公开(公告)号：US09063353B2

公开(公告)日：2015-06-23

申请号：US13714073

申请日：2012-12-13

申请人： Akinori Hashimura ,  Douglas Tweet ,  Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Akinori Hashimura ,  Douglas Tweet ,  Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： G02F1/03 ,  G02F1/00 ,  G02B5/00 ,  B82Y20/00

CPC分类号： G02F1/0018 ,  B82Y20/00 ,  G02B5/008 ,  G02F1/133553 ,  G02F1/1393 ,  G02F2202/36 ,  G02F2203/055 ,  G02F2203/10 ,  Y10S977/773 ,  Y10S977/834

摘要： A plasmonic optical device is provided operating in near ultra violet (UV) and visible wavelengths of light. The optical device is made from a substrate and nanoparticles. The nanoparticles have a core with a negative real value relative permittivity of absolute value greater than 10 in a first range of wavelengths including near UV and visible wavelengths of light, and a shell with an imaginary relative permittivity of less than 5 in the first range of wavelengths. A dielectric overlies the substrate, and is embedded with the nanoparticles. If the substrate is reflective, a reflective optical filter is formed. If the substrate is transparent, the filter is transmissive. In one aspect, the dielectric is a tunable medium (e.g., liquid crystal) having an index of refraction responsive to an electric field. The tunable medium is interposed between a first electrode and a second electrode.

摘要翻译： 提供等离子体激发光学器件，其工作在近紫外（UV）和可见光波长的光。 光学器件由衬底和纳米颗粒制成。 所述纳米颗粒具有在包括近紫外和可见光波长的第一波长范围内具有大于10的绝对值的绝对值相对介电常数的核，并且在第一范围内具有小于5的假想相对介电常数的壳 波长。 电介质覆盖在衬底上，并且嵌入有纳米颗粒。 如果基板是反射的，则形成反射式滤光器。 如果基板是透明的，则滤光器是透射的。 在一个方面，电介质是具有响应于电场的折射率的可调介质（例如，液晶）。 可调介质介于第一电极和第二电极之间。

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。

公开(公告)号：US20060110939A1

公开(公告)日：2006-05-25

申请号：US11327612

申请日：2006-01-06

申请人： Pooran Joshi ,  Apostolos Voutsas ,  John Hartzell

发明人： Pooran Joshi ,  Apostolos Voutsas ,  John Hartzell

IPC分类号： H01L21/31

CPC分类号： H01L21/31608 ,  H01L21/02164 ,  H01L21/02323 ,  H01L21/0234 ,  H01L21/02359 ,  H01L21/3105 ,  H01L21/31662

摘要： A method is provided for additionally oxidizing a thin-film oxide. The method includes: providing a substrate; depositing an MyOx (M oxide) layer overlying the substrate, where M is a solid element having an oxidation state in a range of +2 to +5; treating the MyOx layer to a high density plasma (HDP) source; and, forming an MyOk layer in response to the HDP source, where k>x. In one aspect, the method further includes decreasing the concentration of oxide charge in response to forming the MyOk layer. In another aspect, the MyOx layer is deposited with an impurity N, and the method further includes creating volatile N oxides in response to forming the MyOk layer. For example, the impurity N may be carbon and the method creates a volatile carbon oxide.

摘要翻译： 提供了另外氧化薄膜氧化物的方法。 该方法包括：提供衬底; 沉积覆盖衬底的MyOx（M氧化物）层，其中M是具有+2至+5范围内的氧化态的固体元素; 将MyOx层处理成高密度等离子体（HDP）源; 并且响应于HDP源形成MyOk层，其中k> x。 在一个方面，该方法还包括响应于形成MyOk层而降低氧化物电荷的浓度。 在另一方面，MyOx层沉积有杂质N，并且该方法还包括响应于形成MyOk层而产生挥发性N氧化物。 例如，杂质N可以是碳，并且该方法产生挥发性碳氧化物。

公开(公告)号：US20060068532A1

公开(公告)日：2006-03-30

申请号：US10953913

申请日：2004-09-28

申请人： Paul Schuele ,  Apostolos Voutsas

发明人： Paul Schuele ,  Apostolos Voutsas

IPC分类号： H01L21/84

CPC分类号： G09G3/20 ,  G09G3/3208 ,  G09G3/3659 ,  G09G2300/08 ,  G09G2310/0262 ,  H01L29/78648

摘要： A dual-gate thin film transistor (DG-TFT) and associated fabrication method are provided. The method comprises: forming a first (back) gate in a first horizontal plane; forming source/drain (S/D) regions and an intervening channel region in a second horizontal plane, overlying the first plane; and, forming a second (top) gate in a third horizontal plane, overlying the second plane. The S/D regions and intervening channel region have a combined length, smaller than the length of the first gate. A substrate insulating layer is formed over the substrate, made from a material such as SiO2. A first gate insulation layer is formed over the first gate. Amorphous silicon (a-Si) is deposited over the first gate insulation layer and crystallized. The S/D and channel regions are formed from the crystallized Si layer. A second gate oxide layer is formed over the channel region.

