A process for manufacturing a semiconductor device, particularly a thin film
transistor,
by using a crystalline silicon film having excellent characteristics. The process
comprises forming a silicon nitride film and an amorphous silicon film in contact
thereto, introducing a catalyst element capable of promoting the crystallization
of the amorphous silicon film by heating the amorphous silicon film, thereby crystallizing
at least a part of the amorphous silicon film, and accelerating the crystallization
by irradiating the silicon film with a laser beam or intense light equivalent thereto.
