And Subsequent Crystallization Patents (Class 438/486)
  • Patent number: 7935586
    Abstract: A thin film transistor that has improved characteristics and uniformity is developed by uniformly controlling low concentration of crystallization catalyst and controlling crystallization position so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists, or one grain boundary exists in a channel layer of the thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a substrate; a semiconductor layer pattern which is formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer of which no seed exists and no gram boundary exists; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hoon Yang, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Byoung-Keon Park
  • Patent number: 7935892
    Abstract: Circuit board having conductor wiring and connection terminal; anisotropic conductive resin layer provided on one surface of circuit board; and plurality of electronic components respectively provided with electrode terminals in positions facing the connection terminal are included. The anisotropic conductive resin layer includes at least one kind of conductive particles selected from coiled conductive particles, fiber fluff conductive particles and conductive particles provided with a plurality of conductive protrusions, and resin binder; electrically couples electrode terminals of plurality of electronic components to connection terminals to each other with conductive particles; mechanically fixes electronic components and circuit board to each other; and protects conductor wiring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2011
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Nishikawa, Hidenori Miyakawa, Norihito Tsukahara, Shigeaki Sakatani
  • Publication number: 20110097881
    Abstract: A method is presented for forming mono-crystalline germanium or silicon germanium in a trench. In an embodiment, the method comprises providing a substrate comprising at least one active region that is adjacent to two insulating regions, forming in the active region a trench having a width of less than 100 nm, and forming in the trench a fill layer at a temperature of less than 450° C. that comprises germanium or silicon germanium and substantially fills the trench. The method further comprises heating the fill layer to a temperature sufficient to substantially melt the fill layer and allowing re-crystallization of the substantially melted fill layer, thereby forming mono-crystalline germanium or silicon germanium in the trench. In an embodiment, the method further comprises forming a mono-crystalline germanium or silicon germanium fin by removing at least a portion of the insulating regions. The mono-crystalline fin may be comprised in a fin field-effect-transistor (finFET).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicants: IMEC, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, K.U. LEUVEN R&D
    Inventors: Wilfried Vandervorst, Gang Wang
  • Patent number: 7928568
    Abstract: A nanowire-based device includes the pair of isolated electrodes and a nanowire bridging between respective surfaces of the isolated electrodes of the pair. Specifically, the nanowire-based device having isolated electrodes comprises: a substrate electrode having a crystal orientation; a ledge electrode that is an epitaxial semiconductor having the crystal orientation of the substrate electrode; and a nanowire bridging between respective surfaces of the substrate electrode and the ledge electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Shashank Sharma, Theodore I Kamins
  • Patent number: 7923317
    Abstract: To crystallize a material, a thin layer of amorphous or polycrystalline material is deposited on at least one area of the surface of a top part of a substrate. A metal layer is then deposited on at least one area of the thin layer. Thermal treatment is then performed to enable crystalline growth of the material of the thin layer, resulting in: a rapid temperature increase of the top part of the substrate until liquid or overmelted liquid state is achieved, and heat transfer from the interface between the top part of the substrate and the thin layer to the interface between the thin layer and the metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'Energie Atomique
    Inventor: Philippe Bouchut
  • Patent number: 7923357
    Abstract: A poly-silicon film formation method for forming a poly-silicon film doped with phosphorous or boron includes heating a target substrate placed in a vacuum atmosphere inside a reaction container, and supplying into the reaction container a silicon film formation gas, a doping gas for doping a film with phosphorous or boron, and a grain size adjusting gas containing a component to retard columnar crystal formation from a poly-silicon crystal and to promote miniaturization of the poly-silicon crystal, thereby depositing a silicon film doped with phosphorous or boron on the target substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Okada, Takahiro Miyahara, Toshiharu Nishimura
  • Patent number: 7919398
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention as recited in the claims relate to thin film multi-junction solar cells and methods and apparatuses for forming the same. In one embodiment a method of forming a thin film multi-junction solar cell over a substrate is provided. The method comprises positioning a substrate in a reaction zone, providing a gas mixture to the reaction zone, wherein the gas mixture comprises a silicon containing compound and hydrogen gas, forming a first region of an intrinsic type microcrystalline silicon layer on the substrate at a first deposition rate, forming a second region of the intrinsic type microcrystalline silicon layer on the substrate at a second deposition rate higher than the first deposition rate, and forming a third region of the intrinsic type microcrystalline silicon layer on the substrate at a third deposition rate lower than the second deposition rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong Kee Chae, Soo Young Choi, Shuran Sheng