摘要翻译： 提供了双栅极薄膜晶体管（DG-TFT）和相关制造方法。 该方法包括：在第一水平面中形成第一（后）栅极; 在第一平面上形成源极/漏极（S / D）区域和在第二水平面中的中间沟道区域; 并且在第三水平面上形成覆盖第二平面的第二（顶部）门。 S / D区域和中间沟道区域具有小于第一栅极的长度的组合长度。 在衬底上形成衬底绝缘层，由诸如SiO 2的材料制成。 在第一栅极上形成第一栅极绝缘层。 非晶硅（a-Si）沉积在第一栅绝缘层上并结晶。 S / D和沟道区域由结晶的Si层形成。 在沟道区上形成第二栅氧化层。

公开(公告)号：US06660576B2

公开(公告)日：2003-12-09

申请号：US10096293

申请日：2002-03-11

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yasuhiro Mitiani ,  Mark A. Crowder

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yasuhiro Mitiani ,  Mark A. Crowder

IPC分类号： H01L2184

CPC分类号： H01L27/1285 ,  H01L27/1296 ,  H01L29/04 ,  H01L29/6675 ,  H01L29/78672

摘要： A substrate and a method for fabricating variable quality substrate materials are provided. The method comprises: selecting a first mask having a first mask pattern; projecting a laser beam through the first mask to anneal a first area of semiconductor substrate; creating a first condition in the first area of the semiconductor film; selecting a second mask having a second mask pattern; projecting the laser beam through the second mask to anneal a second area of the semiconductor film; and, creating a second condition in the second area of the semiconductor film, different than the first condition. More specifically, when the substrate material is silicon, the first and second conditions concern the creation of crystalline material with a quantitative measure of lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains. For example, the lattice mismatch between adjacent crystal domains can be measured as a number of high-angle grain boundaries per area, where high-angle grain boundaries are defined as boundaries separating adjacent crystal domains with a crystal lattice mismatch angle in the range between 15 and 90 degrees. To continue the example, forming a first number of high-angle grain boundaries per area in the first area may include forming adjacent high-angle grain boundaries separated by a first distance, while forming a second number of high-angle grain boundaries per area in the second area may include forming adjacent high-angle grain boundaries separated by a second distance, greater than the first distance.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种制造可变质量基板材料的基板和方法。 该方法包括：选择具有第一掩模图案的第一掩模; 将激光束投射穿过所述第一掩模以退火半导体衬底的第一区域; 在半导体膜的第一区域中形成第一条件; 选择具有第二掩模图案的第二掩模; 将激光束投影通过第二掩模，以退火半导体膜的第二区域; 并且在半导体膜的第二区域中产生与第一条件不同的第二条件。 更具体地，当衬底材料是硅时，第一和第二条件涉及通过定量测量相邻晶体畴之间的晶格失配来产生结晶材料。 例如，相邻晶体畴之间的晶格失配可以作为每个面积的高角度晶界的数量来测量，其中高角度晶界被定义为将相邻晶体域之间的晶界分离的边界分隔在15 和90度。 为了继续该示例，在第一区域中每区域形成第一数量的高角度晶界可以包括形成分开第一距离的相邻高角度晶界，同时在每个区域形成第二数量的高角度晶界 第二区域可以包括形成大于第一距离的相隔的第二距离的相邻高角度晶界。

公开(公告)号：US06579425B2

公开(公告)日：2003-06-17

申请号：US09906881

申请日：2001-07-16

申请人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata

发明人： Apostolos Voutsas ,  Yukihiko Nakata

IPC分类号： C23C1435

CPC分类号： C23C14/568 ,  C23C14/165

摘要： A system and method are provided to sequentially deposit a silicon dioxide base coat barrier layer adjacent a thin silicon film, to minimize the formation of water and —OH radicals. Both the base coat and thin silicon films are sputter to eliminate hydrogen chemistries. Further, the sputter processes are conducted sequentially, without breaking the vacuum seat to minimize the absorption of water in the base coat layer that conventionally occurs between deposition steps. This process eliminates the total number of process steps required, as there is no longer a need for furnace annealing the base coat before the deposition of the thin silicon film, and no longer a need for a dehydrogenation annealing step after the deposition of the thin silicon film.

摘要翻译： 提供了一种系统和方法，以顺次沉积邻近薄硅膜的二氧化硅基底涂层阻挡层，以最小化水和-OH自由基的形成。 底涂层和薄硅膜都被溅射以消除氢化学物质。 此外，依次进行溅射处理，而不破坏真空座，以使沉积步骤之间常规发生的底涂层中的水的吸收最小化。 该方法消除了所需的工艺步骤的总数，因为在沉积薄硅膜之前不再需要对底涂层进行炉退火，并且在沉积薄硅之后不再需要脱氢退火步骤 电影。

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。