WO2008078944A1

WO2008078944A1 - Apparatus and method for forming thin metal film using laser

Info

Publication number: WO2008078944A1
Application number: PCT/KR2007/006790
Authority: WO
Inventors: Il Ho Kim
Original assignee: Cowin Dst Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 2006-12-26
Filing date: 2007-12-24
Publication date: 2008-07-03
Also published as: TWI438049B; CN101611339B; JP2010514926A; JP5268944B2; TW200835569A; CN101611339A; KR100824964B1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for forming a thin metal film, in which holes are formed in an upper insulating layer using a laser and a thin metal film is formed between the holes when the metal pattern of a liquid crystal display is open, thus connecting disconnected portions of the open metal pattern. The thin metal film formation method connects disconnected portions of an open metal pattern when a metal pattern (41) deposited on a substrate is open. An insulating layer on the metal pattern is eliminated by radiating first laser light, and first and second contact holes (44), on which a thin film can be deposited, are formed in the metal pattern. The contact holes are filled with a thin metal film (46) by radiating second laser light. A thin metal film is formed between the holes by radiating second laser light.

Description

[DESCRIPTION]

[invention Title]

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING THIN METAL FILM USING LASER

[Technical Field]

The present invention relates, in general, to an apparatus and method for forming a thin metal film, and, more particularly, to an apparatus and method for forming a thin metal film, in which holes are formed in an upper insulating layer using a laser and a thin metal film is formed between the holes when the metal pattern of a liquid crystal display is open, thus connecting disconnected portions of the open metal pattern to each other.

[Background Art] With the development of technology for the semiconductor industry, which has recently grown rapidly, Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) products having a small size, a light weight and more powerful performance have been popularized. Since a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) device has various advantages, such as the realization of a small size, a light weight, and low power consumption, it is currently mounted and used in various information processing devices .

Such an LCD device is configured to convert the specific molecular arrangement of liquid crystal into another molecular arrangement by applying a voltage to the specific molecular arrangement, and to convert variation in optical properties, such as the double refraction, optical rotary power, dichroism, and light scatting characteristics of liquid crystal cells, which emit light due to this molecular arrangement, into visual variation, and is a display device using the modulation of light occurring in liquid crystal cells. An LCD is manufactured through a process for manufacturing the upper plate and the lower plate of a panel, accompanied by a process for generating liquid crystal cells forming each pixel unit, a process for forming an alignment layer for liquid crystal alignment and rubbing the alignment layer, a process for laminating the upper and lower plates, and a process for injecting liquid crystal into a gap between the laminated upper and lower plates .

The LCD, manufactured through the above processes, has metal patterns (for example, a data line or a common electrode line) formed thereon, and has electrical conductivity. However, line defects, such as an open in a metal pattern or a short between metal patterns, may occur.

Generally, in the case of defects attributable to the loss of a pattern and point defects attributable to a short between patterns, there is an allowable level according to the distribution, number, and type of defects, whereas, in the case of line defects, a product having even one line defect loses its value as a product, and thus the process for repairing such a line defect is very important.

One repair method is a repair method using Chemical

Vapor Deposition (CVD) , in which metal gas is injected into a defective region of the glass substrate of an LCD panel, laser light is radiated onto the detective region, and thus the defective region is repaired.

FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a conventional apparatus for forming a thin film. The thin film formation apparatus includes a gas supply unit 1 for supplying metal raw material required for repair in the form of gas, a laser 5 for radiating laser light so as to perform photodecomposition on the gas ejected by the gas supply unit, an optical unit 4 for adjusting the traveling path and focus of the laser light emitted from the laser, a chamber 7 for performing photodecomposition on the laser light emitted from the optical unit 4 and the gas supplied by the gas supply unit 1, and a control unit 6 for controlling the gas supply unit 1, the optical unit 4, the laser 5, etc. The thin film formation apparatus having the above construction repairs the open of a line using the following principles .

After an array process among processes for manufacturing an LCD has been terminated, an array test process is performed. When a defect, such as the open of a data line, is detected during the array test process, the thin film formation apparatus is used to repair the defect . First, when a substrate 8 is loaded into equipment, the optical unit 4 moves to the coordinates of the location at which the defect occurs, and the laser 5 radiates laser light. After contact holes are formed to expose a predetermined surface of a metal line by radiating pulse-shaped laser light, continuous wave laser light is radiated. In this case, raw gas obtained by mixing the metal gas, stored in the gas supply unit 1, with an inert gas is supplied, so that metal raw material is deposited on an open data line region while photodecomposition is performed, thus enabling disconnected portions of the open data line region to be electrically connected.

