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Lee S, Song YW, Park JM, Lee J, Ham W, Song MK, Namgung SD, Shin D, Kwon JY. Thermal Dehydrogenation Impact on Positive Bias Stability of Amorphous InSnZnO Thin-Film Transistors. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2024. [PMID: 39012887 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c03689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
Recently, the growing demand for amorphous oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (AOS TFTs) with high mobility and good stability to implement ultrahigh-resolution displays has made tracking the role of hydrogen in oxide semiconductor films increasingly important. Hydrogen is an essential element that contributes significantly to the field effect mobility and bias stability characteristics of AOS TFTs. However, because hydrogen is the lightest atom and has high reactivity to metal and oxide materials, elucidating its impact on AOS thin films has been challenging. Therefore, in this study, we propose controlling the hydrogen quantities in amorphous InSnZnO (a-ITZO) thin films through thermal dehydrogenation to precisely reveal the hydrogen influences on the electrical characteristics of a-ITZO TFTs. The as-deposited device containing 15.69 × 1015 atoms/cm2 of hydrogen exhibited a relatively low saturation mobility of 18.1 cm2/V·s and poor positive bias stress stability. However, depending on the extent of thermal dehydrogenation, not only did the hydrogen quantity and interface defect density (DIT) decrease but also the conductivity and surface energy increased due to the rise in oxygen vacancies and hydroxyl groups in a-ITZO thin films. As a result, the a-ITZO TFT with a hydrogen amount of 4.828 × 1015 atoms/cm2 showed that the saturation mobility improved up to 36.8 cm2/V·s, and positive bias stress stability was remarkably enhanced. Hence, we report the ability to manage the hydrogen quantity with thermal dehydrogenation and demonstrate that high-performance a-ITZO TFTs can be realized when an appropriate hydrogen concentration is achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sein Lee
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Graduate Program in Intelligent Semiconductor Technology, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Woong Song
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-Min Park
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Junseo Lee
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Graduate Program in Intelligent Semiconductor Technology, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Wooho Ham
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Graduate Program in Intelligent Semiconductor Technology, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Kyu Song
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Seok Daniel Namgung
- School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongwook Shin
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Jang-Yeon Kwon
- School of Integrated Technology, Yonsei University, Seoul 03722, Republic of Korea
- BK21 Graduate Program in Intelligent Semiconductor Technology, Yonsei University, Incheon 21983, Republic of Korea
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Kang M, Cho K, Seol M, Kim S, Kim S. Effect of interface defects on electrical characteristics of a-ITGZO TFTs under bottom, top, and dual gatings. Heliyon 2024; 10:e34134. [PMID: 39071708 PMCID: PMC11283065 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Here, we investigate the effects of interface defects on the electrical characteristics of amorphous indium-tin-gallium-zinc oxide (a-ITGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) utilizing bottom, top, and dual gatings. The field-effect mobility (27.3 cm2/V∙s) and subthreshold swing (222 mV/decade) under a dual gating is substantially better than those under top (12.6 cm2/V∙s, 301 mV/decade) and bottom (11.1 cm2/V∙s, 487 mV/decade) gatings. For an a-ITGZO TFT, oxygen deficiencies are more prevalent in the bottom-gate dielectric interface than in the top-gate dielectric interface, and they are less prevalent inside the channel layer than at the interfaces, indicating that the presence of oxygen deficiencies significantly affects the field-effect mobility and subthreshold swing. Moreover, the variation in the electrical characteristics due to the positive bias stress is discussed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingu Kang
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoungah Cho
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Minhyeok Seol
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangsub Kim
- Display Research Center, Samsung Display, Samseong-ro 1, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, 17113, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangsig Kim
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Korea University, Anam-ro 145, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea
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Park J, Go S, Chae W, Ryoo CI, Kim C, Noh H, Kim S, Du Ahn B, Cho IT, Yun PS, Bae JU, Park YS, Kim S, Kim DH. Floating body effect in indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT). Sci Rep 2024; 14:10067. [PMID: 38698148 PMCID: PMC11066109 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60288-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
In this paper, the floating body effect (FBE) in indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor (TFT) and the mechanism of device failure caused by that are reported for the first time. If the toggle AC pulses are applied to the gate and drain simultaneously for the switching operation, the drain current of IGZO TFT increases dramatically and cannot show the on/off switching characteristics. This phenomenon was not reported before, and our study reveals that the main cause is the formation of a conductive path between the source and drain: short failure. It is attributed in part to the donor creation at the drain region during the high voltage (Vhigh) condition and in part to the donor creation at the source region during the falling edge and low voltage (Vlow) conditions. Donor creation is attributed to the peroxide formation in the IGZO layer induced by the electrons under the high lateral field. Because the donor creation features positive charges, it lowers the threshold voltage of IGZO TFT. In detail, during the Vhigh condition, the donor creation is generated by accumulated electrons with a high lateral field at the drain region. On the other hand, the floating electrons remaining at the short falling edge (i.e., FBE of the IGZO TFT) are affected by the high lateral field at the source region during the Vlow condition. As a result, the donor creation is generated at the source region. Therefore, the short failure occurs because the donor creations are generated and expanded to channel from the drain and source region as the AC stress accumulates. In summary, the FBE in IGZO TFT is reported, and its effect on the electrical characteristics of IGZO TFT (i.e., the short failure) is rigorously analyzed for the first time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Park
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Seungwon Go
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Woojun Chae
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Il Ryoo
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Changwook Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyungju Noh
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Seonggeun Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea
| | - Byung Du Ahn
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - In-Tak Cho
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Pil Sang Yun
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Uk Bae
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoo Seok Park
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangwan Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Sogang University, Seoul, 04107, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dae Hwan Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea.
