Sub-100 deg. C a-Si:H thin-film transistors on plastic substrates with silicon nitride gate dielectrics

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 2004 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.1784826· OSTI ID:20636569

Sazonov, A; McArthur, C ^[1]

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1. Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1 (Canada)

Fabrication on thin-film transistors (TFTs) on flexible plastic substrates for large-area imagers and displays has been made possible by lowering the deposition temperatures, which reduces the thermal deformation of plastic substrates, greatly facilitating substrate preparation and device patterning. Furthermore, at extremely low deposition temperatures, much wider variety of low-cost substrates, plastics or otherwise, are available for use. In this article, we report on a-Si:H TFTs fabricated at 75 deg. C on glass and plastic substrates. The TFTs were fabricated using inverted-staggered topology, in a full wet etch process. The TFT structures consisted of 140 nm of sputtered Mo for gate, 380 nm of plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) a-SiN{sub x}:H gate dielectric optimized for 75 deg. C, 50 nm of PECVD a-Si:H channel material, 50 nm of PECVD n{sup +} a-Si:H for source/drain contacts, and sputtered Al for contact metallization. Current-voltage characteristics were measured, and relevant transistor parameters were calculated. TFTs exhibited the leakage current below 10{sup -12} A, and on/off current ratio exceeding 10{sup 5}. The results were compared to those for high temperature a-Si:H TFTs, and the differences are discussed.

• OSTI ID: 20636569
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films, Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. A, Vacuum, Surfaces and Films Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 22; ISSN 0734-2101; ISSN JVTAD6
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION
ETCHING
GLASS
LEAKAGE CURRENT
PLASMA
PLASTICS
SILICON NITRIDES
SUBSTRATES
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
THIN FILMS
TRANSISTORS