title: Optimization of a Solution-Processed SiO2 Gate Insulator by Plasma Treatment for Zinc Oxide Thin Film Transistors.
abstract: We report on the optimization of the plasma treatment conditions for a solution-processed silicon dioxide gate insulator for application in zinc oxide thin film transistors (TFTs). The SiO2 layer was formed by spin coating a perhydropolysilazane (PHPS) precursor. This thin film was subsequently thermally annealed, followed by exposure to an oxygen plasma, to form an insulating (leakage current density of ∼10(-7) A/cm(2)) SiO2 layer. Optimized ZnO TFTs (40 W plasma treatment of the gate insulator for 10 s) possessed a carrier mobility of 3.2 cm(2)/(V s), an on/off ratio of ∼10(7), a threshold voltage of -1.3 V, and a subthreshold swing of 0.2 V/decade. In addition, long-term exposure (150 min) of the pre-annealed PHPS to the oxygen plasma enabled the maximum processing temperature to be reduced from 180 to 150 °C. The resulting ZnO TFT exhibited a carrier mobility of 1.3 cm(2)/(V s) and on/off ratio of ∼10(7).
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Computing Sciences and Centre for Molecular and Nanoscale Electronics, Durham University , South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
authors.forename: Yesul
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Computing Sciences and Centre for Molecular and Nanoscale Electronics, Durham University , South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pearson
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Nano-Materials, DNF Company Ltd. , Daejeon 306-802, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Gwan
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Nano-Materials, DNF Company Ltd. , Daejeon 306-802, Korea.
authors.forename: Man-Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Materials Engineering for Information and Electronics, Kyung Hee University , Yongin 446-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Hongdoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: IT Convergence Technology Research Laboratory, Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute , Daejeon 305-700, Korea.
authors.forename: Lee-Mi
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Do
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering and Computing Sciences and Centre for Molecular and Nanoscale Electronics, Durham University , South Road, Durham DH1 3LE, U.K.
authors.forename: Michael C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Petty
keywords: low temperature; oxygen plasma; solution process; solution-processed silicon dioxide; zinc oxide; zinc oxide field-effect transistor