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Teflon/SiO₂ Bilayer Passivation for Improving the Electrical Reliability of Oxide TFTs Fabricated Using a New
Ching-Lin Fan1,2, Ming-Chi Shang3, Bo-Jyun Li4
1Graduate Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, 43 Section 4, Keelung Road, Taipei 106, Taiwan. clfan@mail.ntust.edu.tw.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|August 10, 2017
Summary
This study introduces a new fabrication process for amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) using a bilayer passivation method. This approach enhances device performance and electrical reliability, particularly under humid conditions.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrical Engineering
- Semiconductor Physics
Background:
- Amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) are crucial for next-generation displays and electronics.
- Fabrication processes often involve etching-stop layers, which can damage the active a-IGZO layer, degrading performance.
- Improving the electrical reliability and stability of a-IGZO TFTs, especially under environmental stress, remains a key challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel two-photomask fabrication process for self-aligned a-IGZO TFTs without etching-stop layers.
- To investigate the effectiveness of a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon)/SiO₂ bilayer passivation method for enhancing device performance and reliability.
- To assess the impact of the passivation layer on a-IGZO TFT stability under ambient air and humidity stress.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a-IGZO TFTs using a two-photomask process, omitting etching-stop layers.
- Deposition of a polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon) buffer layer via thermal evaporation.
- Application of a subsequent SiO₂ layer for bilayer passivation.
- Characterization of initial electrical performance and stability testing under 95% relative humidity for 168 hours.
Main Results:
- The two-photomask process resulted in undamaged a-IGZO active layers, leading to superior device performance.
- The Teflon/SiO₂ bilayer effectively protected the a-IGZO layer from plasma damage during SiO₂ deposition, minimizing initial performance degradation.
- Passivated a-IGZO TFTs demonstrated significantly improved electrical stability compared to passivation-free devices, even after prolonged exposure to high humidity.
Conclusions:
- The proposed two-photomask fabrication process and Teflon/SiO₂ bilayer passivation are effective for producing high-performance and reliable a-IGZO TFTs.
- This fabrication strategy overcomes the limitations of etching-stop layers and enhances device robustness against environmental factors.
- The developed method offers a promising pathway for the commercialization of stable and high-quality a-IGZO TFTs for various electronic applications.
