Laser beam irradiating apparatus, laser beam irradiating method, and method of manufacturing a semiconductor device

1. A laser beam irradiating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of lasers;

means for expanding spots of a plurality of laser beams emitted respectively from said plurality of lasers to form a plurality of expanded laser beams each having an elliptic shape;

means for synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each other;

means for moving said synthesized laser beam on a substrate; and

means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam on said substrate.

2. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said means for moving said synthesized laser beam is selected from the group consisting of a galvanometer mirror, a polygonal mirror, an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner.

3. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam is fθ lens.

4. A laser beam irradiating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of lasers;

means for expanding spots of a plurality of laser beams emitted respectively from said plurality of lasers to form a plurality of expanded laser beams each having an elliptic shape;

means for synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each other;

means for moving said synthesized laser beam on a substrate; and

means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam on said substrate,

wherein said synthesized laser beam is incident on said substrate at a constant angle.

5. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said means for moving said synthesized laser beam is selected from the group consisting of a galvanometer mirror, a polygonal mirror, an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner.

6. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam is fθ lens.

7. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein said substrate is moved using goniometer stage.

8. A laser beam irradiating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of lasers;

means for expanding spots of a plurality of laser beams emitted respectively from said plurality of lasers in a longer direction to form a plurality of expanded laser beams;

means for synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams into a single laser beam on a stage to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each at other in a direction along said longer direction;

means for moving said synthesized laser beam on a substrate; and

means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam on said substrate.

9. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said means for moving said synthesized laser beam is selected from the group consisting of a galvanometer mirror, a polygonal mirror, an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner.

10. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam is fθ lens.

11. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said substrate is moved using goniometer stage.

12. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein said means for expanding said spots in the longer direction is a cylindrical lens.

13. A laser beam irradiating apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of lasers;

means for expanding spots of a plurality of laser beams emitted respectively from said plurality of lasers in a longer direction to form a plurality of expanded laser beams;

means for synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each other in a direction along said longer direction;

means for moving said synthesized laser beam on a substrate; and

means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam on said substrate,

wherein said synthesized laser beam is incident on said substrate at a constant angle.

14. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said means for moving said synthesized laser beam is selected from the group consisting of a galvanometer mirror, a polygonal mirror, an ADO, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner.

15. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said means for keeping a specific shape of said synthesized laser beam is fθ lens.

16. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said substrate is moved using goniometer stage.

17. The laser beam irradiating apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said means for expanding said spots in the longer direction is cylindrical lens.

18. A method of irradiating a laser beam, comprising:

emitting a plurality of laser beams respectively from a plurality of lasers;

expanding spots of said plurality of laser beams to form a plurality of expanded laser beams each having an elliptic shape;

synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each other; and

irradiating said synthesized laser beam to a target object by moving said synthesized laser beam on said target object while keeping a specific shape thereof.

19. The method of irradiating the laser earn according to claim 18 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed though the use of one of a galvanometer mirror and a polygonal mirror, and an fθ lens.

20. The method of irradiating the laser earn according to claim 18 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through the use of one selected from the group consisting of an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner, and an fθ lens.

21. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

heating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 18 .

22. A method of manufacturing a semi conductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 18 .

23. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

activating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 18 .

24. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film and activating said crystallize semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 18 .

25. A method of irradiating a laser beam, comprising:

emitting a plurality of laser beams respectively from a plurality of lasers;

expanding spots of said plurality of laser beams to form a plurality of expanded laser beams each having an elliptic shape;

synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesize laser beam are distant from each other; and

irradiating said synthesized laser beam to a target object by moving said synthesized laser beam on said target object while keeping a specific shape thereof,

wherein said synthesized laser beam is incident on said target object at a constant angle.

26. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through one of oscillation of a galvanometer mirror and rotation of a polygonal mirror, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously.

27. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through one of oscillation of a galvanometer mirror and rotation of a polygonal mirror, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously, using means for bringing said goniometer stag into sync with one of said galvanometer mirror and said polygonal mirror.

28. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through oscillation of one selected from the group consisting of an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously.

29. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through oscillation of one selected from the group consisting of an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously, using means for bringing said goniometer stage into sync with one selected from the group consisting of said ADO, said EOD, said resonant scanner said hologram scanner, and said conical scanner.

30. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

heating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 .

31. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 .

32. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

activating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 .

33. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film and activating said crystallized semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 25 .

34. A method of irradiating a laser beam, comprising:

emitting a plurality of laser beams respectively from a plurality of lasers;

expanding spots of said plurality of laser beams in a longer direction to form a plurality of expanded laser beams;

synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each other in a direction along said longer direction; and

irradiating said synthesized laser beam to a target object by moving said synthesized laser beam on said target object while keeping a specific shape thereof.

35. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through the use of one of a galvanometer mirror and a polygonal mirror, and an fθ lens.

36. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through the use of one selected from the group consisting of an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner, and an fθ lens.

37. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

heating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 .

38. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 .

39. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

activating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 .

40. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film and activating said crystallized semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 .

41. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 34 , wherein expanding the spots of said plurality of laser beams in the longer direction is performed through the use of a cylindrical lens.

42. A method of irradiating a laser beam, comprising:

emitting a plurality of laser beams respectively from a plurality of lasers;

expanding spots of said plurality of laser beams in a longer direction to form a plurality of expanded laser beams;

synthesizing said plurality of expanded laser beams to form a synthesized laser beam wherein centers of two adjacent laser beams in said synthesized laser beam are distant from each other in a direction along said longer direction; and

irradiating said synthesized laser beam to a target object by moving said synthesized laser beam on said target object while keeping a specific shape thereof,

wherein said synthesized laser beam is incident on said target object at a constant angle.

43. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through one of oscillation of a galvanometer mirror and rotation of a polygonal mirror, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously.

44. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through one of oscillation of a galvanometer mirror and rotation of a polygonal mirror, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously, using means for bringing said goniometer stage into sync with one of said galvanometer mirror and said polygonal mirror.

45. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through oscillation of one selected from the group consisting of an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner, and a goniometer stage that oscillate continuously.

46. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 , wherein said irradiating said target object by moving said synthesized laser beam while keeping the specific shape thereof is performed through oscillation of one selected from the group consisting of an AOD, an EOD, a resonant scanner, a hologram scanner, and a conical scanner, and a goniometer stage that oscillates continuously, using means for bringing said goniometer stage into sync with one selected from the group consisting of said AOD, said EOD, said resonant scanner, said hologram scanner, and said conical scanner.

47. The method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 , wherein expanding the spots of said plurality of laser beams in the longer direction is performed through the use of a cylindrical lens.

48. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

heating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 .

49. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 .

50. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

activating a semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 .

51. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:

crystallizing a semiconductor film and activating said crystallized semiconductor film through the method of irradiating the laser beam according to claim 42 .