  • Patent number: 7919373
    Abstract: A method for doping polysilicon improves a doping profile during plasma doping and includes forming a silicon layer using two separate operations. After forming a first silicon layer, thermal annealing is performed to crystallize the first silicon layer, such that the uniformity of a doping concentration according to the depth of a layer inside is improved during plasma doping. Additionally, a doping concentration at the interface between a polysilicon layer and a gate oxide layer is increased. A by-product deposition layer is reduced, which is formed on the surface of a polysilicon layer due to the increase of a doping concentration in a polysilicon layer. As a result, the dopant loss, which is caused by the removing and cleansing of an ion implantation barrier used during doping, is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jin-Ku Lee, Jae-Geun Oh, Sun-Hwan Hwang
  • Patent number: 7915099
    Abstract: The speed of the laser scanned by the scanning means such as a galvanometer mirror or a polygon mirror is not constant in the center portion and in the end portion of the scanning width. As a result, the object, for example an amorphous semiconductor film, is irradiated with the excessive energy and therefore there is a risk that the amorphous semiconductor film is peeled. In the present invention, in the case where the laser spot of the energy beam output continuously on the irradiated object is scanned by moving it back and forth with the use of the scanning means or the like, the beam is irradiated to the outside of the element-forming region when the scanning speed of the spot is not the predetermined value, for example when the speed is not constant, and accelerates, decelerates, or is zero, for example in the positions where the scanning direction changes, or where the scanning starts or ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki, Koichiro Tanaka, Hidekazu Miyairi
  • Patent number: 7915150
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor substrate according to example embodiments may include forming a buffer layer on a (100) plane of a silicon (Si) substrate. The buffer layer may have a hexagonal crystal system and a (1010) plane. A nitride semiconductor layer may be epitaxially grown on the buffer layer. The nitride semiconductor layer may have a (1010) plane. Accordingly, because example embodiments enable the use of a relatively inexpensive Si substrate, a more economical nitride semiconductor substrate having a relatively large diameter may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sung-soo Park, Dae-ho Yoon
  • Patent number: 7915103
    Abstract: The method for fabricating a flat panel display includes performing a first crystallization process to re-crystallize an amorphous silicon layer on a glass substrate to make the amorphous silicon layer become a polysilicon layer, forming a patterned absorbing layer to cover an active area pattern of a driving TFT and to expose portions of the polysilicon layer, performing a second crystallization process to re-crystallization the exposed portions of the polysilicon layer so that the exposed portions of the polysilicon layer has a different grain structure from the grain structure of the driving TFT, removing the patterned absorbing layer, and removing portions of the polysilicon layer to form an active area of the driving TFT and an active area of a switching TFT area in the exposed portions of the polysilicon layer of each sub-pixel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2011
    Assignee: Chimei Innolux Corporation
    Inventors: Chun-Yen Liu, Chang-Ho Tseng
  • Patent number: 7906385
    Abstract: A selective stress memorization technique is disclosed in which the creation of tensile strain may be accomplished without additional photolithography steps by using an implantation mask or any other mask required during a standard manufacturing flow, or by providing a patterned cap layer for a strained re-crystallization of respective drain and source areas. In still other aspects, additional anneal steps may be used for selectively creating a crystalline state and a non-crystalline state prior to the re-crystallization on the basis of a cap layer. Thus, enhanced strain may be obtained in one type of transistor while not substantially negatively affecting the other type of transistor without requiring additional photolithography steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: GlobalFoundries Inc.
    Inventors: Markus Lenski, Frank Wirbeleit, Anthony Mowry
  • Patent number: 7906382
    Abstract: A method of crystallizing an amorphous semiconductor thin film formed on a substrate is provided. The method includes the steps of: forming a gate insulation film and a gate electrode on an amorphous semiconductor thin film; locally forming first and second crystallization induced metal patterns for inducing crystallization of the amorphous semiconductor thin film, on part of the amorphous semiconductor thin film spaced at a predetermined off-set distance from the gate insulation film; ion-injecting impurities into the substrate to thus define a source/drain region; forming a protection film on the whole surface of the substrate; and heat-treating the substrate in the air to thereby crystallize the amorphous semiconductor thin film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Neopoly Inc.
