Methods for crystallizing a substrate using energy pulses and freeze periods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9373511-B2
Application number	US-201213601069-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 31, 2012
Priority date	Sep 1, 2011
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

Apparatus and methods of treating a substrate with an amorphous semiconductor layer, or a semiconductor layer having small crystals, to form large crystals in the substrate are described. A treatment area of the substrate is identified and melted using a progressive melting process of delivering pulsed energy to the treatment area. The treatment area is then recrystallized using a progressive crystallization process of delivering pulsed energy to the area. The pulsed energy delivered during the progressive crystallization process is selected to convert the small crystals into large crystals as the melted material freezes.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a substrate, comprising:
delivering a first laser pulse having energy of 0.45 J/cm 2 and duration of 26 nsec to the substrate from a first laser;
delivering a second laser pulse having energy of 0.45 J/cm 2 and duration of 26 nsec to the substrate from a second laser;
after a first freeze period of 700 nsec, delivering a third laser pulse having energy of 0.45 J/cm 2 and duration of 26 nsec to the substrate from a third laser; and
after a second freeze period of 1,200 nsec, delivering a fourth laser pulse having energy of 0.26 J/cm 2 and duration of 26 nsec to the substrate from a fourth laser.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising maintaining an ambient temperature of the substrate below 100° C.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising repeating the delivery the first, second, third, and fourth laser pulses to the substrate.

Assignees

• Adams Bruce E
• Hunter Aaron Muir
• Moffatt Stephen
• Applied Materials Inc

Inventors

• Adams Bruce E
• Hunter Aaron Muir
• Moffatt Stephen

Classifications

• H10P34/42

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

• H10P14/3402 Primary

  characterised by the chemical composition · CPC title

• H10P14/3816 Primary

  Pulsed laser beam · CPC title

• H01L21/02686

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L21/268 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic