Using Electromagnetic Radiation, E.g., Laser Radiation (epo) Patents (Class 257/E21.347)
  • Patent number: 8158531
    Abstract: This method of manufacturing a solar cell includes a step of forming a photoelectric conversion layer on a substrate with a plasma treatment apparatus including a first electrode provided in a treatment chamber, a second electrode and a gas supply source supplying gas into the treatment chamber. A recess portion having a bottom portion in the form of a curved surface is provided on another surface of the first electrode, while a plurality of through-holes are provided on the bottom portion of the recess portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Akinao Kitahara
  • Publication number: 20120082924
    Abstract: A mask blank for use in the manufacture of a binary mask adapted to be applied with ArF excimer laser exposure light has, on a transparent substrate, a light-shielding film for forming a transfer pattern. The light-shielding film has a laminated structure of a lower layer and an upper layer and has an optical density of 2.8 or more for exposure light and a thickness of 45 nm or less. The lower layer is made of a material in which the total content of a transition metal and silicon is 90 at % or more, and has a thickness of 30 nm or more. The upper layer has a thickness of 3 nm or more and 6 nm or less. The phase difference between exposure light transmitted through the light-shielding film and exposure light transmitted in air for a distance equal to the thickness of the light-shielding film is 30 degrees or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 5, 2012
    Applicant: HOYA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Atsushi Kominato, Masahiro Hashimoto, Osamu Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20120077351
    Abstract: In the present invention, At least one row of lens arrays, in which a plurality of lenses are arranged in a direction intersecting with the conveying direction of a substrate to correspond to the plurality of TFT forming areas set in a matrix on the substrate, is shifted in the direction intersecting with the conveying direction of the substrate, to thereby align the lenses in the lens array with the TFT forming areas on the substrate based on the alignment reference position. The laser beams are irradiated onto the lens array when the substrate moves and the TFT forming areas reach the underneath of the corresponding lenses of the lens array, and the laser beams are focused by the plurality of lenses to anneal the amorphous silicon film in each TFT forming area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: March 29, 2012
    Inventors: Koichi KAJIYAMA, Michinobu Mizumura
  • Publication number: 20120068161
    Abstract: A method for forming graphene includes introducing a substrate and a carbon-containing reactant source into a chamber, and radiating a laser beam onto the substrate to decompose the carbon-containing reactant source and form graphene over the substrate using carbon atoms generated by decomposition of the carbon-containing reactant source. A carbon-containing gas (methane) decomposes upon radiation of a laser beam. The carbon-containing gas has a decomposition rate on the order of femtoseconds and the laser beam has a pulse on the order of nanoseconds or more. The graphene is grown in a single layer along the surface of the substrate. Then, the graphene is selectively patterned using a laser beam to form a desired pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Inventors: Keon-Jae LEE, In-Sung Choi, Sung-Yool Choi, Byung-Hee Hong
  • Publication number: 20120064735
    Abstract: A solid-state laser lift-off apparatus comprises: a solid-state laser (1), a light beam shaping lens (3), motors of oscillating mirrors (5,7), oscillating mirrors (4,6), a field lens (9), a movable platform (10), an industrial control computer and control software (8). The light beam shaping lens (3) is behind the solid-state laser (1), shaping the laser beam from the solid-state laser (1) into required shape. The motors of oscillating mirrors (5,7) are in front of the field lens (9), controlling the movement of the oscillating mirrors (4,6) according to the instruction of the control software (8) to implement different light beam scanning paths. A lift-off method for applying the solid-state laser lift-off apparatus uses a small laser spot to perform scanning, and enables damage-free separation of GaN from a sapphire substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: March 15, 2012
    Inventors: Guoyi Zhang, Xinrong Yang, Mingkun He, Yongiian Sun
  • Publication number: 20120058624
    Abstract: A method includes providing a donor substrate comprising single crystal silicon and having a surface region, a cleave region, and a thickness of material to be removed between the surface region and the cleave region. The method also includes introducing through the surface region a plurality of hydrogen particles within a vicinity of the cleave region using a high energy implantation process. The method further includes applying compressional energy to cleave the semiconductor substrate and remove the thickness of material from the donor substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: Silicon Genesis Corporation
