Low-temperature, high-performance solution-processed thin-film transistors with peroxo-zirconium oxide dielectric

Nano-Scale Ga2O3 Interface Engineering for High-Performance of ZnO-Based Thin-Film Transistors

Thin-film transistor (TFT) is a essential device for future electronics driving the next level of digital transformation. The development of metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) TFTs is considered one of the most advantageous devices for next-generation, large-area flexible electronics. This study demonstrates the systematic study of the amorphous gallium oxide (a-Ga₂O₃) and its application to nanocrystalline ZnO TFTs. The TFT with a-Ga₂O₃/c-ZnO-stack channel exhibits a field-effect mobility of ∼41 cm² V^-1 s^-1 and excellent stability under positive-bias-temperature stress. The a-Ga₂O₃/c-ZnO-stack TFT on polyimide (PI) substrate exhibits a negligible threshold voltage shift upon 100k bending cycles with a radius of 3 mm and is very stable under environmental test. The smooth morphology with tiny grains of ∼12 nm diameter with fewer grain boundary states improves the charge transport in Ga₂O₃/ZnO-stack TFT. The existence of amorphous a-Ga₂O₃ in between very thin ZnO layers helps to enhance the heterointerfaces and reduce the defect density in Ga₂O₃/ZnO interface. Therefore, integrating a-Ga₂O₃ in the ZnO channel in stacked TFT can increase mobility and enhance stability for next-generation flexible TFT electronics.

Improving the Performance of Red Organic Light-Emitting Transistors by Utilizing a High-k Organic/Inorganic Bilayer Dielectric

Integration of electrical switching and light emission in a single unit makes organic light-emitting transistors (OLETs) highly promising multifunctional devices for next-generation active-matrix flat-panel displays and related applications. Here, high-performance red OLETs are fabricated in a multilayer configuration that incorporates a zirconia (ZrO_x)/cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (C-PVA) bilayer as a dielectric. The developed organic/inorganic bilayer dielectric renders high dielectric constant as well as improved dielectric/semiconductor interface quality, contributing to enhanced carrier mobility and high current density. In addition, an efficient red phosphorescent organic emitter doped in a bihost system is employed as the emitting layer for an effective exciton formation and light generation. Consequently, our optimized red OLETs displayed a high brightness of 16 470 cd m^-2 and a peak external quantum efficiency of 11.9% under a low gate and source-drain voltage of -24 V. To further boost the device performance, an electron-blocking layer is introduced for ameliorated charge-carrier balance and hence suppressed exciton-charge quenching, which resulted in an improved maximum brightness of 20 030 cd m^-2. We anticipate that the new device optimization approaches proposed in this work would spur further development of efficient OLETs with high brightness and curtailed efficiency roll-off.

Local Disordering in the Amorphous Network of a Solution-Processed Indium Tin Oxide Thin Film

The polyhedra unit structure (MO_x) in an amorphous metal oxide network has more freedom and flexibility than the same unit structure in a crystalline phase. Consequently, a mild external stimulus (e.g., instant photonic and acoustic energy) could affect and change this network parameter, thereby enhancing and modulating the electrical properties. However, it is difficult to tune these atomic parameters solely while maintaining the metal oxide's initial global amorphous phase and thereby preventing mechanical instability at the film-substrate interface (i.e., cracking or distortion). Here, we report local disordering in an amorphous network of a solution-processable indium tin oxide (ITO) film, where the disordering is triggered by mild-light irradiation (<0.1 mJ/cm²). Through a combination of systematic characterizations of the global structural and chemical compositional changes in conjunction with extended X-ray absorption fine structure analyses, we revealed the distortion of the atomic structure in the amorphous network of the ITO film led to the formation of additional structural oxygen vacancies. Our findings enabled us to fabricate mechanical-instability-free, perfect amorphous-phase ITO thin films on plastic substrates, where the sheet resistance substantially decreased to ∼ 2 × 10³ Ω/□. Furthermore, this sheet resistance did not vary when the film and substrate were bent to a radius of 2 mm and could operate at low temperatures. This work can pave the novel way to fabricate high-quality flexible transparent electrodes suitable for rapid, cost-effective, and patternable processing on plastic substrates, and the domain can be extended to flexible electronics.

Role of Fluoride Doping in Low-Temperature Combustion-Synthesized ZrOx Dielectric Films

Zirconium oxide (ZrO_x) is an attractive metal oxide dielectric material for low-voltage, optically transparent, and mechanically flexible electronic applications due to the high dielectric constant (κ ∼ 14-30), negligible visible light absorption, and, as a thin film, good mechanical flexibility. In this contribution, we explore the effect of fluoride doping on structure-property-function relationships in low-temperature solution-processed amorphous ZrO_x. Fluoride-doped zirconium oxide (F:ZrO_x) films with a fluoride content between 1.7 and 3.2 in atomic (at) % were synthesized by a combustion synthesis procedure. Irrespective of the fluoride content, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, atomic-force microscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy data indicate that all F:ZrO_x films are amorphous, atomically smooth, and transparent in visible light. Impedance spectroscopy measurements reveal that unlike solution-processed fluoride-doped aluminum oxide (F:AlO_x), fluoride doping minimally affects the frequency-dependent capacitance instability of solution-processed F:ZrO_x films. This result can be rationalized by the relatively weak Zr-F versus Zr-O bonds and the large ionic radius of Zr⁺⁴, as corroborated by EXAFS analysis and MD simulations. Nevertheless, the performance of pentacene thin-film transistors (TFTs) with F:ZrO_x gate dielectrics indicates that fluoride incorporation reduces I-V hysteresis in the transfer curves and enhances bias stress stability versus TFTs fabricated with analogous, but undoped ZrO_x films as gate dielectrics, due to reduced trap density.

