Thin film crystallization process
AssigneeLux Semiconductors, Inc.
InventorShane Thomas McMAHON
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of performing regional heating of a substrate by electromagnetic induction heating. The method may include applying a semiconductor film to the substrate and controllably energizing a coil positioned near the substrate. The energized coil(s) thereby generates a magnetic flux, which induces a current in the substrate and/or the semiconductor film, thereby heating the substrate and/or semiconductor film. The method may also include relative motion between the coil and the substrate to provide translation heating of the semiconductor film. Additionally, a crystal seeding mechanism may be employed to further control the crystallization process.
Claims20
A method for forming a crystalline semiconductor film, the method comprising:
- applying a first semiconductor thin film onto a supporting electrically conductive substrate;
- controllably energizing a coil positioned near the electrically conductive substrate, the energizing resulting in a magnetic flux;
- inducing a current in the electrically conductive substrate thereby locally heating the substrate via joule heating and;
- conduction of heat from the substrate to the semiconductor film to change a property of the semiconductor film
A method for forming a crystalline semiconductor film, the method comprising:
- applying a first semiconductor thin film onto a mechanically supporting substrate;
- controllably energizing a coil positioned near an electrically conductive susceptor, the energizing act resulting in a magnetic flux;
- inducing a current in an electrically conductive susceptor thereby locally heating the susceptor via joule heating and;
- conduction of that heat to the mechanically supporting substrate of which the susceptor is in physical contact with;
- conduction of the substrate heat to the semiconductor film to change a property of the semiconductor film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.