A high-voltage polysilicon TFT with multigate structures

An approach is proposed for obtaining a high-voltage thin-film transistor (TFT) with multigate structure where polysilicon TFTs are connected in series. A basic principle for high-voltage operation has been investigated in detail through calculations based on a model describing log I/sub DS/-V/sub GS/ characteristics observed in a single-gate polysilicon TFT. It has been found that off-state (V/sub GS/<0) operation of the polysilicon TFT causes a large increase of breakdown voltage of the multigate TFT with the result that a nearly equal fraction of drain voltage is applied across the region around each elemental TFT. The breakdown voltage of drain of the fabricated multigate TFT which has five elemental TFTs has been elevated up to 80 V.<
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