Nb2O5, LiNbO3, and (Na, K)NbO3 Thin Films from High-Concentration Aqueous Nb-Polyoxometalates

Synthesizing functional materials from water contributes to a sustainable energy future. On the atomic level, water drives complex metal hydrolysis/condensation/speciation, acid-base, ion pairing, and solvation reactions that ultimately direct material assembly pathways. Here, we demonstrate the importance of Nb-polyoxometalate (Nb-POM) speciation in enabling deposition of Nb₂O₅, LiNbO₃, and (Na, K)NbO₃ (KNN) from high-concentration solutions, up to 2.5 M Nb for Nb₂O₅ and ∼1 M Nb for LiNbO₃ and KNN. Deposition of KNN from 1 M Nb concentration represents a potentially important advancment in lead-free piezoelectrics, an application that requires thick films. Solution characterization via small-angle X-ray scattering and Raman spectroscopy described the speciation for all precursor solutions as the [H_xNb₂₄O₇₂]^(x-24) POM, as did total pair distribution function analyses of X-ray scattering of amorphous gels prior to conversion to oxides. The tendency of the Nb₂₄-POM to form extended networks without crystallization leads to conformal and well-adhered films. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, ellipsometry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. As a strategy to convert aqueous deposition solutions from {Nb₁₀}-POMs to {Nb₂₄}-POMs, we devised a general procedure to produce doped Nb₂O₅ thin films including Ca, Ag, and Cu doping.

Ecofriendly Solution-Combustion-Processed Thin-Film Transistors for Synaptic Emulation and Neuromorphic Computing

The ecofriendly combustion synthesis (ECS) and self-combustion synthesis (ESCS) have been successfully utilized to deposit high-k aluminum oxide (AlO_x) dielectrics at low temperatures and applied for aqueous In₂O₃ thin-film transistors (TFTs) accordingly. The ECS and ESCS processes facilitate the formation of high-quality dielectrics at lower temperatures compared to conventional methods based on an ethanol precursor, as confirmed by thermal analysis and chemical composition characterization. The aqueous In₂O₃ TFTs based on ECS and ESCS-AlO_x show enhanced electrical characteristics and counterclockwise transfer-curve hysteresis. The memory-like counterclockwise behavior in the transfer curve modulated by the gate bias voltage is comparable to the signal modulation by the neurotransmitters. ECS and ESCS transistors are employed to perform synaptic emulation; various short-term and long-term memory functions are emulated with low operating voltages and high excitatory postsynaptic current levels. High stability and reproducibility are achieved within 240 pulses of long-term synaptic potentiation and depression. The synaptic emulation functions achieved in this work match the demand for artificial neural networks (ANN), and a multilayer perceptron (MLP) is developed using an ECS-AlO_x synaptic transistor for image recognition. A superior recognition rate of over 90% is achieved based on ECS-AlO_x synaptic transistors, which facilitates the implementation of the metal-oxide synaptic transistor for future neuromorphic computing via an ecofriendly route.

The effect of Surface energy characterized functional group of self-assembled monolayer for enhancing electrical stability of oxide semiconductor thin film transistor

The exact direction, of the surface energy characterized functional group of self-assembled monolayer (SAM), is proposed for achieving the enhanced electrical stability of indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) semiconductor thin film transistor (TFT). The SAM treatment, particularly at the SAM functional group having lower surface energy, makes oxygen molecules difficult to be adsorbed onto IGZO. And such an effect much improves positive bias stability (PBS) and clockwise hysteresis stability to the same tendency. For NH2 and CF3 functional group SAMs with surface energies of 49.4 mJ/m2 and 23.5 mJ/m2, respectively, the IGZO TFT PBS was improved from 2.47 V to 0.32 V after the SAM treatment and the IGZO TFT clockwise hysteresis was also enhanced from 0.23 V to 0.11 V without any deterioration of TFT characteristics. Employing lower surface energy functional group to the SAM, of same head group and body group, does passivate and protect the IGZO backchannel region from oxygen molecules in the atmosphere. Consequently, the enhanced electrical stability of IGZO TFT can be achieved by the simple and economic SAM treatment.

Proton Conducting Perhydropolysilazane-Derived Gate Dielectric for Solution-Processed Metal Oxide-Based Thin-Film Transistors

Perhydropolysilazane (PHPS), an inorganic polymer composed of Si-N and Si-H, has attracted much attention as a precursor for gate dielectrics of thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to its facile processing even at a relatively low temperature. However, an in-depth understanding of the tunable dielectric behavior of PHPS-derived dielectrics and their effects on TFT device performance is still lacking. In this study, the PHPS-derived dielectric films formed at different annealing temperatures have been used as the gate dielectric layer for solution-processed indium zinc oxide (IZO) TFTs. Notably, the IZO TFTs fabricated on PHPS annealed at 350 °C exhibit mobility as high as 118 cm² V^-1 s^-1, which is about 50 times the IZO TFTs made on typical SiO₂ dielectrics. The outstanding electrical performance is possible because of the exceptional capacitance of PHPS-derived dielectric caused by the limited hydrolysis reaction of PHPS at a low processing temperature (<400 °C). According to our analysis, the exceptional dielectric behavior is originated from the electric double layer formed by mobile of protons in the low temperature-annealed PHPS dielectrics. Furthermore, proton conduction through the PHPS dielectric occurs through a three-dimensional pathway by a hopping mechanism, which allows uniform polarization of the dielectric even at room temperature, leading to amplified performance of the IZO TFTs.