However, the above prior art has the following problems. There is a problem in that, since a scan method (a method of radiating laser light while moving the laser light) is used when laser light is radiated, a lot of time is required for an operational process, and, in addition, it is difficult to deposit a thin film when impurities are present in a defective region. Further, there is a problem in that, during a process for forming a thin film on an existing thin film, step coverage is deteriorated due to a thickness difference, or moisture permeates a via hole at the time of cleaning due to the generation of the via hole . Further, there is a problem in that, when a thin film in an overlapping region is excessively thick, the thin film may be detached due to the cohesive force thereof . Furthermore, there is a problem in that the adhesive strength of the thin film is low, so that high resistance may be formed, or the thin film may become detached in the subsequent cleaning process .

[Disclosure]

[Technical Problem]

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a thin metal film, which can process the shape of a laser beam according to the shape and size of a processing target, and can form a thin metal film along a desired path, and a method of forming a thin metal film using the apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of indirectly forming a thin metal film when impurities are present in a defective region, thus connecting disconnected portions of an open region to each other.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for forming a thin metal film, which can monitor a thin film formation process in real time.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for radiating laser beams at one time in a desired pattern when a thin film is formed, thus reducing the time required for an operational process . Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for radiating laser beams having uniform intensity, thus preventing step coverage attributable to a thickness difference, and enabling a thin film having a uniform thickness .

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for preventing the generation of a via hole caused by a thickness difference.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for increasing the size of a laser beam and radiating the laser beam to allow the intensity of the beam to be uniform in a given region when a thin film is formed, thus enabling a thin film to be formed to have a uniform thickness .

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method for adjusting adhesive strength by controlling the intensity and radiation time of a laser beam when a thin film is formed, thus preventing the thin film from being detached.

[Technical Solution]

In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides an apparatus for forming a thin metal film, comprising a laser oscillator; beam formation means for flattening a laser beam radiated from the laser oscillator and adjusting a shape and size of a beam to be radiated according to a processing target; a chamber for forming a thin metal film on the processing target using metal source gas while being spaced apart from the processing target; and a gas supply unit for supplying the metal source gas, and a discharge unit for discharging residual gas after the thin metal film is formed.

Further, the present invention provides a method of forming a thin metal film, the method connecting disconnected portions of an open metal pattern when a metal pattern deposited on a substrate is open, comprising the steps of eliminating an insulating layer formed on the metal pattern by radiating first laser light, and forming a first contact hole and a second contact hole, on which a thin film can be deposited, in the metal pattern; filling the contact holes with a thin metal film by radiating second laser light; and forming a thin metal film between the contact holes by radiating the second laser light, thus connecting the contact holes to each other.

[Description of Drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the construction of a conventional apparatus for forming a thin metal film;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the construction of an apparatus for forming a thin metal film according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the comparison of the shapes of a beam before and after the beam passes through a beam formation means according to present invention; FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of forming a thin metal film according to the present invention; FIG. 5 is a detailed view showing the step of forming contact holes according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a detailed view showing the step of filling contact holes with a thin metal film according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a detailed view showing the step of forming a thin metal film between the contact holes and connecting the contact holes according to the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a detailed view showing the step of isolating a formed thin metal film from nearby conductive material according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a detailed view showing the step of forming contact holes when an insulating layer is not placed on a metal pattern according to the present invention; FIG. 10 is a detailed view showing the step of forming a thin metal film between contact holes according to the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a view showing various embodiments of a mask according to the present invention.

[Best Mode]

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention and the construction thereof will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings .

FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing an apparatus for forming a thin metal film according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the thin metal film formation apparatus according to the present invention includes laser oscillators 10a and 10b for emitting laser beams, a beam formation means 20 for expanding and adjusting the laser beams to be suitable for the size of a defective region, a chamber 30 provided with an optical window for passing the beams therethrough, and configured to accommodate material, required to form a thin film at the location at which a defect is eliminated, optical means 12, 13, 14, and 15 for adjusting the traveling path of the beams and radiating the beams onto a substrate, and a monitoring means 50 for monitoring in real time whether a thin film is precisely deposited in a desired region.

