公开(公告)号：US07153730B2

公开(公告)日：2006-12-26

申请号：US10384888

申请日：2003-03-10

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： H01L21/00

CPC分类号： C30B29/06 ,  C30B13/24 ,  H01L29/6675 ,  H01L29/78672

摘要： A method is provided for crystallizing a silicon film in liquid crystal display (LCD) fabrication. The method comprises: forming an amorphous silicon film having a thickness in the range of 100 to 1000 Angstroms (Å); irradiating the silicon film with a laser pulse having a pulse width of 50 nanoseconds (ns) or greater, as measured at the full-width-half-maximum (FWHM), using a beamlet width in the range of 3 to 20 microns; and, in response to irradiating the silicon film, laterally growing crystal grains. In one example, irradiating the silicon film may include irradiating with a pulse having a pulse width in the range between 30 and 300 ns FWHM, and an energy density in the range from 200 to 1300 millijoules per square centimeter (mJ/cm2).

摘要翻译： 提供了一种在液晶显示（LCD）制造中使硅膜结晶的方法。 该方法包括：形成厚度在100至1000埃（A）范围内的非晶硅膜; 使用3至20微米范围内的子束宽度，以全宽半最大值（FWHM）测量的脉冲宽度为50纳秒（ns）或更大的激光脉冲照射硅膜; 并且响应于照射硅膜而横向生长的晶粒。 在一个实例中，照射硅膜可以包括用脉冲宽度在30和300ns FWHM之间的脉冲进行照射，并且能量密度在200至1300毫焦耳每平方厘米（mJ / cm 2） 2 ）。

公开(公告)号：US20050164424A1

公开(公告)日：2005-07-28

申请号：US10704928

申请日：2003-11-10

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： H01L21/20 ,  C23C14/16 ,  H01L21/203 ,  H01L21/336 ,  H01L29/786 ,  H01L21/00

CPC分类号： H01L29/6675 ,  C23C14/165 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/02592 ,  H01L21/02631 ,  H01L21/02667 ,  H01L29/78672

摘要： A method has been provided for forming a polycrystalline silicon (p-Si) film with a small amount of hydrogen. Such a film has been found to have excellent sheet resistance, and it is useful in the fabrication of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels made from thin film transistors (TFTs). The low hydrogen content polycrystalline silicon films are made from introducing a small amount of hydrogen gas, with Ar, during the sputter deposition of an amorphous silicon film. The hydrogen content in the film is regulated by controlling the deposition temperatures and the volume of hydrogen in the gas feed during the sputter deposition. The polycrystalline silicon film results from annealing the low hydrogen content amorphous silicon film thus formed.

摘要翻译： 已经提供了用于形成具有少量氢的多晶硅（p-Si）膜的方法。 已经发现这种膜具有优异的薄层电阻，并且在制造由薄膜晶体管（TFT）制成的液晶显示器（LCD）面板中是有用的。 低氢含量多晶硅膜是通过在非晶硅膜的溅射沉积期间引入少量与Ar的氢气制成的。 通过在溅射沉积期间控制气体进料中的沉积温度和氢的体积来调节膜中的氢含量。 多晶硅膜是由这样形成的低含氢非晶硅膜退火得到的。

公开(公告)号：US06830965B1

公开(公告)日：2004-12-14

申请号：US09696813

申请日：2000-10-25

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata ,  Takeshi Hosoda

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata ,  Takeshi Hosoda

IPC分类号： H01L2100

CPC分类号： H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/02631 ,  H01L21/02672 ,  H01L21/02686 ,  H01L27/12 ,  H01L27/1277