    Inventor: Woon Suh Paik
  • Patent number: 7906413
    Abstract: A structure and method of forming an abrupt doping profile is described incorporating a substrate, a first epitaxial layer of Ge less than the critical thickness having a P or As concentration greater than 5×1019 atoms/cc, and a second epitaxial layer having a change in concentration in its first 40 from the first layer of greater than 1×1019 P atoms/cc. Alternatively, a layer of SiGe having a Ge content greater than 0.5 may be selectively amorphized and recrystalized with respect to other layers in a layered structure. The invention overcomes the problem of forming abrupt phosphorus profiles in Si and SiGe layers or films in semiconductor structures such as CMOS, MODFET's, and HBT's.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank Cardone, Jack Oon Chu, Khalid EzzEldin Ismail
  • Patent number: 7906419
    Abstract: A laser annealing method for manufacturing a semiconductor device is presented. The method includes at least two forming steps and one annealing step. The first forming steps includes forming gates on a semiconductor substrate. The second forming step includes forming an insulation layer on the semiconductor substrate and on the gates. The annealing step includes annealing the insulation layer using electromagnetic radiation emitted from a laser.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hynix Semiconductor Inc.
    Inventors: Jae Soo Kim, Cheol Hwan Park, Ho Jin Cho
  • Patent number: 7902051
    Abstract: The present invention, in one embodiment, provides a method of producing a PN junction the method including providing a single crystal substrate; forming an insulating layer on the single crystal substrate; forming a via through the insulating layer to provide an exposed portion of the single crystal substrate; forming amorphous Si on at least the exposed portion of the single crystal substrate; converting at least a portion of the amorphous Si into single crystal Si; and forming dopant regions in the single crystal Si. In one embodiment the diode of the present invention is integrated with a memory device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation, Qimonda AG, Macronix International Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bipin Rajendran, Thomas Happ, Hsiang-Lan Lung
  • Patent number: 7902049
    Abstract: A process for the plasma deposition of a layer of a microcrystalline semiconductor material is carried out by energizing a process gas which includes a precursor of the semiconductor material and a diluent with electromagnetic energy so as to create a plasma therefrom. The plasma deposits a layer of the microcrystalline semiconductor material onto the substrate. The concentration of the diluent in the process gas is varied as a function of the thickness of the layer of microcrystalline semiconductor material which has been deposited. Also disclosed is the use of the process for the preparation of an N-I-P type photovoltaic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: United Solar Ovonic LLC
    Inventors: Subhendu Guha, Chi C. Yang, Baojie Yan
  • Publication number: 20110053355
    Abstract: A plasma apparatus having a chamber, a set of arc electrodes and a substrate holder is provided. The set of arc electrodes disposed within the chamber has an anode and a cathode, wherein an arc forming space is formed between the anode and the cathode. The anode and the cathode respectively have a crystallized silicon target. The crystallized silicon target of the anode is disposed on an end facing to that of the cathode, wherein the resistance of the crystallized silicon targets is smaller than 0.01 ?·cm. The substrate holder is disposed within the chamber and has a carrying surface, wherein the carrying surface is face to the arc forming space. Besides, a method of fabricating nano-crystalline silicon thin film is also provided. By using the plasma apparatus, a nano-crystalline silicon thin film with high quality is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: Chunghwa Picture Tubes, LTD.
