Suppressing Drain-Induced Barrier Lowering and Kink Effect in Low-Temperature Poly-Si TFTs Using a Partitioned Light Shield

Anomalous drain-induced barrier lowering (DIBL) is observed in n-type low-temperature polycrystalline silicon thin-film transistors (LTPS TFTs) with a full light shield (LS) structure. Drain current versus gate voltage curves exhibit a threshold voltage (V
_TH
) shift and hump effect as the drain bias increases, and demonstrate the unsaturated output property. Because of the inherent grain boundary and grain protrusion of LTPS TFTs, considerable impact ionization occurs, thus generating electron–hole pairs when operated at high current, leading to a floating body effect, that confers the occurrence of the kink effect. However, the unsaturated current characteristic is induced by the LS because of its coupling potential of the LS. Therefore, partitioned LS structures are proposed to further improve the DIBL and weak the kink effect.