Patent ID: 6908835

Claim:
A method for processing a silicon thin film sample on a substrate having a surface portion that does not seed crystal growth in the silicon thin film, the film sample having a first edge and, a second edge, the method comprising the steps of: (a) controlling an irradiation beam generator to emit successive irradiation beani pulses at a predetermined repetition rate; (b) masking each of the irradiation beam pulses to define a first plurality of beamlets and a second plurality of beamlets, the first and second plurality of beamlets of each of the irradiation pulses being provided for impinging the film sample and having an intensity which is sufficient to melt irradiated portions of the film sample throughout their entire thickness; (c) continuously scanning, at a constant predetermined speed, the film sample so that a successive impingement of the first and second beamlets of the irradiation beam pulses occurs in a scanning direction on the film sample between the first edge and the second edge; (d) during step (c), successively irradiating a plurality of first areas of the film sample by the first beamlets of the irradiation beam pulses so that the first areas are melted throughout their thickness and leaving unirradiated regions between respective adjacent ones of the first areas; (e) during step (c), allowing each one of the first areas irradiated by the first beaxnlets of each of the irradiation beam pulses to re-solidify and crystalize; and (f) during step (e), successively irradiating a plurality of second areas of the film sample by the second beamlets of the irradiation beam pulses so that the second areas are melted throughout their thickness, wherein each one of the second areas partially overlaps a respective pair of the re-solidified and crystalized first areas and the respective unirradiated region therebetween.