Influence of Post-UV/Ozone Treatment of Ultrasonic-Sprayed Zirconium Oxide Dielectric Films for a Low-Temperature Oxide Thin Film Transistor

Solution-processed metal oxides require a great deal of thermal budget in order to achieve the desired film properties. Here, we show that the deposition temperature of sprayed zirconium oxide (ZrO_x) thin film can be lowered by exposing the film surface to an ultraviolet (UV) ozone treatment at room temperature. Atomic force microscopy reveals a smooth and uniform film with the root mean square roughness reduced from ~ 0.63 nm (UVO-O) to ~ 0.28 nm (UVO-120) in the UV–ozone treated ZrO_x films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicates the formation of a Zr–O network on the surface film, and oxygen vacancy is reduced in the ZrO_x lattice by increasing the UV–ozone treatment time. The leakage current density in Al/ZrOx/p-Si structure was reduced by three orders of magnitude by increasing the UV-ozone exposure time, while the capacitance was in the range 290–266 nF/cm², corresponding to a relative permittivity (k) in the range 5.8–6.6 at 1 kHz. An indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO)-based thin film transistor, employing a UV-treated ZrO_x gate dielectric deposited at 200 °C, exhibits negligible hysteresis, an I_on/I_off ratio of 10⁴, a saturation mobility of 8.4 cm² V⁻¹S⁻¹, a subthreshold slope of 0.21 V.dec⁻¹, and a V_on of 0.02 V. These results demonstrate the potentiality of low-temperature sprayed amorphous ZrO_x to be applied as a dielectric in flexible and low-power-consumption oxide electronics.

Thermal effect of annealing-temperature on solution-processed high-k ZrO2 dielectrics

In this paper, a solution-processed zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) dielectric was deposited by spin coating with varying pre-annealing temperatures and post-annealing temperatures. The thermal effect of the pre-annealing and post-annealing process on the structural and electrical properties of ZrO₂ films was investigated. The result shows that the pre-annealing process had a significant impact on the relative porosity and internal stress of ZrO₂ film. A pre-annealing process with a low temperature could not effectively remove the residual solvent, while a high pre-annealing temperature would lead to large internal stress. As for post-annealing temperature, it was found that the post-annealing process can not only reduce internal defects of the ZrO₂ dielectric, but also optimize the interface between the semiconductor and dielectric by lowering the surface defects of the ZrO₂ film. Finally, the TFT with a pre-annealing temperature of 200 °C and post-annealing temperature of 400 °C showed optimized performance, with a mobility of 16.34 cm² (V s)⁻¹, an I_on/I_off of 2.08 × 10⁶, and a subthreshold swing (SS) of 0.17 V dec⁻¹.

In this paper, a solution-processed zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) dielectric was deposited by spin coating with varying pre-annealing temperatures and post-annealing temperatures.

Polymer-Assisted Deposition of Gallium Oxide for Thin-Film Transistor Applications

We report the fabrication of gallium oxide (GaO_x) thin films by a novel polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) method. The influence and mechanism of postannealing temperature (200-800 °C) on the formation and properties of GaO_x thin films are investigated by complementary characterization analyses. The results indicate that solution-deposited GaO_x experiences the elimination of organic residuals as well as the transformation of amorphous GaO_x to crystalline GaO_x with the increase in annealing temperature. High-quality GaO_x could be achieved with a smooth surface, wide band gap, and decent dielectric performance. Moreover, the solution-processed In₂O₃ thin-film transistors based on optimized GaO_x dielectrics demonstrate outstanding electrical performance, including a low operating voltage of 5 V, a mobility of 3.09 cm² V^-1 s^-1, an on/off current ratio of 1.8 × 10⁵, and a subthreshold swing of 0.18 V dec^-1. Our study suggests that GaO_x achieved by PAD shows great potential for further low-cost and high-performance optoelectronic applications.

Solution-processed metal-oxide thin-film transistors: a review of recent developments

Driven by the rapid development of novel active-matrix displays, thin-film transistors (TFTs) based on metal-oxide (MO) semiconductors have drawn great attention during recent years. N-type MO TFTs manufactured through vacuum-based processes have the advantages of higher mobility compared to the amorphous silicon TFTs, better uniformity and lower processing temperature compared to the polysilicon TFTs, and visible light transparency which is suitable for transparent electronic devices, etc. However, the fabrication cost is high owing to the expensive and complicated vacuum-based systems. In contrast, solution process has the advantages of low cost, high throughput, and easy chemical composition control. In the first part of this review, a brief introduction of solution-processed MO TFTs is given, and the main issues and challenges encountered in this field are discussed. The recent advances in channel layer engineering to obtain the state-of-the-art solution-processed MO TFTs are reviewed and summarized. Afterward, a detailed discussion of the direct patterning methods is presented, including the direct photopatterning and printing techniques. Next, the effect of gate dielectric materials and their interfaces on the performance of the resulting TFTs are surveyed. The last topic is the various applications of solution-processed MO TFTs, from novel displays to sensing, memory devices, etc. Finally, conclusions are drawn and future expectations for solution-processed MO TFTs and their applications are described.

Printed flexible and transparent electronics: enhancing low-temperature processed metal oxides with 0D and 1D nanomaterials

Metal oxides have broad multifunctionality and important applications to energy, sensing, and information display. Printed electronics have recently adopted metal oxides to push the limits of performance and stability for flexible thin film systems. However, a grand challenge in this field is to achieve these properties while balancing the thermal budget, which critically determines the applicability, flexibility, and cost of these systems. This paper presents a focused review of printed metal oxide electronics, highlighting our recent work developing high-performance, printed transistors processed at low temperatures via aqueous precursor chemistries, nanomaterial hybrid inks, and ultraviolet annealing. These results reveal the potential for printing uniquely high-performance active devices (electronic mobility >10 cm² V^-1 s^-1) but also illustrates the utility of nanocomposites that integrate nanomaterials within a metal oxide matrix for improving device performance.