    Inventor: FRANCOIS J. HENLEY
  • Publication number: 20120056310
    Abstract: A method for increasing semiconductor device effective operation area, comprising following steps: depositing first conductive layer on the substrate; using laser for scribing a plurality of the first scribe lines on the first conductive layer, where the scribe lines are scribed on the bottom of the first conductive layer; depositing a plurality of the semiconductor material layers on the first conductive layer and in the plurality of the first scribe lines; using laser for scribing a plurality of the second scribe lines on the semiconductor material layer, where the scribe lines are scribed on the bottom of the semiconductor material layer, each second scribe line is comprised of a plurality of the second pores; depositing a second conductive layer on the semiconductor material layer and in the plurality of the first scribe lines and the plurality of the second scribe lines; using laser for scribing a plurality of the third scribe lines on the second conductive layer, where the scribe lines are scribed on th
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Chang-Shiang Yang, Ke-Hsuan Liu
  • Publication number: 20120058649
    Abstract: In a plasma torch unit, copper rods forming a coil as a whole are disposed inside copper rod inserting holes formed in a quartz block so that the quartz block is cooled by water flowing inside the copper rod inserting holes and cooling water pipes. A plasma ejection port is formed on the lowermost portion of the torch unit. While a gas is being supplied into a space inside an elongated chamber, high-frequency power is supplied to the copper rods to generate plasma in the space inside the elongated chamber so that the plasma is applied to a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Inventors: Tomohiro OKUMURA, Ichiro NAKAYAMA, Hiroshi KAWAURA, Tetsuya YUKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20120051378
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems, devices, and methods for photodetection. For example, briefly described, in one embodiment among others, a sensor comprises an array of photodetectors, wherein the reflectance of each of the photodectors is a function of the number of photons incident on the respective photodetector; and an electrical insulator positioned between one of the photodetectors and another one of the photodetectors to reduce diffusion of electrons therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Aravinda Kar, Tariq Manzur
  • Patent number: 8124501
    Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is produced by irradiating a laser beam to either face of a semiconductor wafer so as to fit a focusing position into a given depth position of the semiconductor wafer to generate a multiphoton absorption process only in a specific portion of the semiconductor wafer at the given depth position to thereby form a gettering sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: SUMCO Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunari Kurita
  • Patent number: 8114693
    Abstract: A solid state energy conversion device and method of making is disclosed for converting energy between electromagnetic and electrical energy. The solid state energy conversion device comprises a wide bandgap semiconductor material having a first doped region. A thermal energy beam is directed onto the first doped region of the wide bandgap semiconductor material in the presence of a doping gas for converting a portion of the first doped region into a second doped region in the wide bandgap semiconductor material. A first and a second Ohmic contact are applied to the first and the second doped regions of the wide bandgap semiconductor material. In one embodiment, the solid state energy conversion device operates as a light emitting device to produce electromagnetic radiation upon the application of electrical power to the first and second Ohmic contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Partial Assignment University of Central Florida
    Inventors: Nathaniel R. Quick, Aravinda Kar
  • Patent number: 8101530
    Abstract: A method for fabricating an integrated circuit device is disclosed. The method is a lithography patterning method that can include providing a substrate; forming a protective layer over the substrate; forming a conductive layer over the protective layer; forming a resist layer over the conductive layer; and exposing and developing the resist layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: I-Hsiung Huang, Chin-Hsiang Lin, Heng-Jen Lee, Heng-Hsin Liu
  • Publication number: 20120012854
    Abstract: In an active matrix substrate (29), a part of the drain electrode (15) of a TFT (10), which corresponds to an auxiliary capacitor electrode (26), is overlapped with a capacitor signal line (25). The auxiliary capacitor electrode (26) includes a notch (27).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2009
    Publication date: January 19, 2012
