IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,114,300
Granted Patent B2
US 11,114,300 · App. 16/320,455 · Granted Sep 7, 2021

Laser annealing apparatus, inspection method of substrate with crystallized film, and manufacturing method of semiconductor device

Inventors: Kenichi Ohmori (Yokohama, JP); Suk-Hwan Chung (Yokohama, JP); Ryosuke Sato (Yokohama, JP); Masashi Machida (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: THE JAPAN STEEL WORKS, LTD.
H01L21/2011H01L21/02675H01L21/268H01L29/78663
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,114,300
App. No.
16/320,455
Granted
Sep 7, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

A laser annealing apparatus ( 1 ) according to the embodiment includes: a laser beam source ( 11 ) configured to emit a laser beam (L 1 ) to crystallize an amorphous silicon film ( 101 a ) on a substrate ( 100 ) and to form a poly-silicon film ( 101 b ); a projection lens ( 13 ) configured to condense the laser beam to irradiate a silicon film ( 101 ); a probe beam source configured to emit a probe beam (L 2 ); a photodetector ( 25 ) configured to detect the probe beam (L 3 ) transmitted through the silicon film ( 101 ); a processing apparatus ( 26 ) configured to calculate a standard deviation of detection values of a detection signal output from the photodetector, and to determine a crystalline state of the crystallized film based on the standard deviation.

Claims (34)

1. An inspection method of a substrate with a crystallized film, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) irradiating an amorphous film over the substrate with a laser beam to crystallize the amorphous film and to form the crystallized film;

(B) irradiating the crystallized film with a probe beam;

(C) detecting, by a photodetector, the probe beam transmitted through the crystallized film;

(D) changing an irradiation position of the probe beam onto the crystallized film to acquire a plurality of detection values of a detection signal from the photodetector; and

(E) determining, based on a standard deviation of the plurality of detection values, a crystalline state of the crystallized film,

wherein the laser beam passes through a projection lens and forms a linear irradiation region on the amorphous film by the projection lens, and

the photodetector detects the probe beam having passes through the projection lens.

2. The inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein the step (E) comprises:

comparing the standard deviation with a threshold; and

determining the substrate to be non-defective when the standard deviation is less than the threshold or determining the substrate to be defective when the standard deviation is equal to or greater than the threshold.

3. The inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein the step (E) further comprises determining the crystalline state based on an average value of the plurality of detection values.

4. The inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein

the probe beam forms a linear illumination region on the crystallized film, and

the probe beam transmitted through the crystallized film is condensed on the photodetector by a condenser lens.

5. The inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein the step (D) comprises conveying the substrate to change an irradiation position of the laser beam and the irradiation position of the probe beam while the substrate is being irradiated simultaneously with the laser beam and the probe beam.

6. The inspection method according to claim 1 , wherein

the step (A) comprises irradiating the amorphous film with the laser beam while the substrate placed over a stage is being moved,

the step (B) comprises irradiating the amorphous film with the probe beam outside the stage, and

the step (D) comprises carrying the substrate on the stage out by a robot hand to change the irradiation position of the probe beam.

7. The inspection method according to claim 6 , wherein the step (C) comprises detecting, by the photodetector, the probe beam having passed through the crystallized film twice or more.

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

(a) forming an amorphous film over a substrate;

(b) irradiating the amorphous film with a laser beam to crystallize the amorphous film and to form a crystallized film;

(c) irradiating the crystallized film with a probe beam;

(d) detecting, by a photodetector, the probe beam transmitted through the crystallized film;

(e) changing an irradiation position of the probe beam onto the crystallized film to acquire a plurality of detection values of a detection signal output from the photodetector;

(f) determining, based on a standard deviation of the plurality of detection values, a crystalline state of the crystallized film; and

(g) re-irradiating the crystallized film with the laser beam according to a determination result of the crystalline state,

wherein the laser beam passes through a projection lens and forms a linear irradiation region on the amorphous film by the projection lens, and

the photodetector detects the probe beam having passes through the projection lens.

9. The manufacturing method according to claim 8 , wherein the step (f) comprises:

comparing the standard deviation with a threshold; and

determining the substrate to be non-defective when the standard deviation is less than the threshold or determining the substrate to be defective when the standard deviation is equal to or greater than the threshold.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2022
From: THE JAPAN STEEL WORKS, LTD.
To: JSW AKTINA SYSTEM CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 059418/0794 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 24, 2019
From: OHMORI, KENICHI; CHUNG, SUK-HWAN; SATO, RYOSUKE; MACHIDA, MASASHI
To: THE JAPAN STEEL WORKS, LTD.
Reel/Frame 048128/0532 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP JP2016-163693 · Aug 24, 2016 · national
JP JP2017-112516 · Jun 7, 2017 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20190267240A1 · Aug 29, 2019