Electromechanical Stability of Flexible Nanocrystalline-Silicon Thin-Film Transistors

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.