摘要： A metal induced crystallization process is provided which employs an amorphous silicon film precursor deposited by physical vapor deposition, wherein the precursor film does not readily undergo crystallization by partial solid phase crystallization. Using this physical vapor deposition amorphous silicon precursor film, the amorphous silicon film is transformed to polysilicon by metal induced crystallization wherein the crystalline growth occurs fastest at regions that have been augmented with a metal catalyst and proceeds extremely slowly, practically zero, at regions which bear no metal catalyst. Accordingly, by use of the physical vapor deposition amorphous silicon precursor film in the process of the present invention, the metal induced crystallization process may take place at higher annealing temperatures and shorter annealing times without solid phase crystallization taking place. The process has a faster throughput than previous metal induced crystallization processes, results in a polysilicon film having virtually no catalyst impurities remaining in the film, and results in a film having uniform material characteristics. The resulting polysilicon film may be utilized in thin film transistors or liquid crystal displays.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种金属诱导结晶方法，其采用通过物理气相沉积沉积的非晶硅膜前体，其中前体膜不容易通过部分固相结晶进行结晶。 使用该物理气相沉积非晶硅前体膜，通过金属诱导结晶将非晶硅膜转变为多晶硅，其中在已经用金属催化剂增加的区域处的晶体生长最快发生，并且在承载的区域处极其缓慢地进行，实际上为零 无金属催化剂。 因此，通过在本发明的方法中使用物理气相沉积非晶硅前体膜，可以在更高的退火温度和较短的退火时间下进行金属诱导结晶过程，而不发生固相结晶。 该方法具有比先前的金属诱导结晶方法更快的生产量，导致几乎没有在膜中残留催化剂杂质的多晶硅膜，并且导致具有均匀材料特性的膜。 得到的多晶硅膜可用于薄膜晶体管或液晶显示器。

公开(公告)号：US06789499B2

公开(公告)日：2004-09-14

申请号：US10213816

申请日：2002-08-06

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata

IPC分类号： C23C1600

CPC分类号： C23C14/34 ,  H01L21/02422 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/02631

摘要： A method of physical vapor deposition includes selecting a target material; mixing at least two gases to form a sputtering gas mixture, wherein a first sputtering gas is helium and a second sputtering gas is taken from the gases consisting of neon, argon krypton, xenon and radon; forming a plasma in the sputtering gas mixture atmosphere to sputter atoms from the target material to the substrate thereby forming a layer of target material on the substrate; and annealing the substrate and the deposited layer thereon. An improved physical vapor deposition vacuum chamber includes a target held in a target holder, a substrate held in a substrate holder, a plasma arc generator, and heating rods. A sputtering gas feed system is provided for introducing a mixture of sputtering gases into the chamber; as is a vacuum mechanism comprising at least one turbomolecular pump for evacuating the chamber to a pressure of less than 16 mTorr during deposition. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for forming thin film transistors and liquid crystal displays having thin film transistors therein.

摘要翻译： 物理气相沉积的方法包括选择目标材料; 混合至少两种气体以形成溅射气体混合物，其中第一溅射气体是氦气，并且从由氖，氩氪，氙和氡组成的气体中取出第二溅射气体; 在溅射气体混合气氛中形成等离子体，以将原子从目标材料溅射到基板，从而在基板上形成目标材料层; 并在其上退火衬底和沉积层。 改进的物理气相沉积真空室包括保持在靶保持器中的靶，保持在衬底保持器中的衬底，等离子体电弧发生器和加热棒。 提供溅射气体供给系统，用于将溅射气体的混合物引入室中; 真空机构包括至少一个用于在沉积期间将室抽空至小于16mTorr的涡轮分子泵。 该方法和装置特别适用于形成薄膜晶体管和其中具有薄膜晶体管的液晶显示器。

公开(公告)号：US06686978B2

公开(公告)日：2004-02-03

申请号：US09796330

申请日：2001-02-28

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： G02F1136

CPC分类号： G02F1/13454

摘要： A method is provided to produce liquid crystal displays (LCDs) on polycrystalline films having a single predominant crystal orientation. A layer of amorphous silicon is deposited over a substrate to a thickness suitable for producing a desired crystal orientation. Lateral-seeded excimer laser annealing (LS-ELA) is used to crystallize a region of the amorphous silicon to form a polycrystalline film with a preferred crystal orientation. In an embodiment of the method, the polycrystalline film is polished. A pixel region is formed over a portion of the substrate using either amorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon. A circuit region is formed over the polycrystalline film.

