angstroms; repeatedly irradiating the amorphous silicon layer to completely melt using a laser beam that has a complete melting energy density; and moving the laser beam by a transaction distance for the next laser beam irradiation.

Abstract: A mask and its application in sequential lateral solidification (SLS) crystallization of amorphous silicon are provided. The mask includes a light absorptive portion for blocking a laser beam and a plurality of stripe-shaped light transmitting portions for passing the laser beam. Each stripe-shaped light transmitting portion is rectangular-shaped, and each light-transmitting portion includes triangular-shaped or semicircular-shaped edges on both sides. The distance between the adjacent light transmitting portions is less than the width of the light transmitting portion. The width of the light transmitting portions is less than or equal to twice the maximum length of lateral grain growth that is to be grown by sequential lateral solidification (SLS).

Abstract: A mask for laser irradiation includes a base substrate, a laser beam shielding pattern on a first surface of the base substrate, wherein the laser beam shielding pattern is made of an opaque metallic material and has laser beam transmitting portions spaced apart from each other, and an anti-thermal oxidation layer covering the laser beam shielding pattern, wherein a second surface of the base substrate is an incident surface of a laser beam.

Abstract: A laser beam pattern mask includes at least one or more transmitting parts, each transmitting part having a central portion and a pair of edge portions provided to both sides of the central portion, each having a substantially triangular shape defined by a virtual boundary line between the central portion and the corresponding edge portion, an upper outside extending from an upper end of the boundary line at an acute angle, and a lower outside extending from a lower end of the boundary line at the acute angle to meet the upper outside at a rounded corner.

Abstract: A sequential lateral solidification (SLS) device and a method of crystallizing silicon using the same is disclosed, wherein alignment keys are formed on a substrate with one mask having a plurality of different patterns, and a crystallization process is progressed in parallel to an imaginary line connecting the alignment keys with information for a distance between the mask and the alignment key. The SLS device includes a laser beam generator for irradiating laser beams; a mask having a plurality of areas; a mask stage for moving the mask loaded thereto, to transmit a laser beam through a selective area of the mask; and a substrate stage for moving a substrate loaded thereto, to change portions of the substrate irradiated with the laser beam passing through the mask.

Abstract: Sequential lateral solidification (SLS) crystallization of amorphous silicon using a mask having striped light transmitting portions. An amorphous silicon bearing substrate is located in an SLS apparatus. The amorphous silicon film is functionally divided into a driving region (for driving devices) and a display region (for TFT switches). Part of the driving region is crystallized by a laser that passes through the mask. The mask is then moved relative to the substrate by a translation distance that is less than half the width of the light transmitting portions. Thereafter, subsequent crystallizations are performed to crystallize the driving region. Then, part of the display region is crystallized by a laser that passes through the mask. The mask is then moved relative to the substrate by a translation distance that is more than half the width of the light transmitting portions. Thereafter, subsequent crystallizations are performed to crystallize the display region.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon deposition method includes the step of forming a buffer layer on a transparent substrate; depositing amorphous silicon on the buffer layer by a thickness ranging from about 600 to about 2,000 angstroms; repeatedly irradiating the amorphous silicon layer to completely melt using a laser beam that has a complete melting energy density; and moving the laser beam by a transaction distance for the next laser beam irradiation.

Abstract: A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer includes: disposing a mask over the amorphous silicon layer, the mask having a plurality of transmissive regions, the plurality of transmissive regions being disposed in a stairstep arrangement spaced apart from each other in a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular from the first direction, each transmissive region having a central portion and first and second side portions that are adjacent to opposite ends of the central portion along the first direction, and wherein each of the portions has a length along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and wherein the width of first and second portions decreases away from the central portion along the first direction; irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon layer a first time through the mask to form a plurality of first irradiated regions corresponding to the plurality of transmissive regions, each first irradiated region having a central portion, and

Abstract: A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer includes: disposing a mask over the amorphous silicon layer, the mask having a plurality of transmissive regions, the plurality of transmissive regions being disposed in a stairstep arrangement spaced apart from each other in a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular from the first direction, each transmissive region having a central portion and first and second side portions that are adjacent to opposite ends of the central portion along the first direction, and wherein each of the portions has a length along the first direction and a width along the second direction, and wherein the width of first and second portions decreases away from the central portion along the first direction; irradiating a laser beam onto the amorphous silicon layer a first time through the mask to form a plurality of first irradiated regions corresponding to the plurality of transmissive regions, each first irradiated region having a central portion, and

Abstract: Sequential lateral solidification (SLS) crystallization of amorphous silicon using a mask having striped light transmitting portions. An amorphous silicon bearing substrate is located in an SLS apparatus. The amorphous silicon film is functionally divided into a driving region (for driving devices) and a display region (for TFT switches). Part of the driving region is crystallized by a laser that passes through the mask. The mask is then moved relative to the substrate by a translation distance that is less than half the width of the light transmitting portions. Thereafter, subsequent crystallizations are performed to crystallize the driving region. Then, part of the display region is crystallized by a laser that passes through the mask. The mask is then moved relative to the substrate by a translation distance that is more than half the width of the light transmitting portions. Thereafter, subsequent crystallizations are performed to crystallize the display region.

Abstract: A laser annealing apparatus for sequential lateral solidification (SLS) to uniformly crystallize silicon on an entire silicon substrate by minimizing the dislocation of the silicon substrate during laser beam irradiation is disclosed. During the laser annealing, a vacuum chuck holds the silicon substrate on a movable stage. The device includes a laser source, an optical system patterning the shape and energy of a laser beam irradiated from the laser source, a vacuum chuck supporting a silicon substrate, and a movable stage supporting the vacuum chuck as well as transferring the vacuum chuck in a predetermined direction. Accordingly, the apparatus improves the degree of crystallization because it is able to uniformly carry out SLS on an entire surface of the silicon substrate.

Abstract: A laser annealing apparatus for sequential lateral solidification (SLS) to uniformly crystallize silicon on an entire silicon substrate by minimizing the dislocation of the silicon substrate during laser beam irradiation is disclosed. During the laser annealing, a vacuum chuck holds the silicon substrate on a movable stage. The device includes a laser source, an optical system patterning the shape and energy of a laser beam irradiated from the laser source, a vacuum chuck supporting a silicon substrate, and a movable stage supporting the vacuum chuck as well as transferring the vacuum chuck in a predetermined direction. Accordingly, the apparatus improves the degree of crystallization because it is able to uniformly carry out SLS on an entire surface of the silicon substrate.