The laser oscillators include the first laser oscillator 10a and the second laser oscillator 10b.

The first laser oscillator 10a generates infrared laser light, visible laser light, or ultraviolet laser light, and the second laser oscillator 10b generates laser light having a wavelength shorter than blue violet laser light, or ultraviolet laser light.

The beam formation means 20 includes beam shapers 21a and 21b and a beam slit 22. The beam slit 22, which is configured to adjust the size and shape of each beam, is capable of adjusting the beam so that it has various sizes and shapes according to a process. When the size of the beam is intended to be adjusted, it is adjusted by controlling two blades for each axis, that is, a total of four blades, using motors on X and Y axes . When it is desired to adjust the shape of the beam, it can be adjusted to a desired shape by- selecting a required mask pattern according to a process .

The beam shapers 21a and 21b include a beam expander for expanding a laser beam emitted from the laser oscillator 10 and a homogenizer for uniformly distributing the energy of the laser beam. An initial beam emitted from the laser oscillator is formed in a Gaussian shape having a small size, in which energy is concentrated on a central portion. Since such a beam is not suitable for simultaneous radiation onto a wide region, the beam is expanded and flattened using the beam formation means 20. Accordingly, the beam is expanded to have a size sufficient to be radiated onto a processing region at one time . The beam slit 22 functions to divide the beam, which has been expanded and flattened by the beam shaper 21, according to the size of the defective region.

FIG. 3 is a view showing the shape of a beam passed through the beam formation means. FIG. 3 (a) is a view showing the comparison of the shapes of the beam before and after the beam passes through the beam shaper 21a or 21b. The graph on the right side of FIG. 3 (a) is a graph of the beam before it passes through the beam shaper 21a or 21b, and it can be seen that the graph indicates Gaussian curve distribution. The graph on the left side of FIG. 3 (a) is a graph showing the energy distribution of the beam after it passes through the beam shaper 21a or 21b, and it can be seen that energy distribution indicates a uniform and flat shape. FIG. 3 (b) illustrates an example of the use of the beam slit 22. The size of the slit can be adjusted according to the region onto which it is desired to radiate a laser beam, that is, a processing target. The size of the slit can be adjusted by vertically or horizontally moving blades 31.

Further, a mask is selected according to a process, and can form various shapes according to the shape of the processing target. FIG. 11 illustrates various embodiments of the mask. A detailed description thereof will be made later.

The monitoring means 50 includes a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera 51 for displaying a process and a focus control unit 52 for automatically controlling the focus of laser light radiated onto a substrate 40. A process for forming a thin metal film through the above construction is described in detail .

A laser beam emitted from the first laser oscillator 10a forms a hole in an insulating layer disposed on a metal pattern. The insulating layer may be an insulating layer made of SiNx or SiO2, and may have a similar effect in the case where an organic layer, a metal layer, and a residual layer

(hereinafter referred to as 'insulating layer or the like'), instead of the insulating layer, is present. Of course, only when such an insulating layer or the like is present is there a need to remove the insulating layer or the like. When an insulating layer is not present, this process can be omitted. However, even if an insulating layer is not deposited on the metal pattern, a thin metal film may not be successfully formed due to the oxidation of metal, etc., and thus it is preferable to radiate the laser beam onto the metal pattern to remove an oxide layer. After contact holes are formed, a gas mixture of metal gas and an inert gas is injected into the chamber, and second laser light is radiated, and thus the contact holes are filled with the thin metal film. After the contact holes are filled with the thin metal film, a thin film is deposited between the contact holes, and thus disconnected portions of an open metal pattern are connected to each other.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a method of connecting disconnected portions of an open metal pattern using the above-described apparatus . First, two contact holes are formed in an open metal pattern so as to form a thin film at step S40, and metal gas is injected into the contact holes to completely fill the contact holes with the metal gas at step S41. A thin metal film is formed between the two contact holes and connects the contact holes at step S42. Through this procedure, the thin metal film can be formed, and the disconnected portions can be connected. After the thin metal film is formed, laser light is radiated to isolate a conductive material layer (ITO/IZO) from the thin metal film when the conductive material layer exists near the region of the thin metal film, and thus the thin metal film is isolated from the nearby conductive material at step S43. With reference to FIGS. 5 to 10, the process of FIG. 4 is described in detail .