摘要翻译： 提供一种在具有单个主要晶体取向的多晶膜上制造液晶显示器（LCD）的方法。 将非晶硅层沉积在衬底上至适于产生所需晶体取向的厚度。 使用横向晶种的准分子激光退火（LS-ELA）使非晶硅的区域结晶，形成具有优选结晶取向的多晶膜。 在该方法的一个实施例中，多晶膜被抛光。 使用非晶硅或多晶硅在衬底的一部分上形成像素区域。 在多晶膜上形成电路区域。

公开(公告)号：US06635555B2

公开(公告)日：2003-10-21

申请号：US09796345

申请日：2001-02-28

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： C30B1300

CPC分类号： H01L21/02609 ,  H01L21/02595 ,  H01L21/02664 ,  H01L21/0268 ,  H01L21/02686 ,  H01L21/2026

摘要： A method is provided to produce thin polycrystalline films having a single predominant crystal orientation. The method is well suited to the production of films for use in production of thin film transistors (TFTs). A layer of amorphous silicon is deposited over a substrate to a thickness suitable for producing a desired crystal orientation. Lateral-seeded excimer laser annealing (LS-ELA) is used to crystallize the amorphous silicon to form a film with a preferred crystal orientation. The crystallized film is then polished to a desired thickness for subsequent processing.

公开(公告)号：US06623653B2

公开(公告)日：2003-09-23

申请号：US09881390

申请日：2001-06-12

申请人： Gaku Furuta ,  Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Gaku Furuta ,  Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： H01L21302

CPC分类号： G02F1/1368 ,  G02F1/13439 ,  H01L21/32136

摘要： A method has been provided for etching adjoining layers of indium tin oxide (ITO) and silicon in a single, continuous dry etching process. A conventional dry etching gas, such as HI, is used to etch ITO using RF or plasma energy. When the silicon layer underlying the ITO layer is reached, oxygen or nitrogen is added to etching gas to improve the selectivity of ITO to silicon. In some aspects of the invention an etch-stop layer is formed in the silicon layer. A specific example of fabricating a bottom gate thin film transistor (TFT) is also provided where adjoining layers of source metal, ITO, and channel silicon are etched in the same dry etch step.

摘要翻译： 已经提供了一种在单次连续干蚀刻工艺中蚀刻邻接的氧化铟锡（ITO）和硅的方法。 使用诸如HI的常规干蚀刻气体来使用RF或等离子体能量来蚀刻ITO。 当达到ITO层下面的硅层时，向蚀刻气体中加入氧或氮以提高ITO对硅的选择性。 在本发明的一些方面，在硅层中形成蚀刻停止层。 还提供了制造底栅薄膜晶体管（TFT）的具体示例，其中在相同的干蚀刻步骤中蚀刻相邻的源极金属，ITO和沟道硅层。

公开(公告)号：US06580053B1

公开(公告)日：2003-06-17

申请号：US09653484

申请日：2000-08-31

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： B23K2600

CPC分类号： B23K26/1435 ,  B23K26/1437 ,  B23K26/147 ,  B23K2101/36

摘要： The invention provides an apparatus for reducing, or eliminating, ambient air in connection with an excimer laser annealing process. Nozzles are provided to direct a flow of gas, preferably helium, neon, argon or nitrogen, at a region overlying the target area of an amorphous silicon layer deposited on an LCD substrate. The nozzles direct a flow of gas at sufficient pressure and flow rate to remove ambient air from the region overlying the target area. With the ambient air, especially oxygen, removed, the laser can anneal the amorphous silicon to produce polycrystalline silicon with less oxygen contamination. In a preferred embodiment, an exhaust system is also provided to remove the gas.

