Low-Temperature, High-Performance Solution-Processed Thin-Film Transistors with Peroxo-Zirconium Oxide Dielectric

We demonstrated solution-processed thin film transistors on a peroxo-zirconium oxide (ZrO2) dielectric with a maximum temperature of 350 degrees C. The formation of ZrO2 films was investigated by TG-DTA, FT-IR, and XPS analyses at various temperatures. We synthesized a zirconium oxide solution by adding hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The H2O2 forms peroxo groups in the ZrO2 film producing a dense-amorphous phase and a smooth surface film. Because of these characteristics, the ZrO2 film successfully blocked leakage current even in annealing at 300 degrees C. Finally, to demonstrate that the ZrO2 film is dielectric, we fabricated thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a solution-processed channel layer of indium zinc oxide (IZO) on ZrO2 films at 350 degrees C. These TFTs had a mobility of 7.21 cm(2)/(V s), a threshold voltage (Vth) of 3.22 V, and a Vth shift of 1.6 V under positive gate bias stress.