Investigation of direct inkjet-printed versus spin-coated ZrO2 for sputter IGZO thin film transistor

In this work, a low leakage current ZrO2 was fabricated for sputter indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) thin-film transistor using direct inkjet-printing technology. Spin-coated and direct inkjet-printed ZrO2 were prepared to investigate the film formation process and electrical performance for different process. Homogeneous ZrO2 films were observed through the high-resolution TEM images. The chemical structure of ZrO2 films were investigated by XPS measurements. The inkjet-printed ZrO2 layer upon IGZO showed a superior performance on mobility and off state current, but a large Vth shift under positive bias stress. As a result, the TFT device based on inkjet-printed ZrO2 exhibited a saturation mobility of 12.4 cm2/Vs, an Ion/Ioff ratio of 106, a turn on voltage of 0 V and a 1.4-V Vth shift after 1-h PBS strain. Higher density films with less oxygen vacancy were responsible for low off state current for the printed ZrO2 device. The mechanism of deteriorated performance on PBS test can be ascribed to the In-rich region formed at the back channel which easily absorbs H2O and oxygen. The absorbed H2O and oxygen capture electrons under positive bias stress, serving as acceptors in TFT device. This work demonstrates the film formation process of direct inkjet-printed and spin-coated oxide films and reveals the potential of direct inkjet-printed oxide dielectric in high-performance oxide TFT device.

Potential solution-induced HfAlO dielectrics and their applications in low-voltage-operating transistors and high-gain inverters

Recently, much attention has been paid to the investigation of solution-driven oxides for application in thin film transistors (TFTs). In current study, a fully solution-based method, using 2-methoxyethanol as solvent, has been adopted to prepare InZnO thin films and HfAlO _x gate dielectrics. Amorphous HfAlO _x thin films annealed at 600 °C have shown a high transparency (>85%), low leakage current density (6.9 × 10^-9 A cm^-2 at 2 MV cm^-1), and smooth surface. To verify the potential applications of HfAlO _x gate dielectrics in oxide-based TFTs, fully solution-induced InZnO/HfAlO _x TFTs have been integrated. Excellent electrical performance for InZnO/HfAlO _x TFTs annealed at 450 °C has been observed, including a low operating voltage of 3 V, a saturated mobility of 5.17 cm² V^-1 s^-1, a high I _on/I _off of ∼10⁶, a small subthreshold swing of 87 mV per decade, and a threshold voltage shift of 0.52 V under positive bias stress (PBS) for 7200 s, respectively. In addition, time dependent threshold voltage shift under PBS could be described by a stretched-exponential model, which can be due to charge trapping in the semiconductor/dielectric interface. Finally, to explore the possible application in logic operation, a resistor-loaded inverter based on InZnO/HfAlO _x TFTs has been built and excellent swing characteristic and well dynamic behavior have been obtained. Therefore, it can be concluded that fully solution-driven InZnO/HfAlO _x TFTs have demonstrated potential application in nontoxic, eco-friendly and low-power consumption oxide-based flexible electronics.

Recent Advances of Solution-Processed Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors

Solution-processed metal oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) are considered as one of the most promising transistor technologies for future large-area flexible electronics. This work surveys the recent advances in solution-processed metal oxide TFTs, including n-type oxide semiconductors, oxide dielectrics, and p-type oxide semiconductors. We first deliver a review on the history and present status of metal oxide TFTs. Then, we present the recent progress in solution-processed n-type oxide semiconductors, with a special focus on low-temperature and large-area solution-based approaches as well as emerging nondisplay applications. Next, we give a detailed analysis of the state-of-the-art solution-processed oxide dielectrics for low-power electronics. We further discuss the recent advances in solution-based p-type oxide semiconductors, which will enable the highly desirable future low-cost large-area complementary circuits. Finally, we draw conclusions and outline the perspectives over the research field.

Printed Thin-Film Transistors: Research from China

Thin-film transistors (TFTs) have experienced tremendous development during the past decades and show great promising applications in flat displays, sensors, radio frequency identification tags, logic circuit, and so on. The printed TFTs are the key components for rapid development and commercialization of printed electronics. The researchers in China play important roles to accelerate the development and commercialization of printed TFTs. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the research progress of printed TFTs on rigid and flexible substrates from China. The review will focus on printing techniques of TFTs, printed TFT components including semiconductors, dielectrics and electrodes, as well as fully printed TFTs and printed flexible TFTs. Furthermore, perspectives on the remaining challenges and future developments are proposed.

Room-Temperature Solution-Synthesized p-Type Copper(I) Iodide Semiconductors for Transparent Thin-Film Transistors and Complementary Electronics

Here, room-temperature solution-processed inorganic p-type copper iodide (CuI) thin-film transistors (TFTs) are reported for the first time. The spin-coated 5 nm thick CuI film has average hole mobility (µFE ) of 0.44 cm2 V-1 s-1 and on/off current ratio of 5 × 102 . Furthermore, µFE increases to 1.93 cm2 V-1 s-1 and operating voltage significantly reduces from 60 to 5 V by using a high permittivity ZrO2 dielectric layer replacing traditional SiO2 . Transparent complementary inverters composed of p-type CuI and n-type indium gallium zinc oxide TFTs are demonstrated with clear inverting characteristics and voltage gain over 4. These outcomes provide effective approaches for solution-processed inorganic p-type semiconductor inks and related electronics.

Solution Processed Metal Oxide High-κ Dielectrics for Emerging Transistors and Circuits

The electronic functionalities of metal oxides comprise conductors, semiconductors, and insulators. Metal oxides have attracted great interest for construction of large-area electronics, particularly thin-film transistors (TFTs), for their high optical transparency, excellent chemical and thermal stability, and mechanical tolerance. High-permittivity (κ) oxide dielectrics are a key component for achieving low-voltage and high-performance TFTs. With the expanding integration of complementary metal oxide semiconductor transistors, the replacement of SiO2 with high-κ oxide dielectrics has become urgently required, because their provided thicker layers suppress quantum mechanical tunneling. Toward low-cost devices, tremendous efforts have been devoted to vacuum-free, solution processable fabrication, such as spin coating, spray pyrolysis, and printing techniques. This review focuses on recent progress in solution processed high-κ oxide dielectrics and their applications to emerging TFTs. First, the history, basics, theories, and leakage current mechanisms of high-κ oxide dielectrics are presented, and the underlying mechanism for mobility enhancement over conventional SiO2 is outlined. Recent achievements of solution-processed high-κ oxide materials and their applications in TFTs are summarized and traditional coating methods and emerging printing techniques are introduced. Finally, low temperature approaches, e.g., ecofriendly water-induced, self-combustion reaction, and energy-assisted post treatments, for the realization of flexible electronics and circuits are discussed.