    Inventor: Toshihiro Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20120000529
    Abstract: Disclosed is a photovoltaic cell, a method of forming the photovoltaic cell, and a system for forming the photovoltaic cell. The photovoltaic cell includes a plurality of layers, at least one scribe disposed within the plurality of layers, and sidewalls delineating the scribe from the plurality of layers. At least a portion of the sidewalls includes material properties substantially consistent with the plurality of layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: PRIMESTAR SOLAR
    Inventor: Jonathan Mack FREY
  • Publication number: 20110318908
    Abstract: The present invention is a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus by which an impurity can be introduced into an active layer at a low and a stable concentration in order to form semiconductor elements that have little variation in threshold voltage. In the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus that includes a washing unit; an impurity introduction unit used to attach the impurity to the surface of the semiconductor film; a laser crystallization unit used to crystallize the semiconductor film to which an impurity has been attached; and transfer robots, the amount of the impurity attached to the semiconductor film is controlled by the length of time of exposure of the substrate in the impurity introduction unit, and the semiconductor film is crystallized while a crystalline semiconductor film that contains an impurity at low concentration is formed simultaneously by laser crystallization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Sho KATO, Hidekazu MIYAIRI, Akihisa SHIMOMURA
  • Publication number: 20110316122
    Abstract: A wafer laser-marking method is provided. First, a wafer having a first surface (an active surface) and a second surface (a back surface) opposite to each other is provided. Next, the wafer is thinned. Then, the thinned wafer is fixed on a non-UV tape such that the second surface of the wafer is attached to the tape. Finally, the laser marking step is performed, such that a laser light penetrates the non-UV tape and marks a pattern on the second surface of the wafer. According to the laser-marking method of the embodiment, the pattern is formed by the non-UV residuals left on the second surface of the wafer, and the components of the glue residuals at least include elements of silicon and carbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Yu-Pin TSAI, Cheng-I Huang, Yao-Hui Hu
  • Publication number: 20110312115
    Abstract: Provided is a laser machining method in which, when modified regions are formed plural number of times by changing the depth in the thickness direction of a substrate, displacement of the formed modified regions from a planned cutting line is inhibited. Specifically provided is a laser machining method for cutting a substrate (10) into chips. Modified regions are formed at a deep distance (d1) inside the substrate from the entrance surface of a laser beam by first scanning (a) in which the substrate is scanned with the laser beam along a planned cutting line (21a) in the X direction of the substrate and second scanning (b) in which the substrate is scanned with the laser beam along a planned cutting line (21b) in the Y direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2010
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Kato
  • Publication number: 20110312158
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for dividing a thin film device having a first layer which is a lower electrode layer, a second layer which is an active layer and a third layer which is an upper electrode layer, the layers each being continuous over the device, into separate cells which are electrically interconnected in series.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventor: Adam North Brunton
  • Publication number: 20110309370
    Abstract: Crystallization of thin films using pulsed irradiation The method includes continuously irradiating a film having an x-axis and a y-axis, in a first scan in the x-direction of the film with a plurality of line beam laser pulses to form a first set of irradiated regions, translating the film a distance in the y-direction of the film, wherein the distance is less than the length of the line beam, and continuously irradiating the film in a second scan in the negative x-direction of the film with a sequence of line beam laser pulses to form a second set of irradiated regions, wherein each of the second set of irradiated regions overlaps with a portion of the first set of irradiated regions, and wherein each of the first and the second set of irradiated regions upon cooling forms one or more crystallized regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
    Inventor: James S. IM
  • Publication number: 20110312193