    Inventors: Jeff Tsai, Tsung-Ying Lin, Zi-Jie Liao, Jia-Ling Peng, Chia-Lin Liu, Chi-Neng Mo
  • Patent number: 7897493
    Abstract: Strain is induced in a semiconductor layer. Embodiments include inducing strain by, for example, creation of free surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: James Fiorenza, Mark Carroll, Anthony J. Lochtefeld
  • Patent number: 7897494
    Abstract: A method is provided for growing mono-crystalline nanostructures onto a substrate. The method comprises at least the steps of first providing a pattern onto a main surface of the substrate wherein said pattern has openings extending to the surface of the substrate, providing a metal into the openings of the pattern on the exposed main surface, at least partly filling the opening with amorphous material, and then annealing the substrate at temperatures between 300° C. and 1000° C. thereby transforming the amorphous material into a mono-crystalline material by metal mediated crystallization to form the mono-crystalline nanostructure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: IMEC
    Inventor: Philippe M. Vereecken
  • Patent number: 7888247
    Abstract: A method of forming a polycrystalline semiconductor film, which includes irradiating an amorphous semiconductor film formed on an insulating substrate with light to convert the amorphous semiconductor into a polycrystalline semiconductor with laterally grown crystal grains, thus forming a polycrystalline semiconductor film, wherein crystal growth in the semiconductor is controlled such that first crystal grains laterally grow in the first direction along a X-axis from the first group of initial nuclei, the second crystal grains laterally grow in the second direction opposite to the first direction along the X-axis from the second group of initial nuclei arranged apart from the first group of initial nuclei along the X-axis, and the first crystal grains collide against the second crystal grains at different points in time along a Y-axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Advanced LCD Technologies Development Center Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Daisuke Iga, Yukio Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 7888246
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a semiconductor integrated circuit includes forming a first dielectric layer on a semiconductor substrate, patterning the first dielectric layer to form a first patterned dielectric layer, forming a non-single crystal seed layer on the first patterned dielectric layer, removing a portion of the seed layer to form a patterned seed layer, forming a second dielectric layer on the first patterned dielectric layer and the patterned seed layer, removing portions of the second dielectric layer to form a second patterned dielectric layer, irradiating the patterned seed layer to single-crystallize the patterned seed layer, removing portions of the first patterned dielectric layer and the second patterned dielectric layer such that the single-crystallized seed layer protrudes in the vertical direction with respect to the first and/or the second patterned dielectric layer, and forming a gate electrode in contact with the single-crystal active pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-hoon Son, Si-young Choi, Jong-wook Lee
  • Publication number: 20110021008
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for converting a doped amorphous silicon layer deposited onto a crystalline silicon substrate into crystalline silicon having the same grain structure and crystal orientation as the underlying crystalline silicon substrate upon which the amorphous silicon was initially deposited. Additional embodiments of the present invention provide depositing a dielectric passivation layer onto the amorphous silicon layer prior to the conversion. A temperature gradient is provided at a temperature and for a time period sufficient to provide a desired p-n junction depth and dopant profile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Virendra V. RANA, Robert Z. Bachrach
  • Patent number: 7875508
    Abstract: A silicon film is crystallized in a predetermined direction by selectively adding a metal element having a catalytic action for crystallizing an amorphous silicon and annealing. In manufacturing TFT using the crystallized silicon film, TFT provided such that the crystallization direction is roughly parallel to a current-flow between a source and a drain, and TFT provided such that the crystallization direction is roughly vertical to a current-flow between a source and a drain are manufactured. Therefore, TFT capable of conducting a high speed operation and TFT having a low leak current are formed on the same substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yasuhiko Takemura
  • Publication number: 20110014781
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method of fabricating a semiconductor device includes forming a first insulator on a semiconductor substrate, forming a first groove on the insulator to expose at least a part of the semiconductor substrate at a bottom of the first groove, forming a first embedding film including at least germanium in the groove, melting the first embedding film by heat treatment, and crystallizing the first embedding film being melted to a single-crystalline film using the semiconductor substrate as a seed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Inventors: Hiroshi Itokawa, Ichiro Mizushima
  • Publication number: 20110014755
