Electromechanical Stability of Flexible Nanocrystalline-Silicon Thin-Film Transistors

• Published in: IEEE electron device letters Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 222 - 224
• Main Authors: I-Chung Chiu, Jung-Jie Huang, Yung-Pei Chen, I-Chun Cheng, Chen, J.Z., Min-Hung Lee
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.03.2010; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Deterioration; Displays; Electrodes; Electronics; Exact sciences and technology; Fabrication; Flexing; Hydrogen; Mechanical strain; nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si); Nanocrystals; Polyimides; semiconductor device measurements; Semiconductor devices; Semiconductor electronics. Microelectronics. Optoelectronics. Solid state devices; Sensor arrays; Silicon; Stability; Strain; Substrates; Thin film transistors; thin-film transistors (TFTs); Transistors; Voltage threshold; semiconductor device measurements; nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si); thin-film transistors (TFTs); Semiconductor device; silicon; Mechanical strain; Electron mobility; Thin film transistor; Nanocrystal; stability; Electrical characteristic; Mechanical deformation
• ISSN: 0741-3106; 1558-0563
• DOI: 10.1109/LED.2009.2039023

We have demonstrated inverted staggered bottom-gate back-channel-passivated hydrogenated nanocrystalline-silicon thin-film transistors (TFTs) on colorless polyimide foil substrates. Their electrical performance and stability have been investigated under mechanical flexing. The electron field-effect mobilities and threshold voltages of these TFTs increased as the applied tensile strain increased, but their electrical stability deteriorated under mechanical strain.