    Abstract: Problem To prevent deterioration of electronic elements formed on a substrate, when plural modified regions are formed in the substrate by using a laser beam which have different depths in the thickness direction of the substrate. Solution An element-group formation substrate 20 having plural semiconductor light emitting elements 21 formed on a substrate front surface 11a of a substrate 11 is sequentially irradiated with a laser beam 64 having a first output from a substrate back surface 11b side of the substrate 11 in the y direction, and the laser beam 64 is sequentially collected to a part having a first depth D1 from the substrate back surface 11b, thereby forming a first modified region L1 in the substrate 11.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventor: Yoshinori ABE
  • Publication number: 20110312186
    Abstract: The semiconductor device manufacturing method comprises the step of transferring patterns formed on a reticle to a semiconductor substrate by an exposure with oblique incidence illumination. In the step of making the exposure with oblique incidence illumination, the exposure is made with an aperture stop 16 including a first ring-shaped aperture 22, and a plurality of second apertures 24a1-24a4 formed around the first ring-shaped aperture 22. The exposure is made with an aperture stop 16 having the first ring-shaped aperture 22 which can transfer patterns arranged at a medium pitch to a relatively large pitch with a relatively high resolution and the second aperture 24a1-24a4 which can transfer patterns arranged at a relatively small pitch with a relatively high resolution, whereby even when the patterns are arranged at various pitch values, the DOF can be surely sufficient, and the patterns can be stably transferred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: Fujitsu Semiconductor Limited
    Inventors: Yuji SETTA, Hiroki Futatsuya
  • Patent number: 8080450
    Abstract: On a translucent substrate, an insulating film having a refractive index n and an amorphous silicon film are deposited successively. By irradiating the amorphous silicon film with a laser beam having a beam shape of a band shape extending along a length direction with a wavelength ?, a plurality of times from a side of amorphous silicon film facing the insulating film, while an irradiation position of the laser beam is shifted each of the plurality of times in a width direction of the band shape by a distance smaller than a width dimension of the band shape, a polycrystalline silicon film is formed from the amorphous silicon film. Forming the polycrystalline silicon film forms crystal grain boundaries which extend in the width direction and are disposed at a mean spacing measured along the length direction and ranging from (?/n)×0.95 to (?/n)×1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Sugahara, Naoki Nakagawa, Shinsuke Yura, Toru Takeguchi, Tomoyuki Irizumi, Kazushi Yamayoshi, Atsuhiro Sono
  • Patent number: 8080467
    Abstract: In one aspect, the present invention provides a silicon photodetector having a surface layer that is doped with sulfur inclusions with an average concentration in a range of about 0.5 atom percent to about 1.5 atom percent. The surface layer forms a diode junction with an underlying portion of the substrate. A plurality of electrical contacts allow application of a reverse bias voltage to the junction in order to facilitate generation of an electrical signal, e.g., a photocurrent, in response to irradiation of the surface layer. The photodetector exhibits a responsivity greater than about 1 A/W for incident wavelengths in a range of about 250 nm to about 1050 nm, and a responsivity greater than about 0.1 A/W for longer wavelengths, e.g., up to about 3.5 microns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: James Edward Carey, III, Eric Mazur
  • Patent number: 8080452
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for selective deposition of Si or SiGe on a Si or SiGe surface. The method exploits differences in physico-chemical surface behavior according to a difference in doping of first and second surface regions. By providing at least one first surface region with a Boron doping of a suitable concentration range and exposing the substrate surface to a cleaning and passivating ambient atmosphere in a prebake step at a temperature lower or equal than 800° C., a subsequent deposition step of Si or SiGe will not lead to a layer deposition in the first surface region. This effect is used for selective deposition of Si or SiGe in the second surface region, which is not doped with Boron in the suitable concentration range, or doped with another dopant, or not doped. The method thus saves a usual photolithography sequence required for selective deposition of Si or SiGe in the second surface region according to the prior art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2011
    Assignees: NXP, B.V., STMicroelectronics (Crolles 2) SAS
    Inventors: Alexandre Mondot, Markus Gerhard Andreas Muller, Thomas Kormann
  • Publication number: 20110306180
    Abstract: Systems, methods and products by process are disclosed relating to structures and/or fabrication thereof as relating, for example, to optical/electronic applications such as solar cells and displays. In one exemplary implementation, there is provided a method of producing a composite structure. Moreover, the method may include engaging a silicon-containing material into contact with a surface of the substrate and irradiating/treating the silicon-containing piece with a laser.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Inventor: Venkatraman Prabhakar