摘要翻译： 本发明提供了一种用于减少或消除与准分子激光退火工艺相关的环境空气的装置。 提供喷嘴以在覆盖沉积在LCD衬底上的非晶硅层的目标区域的区域上引导气体流，优选氦气，氖气，氩气或氮气。 喷嘴以足够的压力和流速引导气流，以从覆盖目标区域的区域去除环境空气。 随着环境空气，特别是氧气被去除，激光器可以退火非晶硅以产生具有较少氧污染的多晶硅。 在优选实施例中，还提供排气系统以去除气体。

公开(公告)号：US06429097B1

公开(公告)日：2002-08-06

申请号：US09576940

申请日：2000-05-22

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata

IPC分类号： H01L2120

CPC分类号： C23C14/34 ,  H01L21/02422 ,  H01L21/02532 ,  H01L21/02631

摘要： A method of physical vapor deposition includes selecting a target material; mixing at least two gases to form a sputtering gas mixture, wherein a first sputtering gas is helium and a second sputtering gas is taken from the gases consisting of neon, argon krypton, xenon and radon; forming a plasma in the sputtering gas mixture atmosphere to sputter atoms from the target material to the substrate thereby forming a layer of target material on the substrate and annealing the substrate and the deposited layer thereon. An improved physical vapor deposition vacuum chamber includes a target held in a target holder, a substrate held in a substrate holder, a plasma arc generator, and heating rods. A sputtering gas feed system is provided for introducing a mixture of sputtering gases into the chamber; as is a vacuum mechanism comprising at least one turbomolecular pump for evacuating the chamber to a pressure of less than 16 mTorr during deposition. The method and apparatus are particularly suited for forming thin film transistors and liquid crystal displays having thin film transistors therein.

摘要翻译： 物理气相沉积的方法包括选择目标材料; 混合至少两种气体以形成溅射气体混合物，其中第一溅射气体是氦气，并且从由氖，氩氪，氙和氡组成的气体中取出第二溅射气体; 在溅射气体混合气氛中形成等离子体，将原子从目标材料溅射到基板，从而在基板上形成目标材料层，并在其上退火基板和沉积层。 改进的物理气相沉积真空室包括保持在靶保持器中的靶，保持在衬底保持器中的衬底，等离子体电弧发生器和加热棒。 提供溅射气体供给系统，用于将溅射气体的混合物引入室中; 真空机构包括至少一个用于在沉积期间将室抽空至小于16mTorr的涡轮分子泵。 该方法和装置特别适用于形成薄膜晶体管和其中具有薄膜晶体管的液晶显示器。

公开(公告)号：US20070222493A1

公开(公告)日：2007-09-27

申请号：US11439410

申请日：2006-05-23

申请人： Themistokles Afentakis ,  Apostolos Voutsas ,  Paul Schuele

发明人： Themistokles Afentakis ,  Apostolos Voutsas ,  Paul Schuele

IPC分类号： H03H11/26

CPC分类号： H03K5/133 ,  H03K2005/00039 ,  H03K2005/00058

摘要： A digital-to-time converter (DTC) is provided, made from a plurality of series-connected cells. Each cell has an input interface to accept a signal, a control interface to accept a digital command, a delayed signal path, a minimum delay signal path, and an output interface. The signal path is selected in response to the command. The time delay associated with the delayed signal path of each cell can be varied, so that the plurality of series-connected cells is able to provide a large range of delay combinations. For example, if there are n series-connected cells, then the jth series-connected cell, where j varies from 1 to n, conducts the signal through 2j MOS gates in the delayed signal path. Assuming a digital control word with n bit places, the jth series-connected cell accepts the jth bit place of the control word to select a delay path.

摘要翻译： 提供了由多个串联连接的单元制成的数字 - 时间转换器（DTC）。 每个单元具有接收信号的输入接口，接受数字命令的控制接口，延迟信号路径，最小延迟信号路径和输出接口。 响应命令选择信号路径。 可以改变与每个单元的延迟信号路径相关联的时间延迟，使得多个串联单元能够提供大范围的延迟组合。 例如，如果存在n个串联连接的单元，那么其中j从1变化到n的第j个串联单元通过延迟信号路径中的2个MOS栅极传导信号。 假设具有n位位置的数字控制字，第j个串联单元接受控制字的第j位，以选择延迟路径。