US 11,942,321 B2
Methods and systems for spot beam crystallization
James S. Im, New York, NY (US); and Wenkai Pan, New York, NY (US)
Assigned to THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN CITY OF NEW YORK, New York, NY (US)
Filed by The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, New York, NY (US)
Filed on Jul. 22, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/871,435.
Application 17/871,435 is a division of application No. 16/069,150, granted, now 11,437,236, previously published as PCT/US2017/012716, filed on Jan. 9, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/305,818, filed on Mar. 9, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/277,355, filed on Jan. 11, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/276,571, filed on Jan. 8, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2022/0359198 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. H01L 21/02 (2006.01); B23K 26/00 (2014.01); B23K 26/0622 (2014.01); B23K 26/08 (2014.01); B23K 26/082 (2014.01); B23K 26/354 (2014.01); H01L 27/12 (2006.01); H01L 29/66 (2006.01); H01L 29/786 (2006.01); B23K 26/06 (2014.01); B23K 26/073 (2006.01); B23K 101/40 (2006.01); B23K 103/00 (2006.01); B23K 103/16 (2006.01)
CPC H01L 21/02686 (2013.01) [B23K 26/0006 (2013.01); B23K 26/0622 (2015.10); B23K 26/082 (2015.10); B23K 26/0861 (2013.01); B23K 26/354 (2015.10); H01L 21/02532 (2013.01); H01L 21/02691 (2013.01); H01L 27/1274 (2013.01); H01L 29/6675 (2013.01); H01L 29/78672 (2013.01); B23K 26/0626 (2013.01); B23K 26/073 (2013.01); B23K 2101/40 (2018.08); B23K 2103/172 (2018.08); B23K 2103/56 (2018.08); H01L 21/02683 (2013.01)] 29 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for crystallizing a thin film, the method comprising:
providing a thin film;
providing a laser beam producing a spot on the thin film;
continually translating the laser beam in a first direction at a first rate while irradiating overlapping regions of the thin film to generate a molten zone by applying a laser pulse in each region, each laser pulse applied before a previously irradiated region has been fully solidified;
propagating the molten zone along the first direction by initiating melting in the leading edge of the overlap irradiated region; and
allowing the molten zone to cool and solidify and form the crystalline region in the trailing edge of the region,
wherein the first rate is faster than a rate of solidification of the molten zone.