Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics
Published on: January 19, 2018
Electron-blocking by the potential barrier originated from the asymmetrical local density of state in the oxide
Hyeon-Jun Lee1,2, Katsumi Abe3, Jun Seo Kim4,5
1Intelligent Devices & Systems Research Group, Institute of Convergence, DGIST, Daegu, 42988, Korea. dear.hjlee@dgist.ac.kr.
Abstract:
Defect generation in oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors under high-voltage driving has not been studied in depth despite being a crucial bottleneck in the making of the integrated circuit utilized in an oxide semiconductor. Here we report on the origin of the asymmetrical transport characteristics caused by the degradation in the oxide semiconductor during integrated circuit driving. The variation of the current profiles based on test conditions is related to the generation of local defect states in the oxide material; this generation could be caused by the structural change of the material. The numerical calculations show that the flow of the electron is blocked by the "electrical pocket" formed by the electric-field distortion due to the local defect states near the edge of the electrode.
Related Concept Videos
Metal-Semiconductor Junctions
Schottky Barriers
Schottky barriers arise when a metal with a work function (Φm) contacts a semiconductor with a different work function (Φs). Initially, electrons transfer until the Fermi levels of the metal and semiconductor align at equilibrium. For instance, if Φm > Φs, the semiconductor Fermi level is higher than the metal's before contact. The...
Semiconductors
Metals such as copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), or lead (Pb) have low resistivity and feature conduction bands that are either not fully occupied or overlap with the valence band, making a bandgap non-existent. This allows electrons in the highest energy levels of the valence band to easily transition to the conduction band upon gaining...
Fermi Level Dynamics
Electron affinity in semiconductors refers to the energy gap between the minimum of its conduction band and the vacuum level and it is a critical parameter in determining how easily a semiconductor can accept additional electrons.
The work...
Schottky Barrier Diode
MOS Capacitor
The metal gate is typically made from highly conductive materials such as aluminum or polysilicon. Beneath the metal gate lies a thin layer of...
Band Theory
The energy difference between these bands is known as the band gap.
Conductor, Semiconductor,...

