This technology is a system for fabricating thin films using a pulsed laser beam crystallization method.
Current methods of processing thin films rely on laser-controlled irradiation and melting to create the crystalline structures within the film. This approach of laser crystallization uses one complete cycle of melting-and-solidification before the rest of the film is further processed. However, while the films fabricated using this method contain grain sizes of about 0.3 to 3.0 microns, which are sufficient for current display and mobile devices, methods for producing thin films with smaller grain sizes are needed for high-resolution devices such as virtual reality systems.
This method uses a small laser beam spot that is continually advanced across the thin film to create a complete or partially molten zone that ultimately crystallizes into uniform, small grains. Overlapping regions of the thin films are irradiated using a second laser pulse, which is applied before the melting-and-solidification cycle has completed. The smaller grain sizes of <0.3 to 1.0 micron created using this method can produce displays that reach 3000-5000 pixels per inch resolution, an order of magnitude higher than conventional methods. Additionally, this technology uses high frequency pulsed lasers with low power requirement, allowing the films to be processed at higher speeds with improved power efficiency.
A prototype of this technology has achieved 0.3 to 0.5 micron grain sizes in a processed silicon thin film.
IR CU16188
Licensing Contact: Greg Maskel