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) layer includes providing a substrate, forming an amorphous silicon (a-Si) layer on the substrate, forming a thermal oxide layer to a thickness of about 10 to 50 ? on the a-Si layer, forming a metal catalyst layer on the thermal oxide layer, and annealing the substrate to crystallize the a-Si layer into the poly-Si layer using a metal catalyst of the metal catalyst layer. Thus, the a-Si layer can be crystallized into a poly-Si layer by a super grain silicon (SGS) crystallization method. Also, the thermal oxide layer may be formed during the dehydrogenation of the a-Si layer so that an additional process of forming a capping layer required for the SGS crystallization method can be omitted, thereby simplifying the fabrication process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hoon YANG, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Byoung-Keon Park, Kil-Won Lee
  • Patent number: 7871907
    Abstract: A mask includes a primary opaque pattern and a number of clusters of secondary opaque patterns. The primary opaque pattern defines a number of strip transparent slits whose extending directions are substantially the same. The clusters of the secondary opaque patterns are connected to the primary opaque pattern, and each of the clusters of the secondary opaque patterns is disposed in one of the transparent slits, respectively. Each of the clusters of the secondary opaque patterns includes a number of secondary opaque patterns, and extending directions of at least a portion of the secondary opaque patterns and the extending directions of the transparent slits together form included angles that are not equal to about 90°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2011
    Assignee: Au Optronics Corporation
    Inventor: Ming-Wei Sun
  • Patent number: 7863621
    Abstract: A thin film transistor includes a semiconductor layer formed on a polycrystalline silicon layer crystallized by a super grain silicon (SGS) crystallization method. The thin film transistor is patterned such that the semiconductor layer does not include a seed or a grain boundary created when forming the semiconductor layer on the polycrystalline silicon layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hoon Yang, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Byoung-Keon Park
  • Patent number: 7863075
    Abstract: A manufacturing method of a polycrystalline solar cell is disclosed. A polycrystalline silicon solar cell in accordance with the present invention performs crystallization-annealing amorphous silicon with a metal catalyst so as to reduce a crystallization temperature. The manufacturing method of a solar cell in accordance with the present invention includes the steps of (a) forming a first amorphous silicon layer on a substrate; (b) forming a second amorphous silicon layer on the first amorphous silicon layer; (c) forming a metal layer on the second amorphous silicon layer; (d) performing crystallization-annealing the second amorphous silicon layer; and (e) forming a third amorphous silicon layer on a resulting crystalline silicon layer of the step (d).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: TG Solar Corporation
    Inventors: Taek Yong Jang, Byung Il Lee
  • Patent number: 7863166
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor storage device includes providing an opening portion in a plurality of positions in an insulating film formed on a silicon substrate, and thereafter forming an amorphous silicon film on the insulating film, in which the opening portions are formed, and in the opening portions. Then, trenches are formed to divide the amorphous silicon film, in the vicinity of a midpoint between adjacent opening portions, into a portion on one opening portion side and a portion on the other opening portion side. Next, the amorphous silicon film, in which the trenches are formed, is annealed and subjected to solid-phase crystallization to form a single crystal with the opening portions used as seeds, and thereby a silicon single-crystal layer is formed. Then, a memory cell array is formed on the silicon single-crystal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Takashi Suzuki, Hirokazu Ishida, Ichiro Mizushima, Yoshio Ozawa, Fumiki Aiso, Katsuyuki Sekine, Takashi Nakao, Yoshihiko Saito
  • Publication number: 20100326513
    Abstract: An inverse opal structure having dual porosity, a method of manufacturing the inverse opal structure, a dye-sensitized solar cell, and a method of manufacturing the dye-sensitized solar cell improve the light scattering effects of an included light scattering layer and improve functions of included electrodes. The inverse opal structure includes a plurality of first pores regularly arranged in a photonic crystal structure and a plurality of second pores formed on walls of the first pores in which the second pores have a nano-sized diameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Joo-Wook LEE, Ji Man Kim, Sung Soo Kim, Mingshi Jin
  • Publication number: 20100330759
    Abstract: One aspect of the present subject matter relates to a method for forming a transistor. According to an embodiment of the method, a pillar of amorphous semiconductor material is formed on a crystalline substrate, and a solid phase epitaxy process is performed to crystallize the amorphous semiconductor material using the crystalline substrate to seed the crystalline growth. The pillar has a sublithographic thickness. A transistor body is formed in the crystallized semiconductor pillar between a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region. A surrounding gate insulator is formed around the semiconductor pillar, and a surrounding gate is formed around and separated from the semiconductor pillar by the surrounding gate insulator. Other aspects are provided herein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventor: Leonard Forbes
