Progess in Fabrication Technologies of Polycrystalline Silicon Thin Film Transistors at Low Temperatures

The development of fabrication processes of polycrystalline-silicon-thin-film transistors (poly-Si TFTs) at low temperatures is reviewed. Rapid crystallization through laser-induced melt-regrowth has an advantage of formation of crystalline silicon films at a low thermal budget. Solid phase crystallization techniques have also been improved for low temperature processing. Passivation of $SiO_2$/Si interface and grain boundaries is important to achieve high carrier transport properties. Oxygen plasma and $H_2O$ vapor heat treatments are proposed for effective reduction of the density of defect states. TFTs with high performance is reported.