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Park J, Choi S, Kim C, Shin HJ, Jeong YS, Bae JU, Oh S, Kim DH. Lifetime estimation of thin-film transistors in organic emitting diode display panels with compensation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17590. [PMID: 37845374 PMCID: PMC10579390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44684-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors (TFTs) are used in the pixel array and gate driver circuits of organic light emitting diode (OLED) display panels. Long-term reliability characteristics of the TFTs are a barometer of the lifetime of OLED display panels. The long-term reliability of the driver TFTs is evaluated in a short time under high voltages and high temperature for an accelerated degradation test. If reliability parameters from the power law or stretched-exponential functions are the same for individual devices and devices in an operating panel, the lifetime of the panel can be accurately estimated. However, since compensation circuits are designed into operating panels, an environmental discrepancy exists between the accelerated test of single devices and the operation of devices in the panel. Herein, we propose a novel compensation stretched-exponential function (CSEF) model which captures the effect of the threshold voltage compensation circuit in the panel. The CSEF model not only bridges the discrepancy between individual devices and panel devices, but also provides a method to accurately and efficiently estimate the long-term lifetime of all display panels that utilize compensation circuits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyu Park
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Sungju Choi
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Changwook Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea
| | - Hong Jae Shin
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun Sik Jeong
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Uk Bae
- Large Display Business Unit, LG Display Company, Paju, 10845, Republic of Korea
| | - Saeroonter Oh
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea.
| | - Dae Hwan Kim
- School of Electrical Engineering, Kookmin University, Seoul, 02707, Republic of Korea.
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Kim T, Choi CH, Hur JS, Ha D, Kuh BJ, Kim Y, Cho MH, Kim S, Jeong JK. Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities in Oxide Semiconductor Devices: A Key Building Block for Applications Ranging from Display Backplanes to 3D Integrated Semiconductor Chips. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2204663. [PMID: 35862931 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202204663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As Si has faced physical limits on further scaling down, novel semiconducting materials such as 2D transition metal dichalcogenides and oxide semiconductors (OSs) have gained tremendous attention to continue the ever-demanding downscaling represented by Moore's law. Among them, OS is considered to be the most promising alternative material because it has intriguing features such as modest mobility, extremely low off-current, great uniformity, and low-temperature processibility with conventional complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible methods. In practice, OS has successfully replaced hydrogenated amorphous Si in high-end liquid crystal display devices and has now become a standard backplane electronic for organic light-emitting diode displays despite the short time since their invention in 2004. For OS to be implemented in next-generation electronics such as back-end-of-line transistor applications in monolithic 3D integration beyond the display applications, however, there is still much room for further study, such as high mobility, immune short-channel effects, low electrical contact properties, etc. This study reviews the brief history of OS and recent progress in device applications from a material science and device physics point of view. Simultaneously, remaining challenges and opportunities in OS for use in next-generation electronics are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taikyu Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Cheol Hee Choi
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Seok Hur
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
| | - Daewon Ha
- Semiconductor R&D Center, Samsung Electronics, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, 18848, Republic of Korea
| | - Bong Jin Kuh
- Semiconductor R&D Center, Samsung Electronics, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, 18848, Republic of Korea
| | - Yongsung Kim
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16678, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hee Cho
- Semiconductor R&D Center, Samsung Electronics, Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do, 18848, Republic of Korea
| | - Sangwook Kim
- Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Samsung Electronics, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, 16678, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Kyeong Jeong
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04763, Republic of Korea
