# US 7,745,314 B2 · Method of degassing thin layer and method of manufacturing silicon thin film

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- Number: US 7,745,314 B2
- Document ID: US7745314B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/692,236
- Filed: 2007-03-28
- Published: 2007-11-15
- Granted: 2010-06-29
- Earliest claimed: 2006-05-15
- Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Kyung-bae Park; Jong-man Kim; Jang-yeon Kwon; Ji-sim Jung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7745314B2

## CPC

- H10P 36/03: {within silicon bodies}
- H10P 95/402: {of silicon bodies}
- H10P 14/2901: {Materials}
- H10P 14/3411: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- H10P 14/3802: {Crystallisation or recrystallisation of non-monocrystalline semiconductor materials, e.g. regrowth}
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10

## Abstract

A method of degassing a thin layer and a method of manufacturing a silicon thin film includes applying microwaves to a silicon thin film deposited on a substrate to induce a resonance of impurities of H2, Ar, He, Xe, O2, and the like present in the silicon thin film so as to remove the impurities from the silicon thin film. A wavelength of the microwaves is equal to a natural frequency of an element of an object to be removed. According to a resonance of impurities induced by microwaves, the impurities can be very effectively removed from the silicon thin film so as to obtain a high quality silicon thin film. In particular, the microwaves are very suitable to be used in the manufacture of silicon thin films at low temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of degassing a thin layer, the method comprising:
applying microwaves to a thin layer, the microwaves having a frequency corresponding to a resonance frequency of molecules of a gas impurity in the thin layer;
inducing a resonance of the molecules of the gas impurity present in the thin layer; and
removing the gas impurity from the thin layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the thin layer is a silicon thin film.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein applying microwaves includes applying microwaves having a wavelength within a range of 1 mm to 1 m.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein applying microwaves having a frequency includes applying microwaves having a frequency equal to a natural frequency of molecules of the gas impurity.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein applying microwaves includes applying microwaves having a wavelength within a range of 1 mm to 1 m.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein applying microwaves having a frequency includes applying microwaves having a frequency equal to a natural frequency of molecules of the gas impurity.

### Claim 7

A method of manufacturing a silicon thin film, the method comprising:
forming a silicon thin film on a substrate; and
applying microwaves having a frequency to the silicon thin film;
inducing a resonance of molecules of a gas impurity present in the silicon thin film; and
removing the gas impurity from the silicon thin film.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein applying microwaves having a frequency includes applying microwaves having a frequency equal to a natural frequency of the molecules of the gas impurity.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein forming the silicon thin film includes using one of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, further comprising crystallizing the silicon thin film.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein forming the silicon thin film includes using one of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein applying microwaves includes applying microwaves having a wavelength within a range between 1 mm and 1 m.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, wherein forming the silicon thin film includes using one of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12, further comprising crystallizing the silicon thin film.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14, wherein forming the silicon thin film includes using one of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering.

### Claim 16 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein forming the silicon thin film includes using one of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16, wherein, during forming the silicon thin film, a gas used in forming the silicon thin film is drawn into the silicon thin film as the gas impurity.

### Claim 18 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, further comprising crystallizing the silicon thin film.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein forming the silicon thin film includes using one of plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition and sputtering.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein crystallizing the silicon thin film includes heat treatment performed using excimer laser annealing.

### Claim 21 (depends on 7)

The method of one of claim 7, wherein the substrate is formed of one of silicon, glass, and plastic.