An Investigation of Gate Pulse Induced Degradation in a-InGaZnO Thin Film Transistors

We investigated the effects of pulsed gate bias on degradation of amorphous indium gallium zinc oxide (a-InGaZnO) thin film transistors (TFTs). The waveform composed of 0 V and 20 V produced little degradation, but the waveform composed of -20 V and 0 V produced a considerable degradation on the turn-on current in the transfer characteristics. Those instabilities were found mostly in TFTs of which the concentration of Zn is higher than the other metallic components (In, Ga). In order to explain the anomalous degradation behaviors, we propose a possible degradation model which is different from the conventional model of charge trapping. Our proposed model is related to an increase of acceptor-like states in a-InGaZnO near the source and drain electrodes. More electrons can be trapped there, and the increased potential barrier hinders current flow in the channel. The proposed model can also account for the increased frequency dispersion in C-V characteristics of our a-InGaZnO TFTs after the waveform stress.