Sub-gap defect states in back-channel-etched amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O TFTs studied by photoinduced transient spectroscopy

We have studied changes of sub-gap defect states in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) by means of photoinduced transient spectroscopy (PITS). It is found that the sub-gap states in the channel region of a-IGZO TFTs were drastically modified as back-channel etch process proceeded. The change was due to in-and out-diffusion of hydrogen atoms in the channel region of a-IGZO TFTs, which affects the performance of the a-IGZO TFTs.