Morphology Modulation of Direct Inkjet Printing by Incorporating Polymers and Surfactants into a Sol-Gel Ink System

Many methods have been reported to prevent the nonuniformity of inkjet printing structures. Most of them depend on the balance of the capillary flow in the printing pattern during the evaporation of the solvent. However, as the relation of evaporation and capillary flow can obviously vary among different ink systems, it is difficult for a method to fit most of the situations. Therefore, it would be a promising way to eliminate any capillary flow before solvent evaporation so that morphology of the printing structure will not be affected by the evaporation behavior of the ink system. In this paper, a novel method of direct inkjet printing of a uniform metal oxide structure is reported. We introduce a polymer polyacrylamide and a surfactant FSO into a sol-gel ink system, and the new ink system can gel from the printing pattern edge to center as temperature increases because of the cross-linking of the polymer chains. By that means, transport of solute molecules and solvent molecules is limited. Meanwhile, the surfactant can ensure that the solute in the central liquid phase deposits uniformly by enhancing the Marangoni flow during the gelation process. The ZrO₂ film with uniform morphology was fabricated by drying and annealing the gelating film and afforded a leakage current density of 7.48 × 10^-7 A cm^-2 at 1 MV and a breakdown field of 1.9 MV cm^-1 at an annealing temperature of 250 °C.

Fully solution-induced high performance indium oxide thin film transistors with ZrOx high-k gate dielectrics

Solution based deposition has been recently considered as a viable option for low-cost flexible electronics.

Ultralow-Temperature Solution-Processed Aluminum Oxide Dielectrics via Local Structure Control of Nanoclusters

Oxide dielectric materials play a key role in a wide range of high-performance solid-state electronics from semiconductor devices to emerging wearable and soft bioelectronic devices. Although several previous advances are noteworthy, their typical processing temperature still far exceeds the thermal limitations of soft materials, impeding their wide utilization in these emerging fields. Here, we report an innovative route to form highly reliable aluminum oxide dielectric films using an ultralow-temperature (<60 °C) solution process with a class of oxide nanocluster precursors. The extremely low-temperature synthesis of oxide dielectric films was achieved by using low-impurity, bulky metal-oxo-hydroxy nanoclusters combined with a spatially controllable and highly energetic light activation process. It was noteworthy that the room-temperature light activation process was highly effective in dissociating the metal-oxo-hydroxy clusters, enabling the formation of a dense atomic network at low temperature. The ultralow-temperature solution-processed oxide dielectrics demonstrated high breakdown field (>6 MV cm^-1), low leakage (∼1 × 10^-8 A cm^-2 at 2 MV cm^-1), and excellent electrical stability comparable to those of vacuum-deposited and high-temperature-processed dielectric films. For potential applications of the oxide dielectrics, transparent metal oxides and carbon nanotube active devices as well as integrated circuits were implemented directly on both ultrathin polymeric and highly stretchable substrates.

A Simple Method for High-Performance, Solution-Processed, Amorphous ZrO₂ Gate Insulator TFT with a High Concentration Precursor

Solution-processed high-k dielectric TFTs attract much attention since they cost relatively little and have a simple fabrication process. However, it is still a challenge to reduce the leakage of the current density of solution-processed dielectric TFTs. Here, a simple solution method is presented towards enhanced performance of ZrO₂ films by intentionally increasing the concentration of precursor. The ZrO₂ films not only exhibit a low leakage current density of 10⁻⁶ A/cm² at 10 V and a breakdown field of 2.5 MV/cm, but also demonstrate a saturation mobility of 12.6 cm²·V⁻¹·s⁻¹ and a I_on/I_off ratio of 10⁶ in DC pulse sputtering IGZO-TFTs based on these films. Moreover, the underlying mechanism of influence of precursor concentration on film formation is presented. Higher concentration precursor results in a thicker film within same coating times with reduced ZrO₂/IGZO interface defects and roughness. It shows the importance of thickness, roughness, and annealing temperature in solution-processed dielectric oxide TFT and provides an approach to precisely control solution-processed oxide films thickness.

High-κ Lanthanum Zirconium Oxide Thin Film Dielectrics from Aqueous Solution Precursors

Metal oxide thin films are critical components in modern electronic applications. In particular, high-κ dielectrics are of interest for reducing power consumption in metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) field-effect transistors. Although thin-film materials are typically produced via vacuum-based methods, solution deposition offers a scalable and cost-efficient alternative. We report an all-inorganic aqueous solution route to amorphous lanthanum zirconium oxide (La₂Zr₂O₇, LZO) dielectric thin films. LZO films were spin-cast from aqueous solutions of metal nitrates and annealed at temperatures between 300 and 600 °C to produce dense, defect-free, and smooth films with subnanometer roughness. Dielectric constants of 12.2-16.4 and loss tangents <0.6% were obtained for MIS devices utilizing LZO as the dielectric layer (1 kHz). Leakage currents <10^-7 A cm^-2 at 4 MV cm^-1 were measured for samples annealed at 600 °C. The excellent surface morphology, high dielectric constants, and low leakage current densities makes these LZO dielectrics promising candidates for thin-film transistor devices.

All Inkjet-Printed Metal-Oxide Thin-Film Transistor Array with Good Stability and Uniformity Using Surface-Energy Patterns

An array of inkjet-printed metal-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) is demonstrated for the first time with the assistance of surface-energy patterns prepared by printing pure solvent to etch the ultrathin hydrophobic layer. The surface-energy patterns not only restrained the spreading of inks but also provided a facile way to regulate the morphology of metal oxide films without optimizing ink formulation. The fully printed InGaO TFT devices in the array exhibited excellent electron transport characteristics with a maximum mobility of 11.7 cm² V^-1 s^-1, negligible hysteresis, good uniformity, and good stability under bias stress. The new route lights a general way toward fully inkjet-printed metal-oxide TFT arrays.