FIG. 5 illustrates a process for forming contact holes 44 using infrared laser light, visible laser light, or ultraviolet laser light 10 radiated from the first laser oscillator.

As shown in the drawing, a processing target is formed such that a metal pattern 41 is deposited on a glass substrate 40, and an insulating layer 42 or the like is deposited on the metal pattern 41.

The metal pattern 41 is preferably connected, and so when it is open, disconnected portions of the open metal pattern 41 must be connected. In this case, since the insulating layer 42 or the like is deposited on the metal pattern 41, disconnected portions of the metal pattern 41 cannot be directly connected, and holes must be formed in the insulating layer 42 or the like.

In order to make a connection, two holes 44 must be formed using a method of primarily forming one and secondarily forming the other by radiating the laser light 10 while moving the laser light, or a method of simultaneously forming two holes by maintaining the intensity of a laser beam at a uniform value, expanding the beam, passing the beam through a mask, and radiating the beam. Since the beam can be expanded by the beam formation means described with reference to FIG.

2, this method is possible.

In this case, the intensity of the laser beam is adjusted, so that the metal pattern 41 is attached to the walls of the holes while melting at the time of forming the holes. That is, when the holes are formed, the holes are also formed in the metal pattern 41, as well as the insulating layer 42 or the like, by eliminating portions of the insulating layer 42.

FIG. 5 (a) is a sectional view and FIG. 5 (b) is a top view. Referring to FIG. 5 (b) , the two contact holes 44, an open portion 45 between the contact holes, and conductive material 43, widely distributed around the metal pattern 41, are depicted.

FIG. 6 is a view showing the step of depositing a thin metal film on the contact holes 44 formed in the above process and filling the contact holes with the thin metal film. After metal source gas (gas mixture of metal gas and inert gas) is injected into the chamber provided with an optical window, laser light is radiated using the second laser oscillator, thus making it possible to fill the holes 44 with metal 13. As shown in the drawing, the metal source gas injected into the chamber fills the holes while laser light 11 is radiated. For the laser light used at this time, blue laser light or ultraviolet laser light can be used.

During the process for generating the holes, metal parts, generated when the metal pattern melts and is adsorbed on the surfaces of the holes 44, are fully filled and covered with a thin film due to the radiation of laser light . In this way, the reliability of adhesion is improved and the resistance between the metal pattern 41 and a thin metal film 46 is reduced.

In FIG. 6 (b) , it can be seen that the thin metal film 46 is formed in the holes.

FIG. 7 is a view showing the step of depositing a thin film between the contact holes 44 and connecting the contact holes 44.

Similar to the process for filling the holes 44 with the thin metal film 46, a thin metal film is formed between the contact holes 44 by radiating blue laser light or ultraviolet laser light 12 , and thus the two contact holes are connected to each other.

In this case, the contact holes may be connected directly or indirectly according to a defective region. In particular, when impurities are present in the defective region, it is preferable to indirectly connect the contact holes. Similar to the above process, a laser beam can be sequentially radiated while moving (a scan method) . Alternatively, the laser light can be radiated at one time (a block shot method) after an optical device is fixed by maintaining the intensity of the laser beam at a uniform value and by expanding the beam, thus enabling the laser beam to be radiated to pass through a mask. It is possible to expand the beam through the beam formation means. FIG. 7 (a) illustrates a process for depositing a thin film while radiating a laser beam using a scan method, and FIGS. 7 (b) and 7 (c) illustrate a process for depositing a thin film using a mask.

When holes are indirectly connected using a scan method, an overlapping region 47 is generated at a bent portion, as shown in FIG. 7 (a) . Since a laser beam is radiated onto the same portion twice, there is a problem in that the thin film is formed to be thicker than other portions, and a thickness difference occurs . However, when deposition is performed at one time using a mask, this overlapping problem can be solved, and the time required for an operational process can also be shortened. Of course, even when holes are directly connected, it is profitable to adjust the size of a laser beam so that it is radiated using a slit or a mask and to radiate the laser beam at one time because the processing time can be shortened.

The formation of the thin metal film is completed through the above process, and disconnected portions of the open metal pattern 41 are connected to each other.

