THIN FILM PROCESSING METHOD AND THIN FILM PROCESSING APPARATUS

摘要

A thin film processing method for processing a thin film by irradiating the thin film with a light beam. One irradiation unit of the light beam is the irradiation of the thin film with first and second light pulses. By repeating the irradiation of one irradiation unit, the thin film is processed. The pulse waveform of the first light pulse is different from that of the second one. Preferably one irradiation unit of the light beam comprises the irradiation with the first light pulse and the irradiation with the second light pulse started substantially simultaneously with the start of the irradiation with the first light pulse. The following two inequalities are satisfied: (the pulse duration of the first light pulse) <(pulse duration of the second light pulse), and (the irradiation intensity of the first light pulse)>= (the irradiation intensity of the second light pulse). A silicon thin film having a small trap level density is formed by light irradiation.