Laser processing apparatus, laser processing method, and method for manufacturing semiconductor device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021187659-A1
Application number	US-201816768681-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 30, 2018
Priority date	Jan 11, 2018
Publication date	Jun 24, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A laser processing apparatus (1) according to an embodiment includes a processing chamber (18) configured to perform laser processing for an object to be processed (40), a stage (10) disposed inside the processing chamber (18), the stage being configured to convey the object to be processed (40), and a control unit (50) configured to instruct a loading/unloading apparatus (30) about a placement position of the object to be processed (40) over the stage (10), the loading/unloading apparatus (30) being configured to load/unload the object to be processed (40) into/from the processing chamber (18). Further, the processing chamber (18) includes a loading gate (17a) for loading and an unloading gate (17b) for unloading for the object to be processed (40), and the object to be processed (40) is conveyed only in a first direction from the loading gate (17a) toward the unloading gate (17b) over the stage (10).

First claim

1 . A laser processing apparatus comprising:
a processing chamber configured to perform laser processing for an object to be processed; a stage disposed inside the processing chamber, the stage being configured to convey the object to be processed; and a control unit configured to instruct a loading/unloading apparatus about a placement position of the object to be processed over the stage, the loading/unloading apparatus being configured to load/unload the object to be processed into/from the processing chamber.

2 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing chamber comprises a loading gate for loading the object to be processed and an unloading gate for unloading the object to be processed; and the object to be processed is conveyed only in a first direction from the loading gate toward the unloading gate over the stage.

3 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the processing chamber comprises a loading gate for loading the object to be processed and an unloading gate for unloading the object to be processed; the object to be processed is conveyed in a first direction from the loading gate toward the unloading gate over the stage, and the loading/unloading apparatus can place the object to be processed, which has been carried in through the loading gate, at a predetermined position in a second direction intersecting the first direction; and the predetermined position is determined according to a position control signal sent from the control unit.

4 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein
the object to be processed has a rectangular planar shape, laser light used for the laser processing has a line beam shape extending in the second direction over the top surface of the object to be processed, and a length of a side of the object to be processed along the second direction is longer than a length of the laser light in the second direction.

5 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the object to be processed is a glass substrate having an area of 2,160 mm×2,460 mm or larger.

6 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a loading holding part and an unlading holding part are provided over the stage, the loading holding part being adapted to be used when the loading/unloading apparatus loads the object to be processed, the unloading holding part being adapted to be used when the loading/unloading apparatus unloads the object to be processed.

7 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
each of the loading holding part and the unloading holding part comprises a plurality of pusher pins, and the object to be processed is held by the plurality of pusher pins.

8 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein
each of the loading holding part and the unloading holding part is formed by a plurality of grooves, the loading/unloading apparatus comprises an arm part, and the object to be processed is loaded and unloaded by inserting the arm part into the plurality of grooves.

9 . The laser processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the object to be processed is conveyed while being levitated over the stage.

10 . A laser processing method comprising the steps of:
(a) transmitting, to a loading/unloading apparatus for an object to be processed, a first position control signal for controlling a placement position of the object to be processed over a stage; (b) placing, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the object to be processed in a first position over the stage determined by the first position control signal; (c) conveying the object to be processed to a laser light irradiation position over the stage; (d) irradiating the object to be processed with laser light after the step (c); and (e) unloading, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the object to be processed after the step (d).

11 . The laser processing method according to claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:
(f) transmitting a second position control signal to the loading/unloading apparatus after the step (e); (g) placing, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the object to be processed in a second position over the stage determined by the second position control signal, the second position being different from the first position; (h) conveying the object to be processed to the laser light irradiation position over the stage; (i) irradiating the object to be processed with laser light after the step (e); and (j) unloading, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the object to be processed after the step (i), wherein in the steps (c) and (h), a direction connecting the first position and the second position intersects a direction in which the object to be processed is conveyed.

12 . The laser processing method according to claim 11 , wherein the object to be processed is moved only in one direction in the steps (c) and (h).

13 . The laser processing method according to claim 10 , wherein the object to be processed is a glass substrate having an area of 2,160 mm×2,460 mm or larger.

14 . A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:
(A) preparing a substrate in which an amorphous semiconductor film is formed; (B) transmitting, to a loading/unloading apparatus for the substrate, a first position control signal for controlling a placement position of the substrate over a stage; (C) placing, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the substrate in a first position over the stage determined by the first position control signal; (D) conveying the substrate over the stage; (E) converting the amorphous semiconductor film into a polycrystalline state by irradiating the substrate with laser light, and (F) unloading, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the substrate after the step (E).

15 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:
(G) transmitting a second position control signal to the loading/unloading apparatus after the step (E); (H) placing, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the substrate in a second position over the stage determined by the second position control signal, the second position being different from the first position; (I) conveying the substrate to a laser light irradiation position over the stage; (J) irradiating the substrate with laser light; and (K) unloading, by the loading/unloading apparatus, the substrate after the step (I), wherein in the steps (H) and (I), a direction connecting the first position and the second position intersects a direction in which the substrate is conveyed.

16 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 15 , wherein the substrate is moved only in one direction in the steps (H) and (I).

17 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein in the step (A), the substrate is a glass substrate in which amorphous silicon is formed.

18 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein, a thin-film transistor including a polycrystalline semiconductor film is formed over the substrate after the step (E).

19 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the semiconductor device is used for controlling a display.

20 . The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14 , wherein the substrate is a glass substrate having an area of 2,160

Assignees

• Japan Steel Works Ltd

Inventors

• Yamaguchi Yoshihiro
• Sawai Miki
• Tanigawa Sadao
• Sazuka Hirotaka
• Kobayashi Naoyuki

Classifications

• H10P34/42

  with electromagnetic radiation, e.g. laser annealing (laser cutting H10P54/20) · CPC title

• H10P72/30

  for conveying, e.g. between different workstations · CPC title

• H10P14/20

  of semiconductor materials · CPC title

• H10K59/12

  Active-matrix OLED [AMOLED] displays · CPC title

• B23K26/032 Primary

  using optical means · CPC title