Semiconductor device, and method of forming the same

Abstract

In order to realize a semiconductor device of enhanced TFT characteristics, a semiconductor thin film is selectively irradiated with a laser beam at the step of crystallizing the semiconductor thin film by the irradiation with the laser beam. By way of example, only driver regions ( 103 in FIG. 1 ) are irradiated with the laser beam in a method of fabricating a display device of active matrix type. Thus, it is permitted to obtain the display device (such as liquid crystal display device or EL display device) of high reliability as comprises the driver regions ( 103 ) made of crystalline semiconductor films, and a pixel region ( 102 ) made of an amorphous semiconductor film.

1 - 26 . (canceled)  
   
   
       27 . A method for forming a display comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over a substrate;    selectively irradiating a laser spot to said amorphous semiconductor film while moving said semiconductor film formed over said substrate to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part, 
 wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said substrate.  
   
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       29 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       30 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said display comprises a body and a supporter.  
   
   
       31 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       32 . A method according to  claim 27  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       33 . A method for forming a display comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over an insulating surface;    forming an insulating film over said amorphous semiconductor film;    selectively irradiating a light to said amorphous semiconductor film through said insulating film while to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film, said driver circuit selected from the group consisting of a shift register circuit, a level shifter circuit and a sampling circuit; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part,    wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said insulating surface.    
   
   
       34 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       35 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       36 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein said display comprises a body and a supporter.  
   
   
       37 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       38 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       39 . A method according to  claim 33  wherein said light is a laser light.  
   
   
       40 . A method for forming a camera comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over a substrate;    selectively irradiating a laser spot to said amorphous semiconductor film while moving said semiconductor film formed over said substrate to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part, 
 wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said substrate.  
   
   
   
       41 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       42 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       43 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said camera comprises an image receiving unit.  
   
   
       44 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said crystalline semiconductor layer with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       45 . A method according to  claim 40  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       46 . A method for forming a camera comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over an insulating surface;    forming an insulating film over said amorphous semiconductor film;    selectively irradiating a light to said amorphous semiconductor film through said insulating film to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film, said driver circuit selected from the group consisting of a shift register circuit, a level shifter circuit and a sampling circuit; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part,    wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said insulating surface.    
   
   
       47 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       48 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       49 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said camera comprises an image receiving unit.  
   
   
       50 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       51 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       52 . A method according to  claim 46  wherein said light is a laser light.  
   
   
       53 . A method for forming a personal computer comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over a substrate;    selectively irradiating a laser spot to said amorphous semiconductor film while moving said semiconductor film formed over said substrate to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part, 
 wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said substrate.  
   
   
   
       54 . A method according to  claim 53  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       55 . A method according to  claim 53  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       56 . A method according to  claim 53  wherein said personal computer comprises a keyboard.  
   
   
       57 . A method according to  claim 53  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       58 . A method according to  claim 53  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       59 . A method for forming a personal computer comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over an insulating surface;    forming an insulating film over said amorphous semiconductor film;    selectively irradiating a light to said amorphous semiconductor film through said insulating film to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film, said driver circuit selected from the group consisting of a shift register circuit, a level shifter circuit and a sampling circuit; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part,    wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said insulating surface.    
   
   
       60 . A method according to  claim 59  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       61 . A method according to  claim 59  wherein said pixel unit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said amorphous semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       62 . A method according to  claim 59  wherein said personal computer comprises a keyboard.  
   
   
       63 . A method according to  claim 59  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer, and a gate electrode provided over said channel region with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       64 . A method according to  claim 59  wherein said driver circuit comprises a thin film transistor comprising a channel region provided in said crystalline semiconductor layer over a gate electrode with a gate insulating film therebetween.  
   
   
       65 . A method according to  claim 59  wherein said light is a laser light.  
   
   
       66 . A method for forming a portable information terminal comprising: 
 forming an amorphous semiconductor film over a substrate;    selectively irradiating a laser spot to said amorphous semiconductor film while moving said semiconductor film formed over said substrate to crystallize a part of said amorphous semiconductor film and to leave behind an amorphous semiconductor region in said amorphous semiconductor film outside said part; and    forming a driver circuit having a crystalline semiconductor layer provided in the crystallized part of said amorphous semiconductor film; and    forming a pixel unit having an amorphous semiconductor layer provided in said amorphous semiconductor region outside said part,    wherein said driver circuit and said pixel unit are commonly formed over said substrate.