  • Patent number: 8076186
    Abstract: A laser annealing method includes forming a nitrogen-doped layer on a semiconductor layer, the nitrogen-doped layer having a nitrogen concentration of at least 3×1020 atoms/cc, irradiating a first area of the nitrogen-doped layer in a low oxygen environment with a laser beam and irradiating a second area of the nitrogen-doped layer in a low oxygen environment with a laser beam, a part of the second area overlapping with the first area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kian Kiat Lim, Atsushi Nakamura, Kai Pheng Tan, Eng Soon Lim, Poh Ling Fu, Takaaki Kamimura
  • Patent number: 8076226
    Abstract: An apparatus for annealing a substrate includes a substrate stage having a substrate mounting portion configured to mount the substrate; a heat source having a plurality of heaters disposed under the substrate mounting portion, the heaters individually preheating a plurality areas defined laterally in the substrate through a bottom surface of the substrate; and a light source facing a top surface of the substrate, configured to irradiate a pulsed light at a pulse width of about 0.1 ms to about 100 ms on the entire top surface of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takayuki Ito
  • Publication number: 20110300692
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for dividing a semiconductor film formed on a substrate into plural regions by multiple laser beam irradiation using a sequence of at least two laser beam treatments affecting essentially a same area of said film. Except of a final laser beam treatment, the treatments of said sequence of at least two laser beam treatments are used for a conditioning of the treated film area which is to be removed. Said final laser beam treatment is applied to actually remove material in order to form a groove. Further, the invention relates to an arrangement for dividing a semiconductor film formed on a substrate into plural regions by multiple laser beam irradiation using a sequence of at least two laser beam treatments affecting essentially a same area of said film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: OERLIKON SOLAR AG, TRUBBACH
    Inventors: Jens Günster, Ivan Sinicco
  • Patent number: 8071420
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for edge film stack removal process for fabricating photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing solar cell devices on a substrate includes providing a substrate into a chemical vapor deposition chamber, contacting a shadow frame disposed in the deposition chamber to a periphery region of the substrate, depositing a silicon-containing layer on the substrate through an aperture defined by the shadow frame, transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber, depositing a transparent conductive layer on the silicon-containing layer, transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool, and laser scribing the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Tzay-Fa Su, David Morishige, Todd Martin, Uday Mahajan
  • Patent number: 8067296
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which a thinned substrate of a semiconductor or semiconductor device is handled without cracks in the substrate and treated with heat to improve a contact between semiconductor back surface and metal in a high yield and a semiconductor device may be manufactured in a high yield. In the method of manufacturing a semiconductor device according to the present invention, a notched part is formed from a surface to a middle in a semiconductor substrate by dicing and the surface of the substrate is fixed to a support base. Next, a back surface of the substrate is ground to thin the semiconductor substrate and then a metal electrode and a carbon film that is a heat receiving layer are sequentially formed on the back surface of the substrate. Next, the carbon film is irradiated with light at a power density of 1 kW/cm2 to 1 MW/cm2 for a short time of 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignees: Success International Corporation, Hightec Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kawana, Naoki Sano
  • Publication number: 20110278603
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an organic EL display, which comprises: a step of preparing an organic EL panel that comprises a substrate and organic EL elements arranged as a matrix on the substrate, wherein each organic EL element has a pixel electrode arranged on the substrate, an organic layer arranged on the pixel electrode, a transparent counter electrode arranged on the organic layer, a protective layer arranged on the transparent counter electrode, and a color filter arranged on the protective layer, and a defect portion present in the organic layer in each organic EL element is detected; a step of destroying a region of the transparent counter electrode positioned above the defect portion by irradiating the region with laser light through the color filter; and a step wherein a region of the color filter positioned above the defect portion is removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Miyazawa, Akihisa Nakahashi