  • Patent number: 7858431
    Abstract: A fragile layer is formed in a region at a depth of less than 1000 nm from one surface of a single crystal semiconductor substrate, and a first impurity semiconductor layer and a first electrode are formed at the one surface side. After bonding the first electrode and a supporting substrate, the single crystal semiconductor substrate is separated using the fragile layer or the vicinity as a separation plane, thereby forming a first single crystal semiconductor layer over the supporting substrate. An amorphous semiconductor layer is formed on the first single crystal semiconductor layer, and a second single crystal semiconductor layer is formed by heat treatment for solid phase growth of the amorphous semiconductor layer. A second impurity semiconductor layer having a conductivity type opposite to that of the first impurity semiconductor layer and a second electrode are formed over the second single crystal semiconductor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Fumito Isaka, Sho Kato, Koji Dairiki
  • Publication number: 20100323503
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for forming an emitter region in a crystalline silicon substrate and passivating the surface thereof by depositing a doped amorphous silicon layer onto the crystalline silicon substrate and thermally annealing the crystalline silicon substrate while oxidizing the surface thereof. In one embodiment, the deposited film is completely converted to oxide. In another embodiment, the doped amorphous silicon layer deposited onto the crystalline silicon substrate is converted into crystalline silicon having the same grain structure and crystal orientation as the underlying crystalline silicon substrate upon which the amorphous silicon was initially deposited during emitter formation. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the converted crystalline silicon is further converted into silicon dioxide during the emitter surface passivation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Virendra V. Rana, Robert Z. Bachrach
  • Patent number: 7851327
    Abstract: In a semiconductor device and a method of manufacturing the same, a first insulation layer is removed from a cell area of a substrate and a first active pattern is formed on the first area by a laser-induced epitaxial growth (LEG) process. Residuals of the first insulation layer are passively formed into a first device isolation pattern on the first area. The first insulation layer is removed from the second area of the substrate and a semiconductor layer is formed on the second area of the substrate by a SEG process. The semiconductor layer on the second area is patterned into a second active pattern including a recessed portion and a second insulation pattern in the recessed portion is formed into a second device isolation pattern on the second area. Accordingly, grain defects in the LEG process and lattice defects in the SEG process are mitigated or eliminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yong-Hoon Son, Jong-Wook Lee
  • Publication number: 20100304547
    Abstract: A device and method of reducing residual STI corner defects in a hybrid orientation transistor comprising, forming a direct silicon bonded substrate wherein a second silicon layer with a second crystal orientation is bonded to a handle substrate with a first crystal orientation, forming a pad oxide layer on the second silicon layer, forming a nitride layer on the pad oxide layer, forming an isolation trench within the direct silicon bonded substrate through the second silicon layer and into the handle substrate, patterning a PMOS region of the direct silicon bonded substrate utilizing photoresist including a portion of the isolation trench, implanting and amorphizing an NMOS region of the direct silicon bonded substrate, removing the photoresist, performing solid phase epitaxy, performing a recrystallization anneal, forming an STI liner, completing front end processing, and performing back end processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: December 2, 2010
    Applicant: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Angelo Pinto, Periannan R. Chidambaram, Rick L. Wise
  • Patent number: 7842588
    Abstract: A method for forming a group-III metal nitride material film attached to a substrate including subjecting the substrate to an ambient pressure of no greater than 0.01 Pa, and heating the substrate to a temperature of between approximately 500° C.-800° C. The method further includes introducing a group III metal vapor to the surface of the substrate at a base pressure of at least 0.01 Pa, until a plurality of group III metal drops form on the surface, and introducing active nitrogen to the surface at a working pressure of between 0.05 Pa and 2.5 Pa, until group III metal nitride molecules form on the group III metal drops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Mosaic Crystals
    Inventor: Moshe Einav
  • Publication number: 20100295059
