Method of forming crystallized silicon and method of fabricating thin film transistor and liquid crystal display using the same

A method of fabricating a thin film transistor on a substrate, the method comprising:

• forming a gate electrode on the substrate;
• forming a gate insulating layer on the substrate;
• forming an amorphous silicon layer on the gate insulating layer;
• forming an insulating layer on top of the amorphous silicon layer;
• forming a metal layer on the insulating layer;
• forming a thermite layer on the metal layer;
• applying heat to the thermite layer to thereby ignite an exothermic heat releasing reaction in the thermite layer and thereby generate sufficient localized heat for crystallizing at least a top portion of the amorphous silicon layer;
• and
• forming source and drain electrodes on the crystallized at least a top portion of the silicon layer.

A method of fabricating a liquid crystal display, the method comprising:

• preparing a first substrate;
• preparing a second substrate facing the first substrate;
• forming a gate electrode on the first substrate;
• forming a gate insulating layer on the first substrate having the gate electrode;
• forming an amorphous silicon layer on the gate insulating layer;
• forming an insulating layer on the amorphous silicon layer;
• forming a metal layer by coating a metal material on the insulating layer;
• forming a thermite layer on the metal layer;
• applying heat to the thermite layer in order to ignite the thermite and use its localized heat to crystallize the amorphous silicon layer;
• removing the insulating layer, the metal layer, and the thermite layer;
• forming a source electrode and a drain electrode on the first substrate having the crystallized silicon layer;
• forming a protective layer on the source and drain electrodes, the protective layer having a contact hole exposing a portion of the drain electrode;
• forming a pixel electrode connected to the drain electrode through the contact hole;
• and
• interposing a liquid crystal layer between the first and second substrates.