After the thin metal film is formed, when conductive material is present near the thin metal film, the conductive material must be isolated from the thin metal film. FIG. 8 is a view showing the isolation of the thin metal film from conductive material. FIG. 8 (a) illustrates the case where laser light is radiated using a scan method, and FIG. 8 (b) illustrates the case where laser light is radiated using a block shot method. That is, after the deposition of the thin film has been completed, infrared laser light, visible laser light or ultraviolet laser light 11 is radiated onto the region around the thin metal film, and thus the conductive material is cut. In the drawings, it can be seen that cutting is performed between the thin metal film 46 and the conductive material 43, and thus the thin metal film 46 is isolated from the conductive material 43 by a cutaway portion 48.

Even when a laser beam is radiated so as to isolate the thin metal film from the conductive material, a method of maintaining the intensity of the laser beam at a uniform value, expanding the laser beam, passing the laser beam through a mask, and radiating the laser beam can be used.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views showing another embodiment of the present invention, which shows the connection of an open metal pattern when an insulating layer does not exist. FIG. 10 (a) illustrates the case where laser light is radiated using a scan method, and FIG. 10 (b) illustrates the case where laser light is radiated using a block shot method.

Even when an insulating layer does not exist, the metal pattern 41 is oxidized, and thus it is undesirable to deposit a thin film immediately above the metal pattern 41 and connect the open metal pattern. Therefore, a certain portion of the metal pattern 41 is cut out using infrared laser light 11 or the like, and then contact holes are formed.

After the metal pattern 41 is cut out, metal source gas is injected into the chamber, and blue laser light or ultraviolet laser light 12 is radiated to fill the contact holes with metal source gas, and to connect the contact holes to each other . As described above, the radiation of laser light can be performed using a scan method, or using a method of maintaining the intensity of a laser beam at a uniform value, expanding the beam and radiating the beam through a mask patterned with a desired shape.

FIG. 11 is a view showing embodiments of various shapes of a mask pattern according to the present invention.

FIG. 11 (a) illustrates a mask pattern used to form contact holes or to fill the contact holes with the thin metal film, (b) illustrates a mask pattern used to indirectly connect the contact holes to each other, and (c) illustrate a mask pattern used to directly connect the contact holes to each other.

FIG. 11 (d) illustrates an example of a mask pattern used to isolate a thin metal film from nearby conductive material .

FIG. 11 (e) illustrates an example of a mask pattern used to radiate laser light onto a wide area, as in the case where a nitride layer is formed on a thin metal film.

As described above, the shape of a mask can be variously changed and selected according to a process for forming holes, connecting the holes, etc. Even when the holes are connected to each other, the shape of a mask pattern can be variously selected depending on whether they are connected directly or indirectly.

[industrial Applicability]

Through the above construction, according to the present invention, contact holes can be generated, or a thin metal film can be formed through the radiation of laser light at one time, thus shortening the time required to connect disconnected portions of an open metal pattern. Further, the present invention can indirectly connect contact holes, thus connecting disconnected portions even when impurities are present in a defective region. Further, the overlapping of a thin film, which may occur in the indirect connection of contact holes, can be prevented. Further, the present invention can not only eliminate an insulating layer or the like at the time of forming contact holes, but can also use a method of melting a metal pattern together and fully covering metal adsorbed on the surfaces of the holes with the thin metal film, thus improving the reliability of adhesion and reducing the resistance between the thin metal film formed on a metal pattern and the metal pattern .

Further, the present invention can prevent the occurrence of a thickness difference and the generation of via holes or step coverage.

Further, the present invention can maintain the intensity of a beam at a uniform value and can form the beam in various shapes according to a radiation target by utilizing a beam formation means . Moreover, the present invention can eliminate an oxide layer formed on a metal pattern even when an insulating layer or the like is not formed on the metal pattern, thus improving the adhesive strength of a thin metal film at the time of depositing the thin metal film.

Claims

[CLAIMS]

[Claim l]

An apparatus for forming a thin metal film, comprising: a laser oscillator; beam formation means for flattening a laser beam radiated from the laser oscillator and adjusting a shape and size of a beam to be radiated according to a processing target; a chamber for forming a thin metal film on the processing target using metal source gas while being spaced apart from the processing target; and a gas supply unit for supplying the metal source gas, and a discharge unit for discharging residual gas after the thin metal film is formed.