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Kim D, Kim JH, Choi WS, Yang TJ, Jang JT, Belmonte A, Rassoul N, Subhechha S, Delhougne R, Kar GS, Lee W, Cho MH, Ha D, Kim DH. Device modeling of two-steps oxygen anneal-based submicron InGaZnO back-end-of-line field-effect transistor enabling short-channel effects suppression. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19380. [DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23951-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractAmorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS) field-effect transistors (FETs) have been integrated with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) circuitry in the back end of line (BEOL) CMOS process; they are promising devices creating new and various functionalities. Therefore, it is urgent to understand the physics determining their scalability and establish a physics-based model for a robust device design of AOS BEOL FETs. However, the advantage emphasized to date has been mainly an ultralow leakage current of these devices. A device modeling that comprehensively optimizes the threshold voltage (VT), the short-channel effect (SCE), the subthreshold swing (SS), and the field-effect mobility (µFE) of short-channel AOS FETs has been rarely reported. In this study, the device modeling of two-steps oxygen anneal-based submicron indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (IGZO) BEOL FET enabling short-channel effects suppression is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Both the process parameters determining the SCE and the device physics related to the SCE are elucidated through our modeling and a technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulation. In addition, the procedure of extracting the model parameters is concretely supplied. Noticeably, the proposed device model and simulation framework reproduce all of the measured current–voltage (I–V), VT roll-off, and drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) characteristics according to the changes in the oxygen (O) partial pressure during the deposition of IGZO film, device structure, and channel length. Moreover, the results of an analysis based on the proposed model and the extracted parameters indicate that the SCE of submicron AOS FETs is effectively suppressed when the locally high oxygen-concentration region is used. Applying the two-step oxygen annealing to the double-gate (DG) FET can form this region, the beneficial effect of which is also proven through experimental results; the immunity to SCE is improved as the O-content controlled according to the partial O pressure during oxygen annealing increases. Furthermore, it is found that the essential factors in the device optimization are the subgap density of states (DOS), the oxygen content-dependent diffusion length of either the oxygen vacancy (VO) or O, and the separation between the top-gate edge and the source-drain contact hole. Our modeling and simulation results make it feasible to comprehensively optimize the device characteristic parameters, such as VT, SCE, SS, and µFE, of the submicron AOS BEOL FETs by independently controlling the lateral profile of the concentrations of VO and O in two-step oxygen anneal process.
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Kim D, Lee H, Kim B, Baang S, Ejderha K, Bae JH, Park J. Investigation on Atomic Bonding Structure of Solution-Processed Indium-Zinc-Oxide Semiconductors According to Doped Indium Content and Its Effects on the Transistor Performance. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 15:6763. [PMID: 36234102 PMCID: PMC9570876 DOI: 10.3390/ma15196763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The atomic composition ratio of solution-processed oxide semiconductors is crucial in controlling the electrical performance of thin-film transistors (TFTs) because the crystallinity and defects of the random network structure of oxide semiconductors change critically with respect to the atomic composition ratio. Herein, the relationship between the film properties of nitrate precursor-based indium-zinc-oxide (IZO) semiconductors and electrical performance of solution-processed IZO TFTs with respect to the In molar ratio was investigated. The thickness, morphological characteristics, crystallinity, and depth profile of the IZO semiconductor film were measured to analyze the correlation between the structural properties of IZO film and electrical performances of the IZO TFT. In addition, the stoichiometric and electrical properties of the IZO semiconductor films were analyzed using film density, atomic composition profile, and Hall effect measurements. Based on the structural and stoichiometric results for the IZO semiconductor, the doping effect of the IZO film with respect to the In molar ratio was theoretically explained. The atomic bonding structure by the In doping in solution-processed IZO semiconductor and resulting increase in free carriers are discussed through a simple bonding model and band gap formation energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongwook Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Hyeonju Lee
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Bokyung Kim
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Sungkeun Baang
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - Kadir Ejderha
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science and Arts, Bingol University, Bingol 12000, Turkey
| | - Jin-Hyuk Bae
- School of Electronics Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
- School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Korea
| | - Jaehoon Park
- Department of Electronic Engineering, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
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