Method and apparatus forming crystallized semiconductor layer, and method for manufacturing semiconductor apparatus

An apparatus for forming a crystallized semiconductor layer, comprising:

• a movable stage which supports a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having at least one crystal seed previously formed therein;
• an energy ray source which emits an energy ray toward the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer;
• a phase shifter which is arranged between the stage and the energy ray source, and causes the energy ray emitted from the energy ray source to have a light intensity distribution in which an area where an irradiation intensity of the energy ray has a maximum value is continuously reduced to an area where it has a minimum value;
• and
• means for positioning the area of the phase shifter in which the energy ray irradiation intensity has the minimum value to the crystal seed by moving the stage,
• wherein the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with the energy ray having the light intensity distribution, and a crystal grows laterally from the crystal seed.

An apparatus for forming a crystallized semiconductor layer, comprising:

• a movable stage which supports a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer having at least one crystal seed previously formed therein;
• an energy ray source which emits an energy ray toward the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer;
• an opt-spatial modulation element which is arranged between the stage and the energy ray source, and causes the energy ray emitted from the energy ray source to have a light intensity distribution in which an area where an irradiation intensity of the energy ray has a maximum value is continuously reduced to an area where it has a minimum value;
• and
• a positioning member for positioning the area of the opt-spatial modulation element in which the energy ray irradiation intensity has the minimum value to the crystal seed by moving the stage,
• wherein the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer is irradiated with the energy ray having the light intensity distribution, and a crystal grows laterally from the crystal seed.

An apparatus for forming a crystallized semiconductor layer comprising:

• means for forming a non-single-crystal semiconductor layer on a substrate;
• means for forming at least one crystal seed in the non single-crystal semiconductor layer by irradiating the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer with an energy ray that an area in which an irradiation intensity of the energy ray has a maximum value is continuously reduced to an area in which it has a minimum value in an irradiated surface;
• and
• means for allowing a crystal grain to laterally grow from the crystal seed in the non-single-crystal semiconductor layer by relatively moving the substrate with respect to the irradiating energy ray, positioning the area in which the energy ray irradiation intensity has the minimum value to the crystal seed, and applying the energy ray, the irradiation intensity of the energy ray having a maximum value continuously reduced to the area in which it has a minimum value in an irradiated surface.