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

Abstract

A laser annealing apparatus (1) according to the embodiment includes: a laser beam source (11) configured to emit a laser beam (L1) to crystallize an amorphous silicon film (101a) on a substrate (100) and to form a poly-silicon film (101b); 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 (L2); a photodetector (25) configured to detect the probe beam (L3) 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.

1 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A laser annealing apparatus comprising:
 a laser beam source configured to emit a laser beam to crystallize an amorphous film over a substrate and to form a crystallized film;   a projection lens configured to condense the laser beam to irradiate the amorphous film;   a probe beam source configured to emit a probe beam;   a photodetector configured to detect the probe beam transmitted through the crystallized film;   a conveying path configured to convey the substrate to change an irradiation position of the laser beam onto the substrate; and   a processing unit configured to change an irradiation position of the probe beam onto the substrate, 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.   
     
     
         28 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the processing unit is configured to:
 compare the standard deviation with a threshold; and   determine the substrate to be non-defective when the standard deviation is less than the threshold or determine the substrate to be defective when the standard deviation is equal to or greater than the threshold.   
     
     
         29 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the processing unit configured to determine the crystalline state based on an average value of the detection values. 
     
     
         30 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein
 the projection lens is configured to cause the laser beam to form a linear irradiation region on the amorphous film, and   the photodetector is configured to detect the probe beam having passed through the projection lens.   
     
     
         31 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , further comprising:
 a cylindrical lens configured to cause the probe beam to form a linear illumination region on the crystallized film; and   a condenser lens configured to condense the probe beam transmitted through the crystallized film on the photodetector.   
     
     
         32 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the conveying path is configured to convey the substrate while the substrate is being irradiated simultaneously with the laser beam and the probe beam. 
     
     
         33 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the conveying path comprises a gas-floating unit configured to jet gas to the substrate to float the substrate. 
     
     
         34 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 27 , further comprising a stage configured to hold the substrate, wherein
 the stage is configured to be moved to convey the substrate along the conveying path,   the laser annealing apparatus comprises a carrying-out port which a conveying robot that carries the substrate out from the stage enters, and   the irradiation position of the probe beam onto the substrate is changed by the conveying robot carrying the substrate out from the stage.   
     
     
         35 . The laser annealing apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the photodetector is configured to detect the probe beam having passed through the crystallized film twice or more. 
     
     
         36 . A laser annealing apparatus comprising:
 a laser beam source configured to emit a laser beam to crystallize an amorphous film over a substrate and to form a crystallized film;   a projection lens configured to condense the laser beam to irradiate the amorphous film;   a stage configured to convey the substrate to change an irradiation position of the laser beam onto the substrate;   a probe beam source configured to emit a probe beam;   a photodetector configured to detect the probe beam transmitted through the crystallized film outside the stage during a conveying robot takes out the substrate from the stage; and   a processing unit configured to determine a crystalline state of the crystallized film based on a detection signal output from the photodetector.