    Abstract: The invention provides a high-quality SiC single-crystal substrate, a seed crystal for producing the high-quality SiC single-crystal substrate, and a method of producing the high-quality SiC single-crystal substrate, which enable improvement of device yield and stability. Provided is an SiC single-crystal substrate wherein, when the SiC single-crystal substrate is divided into 5-mm square regions, such regions in which dislocation pairs or dislocation rows having intervals between their dislocation end positions of 5 ?m or less are present among the dislocations that have ends at the substrate surface account for 50% or less of all such regions within the substrate surface and the dislocation density in the substrate of dislocations other than the dislocation pairs or dislocation is 8,000/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Publication date: November 25, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuo FUJIMOTO, Kohei TATSUMI, Taizo HOSHINO, Masakazu KATSUNO, Noboru OHTANI, Masashi NAKABAYASHI, Hiroshi TSUGE, Housei HIRANO, Hirokatsu YASHIRO
  • Patent number: 7838442
    Abstract: A method for producing a solar cell including the steps of forming a p-type microcrystalline silicon oxide layer on a glass substrate using a PECVD method and raw gases comprising Silane gas, Diborane gas, Hydrogen gas and Carbon Dioxide gas. The method may employ a frequency of between about 13.56-60 MHz. The PECVD method may be performed at a power density of between about 10-40 mW/cm2 and a pressure of between about 0.5-2 Torr, and with a ratio of Carbon Dioxide to Silane of between about 0.10-0.24; a ratio of Diborane to Silane of 0.10 or less, and a ratio of Silane to Hydrogen of 0.01 or less. A tandem solar cell structure may be formed by forming top and bottom layers by the method described above, and placing the top layer over the bottom layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: National Science and Technology Development Agency
    Inventors: Porponth Sichanugrist, Nirut Pingate, Decha Yotsaksri
  • Patent number: 7838352
    Abstract: A thin film transistor that has improved characteristics and uniformity is developed by uniformly controlling low concentration of crystallization catalyst and controlling crystallization position so that no seed exists and no grain boundary exists, or one grain boundary exists in a channel layer of the thin film transistor. The thin film transistor includes a substrate; a semiconductor layer pattern which is formed on the substrate, the semiconductor layer pattern having a channel layer of which no seed exists and no grain boundary exists; a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor layer pattern; and a gate electrode formed on the gate insulating film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tae-Hoon Yang, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Byoung-Keon Park
  • Patent number: 7838437
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for simultaneous recrystallization and doping of semiconductor layers, in particular for the production of crystalline silicon thin layer solar cells. In this method, in a first step a substrate base layer 1 is produced, in a step subsequent thereto, on the latter an intermediate layer system 2 which has at least one doped partial layer is deposited, in a step subsequent thereto, an absorber layer 3 which is undoped or likewise doped is deposited on the intermediate layer system 2, and in a recrystallization step, the absorber layer 3 is heated, melted, cooled and tempered. In an advantageous method modification, instead of an undoped capping layer, a capping layer system 4 which has at least one partial layer can also be applied on the absorber layer 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung e.V.
    Inventor: Stefan Reber
  • Patent number: 7820531
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes the steps of: modifying a semiconductor film by applying a laser beam; and forming a semiconductor device on the modified semiconductor film. In the step of modifying the semiconductor film, the laser beam and the substrate are moved relative to each other in a first direction and a second direction which is opposite to the first direction, a change in an optical characteristic between an area irradiated with the laser beam and an area which is not irradiated with the laser beam in the substrate or an optical characteristic of the irradiated area is measured in each of the first and second directions, and irradiation power of the laser beam is modulated so that the difference between a measurement result in the first direction and a measurement result in the second direction lies in a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Goh Matsunobu, Koichi Tatsuki, Yoshio Inagaki, Nobuhiko Umezu, Koichi Tsukihara
  • Patent number: 7811909
    Abstract: The invention has for its object to provide a process of synthesizing high-purity hBN crystal bodies on a robust substrate even under normal pressure. The inventive process of producing hexagonal boron nitride crystal bodies is characterized by comprising a preparation step of preparing a mixture of a boron nitride raw material and a metal solvent comprising a transition metal, a contact step of bringing a sapphire substrate in contact with the mixture, a heating step of heating the mixture, and a recrystallization step of recrystallizing at normal pressure a melt obtained in the heating step. It is also characterized by using as the metal solvent a transition metal selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Co, and a combination thereof, and at least one substance selected from the group consisting of Cr, TiN and V without recourse to any sapphire substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: National Institute for Materials Science
    Inventors: Takashi Taniguchi, Kenji Watanabe, Yoichi Kubota, Osamu Tsuda
  • Patent number: 7811910
