Low temperature crystallization and patterning of amorphous silicon films on electrically insulating substrates
AssigneeThe Penn State Research Foundation
InventorsStephen J. Fonash, Gang Liu
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fabrication process polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors commences with the deposition of an ultra-thin nucleating-site forming layer onto the surface of an insulating substrate (e.g., 7059 glass). Next, an amorphous silicon film is deposited thereover and the combined films are annealed at temperatures that do not exceed 600.degree. C. By patterning the deposition of the nucleating site forming material on the glass substrate, the subsequently deposited amorphous film can be selectively crystallized only in areas in contact with the nucleating-site forming material.
Claims12
A method for producing a polycrystalline silicon film on an electrically insulating substrate, comprising the steps of:
- (a) depositing on said electrically insulating substrate a thin discontinuous film of a nucleating site forming material;
- (b) depositing an amorphous silicon film on said discontinuous film of nucleating site forming material;
- and
- (c) annealing the films by heating to a temperature below that which would anneal said amorphous silicon film without said film of nucleating site forming material in contact therewith, whereby said nucleating site forming material allows formation of said polycrystalline silicon film at a lower anneal temperature.
A method for producing a polycrystalline silicon film, comprising the steps of:
- (a) disposing a thin discontinuous film of a nucleating site forming material in contact with a surface of a glass substrate;
- (b) depositing an amorphous film of silicon over said film of nucleating site forming material;
- and
- (c) annealing the films by heating to a temperature below that which would anneal said amorphous silicon film without said film of nucleating site forming material in contact therewith, whereby said nucleating site forming material allows formation of said polycrystalline film at a lower anneal temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.