UV-Treated ZrO2 Passivation for Transparent and High-Stability In2O3 Thin Film Transistor

Electrical stability is significant in evaluating the application potentials for thin-film transistors (TFTs). In order to enhance the stability of the TFTs, the introduction of passivation layer is considered as an effective strategy. However, the posttreatment in conventional passivation process usually deteriorate the bottom semiconductor layer. In order to minimize the damages to the channel layer, in this work, UV-irradiated ZrO2 was prepared and integrated into the In2O3 TFT as passivation layer. The device performance dependent on ZrO2 thickness is investigated. It is found that the electrical performance of the In(2)O3 TFT is improved with the optimal passivation thickness, and the inherent mechanism is explained. In addition to the high performance, the excellent electrical stability of the passivated device is also confirmed by the positive bias stress test. Furthermore, the transparent ZrO2/In2O3 TFTs on indium tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates with Al2O3 dielectrics were successfully demonstrated, which indicates the great potential of ZrO2 passivation for the fabrication of transparent electronics.

Automated summary

The introduction of a passivation layer is an effective strategy to enhance the electrical stability of thin-film transistors (TFTs). However, conventional passivation processes often damage the bottom semiconductor layer. In this study, UV-irradiated ZrO2 was used as a passivation layer for In2O3 TFTs, resulting in improved electrical performance and excellent stability. This research demonstrates the great potential of ZrO2 passivation for transparent electronics fabrication.