Tae Woong Moon, Seong Hun Yoon, Ui Jin Chung, Sang Yoon Park, Jae Kyeong Jeong
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces Article ASAP
DOI: 10.1021/acsami.4c20827
February 20, 2025
Abstract
This study examined the reliability of state-of-the-art a-IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs) for next-generation micro-LED (μ-LED) display applications under high drain current stress at 120 °C. Although the control a-IGZO TFTs annealed at 300 °C exhibited excellent stability under the traditional PBTS conditions at 60 °C, the PBTS test at the elevated temperature of 120 °C resulted in a significant positive VTH shift (ΔVTH). In contrast, the high-quality (HQ) a-IGZO TFTs annealed at 400 °C exhibited markedly improved electrical stability, even in the PBTS test at 120 °C. A continuous density-of-states (DOS) extraction technique was proposed, enabling real-time tracking of defect evolution during reliability testing. Depth profiling (TOF-SIMS) confirmed that the HQ a-IGZO TFTs had a higher oxygen concentration and lower hydrogen content in the IGZO channel layer. This optimized stoichiometry mitigates defect formation, particularly hydrogen-related Frenkel defects (HO+ to H-DX– conversion), which were identified as the plausible origin of VTH instability in the control TFTs under PBTS conditions at 120 °C. The HQ a-IGZO TFTs maintained exceptional reliability under such harsh operating conditions, showcasing their potential for μ-LED backplanes in demanding applications such as AR/VR/MR systems, automotive displays, and outdoor signage. These findings underscore HQ a-IGZO TFTs as a viable solution for the stringent performance and reliability requirements of next-generation display technologies.
Subjects
Defects, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Stress, Transistors
Keywords
- indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO)
- positive bias thermal stress (PBTS) instability
- temperature stress
- annealing temperature
- oxygen deficiency
- hydrogen-related defects
- subgap density-of-state (DOS) extraction
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