A solution-processed quaternary oxide system obtained at low-temperature using a vertical diffusion technique

We report a method for fabricating solution-processed quaternary In-Ga-Zn-O (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) at low annealing temperatures using a vertical diffusion technique (VDT). The VDT is a deposition process for spin-coating binary and ternary oxide layers consecutively and annealing at once. With the VDT, uniform and dense quaternary oxide layers were fabricated at lower temperatures (280 °C). Compared to conventional IGZO and ternary In-Zn-O (IZO) thin films, VDT IGZO thin film had higher density of the metal-oxide bonds and lower density of the oxygen vacancies. The field-effect mobility of VDT IGZO TFT increased three times with an improved stability under positive bias stress than IZO TFT due to the reduction in oxygen vacancies. Therefore, the VDT process is a simple method that reduces the processing temperature without any additional treatment for quaternary oxide semiconductors with uniform layers.

Tunable high-κ ZrxAl1−xOy thin film dielectrics from all-inorganic aqueous precursor solutions

An all-inorganic, aqueous solution route enables facile control of composition and optimization of zirconium aluminum oxide thin film dielectric properties.

A mixed solution-processed gate dielectric for zinc-tin oxide thin-film transistor and its MIS capacitance

Solution-processed gate dielectrics were fabricated with the combined ZrO2 and Al2O3 (ZAO) in the form of mixed and stacked types for oxide thin film transistors (TFTs). ZAO thin films prepared with double coatings for solid gate dielectrics were characterized by analytical tools. For the first time, the capacitance of the oxide semiconductor was extracted from the capacitance-voltage properties of the zinc-tin oxide (ZTO) TFTs with the combined ZAO dielectrics by using the proposed metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) structure model. The capacitance evolution of the semiconductor from the TFT model structure described well the threshold voltage shift observed in the ZTO TFT with the ZAO (1:2) gate dielectric. The electrical properties of the ZTO TFT with a ZAO (1:2) gate dielectric showed low voltage driving with a field effect mobility of 37.01 cm(2)/Vs, a threshold voltage of 2.00 V, an on-to-off current ratio of 1.46 × 10(5), and a subthreshold slope of 0.10 V/dec.

Adopting Novel Strategies in Achieving High-Performance Single-Layer Network Structured ZnO Nanorods Thin Film Transistors

High-performance, solution-processed transparent and flexible zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs)-based single layer network structured thin film transistors (TFTs) were developed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate at 100 °C. Keeping the process-temperature under 100 °C, we have improved the device performance by introducing three low temperature-based techniques; regrowing ZnO to fill the void spaces in a single layer network of ZnO NRs, passivating the back channel with polymer, and adopting ZrO2 as the high-k dielectric. Notably, high-k amorphous ZrO2 was synthesized and deposited using a novel method at an unprecedented temperature of 100 °C. Using these methods, the TFTs exhibited a high mobility of 1.77 cm(2)/V·s. An insignificant reduction of 2.18% in mobility value after 3000 cycles of dynamic bending at a radius of curvature of 20 mm indicated the robust mechanical nature of the flexible ZnO NRs SLNS TFTs.

Aqueous Solution-Deposited Gallium Oxide Dielectric for Low-Temperature, Low-Operating-Voltage Indium Oxide Thin-Film Transistors: A Facile Route to Green Oxide Electronics

We reported a novel aqueous route to fabricate Ga2O3 dielectric at low temperature. The formation and properties of Ga2O3 were investigated by a wide range of characterization techniques, revealing that Ga2O3 films could effectively block leakage current even after annealing in air at 200 °C. Furthermore, all aqueous solution-processed In2O3/Ga2O3 TFTs fabricated at 200 and 250 °C showed mobilities of 1.0 and 4.1 cm2 V(-1) s(-1), on/off current ratio of ∼10(5), low operating voltages of 4 V, and negligible hysteresis. Our study represents a significant step toward the development of low-cost, low-temperature, and large-area green oxide electronics.

Facile and environmentally friendly solution-processed aluminum oxide dielectric for low-temperature, high-performance oxide thin-film transistors

We developed a facile and environmentally friendly solution-processed method for aluminum oxide (AlOx) dielectrics. The formation and properties of AlOx thin films under various annealing temperatures were intensively investigated by thermogravimetric analysis-differential scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), spectroscopic ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), impedance spectroscopy, and leakage current measurements. The sol-gel-derived AlOx thin film undergoes the decomposition of organic residuals and nitrate groups, as well as conversion of aluminum hydroxides to form aluminum oxide, as the annealing temperature increases. Finally, the AlOx film is used as gate dielectric for a variety of low-temperature solution-processed oxide TFTs. Above all, the In2O3 and InZnO TFTs exhibited high average mobilities of 57.2 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and 10.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), as well as an on/off current ratio of ∼10(5) and low operating voltages of 4 V at a maximum processing temperature of 300 °C. Therefore, the solution-processable AlOx could be a promising candidate dielectric for low-cost, low-temperature, and high-performance oxide electronics.

