Patent TW-493014-B (TW)
Title: Film forming apparatus for forming a crystalline silicon film
Inventor: KIRIMURA HIROYA
IPC: C23C16/40
Filed: 1999-01-25
Granted: 2002-07-01
Abstract: Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a film forming apparatus, which can form a crystalline silicon film used as a semiconductor film for a TFT or the like, and having a good quality with high productivity as well as a method of forming such a crystalline silicon film. Another object of the invention is to provide a film forming apparatus, which can form a crystalline silicon film used as a semiconductor film for a TFT or the like, and having a good quality on a substrate with a good adhesion as well as a method of forming such a crystalline silicon film. Still another object of the invention is to provide a film forming apparatus, which can form a crystalline silicon film used as a semiconductor film for a TFT or the like, and having a good quality and a predetermined crystal grain diameter as well as a method of forming a crystalline silicon film. A further object of the invention is to provide a film forming apparatus which can form a crystalline silicon film of a good quality used as a semiconductor film for a TFT or the like as well as an electrical insulating film such as a silicon compound film layered on the crystalline silicon film, and more specifically can form the films with good productivity while sufficiently suppressing defects in boundary surfaces of these films. The invention provides a film forming apparatus including a silicon film forming vacuum chamber for forming a crystalline silicon film on a substrate; a film forming device provided for the vacuum chamber for forming a pre-film of the crystalline silicon film on a target surface of the substrate; and an energy beam irradiating device provided for the vacuum chamber for irradiating the pre-film with an energy beam for crystallizing the pre-film. The invention also provides a crystalline silicon film forming method including the steps of preparing a film forming apparatus having a silicon film forming vacuum chamber for forming a crystalline silicon film on a substrate, and provided with a film forming device for forming a pre-film of the crystalline silicon film on a target surface of the substrate, and an energy beam irradiating device for irradiating the pre-film with an energy beam for crystallizing the pre-film; locating the substrate in the silicon film forming vacuum chamber, and forming the pre-film of the crystalline silicon film on the target surface of the substrate by the film forming device; and producing the intended crystalline silicon film from the pre-film by irradiating the pre-film in the vacuum chamber with the energy beam for crystallization of the pre-film emitted from the energy beam irradiating device subsequently to the formation of the pre-film. According to the invention, the formation of the pre-film of the crystalline silicon film and the subsequent irradiation of the pre-film with the energy beam can be continuously performed in the same vacuum chamber. Therefore, the time required for transporting the substrate as well as the time required for heating the substrate can be significantly reduced so that the throughput can be improved. Further, since the formation of the pre-film and the irradiation with the energy beam can be performed in the same vacuum chamber, it is possible to produce the crystalline silicon film having a good quality while suppressing adhesion of impurity and others. The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.