  • Patent number: 8053343
    Abstract: A method for forming a selective emitter of a solar cell and a diffusion apparatus for forming the same are provided. The method includes texturing a surface of a silicon substrate by etching the silicon substrate, coating an impurity solution on the surface of the silicon substrate, injecting a first thermal energy into the whole surface of the silicon substrate, and, while the first thermal energy is injected into the whole surface of the silicon substrate, injecting a second thermal energy by irradiating a laser beam into a partial region of the surface of the silicon substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: SNT. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusung Huh, Seungil Park, Mangeun Lee
  • Patent number: 8048784
    Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a semiconductor device include forming a seed layer containing a silicon material on a substrate. An amorphous silicon layer containing amorphous silicon material is formed on the seed layer. The amorphous silicon layer is doped with an impurity. A laser beam is irradiated onto the amorphous silicon layer to produce a phase change of the amorphous silicon layer and change the amorphous silicon layer into a single-crystal silicon layer based on the seed layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Pil-Kyu Kang, Yong-Hoon Son, Jong-Wook Lee
  • Patent number: 8048689
    Abstract: Various semiconductor devices and methods of testing such devices are disclosed. In one aspect, a method of manufacturing is provided that includes forming a bore from a backside of a semiconductor chip through a buried insulating layer and to a semiconductor device layer of the semiconductor chip. A conductor structure is formed in the bore to establish an electrically conductive pathway between the semiconductor device layer and the conductor structure. The conductor structure may provide a diagnostic pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Globalfoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Liang Wang, Michael R. Bruce
  • Publication number: 20110263069
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed herein for determining the laser beam size and the scan pattern of laser annealing when fabricating backside illumination (BSI) CMOS image sensors to keep dark-mode stripe patterns corresponding to laser scan boundary effects from occurring within the sensor array regions of the image sensors. Each CMOS image sensor has a sensor array region and a periphery circuit. The methods determines a size of the laser beam from a length of the sensor array region and a length of the periphery circuit so that the laser beam covers an integer number of the sensor array region for at least one alignment of the laser beam on the array of BSI image sensors. The methods further determines a scan pattern so that the boundary of the laser beam does not overlap the sensor array regions during the laser annealing, but only overlaps the periphery circuits.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2010
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: TAIWAN SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kai-Chun Hsu, Yeur-Luen Tu, Chung Chien Wang
  • Publication number: 20110256736
    Abstract: A method for processing a substrate includes generating a first laser beam, splitting the first laser beam into a plurality of second laser beams, focusing the split second laser beams on a plane in the substrate parallel to a main surface of the substrate, and performing surface separation of the substrate along the plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Inventors: Sung-il Cho, Ho-tae Jin, Heui-seog Kim, Seon-ju Oh
  • Patent number: 8039937
    Abstract: Provided are methods of fabricating semiconductor chips, semiconductor chips formed by the methods, and chip-stack packages having the semiconductor chips. One embodiment specifies a method that includes patterning a scribe line region of a semiconductor substrate to form a semiconductor strut spaced apart from edges of a chip region of the semiconductor substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hyun-Soo Chung, Seung-Kwan Ryu, Ju-Il Choi, Dong-Ho Lee, Seong-Deok Hwang
  • Publication number: 20110248278
    Abstract: A method of processing a polycrystalline film on a substrate includes generating laser pulses, directing the laser pulses through a mask to generate patterned laser beams, each having a length l?, a width w?, and a spacing between adjacent beams d?; irradiating a region of the film with the patterned beams, said beams having an intensity sufficient to melt and to induce crystallization of the irradiated portion of the film, wherein the film region is irradiated n times; and after irradiation of each film portion, translating the film and/or the mask, in the x- and y-directions. The distance of translation in the y-direction is about l?/n??, where ? is a value selected to overlap the beamlets from one irradiation step to the next. The distance of translation in the x-direction is selected such that the film is moved a distance of about ?? after n irradiations, where ??=w?+d?.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Inventors: James S. IM, Paul Christiaan VAN DER WILT
