Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• Ta incorporation into SnOx films improves crystallinity, reduces defect density, and widens the bandgap. • SnOx:Ta TFTs exhibit lower off-state current, higher on/off current ratio (2.17 × 10^4), and 41% reduction in subthreshold swing. • Ta doping enhances device stability and suppresses fringe effects in p-type oxide TFTs. • The study provides a pathway for developing high-performance p-type SnOx TFTs for future electronics.
Abstract
In this work, the incorporation of tantalum (Ta) into p-type metal-oxide (SnOx) semiconductor film is investigated to improve the electrical characteristics and suppress the fringe effect of thin film transistors (TFTs). The Ta-doped SnOx (SnOx:Ta) film is deposited by radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering with a Sn:Ta (3 at.%) target and thermally annealed at 270 °C for 30 min. Here, we observe that the SnOx:Ta film presents increased crystallinity, reduced defect density (3.25 × 1012 cm−2·eV−1), and widened bandgap (1.98 eV), in comparison with the undoped SnOx film. As a result, the SnOx:Ta TFTs exhibit a lower off-state current (Ioff), an improved on/off current ratio (2.17 × 104), a remarkably decreased subthreshold swing (SS) by 41%, and enhanced device stability. Additionally, by introducing Ta dopants, the fringe effect as well as the impact of channel width-to-length ratio (W/L) on electrical performances of the p-type oxide TFTs can be effectively suppressed. These results shall contribute to further exploration and development of p-type SnOx TFTs.
1. Introduction
Metal oxide (MO) semiconductors have garnered significant attention in various electronic device applications, including flexible displays, sensing, radio frequency identification, and memories. Compared to the n-type MO, which have demonstrated their excellent mobility, high on/off current ratio, and good stability, performance of the p-type MO still lags behind. In the p-type Sn2+-based MO, the 5s orbital of Sn2+ hybridizes with the O 2p orbital to form the valence band maximum (VBM), resulting in a small carrier effective mass and high hole mobility. Nonetheless, the unfavorable phase stability induced by transformation of Sn2+ and Sn4+ oxidation states and the narrow band gap are the main challenges, which hinders the high-quality deposition of SnOx film and its further application, e.g. thin-film transistors (TFTs).
In recent years, researchers have suggested introducing a third element such as nickel (Ni), tantalum (Ta), and kalium (K) to enhance the film quality, by widening the stability range, compensating defects, and modulating the electronic structure. Among these, Ta doping has shown promise in improving the performance of oxide semiconductors. This work investigates the effects of Ta incorporation on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of p-type SnOx films and TFTs, aiming to suppress the fringe effect and enhance device performance.
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Yu Song, Runtong Guo, Ruohao Hong, Rui He, Xuming Zou, Benjamin Iñiguez, Denis Flandre, Lei Liao, and Guoli Li (2025). Improving electrical performance and fringe effect in p-type SnOx thin film transistors via Ta incorporation. SinoTechIntel Verified Research. https://doi.org/10.1088/1674-4926/25010031
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main objective of the study?
The study aims to improve the electrical performance and suppress the fringe effect in p-type SnOx thin film transistors by incorporating tantalum (Ta) into the SnOx film.
How was the Ta-doped SnOx film deposited?
The Ta-doped SnOx film was deposited using radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering with a Sn:Ta (3 at.%) target, followed by thermal annealing at 270 °C for 30 minutes.
What improvements were observed in the Ta-doped SnOx TFTs?
The Ta-doped SnOx TFTs exhibited a lower off-state current, an improved on/off current ratio (2.17 × 10^4), a 41% decrease in subthreshold swing, and enhanced device stability compared to undoped SnOx TFTs.
How does Ta incorporation affect the fringe effect?
Ta incorporation effectively suppresses the fringe effect and reduces the impact of channel width-to-length ratio (W/L) on the electrical performance of the p-type oxide TFTs.
What are the potential applications of this research?
The findings contribute to the development of high-performance p-type SnOx TFTs, which are essential for complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology, flexible displays, and other electronic applications.
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