Low-temperature, solution-processed ZrO2:B thin film: a bifunctional inorganic/organic interfacial glue for flexible thin-film transistors

A solution-processed boron-doped peroxo-zirconium oxide (ZrO2:B) thin film has been found to have multifunctional characteristics, providing both hydrophobic surface modification and a chemical glue layer. Specifically, a ZrO2:B thin film deposited on a hydrophobic layer becomes superhydrophilic following ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) treatment, whereas the same treatment has no effect on the hydrophobicity of the hydrophobic layer alone. Investigation of the ZrO2:B/hydrophobic interface layer using angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AR XPS) confirmed it to be chemically bonded like glue. Using the multifunctional nature of the ZrO2:B thin film, flexible amorphous indium oxide (In2O3) thin-film transistors (TFTs) were subsequently fabricated on a polyimide substrate along with a ZrO2:B/poly-4-vinylphenol (PVP) dielectric. An aqueous In2O3 solution was successfully coated onto the ZrO2:B/PVP dielectric, and the surface and chemical properties of the PVP and ZrO2:B thin films were analyzed by contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The surface-engineered PVP dielectric was found to have a lower leakage current density (Jleak) of 4.38 × 10(-8) A/cm(2) at 1 MV/cm, with no breakdown behavior observed up to a bending radius of 5 mm. In contrast, the electrical characteristics of the flexible amorphous In2O3 TFT such as on/off current ratio (Ion/off) and electron mobility remained similar up to 10 mm of bending without degradation, with the device being nonactivated at a bending radius of 5 mm. These results suggest that ZrO2:B thin films could be used for low-temperature, solution-processed surface-modified flexible devices.

Highly stable and imperceptible electronics utilizing photoactivated heterogeneous sol-gel metal-oxide dielectrics and semiconductors

Incorporation of Zr into an AlOx matrix generates an intrinsically activated ZAO surface enabling the formation of a stable semiconducting IGZO film and good interfacial properties. Photochemically annealed metal-oxide devices and circuits with the optimized sol-gel ZAO dielectric and IGZO semiconductor layers demonstrate the high performance and electrically/mechanically stable operation of flexible electronics fabricated via a low-temperature solution process.

Eco-friendly water-induced aluminum oxide dielectrics and their application in a hybrid metal oxide/polymer TFT

Eco-friendly water-inducement method was used to fabricate hybrid metal oxide/polymer TFTs based on high-k AlO_x dielectric with high electrical performance.

Influence of moisture on the electrical properties of solution processed multilayer high-k ZrO2-capacitors

Significant influence of moisture on the performance of solution processed ZrO₂-capacitors was found to be connected to low material density.

Printable poly(methylsilsesquioxane) dielectric ink and its application in solution processed metal oxide thin-film transistors

Printable thermally cross-linkable PMSQ dielectric ink and its application in GPTMS modified IGZO thin film transistors.

Solution-processed indium-zinc-oxide thin-film transistors based on anodized aluminum oxide gate insulator modified with zirconium oxide

Enhanced performance of solution-processed IZO-TFTs with ZrO_x interlayer due to Al diffusion suppression.

Solution-processable LaZrOx/SiO2 gate dielectric at low temperature of 180 °C for high-performance metal oxide field-effect transistors

Although solution-processable high-k inorganic dielectrics have been implemented as a gate insulator for high-performance, low-cost transition metal oxide field-effect transistors (FETs), the high-temperature annealing (>300 °C) required to achieve acceptable insulating properties still limits the facile realization of flexible electronics. This study reports that the addition of a 2-dimetylamino-1-propanol (DMAPO) catalyst to a perhydropolysilazane (PHPS) solution enables a significant reduction of the curing temperature for the resulting SiO2 dielectrics to as low as 180 °C. The hydrolysis and condensation of the as-spun PHPS film under humidity conditions were enhanced greatly by the presence of DMAPO, even at extremely low curing temperatures, which allowed a smooth surface (roughness of 0.31 nm) and acceptable leakage characteristics (1.8 × 10(-6) A/cm(2) at an electric field of 1MV/cm) of the resulting SiO2 dielectric films. Although the resulting indium zinc oxide (IZO) FETs exhibited an apparent high mobility of 261.6 cm(2)/(V s), they suffered from a low on/off current (ION/OFF) ratio and large hysteresis due to the hygroscopic property of silazane-derived SiO2 film. The ION/OFF value and hysteresis instability of IZO FETs was improved by capping the high-k LaZrOx dielectric on a solution-processed SiO2 film via sol-gel processing at a low temperature of 180 °C while maintaining a high mobility of 24.8 cm(2)/(V s). This superior performance of the IZO FETs with a spin-coated LaZrOx/SiO2 bilayer gate insulator can be attributed to the efficient intercalation of the 5s orbital of In(3+) ion in the IZO channel, the good interface matching of IZO/LaZrOx and the carrier blocking ability of PHPS-derived SiO2 dielectric film. Therefore, the solution-processable LaZrOx/SiO2 stack can be a promising candidate as a gate dielectric for low-temperature, high-performance, and low-cost flexible metal oxide FETs.

Fully solution-processed low-voltage aqueous In2O3 thin-film transistors using an ultrathin ZrO(x) dielectric

We reported here "aqueous-route" fabrication of In2O3 thin-film transistors (TFTs) using an ultrathin solution-processed ZrOx dielectric thin film. The formation and properties of In2O3 thin films under various annealing temperatures were intensively examined by thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The solution-processed ZrOx thin film followed by sequential UV/ozone treatment and low-temperature thermal-annealing processes showed an amorphous structure, a low leakage-current density (∼1 × 10(-9) A/cm(2) at 2 MV/cm), and a high breakdown electric field (∼7.2 MV/cm). On the basis of its implementation as the gate insulator, the In2O3 TFTs based on ZrOx annealed at 250 °C exhibit an on/off current ratio larger than 10(7), a field-effect mobility of 23.6 cm(2)/V·s, a subthreshold swing of 90 mV/decade, a threshold voltage of 0.13 V, and high stability. These promising properties were obtained at a low operating voltage of 1.5 V. These results suggest that "aqueous-route" In2O3 TFTs based on a solution-processed ZrOx dielectric could potentially be used for low-cost, low-temperature-processing, high-performance, and flexible devices.

