A first laser irradiation, in which an amorphous silicon film is irradiated with a first laser beam for transformation of the amorphous silicon film to a microcrystalline silicon film, and a second laser irradiation, in which a second laser beam moves along a unidirectional direction with the microcrystalline silicon film as a starting point for lateral crystal growth of growing crystals constituting a crystallized silicon film, are carried out to form a microcrystalline silicon film and a crystallized silicon film alternately along the unidirectional direction.

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.

Provided is a physical quantity sensor including: a movable body; a base body; and a lid body, in which the movable body is accommodated in a space between the base body and the lid body, the space is sealed with a melt portion obtained by melting a through hole provided in the lid body, the lid body and the melt portion contain silicon, and the melt portion has a continuous curved surface having unevenness.

A substrate-floatation-type laser processing apparatus and a method for measuring a floating height, capable of improving performance of laser processing are provided. A substrate-floatation-type laser processing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a stage configured to float and convey a substrate, and a floating-height measurement apparatus configured to measure a floating height H of the substrate. Note that a distance between the floating-height measurement apparatus and the substrate can be automatically adjusted according to the measured floating height H. The floating height H of the substrate is measured by applying laser light to the substrate and the stage. The distance between the floating-height measurement apparatus and the substrate is adjusted by using a feedback mechanism in which the measured floating height of the substrate is used as an input.

Methods for thermal treatment on a semiconductor device is disclosed. One method includes obtaining a pattern of a treatment area having amorphous silicon, aligning a laser beam with the treatment area, the laser beam in a focused laser spot having a spot area equal to or greater than the treatment area, and performing a laser anneal on the treatment area by emitting the laser beam towards the treatment area for a treatment period.

An embodiment provides a manufacturing method of a polycrystalline silicon layer, including: forming a first amorphous silicon layer on a substrate; doping an N-type impurity into the first amorphous silicon layer; forming a second amorphous silicon layer on the n-doped first amorphous silicon layer; doping a P-type impurity into the second amorphous silicon layer; and crystalizing the n-doped first amorphous silicon layer and the p-doped second amorphous silicon layer by irradiating a laser beam onto n-doped first amorphous silicon layer and the p-doped second amorphous silicon layer to form a polycrystalline silicon layer.

Methods and systems for crystallizing a thin film provide a laser beam spot that is continually advanced across the thin film to create a sustained complete or partial molten zone that is translated across the thin film, and crystallizes to form uniform, small-grained crystalline structures or grains.

A laser crystallizing apparatus may include a laser light source, an optical system, and an optical module. The laser light source may generate a laser beam. The optical system may convert the laser beam into a line laser beam. The optical module may disperse energy of the line laser beam in a first direction for generating a dispersed line laser beam. The first direction may be perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of the optical module.

A laser annealing device includes a stage, a laser generator, and a reflective member. The stage supports a substrate with a thin film formed thereon to be processed, and may be moved in a first direction at a set or predetermined speed. The laser generator irradiates a first area of the thin film with a laser beam while the stage is moved. The reflective member reflects a part of the laser beam, which is reflected from the first area of the thin film, to a second area of the thin film. The first area and the second area are spaced apart from each other.

A laser irradiation method includes a first scanning wherein a laser beam is scanned in a first region having a width in the X direction and a length in the Y direction by moving a laser irradiation area on the surface of the substrate along the Y direction using a spot laser beam, and a second scanning wherein laser beam is scanned in a second region having a width in the X direction and a length in the Y direction by moving a laser irradiation area on the surface of the substrate along the Y direction using the spot laser beam. A center of the second region is spaced apart from a center of the first region in the X direction.