[Claim 2]

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the laser oscillator comprises a first laser oscillator for forming holes by eliminating an insulating layer, an organic layer, a metallic layer, or a residual layer of the processing target, and a second laser oscillator for forming a thin metal film in the holes, and forming a thin metal film for connecting the holes to each other.

[Claim 3]

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first laser oscillator generates pulse-shaped laser light, and the second laser oscillator generates continuous wave-shaped laser light .

[Claim 4]

The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein each of the first laser oscillator and the second laser oscillator comprises a beam intensity adjustment device for controlling intensity of laser energy.

[Claim 5]

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first laser oscillator generates infrared laser light, visible laser light, or ultraviolet laser light.

[Claim 6]

The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the second laser oscillator generates laser light having a wavelength shorter than a blue violet wavelength.

[Claim 7]

The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second laser oscillators are formed on a same optical axis .

[Claim 8]

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the beam formation means comprises a beam shaper for converting energy distribution of a laser beam into a flat top form, and a beam slit for adjusting a size and shape of the beam.

[Claim 9]

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the beam slit comprises four blades, required to adjust the size of the beam, and a plurality of mask patterns, required to adjust the shape of the beam.

[Claim lθ]

The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the beam shaper comprises a beam expander for expanding the beam, and a homogenizer for making energy distribution of the beam uniform.

[Claim ll]

The apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a monitoring device for monitoring status of a process in real time .

[Claim 12]

The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the monitoring device comprises a focus control unit for automatically controlling a focus of laser light and a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera.

[Claim 13] A method of forming a thin metal film, the method connecting disconnected portions of an open metal pattern when a metal pattern deposited on a substrate is open, comprising the steps of : eliminating an insulating layer formed on the metal pattern by radiating first laser light, and forming a first contact hole and a second contact hole, on which a thin film can be deposited, in the metal pattern; filling the contact holes with a thin metal film by radiating second laser light; and forming a thin metal film between the contact holes by radiating the second laser light, thus connecting the contact holes to each other.

[Claim 14] The method according to claim 13, wherein the first laser light is one of infrared layer light, visible laser light, and ultraviolet laser light, and the second laser light is laser light having a wavelength shorter than a blue violet wavelength.

[Claim 15]

The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of forming the contact holes is performed such that intensity of the laser light is adjusted, and thus the metal pattern is attached to walls of the contact holes by melting when the contact holes are formed. [Claim 16]

The method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of forming the contact holes or the step of filling the contact holes with the thin metal film is performed to form the contact holes or fill the contact holes with the thin metal film by sequentially radiating laser light, or simultaneously radiating the laser light using a mask pattern.

[Claim 17]

The method according to claim 13 , wherein the step of connecting the contact holes is performed to directly or indirectly connect the first and second contact holes to each other.

[Claim 18]

The method according to claim 13, wherein the step of connecting the contact holes is performed to radiate laser light while moving the laser light, or to maintain intensity of the laser light at a uniform value, expand the laser light, pass the laser light through a mask, and connect the contact holes along a pattern of the mask.

[Claim 19]

The method according to any of claims 13 to 18, further comprising the step of cutting conductive material by radiating first laser light when the conductive material exists near a region in which the thin film is formed .

[Claim 2θ]

The method according to claim 19, wherein the cutting step is performed to radiate laser light using a method of maintaining intensity of the laser light at a uniform value, expanding the laser light, and passing the laser light through a mask, thus enabling the conductive material to be cut along a shape of the mask.

[Claim 21] A method of forming a thin metal film, the method connecting disconnected portions of an open metal pattern when a metal pattern deposited on a substrate is open, comprising the steps of : eliminating an oxide layer existing on portions of the metal pattern, desired to be connected to each other, by radiating first laser light; forming holes in the portions from which the oxide layer is eliminated by radiating second laser light, and filling the holes with a thin metal film; and forming a thin metal film between the holes filled with the thin metal film by radiating the second laser light, thus connecting the holes to each other.

[Claim 22]

The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of forming the thin metal film and connecting the holes is performed to directly or indirectly connect portions from which the oxide layer is eliminated to each other.

[Claim 23] The method according to claim 21, wherein the step of radiating the laser light is performed to radiate the laser light while moving the laser light, or to maintain intensity of the laser light at a uniform value, expand the laser light, pass the laser light through a mask, and radiate the laser light along a shape of the mask.