The Potassium-Assisted P-Type Characteristics of Tin Oxide in Solution-Processed High-Performance Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors

Developing high-performance p-type metal-oxide semiconductors comparable to n-type ones has opened a new window for the realization of transparent, flexible, and low-power integrated circuits in large-area electronics. Herein, the fabrication of solution-processed p-type metal-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) with excellent device performance at low temperatures using a novel material is reported. Potassium (K) content is introduced into the tin oxide precursor solution to stabilize the tin (II) oxide (SnO) phase rather than the tin (IV) oxide (SnO2) phase during thin-film formation. The optimized K-doped SnO (K-SnO) TFTs exhibit outstanding electrical performance, with a maximum Hall mobility of 51 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) and a field-effect hole mobility of 2.3 cm(2) V-1 s(-1). The achievement of the solution-processed K-SnO TFTs not only provides a significant step toward the development of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor circuits, but also represents a feasible approach for low-cost flexible p-type metal-oxide electronics.

Automated summary

The development of high-performance p-type metal-oxide semiconductors has opened up new possibilities for transparent, flexible, and low-power integrated circuits. The fabrication of solution-processed p-type metal-oxide thin-film transistors with excellent device performance at low temperatures using a novel material has been reported. The optimized K-doped SnO TFTs exhibit outstanding electrical performance, showing potential for low-cost flexible p-type metal-oxide electronics.