    Abstract: In crystallization of a silicon film by annealing using a linear-shaped laser beam having a width of the short axis of the beam is ununiform, the profile (intensity distribution) of the laser beam is evaluated and the results are fed back to a condition of oscillating the laser beam or an optical condition for projecting the laser beam onto the silicon film, whereby a display device comprising a high-quality crystalline silicon film is manufactured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi Displays, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikio Hongo, Akio Yazaki, Takahiro Kamo
  • Patent number: 7803700
    Abstract: Methods of forming semiconductor structures characterized by a thin active silicon layer on an insulating substrate by a crystal imprinting or damascene approach. The methods include patterning an insulating layer to define a plurality of apertures, filling the apertures in the patterned insulating layer with amorphous silicon to define a plurality of amorphous silicon features, and re-growing the amorphous silicon features to define a thin active silicon layer consisting of regrown silicon features. The amorphous silicon features may be regrown such that a number have a first crystal orientation and another number have a different second crystal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Louis Lu-Chen Hsu, Jack Allan Mandelman, William R. Tonti
  • Patent number: 7803699
    Abstract: A polysilicon thin film transistor (TFT) may include a substrate, at least one insulating layer, a semiconductor layer, a gate electrode, a source electrode, a drain electrode, and a heat retaining layer formed to contact the semiconductor layer. The heat retaining layer may reduce and/or prevent a reduction in a melt duration time of amorphous silicon during a crystallization process for forming a polysilicon layer of the TFT.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jae Kyeong Jeong, Hyun Soo Shin, Yeon Gon Mo
  • Publication number: 20100237346
    Abstract: A rectifier is formed by forming a first electrode layer, a semiconductor layer and a second electrode layer. A third electrode layer is formed between the first electrode layer and the semiconductor layer, or between the second electrode layer and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer and the third electrode layer are formed as follows. First, a first layer made from amorphous silicon and including a p-type first semiconductor region and an n-type second semiconductor region is deposited. Next, a second layer made from a metal is deposited on an upper or lower layer of the first layer. The third electrode layer including a metal silicide as a material lattice-matched to polysilicon is formed by siliciding the second layer. Next, the first layer is crystallized. Subsequently, the semiconductor layer is formed by activating an impurity included in the first layer and restoring crystal imperfections included in the first layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Kanno, Kenichi Murooka, Mitsuru Sato
  • Publication number: 20100237351
    Abstract: A planar double-gate transistor is manufactured wherein crystallisation inhibitors are implanted into the channel region (16) of a semiconductor wafer (10), said wafer having a laminate structure comprising an initial crystalline semiconductor layer (14) adjacent an amorphous semiconductor layer (12). Upon heating, partial re-growth of the amorphous semiconductor layer is restricted in the channel area thus allowing for the thickness of the source/drain extension regions to be increased whilst maintaining a thin channel. Any remaining amorphous material is selectively removed leaving a cavity to allow for the forming of gate electrodes (30,32) on opposing sides of the channel region. The invention can be exploited to a greater extent by providing an amorphous layer on both sides of the initial crystalline semiconductor layer thus providing for re-growth limitation in two directions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2007
    Publication date: September 23, 2010
    Applicant: NXP, B.V.
    Inventor: Bartlomiej J. M. Pawlak
  • Publication number: 20100233858
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a rapid annealing method in a mixed structure composed of a heat treatment-requiring material, dielectric layer and conductive layer, comprising that during rapid annealing on a predetermined part of the heat treatment-requiring material, by instantaneously generated intense heat due to Joule heating by application of an electric field to the conductive layer, the potential difference between the heat treatment-requiring material and the conductive layer is set lower than the dielectric break-down voltage of the dielectric layer, thereby preventing generation of arc by dielectric breakdown of the dielectric layer during the annealing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2007
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Applicants: ENSILTECH CORPORATION
    Inventors: Jae-Sang Ro, Won-Eui Hong
  • Publication number: 20100227443
    Abstract: A method of forming a polycrystalline silicon layer includes forming an amorphous silicon layer on a substrate by chemical vapor deposition using a gas including a silicon atom and hydrogen gas, and crystallizing the amorphous silicon layer into a polycrystalline silicon layer using a crystallization-inducing metal. The resultant polycrystalline silicon layer has an improved charge mobility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: Samsung Mobile Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kil-Won LEE, Ki-Yong Lee, Jin-Wook Seo, Tae-Hoon Yang, Byoung-Keon Park, Maxim Lisachenko, Ji-Su Ahn, Young-Dae Kim, Sang-Yon Yoon, Jong-Ryuk Park, Bo-Kyung Choi, Yun-Mo Chung, Min-Jae Jeong, Jong-Won Hong, Heung-Yeol Na, Eu-Gene Kang, Seok-Rak Chang