  • Patent number: 8030192
    Abstract: A process for manufacturing a MOS device and the MOS device manufactured thereby are disclosed. The process includes in a semiconductor layer forming a gate structure above the semiconductor layer; forming a first doped region within a first surface portion of the semiconductor layer; and irradiating the first doped region with electromagnetic radiation, to carry out annealing thereof. Prior to the irradiating step, a dielectric mirror is formed above a second surface portion of the semiconductor layer. The dielectric mirror, which may be of the Bragg-reflector type, reflects at least in part the electromagnetic radiation, and protects underlying regions from the electromagnetic radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignees: STMicroelectronics S.R.L., Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
    Inventors: Dario Salinas, Guglielmo Fortunato, Angelo Magri′, Luigi Mariucci, Massimo Cuscuna′, Cateno Marco Camalleri
  • Publication number: 20110230037
    Abstract: The present invention provides a beam homogenizer being able to form a rectangular beam spot having homogeneous energy distribution in a direction of its major axis without using the optical lens requiring to be manufactured with high accuracy. In addition, the present invention provides a laser irradiation apparatus being able to irradiate the laser beam having homogeneous energy distribution in a direction of its major axis. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a semiconductor device being able to enhance crystallinity in the surface of the substrate and to manufacture TFT with a high operating characteristic. The beam homogenizer, one of the present invention, is to shape the beam spot on the surface to be irradiated into a rectangular spot having an aspect ratio of 10 or more, preferably 100 or more, and comprises an optical waveguide for homogenizing the energy distribution of the rectangular beam spot in the direction of its major axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: SEMICONDUCTOR ENERGY LABORATORY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koichiro TANAKA, Tomoaki MORIWAKA
  • Publication number: 20110227042
    Abstract: There is provided a method of producing a semiconductor wafer by thermally processing a base water having a portion to be thermally processed that is to be thermally processed. The method comprises a step of providing, on the base wafer, a portion to be heated that generates heat through absorption of an electromagnetic wave and selectively heats the portion to be thermally processed, a step of applying an electromagnetic wave to the base wafer, and a step of lowering the lattice defect density of the portion to he thermally processed, by means of the heat generated by the portion to be heated through the absorption of the electromagnetic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2009
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Takada, Masahiko Hata, Hisashi Yamada
  • Patent number: 8021936
    Abstract: A thin film transistor (TFT) and a method of manufacturing the same are provided. The TFT includes a transparent substrate, an insulating layer on a region of the transparent substrate, a monocrystalline silicon layer, which includes source, drain, and channel regions, on the insulating layer and a gate insulating film and a gate electrode on the channel region of the monocrystalline silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Noguchi, Wenxu Xianyu, Hans S. Cho, Huaxiang Yin
  • Patent number: 8021913
    Abstract: For forming the separating lines, (5, 6, 7) which are produced in the functional layers (2, 3, 4) deposited on a transparent substrate (1) during manufacture of a photovoltaic module with series-connected cells (C1, C2, . . . ), there are used laser scanners (8) whose laser beam (14) produces in the field (17) scanned thereby a plurality of adjacent separating line sections (18) in the functional layer (2, 3, 4). The laser scanners (8) are then moved relative to the coated substrate (1) in the direction (Y) of the separating lines (5, 6, 7) by a distance corresponding at the most to the length (L) of the scanned field (17) to thereby form continuous separating lines (5, 6, 7) through mutually flush separating line sections (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Inventor: Walter Psyk
  • Patent number: 8021911
    Abstract: For producing a photovoltaic module (1), the front electrode layer (3), the semi-conductor layer (4) and the back electrode layer (5) are patterned by separating lines (6, 7, 8) to form series-connected cells (C1, C2, . . . Cn, Cn+1). The patterning of the front electrode layer (3) and of the semiconductor layer (4) is done with a laser (13) emitting infrared radiation. During patterning of the semiconductor layer (4) the power of the laser (13) is so reduced that the front electrode layer (3) is not damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: Schott Solar GmbH
