Crystalline semiconductor film and method for manufacturing the same
AssigneeSharp Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTomohiro Kimura, Takuto Yasumatsu
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Abstract
An island of a crystalline semiconductor according to the present invention has an upper surface and a sloped side surface, which are joined together with a curved surface. Crystal grains in a body portion of the island, including the upper surface, and crystal grains in an edge portion of the island, including the sloped side surface, both have average grain sizes that are greater than 0.2 μm.
Claims22
A crystalline semiconductor film including islands of a crystalline semiconductor that are dispersed over a substrate,
- wherein each said island of the crystalline semiconductor has an upper surface of crystalline semiconductor and a sloped side surface of crystalline semiconductor, which are joined together with a curved surface of crystalline semiconductor, and
- wherein crystal grains in a body portion of the island, including the upper surface, and crystal grains in an edge portion of the island, including the sloped side surface, both have average grain sizes that are greater than 0.2 μm.
A method of making a crystalline semiconductor film, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a first crystalline semiconductor film on a substrate;
- (b) patterning the first crystalline semiconductor film into a first island-like crystalline semiconductor film;
- and
- (c) melting and re-crystallizing the first island-like crystalline semiconductor film, thereby turning the first island-like crystalline semiconductor film into a second island-like crystalline semiconductor film
- wherein the step (c) includes irradiating the first island-like crystalline semiconductor film with a light ray and wherein step (c) is performed substantially in a vacuum or in an atmosphere including an inert gas;
- wherein said second island-like crystalline semiconductor film has an upper surface of crystalline semiconductor and a sloped side surface of crystalline semiconductor, which are joined together with a curved surface of crystalline semiconductor, and
- wherein crystal grains in a body portion of the second island-like crystalline semiconductor film including the upper surface, and crystal grains in an edge portion of the second island-like crystalline semiconductor film, including the sloped side surface, both have average grain sizes that are greater than 0.2 μm.
A semiconductor device comprising a crystalline semiconductor film including islands of a crystalline semiconductor that are dispersed over a substrate,
- wherein each said island of the crystalline semiconductor has an upper surface of crystalline semiconductor and a sloped side surface of crystalline semiconductor, which are joined together with a curved surface of crystalline semiconductor, and
- wherein crystal grains in a body portion of the island, including the upper surface, and crystal grains in an edge portion of the island, including the sloped side surface, both have average grain sizes that are greater than 0.2 μm.
A display device comprising a semiconductor device including a crystalline semiconductor film having islands of a crystalline semiconductor that are dispersed over a substrate,
- wherein each said island of the crystalline semiconductor has an upper surface of crystalline semiconductor and a sloped side surface of crystalline semiconductor, which are joined together with a curved surface of crystalline semiconductor, and
- wherein crystal grains in a body portion of the island, including the upper surface, and crystal grains in an edge portion of the island, including the sloped side surface, both have average grain sizes that are greater than 0.2 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.