Processing method, processing apparatus, crystallization method and crystallization apparatus using pulsed laser beam

A processing method which sequentially irradiate a predetermined position of a processing target body with a pulse laser beam emitted from a laser beam source by relatively moving an irradiation position irradiated by the pulse laser beam and the processing target body to thereby carry out processing, the processing method comprising:

• optically monitoring a processing state of the irradiation position for each pulse laser beam emitted from the laser beam source;
• irradiating the next irradiation position of the processing target body with the pulse laser beam when it is determined that the processing is carried out normally as a result of the monitoring;
• re-irradiating a non-normal processing position of the processing target body when it is determined that the processing is not carried out normally as a result of the monitoring;
• and
• storing the irradiation position irradiated with the pulse laser light at the time of abnormal processing as non-normal processing irradiation position information.

A crystallization method which carries out crystallization by irradiating a non-single-crystal semiconductor film with a laser beam emitted from a laser beam source which performs pulsed oscillation, the crystallization method comprising:

• a homogenization processing step of homogenizing an intensity of the laser beam in a two-dimensional space;
• a step of forming a light intensity gradient in an intensity distribution of the laser beam subjected to the homogenization processing;
• a laser beam irradiation step of irradiating the non-single-crystal semiconductor film with the laser beam having the light intensity gradient formed therein;
• a laser beam detection step of detecting whether the laser beam is a laser beam having a predetermined specified value;
• an abnormal shot position information storage step of storing an irradiation position of the non-single-crystal semiconductor film as abnormal shot position information when a detected value does not fall within a range of the specified value;
• and
• a laser beam re-irradiation step of reading the stored abnormal shot position information and irradiating a position corresponding to the abnormal shot position information which has been read with the laser beam.