    Inventors: Peter Lechner, Walter Psyk
  • Publication number: 20110220904
    Abstract: A mask for sequential lateral solidification (SLS) which is capable of preventing an overlapping region and a diagonal stain based on a crystallization pattern of an active layer. The mask for SLS, which moves in a first direction and selectively transmits a laser beam emitted by a laser emitting device, includes slits which are formed such that the width of a slit in the first direction is smaller than the width of the slit in a second direction, which is perpendicular to the first direction. Each of the slits is tilted by a predetermined angle with respect to the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kwon-Hyung LEE, Cheol-Ho PARK, In-Do CHUNG, Jae-Beom CHOI
  • Publication number: 20110220935
    Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device has a light emitting element, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a seed electrode layer and a plated layer. The light emitting element has a nitride-based III-V compound semiconductor on a substrate. The light emitting element having a light extraction surface. The first electrode layer on the light extraction surface. The second electrode layer is provided on a surface opposite to the light extraction surface of the light emitting element. The seed electrode layer is configured to cover the entire surface of the second electrode layer. The plated layer is provided on the seed electrode layer. The light emitting element has a light emitting layer, a first conductive type semiconductor layer, and a second conductive type semiconductor layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2010
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Toru GOTODA, Toshiyuki Oka, Shinya Nunoue, Kotaro Zaima
  • Publication number: 20110223775
    Abstract: A crystallization method is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes providing a substrate having an amorphous silicon layer, wherein the substate has first and second sides opposing each other and irradiating a laser beam onto the substrate so as to have an inclined angle with respect to the first and second sides of the substrate. The method further includes relatively moving one of the laser beam and the substate with respect to the other i) in a first direction from the first side to the second side of the substate and ii) in a second direction which crosses the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2011
    Publication date: September 15, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: In-Do Chung
  • Patent number: 8012841
    Abstract: The energy distribution in the short-side direction of a rectangular laser beam applied to an amorphous semiconductor film (amorphous silicon film) is uniformized. It is possible to the energy distribution in the short-side direction of the rectangular laser beam by the use of a cylindrical lens array 26 or a light guide 36 and concentrating optical systems 28 and 44 or by the use of an optical system including a diffracting optical element. Accordingly, since the effective energy range of a laser beam applied to the amorphous semiconductor film is widened and the transport speed of a substrate 3 can be enhanced as much, it is possible to improve the processing ability of the laser annealing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Nishida, Ryusuke Kawakami, Norihito Kawaguchi, Miyuki Masaki
  • Patent number: 8008188
    Abstract: A method is provided comprising: coating an electrically conductive core with a first removable material, creating openings in the first removable material to expose portions of the electrically conductive core, plating a conductive material onto the exposed portions of the electrically conductive core, coating the conductive material with a second removable material, removing the first removable material, electrophoretically coating the electrically conductive core with a dielectric coating, and removing the second removable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Olson, Alan E. Wang
  • Publication number: 20110207338
    Abstract: A laser crystallization apparatus for crystallizing a thin film of a substrate, the laser crystallization apparatus includes a laser beam emitting unit configured to scan the substrate in a predetermined direction with a laser beam, a stage configured to support the substrate, a fixing part disposed on a first part of the stage, the fixing part having a shape corresponding to a corner of the substrate, and a driving unit configured to lift a second part of the stage to be higher than the first part of the stage, the substrate on the stage being configured to slide toward and engage with the fixing part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2010
    Publication date: August 25, 2011
    Inventors: Young-Jin Chang, Seong-Hyun Jin, Jae-Hwan Oh, Won-Kyu Lee