Improvement in negative bias stress stability of solution-processed amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors using hydrogen peroxide

We have investigated the effect of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on negative bias stress (NBS) stability of solution-processed amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The instability of solution-processed a-IGZO TFTs under NBS is attributed to intrinsic oxygen vacancy defects (Vo) and organic chemical-induced defects, such as pores, pin holes, and organic residues. In this respect, we added H2O2 into an indium-gallium-zinc oxide solution to reduce the defects without any degradation of electrical performance. The field-effect mobility and sub-threshold slope of the a-IGZO TFTs were improved from 0.37 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and 0.86 V/dec to 0.97 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and 0.58 V/dec, respectively. Furthermore, the threshold voltage shift under NBS was dramatically decreased from -3.73 to -0.18 V. These results suggest that H2O2 effectively reduces Vo through strong oxidation and minimizes organic chemical-induced defects by eliminating the organic chemicals at lower temperatures compared to a conventional solution process.

Novel β-ketoiminato complexes of zirconium: synthesis, characterization and evaluation for solution based processing of ZrO2 thin films

Treatment of tetrakis(diethylamido)zirconium(IV); [Zr(NEt2)4] with a series of β-ketoimines ({[RHN]C(CH3)=C(H)C(CH3)=O} where R is a functionalized side-chain; 4-(2-methoxyethylamino)pent-3-en-2-one, Hmeap; 4-(3-methoxypropylamino)pent-3-en-2-one, Hmpap; 4-(2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino)pent-3-en-2-one, Hdeap; 4-(3-(dimethylamino)propylamino)pent-3-en-2-one, Hdpap) leads to an amine substitution reaction that yielded novel monomeric heteroleptic mixed amido-ketoiminato complexes of the type bis(4-(2-methoxyethylamino)pent-3-en-2-onato)bis(diethylamido)zirconium(IV) (1), bis(4-(3-methoxypropylamino)pent-3-en-2-onato)bis(diethylamido)zirconium(IV) (2), and bis(4-(3-(dimethylamino)propylamino)pent-3-en-2-onato)bis(diethylamido)zirconium(IV) (3), and eight-coordinated homoleptic complexes tetrakis(4-(2-methoxyethylamino)pent-3-en-2-onato)zirconium(IV) (4) and tetrakis(4-(2-(dimethylamino)ethylamino)pent-3-en-2-onato)zirconium(IV) (5), depending on the ratio of the ligand to zirconium. Adopting a similar strategy with zirconium alkoxide, namely [Zr(O(i)Pr)4·(i)PrOH], with β-ketoimine Hmeap, leads to the formation of a dimer, bis(μ2-isopropoxo)bis(4-(2-methoxyethylamino)pent-3-en-2-onato)tetrakis(isopropoxo)dizirconium(IV) (6). The newly synthesised complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis and thermal analysis. The low decomposition temperature facilitated by the stepwise elimination of the ketominate ligand from the complex and the stability of the complexes obtained in air as well as in solution makes them highly suitable for solution based processing of ZrO2 thin films, which is demonstrated using compound 5 on Si(100) substrates. High quality ZrO2 films were obtained and were investigated for their structure, morphology, composition and optical properties. Low temperature crystallisation of ZrO2 is achieved by a simple chemical deposition process using the new class of Zr precursors and the films exhibit an optical transmittance above 90%.

Understanding the role of aqueous solution speciation and its application to the directed syntheses of complex oxidic Zr chlorides and sulfates

The lack of an in-depth understanding of solution-phase speciation and its relationship to solid-state phase formation is a grand challenge in synthesis science. It has severely limited the ability of inorganic chemists to predict or rationalize the formation of compounds from solutions. The need to investigate mechanisms that underlie self-assembly has motivated this study of aqueous Zr-sulfate chemistry as a model system, with the goal of understanding the structures of oligomeric clusters present in solution. We used high-energy X-ray scattering (HEXS) data to quantify Zr correlations in a series of solutions as a function of sulfate concentration. The pair distribution function (PDF) from the sulfate-free sample reveals that the average oligomeric Zr moiety is larger than the tetrameric building unit, [Zr4(OH)8(H2O)16](8+), generally understood to dominate its solution speciation. At sulfate concentrations greater than 1 m (molal), bidentate sulfate is observed, a coordination not seen in Zr(SO4)2·4H2O (2), which forms upon evaporation. Also seen in solution are correlations consistent with sulfate-bridged Zr dimers and the higher-order oligomers seen in 2. At intermediate sulfate concentrations there are correlations consistent with large Zr hydroxo-/oxo-bridged clusters. Crystals of [Zr18(OH)26O20(H2O)23.2(SO4)12.7]Cl0.6·nH2O (3) precipitate from these solutions. The Raman spectrum of 3 has a peak at 1017 cm(-1) that can be used as a signature for its presence in solution. Raman studies on deuterated solutions point to the important role of sulfate in the crystallization process. These solution results emphasize the presence of well-defined prenucleation correlations on length scales of <1 nm, often considered to be within the structurally amorphous regime.

Boron-doped peroxo-zirconium oxide dielectric for high-performance, low-temperature, solution-processed indium oxide thin-film transistor

We developed a solution-processed indium oxide (In2O3) thin-film transistor (TFT) with a boron-doped peroxo-zirconium (ZrO2:B) dielectric on silicon as well as polyimide substrate at 200 °C, using water as the solvent for the In2O3 precursor. The formation of In2O3 and ZrO2:B films were intensively studied by thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FT IR), high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Boron was selected as a dopant to make a denser ZrO2 film. The ZrO2:B film effectively blocked the leakage current at 200 °C with high breakdown strength. To evaluate the ZrO2:B film as a gate dielectric, we fabricated In2O3 TFTs on the ZrO2:B dielectrics with silicon substrates and annealed the resulting samples at 200 and 250 °C. The resulting mobilities were 1.25 and 39.3 cm(2)/(V s), respectively. Finally, we realized a flexible In2O3 TFT with the ZrO2:B dielectric on a polyimide substrate at 200 °C, and it successfully operated a switching device with a mobility of 4.01 cm(2)/(V s). Our results suggest that aqueous solution-processed In2O3 TFTs on ZrO2:B dielectrics could potentially be used for low-cost, low-temperature, and high-performance flexible devices.