Performance Enhancement of Solution-Processed In-Zn-O Thin-film Transistors via Low-Temperature Wet Annealing Ambients

This work shows a facile method of annealing solution-processed InZnO thin-films in a wet annealing ambient. TG-DTA data shows film densification, and precursor removal at temperatures higher than 244°C. AFM, XRD, STEM, SIMS and XPS measurements were done to confirm the effect of wet annealing ambients on the device characteristics. The electrical characteristics of the 250WO2 devices compared to the 250ATM devices are superior (i.e., μ, I
_on/off
, S.S.). Negative bias stress tests show that 250WO2 devices have a minor V
_on
shift of -5.1 V versus -12.1 V for the 250ATM devices. Thus, 250WO2 annealed devices could reach an S.S. of ~331 mV/dec, I
_on/off
of ~ 10
⁷
, and maximum field-effect mobility μ of 2.99 cm
²
/Vs, which is 4x higher than 250ATM devices.