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

A laser annealing method comprising the steps of:

• (a) generating laser light using a laser light source;
• (b) guiding the laser light to a substrate so as to form, over the substrate, a linear irradiation region along a first direction in a top view;
• (c) changing a relative position of the irradiation region with respect to the substrate along a second direction intersecting the first direction in the top view;
• (d) generating illumination light for illuminating the substrate along a third direction by using an illumination light source, the third direction being a direction inclined from a vertical direction as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the first direction and the vertical direction;
• and
• (e) detecting, by a detector, a detection light reflected in a fourth direction by the substrate illuminated by the illumination light so as to photograph an annealed part of the substrate in a linear field of view along the first direction, the fourth direction being inclined from the vertical direction as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the plane including the first direction and the vertical direction.

A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising the steps of:

• (S1) forming an amorphous film over a substrate;
• and
• (S2) annealing the amorphous film so that the amorphous film is crystalized and a crystallized film is thereby formed, wherein
• the (S2) annealing comprises the steps of:
• (A) generating laser light using a laser light source;
• (B) guiding the laser light to the substrate so as to form, over the substrate, a linear irradiation region along a first direction in a top view;
• (C) changing a relative position of the irradiation region with respect to the substrate along a second direction intersecting the first direction in the top view;
• (D) generating illumination light for illuminating the substrate along a third direction by using an illumination light source, the third direction being a direction inclined from a vertical direction as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a plane including the first direction and the vertical direction;
• and
• (E) detecting, by a detector, a detection light reflected in a fourth direction by the substrate illuminated by the illumination light so as to photograph an annealed part of the substrate in a linear field of view along the first direction, the fourth direction being inclined from the vertical direction as viewed in the direction perpendicular to the plane including the first direction and the vertical direction.