Solution-processed metal-oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) are considered as one of the most favorable devices for next-generation, large-area flexible electronics. In this paper, we demonstrate the excellent material properties of lanthanum−zinc oxide (LaZnO) thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis and their application to TFTs. The threshold voltage of the LaZnO TFTs shifts toward positive gate voltage, and the mobility decreases with increasing lanthanum ratio in ZnO from 0 to 20%. The purification of the LaZnO precursor (P-LaZnO) further improves the device performance. The P-LaZnO TFT exhibits a field-effect mobility of 22.43 cm 2 V −1 s −1 , zero hysteresis voltage, and negligible threshold voltage V TH shift under positive bias temperature stress. The enhancement in the electrical properties is due to a decrease in grain size, smooth surface roughness, and reduction in the trap density in the LaZnO film. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results confirm the presence of La in the TFT channel and at/near the interface of the LaZnO and ZrO x gate insulator, leading to fewer interfacial traps. The flexible P-LaZnO TFT fabricated on the polyimide substrate exhibits a mobility of 17.64 cm 2 V −1 s −1 and a negligible V TH shift under bias stress. Also, the inverter made of LZO TFTs is working well with a voltage gain of 17.74 (V/V) at 4 V. Therefore, the LaZnO TFT is a promising device for next-generation flexible displays.

We demonstrate back channel improvement of back-channel-etch amorphous-indium-gallium-zinc-oxide (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors by using solution-processed yttrium oxide (Y2O3) passivation. Two different solvents, which are acetonitrile (35%) + ethylene glycol (65%), solvent A and deionized water, solvent B are investigated for the spin-on process of the Y2O3 passivation—performed after patterning source/drain (S/D) Mo electrodes by a conventional HNO3-based wet-etch process. Both solvents yield devices with good performance but those passivated by using solvent B exhibit better light and bias stability. Presence of yttrium at the a-IGZO back interface, where it occupies metal vacancy sites, is confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The passivation effect of yttrium is more significant when solvent A is used because of the existence of more metal vacancies, given that the alcohol (65% ethylene glycol) in solvent A may dissolve the metal oxide (a-IGZO) through the formation of alkoxides and water.

The limited choice of materials for large area electronics limits the expansion of applications. Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) lead to thin-film transistors (TFTs) with high field-effect mobilities (>10 cm2/Vs) and high current ON/OFF ratios (IOn/IOff > ~107). But they both require vacuum processing that needs high investments and maintenance costs. Also, IGZO is prone to the scarcity and price of Ga and In. Other oxide semiconductors require the use of at least two cations (commonly chosen among Ga, Sn, Zn, and In) in order to obtain the amorphous phase. To solve these problems, we demonstrated an amorphous oxide material made using one earth-abundant metal: amorphous tin oxide (a-SnOx). Through XPS, AFM, optical analysis, and Hall effect, we determined that a-SnOx is a transparent n-type oxide semiconductor, where the SnO2 phase is predominant over the SnO phase. Used as the active material in TFTs having a bottom-gate, top-contact structure, a high field-effect mobility of ~100 cm2/Vs and an IOn/IOff ratio of ~108 were achieved. The stability under 1 h of negative positive gate bias stress revealed a Vth shift smaller than 1 V.

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Here, we report the high-performance amorphous gallium indium tin oxide (a-IGTO) thin-film transistor (TFT) with zirconium aluminum oxide (ZAO) gate insulator by spray pyrolysis. The Ga ratio in the IGTO precursor solution varied up to 20%. The spray pyrolyzed a-IGTO with a high-k ZAO gate insulator (GI) exhibits the field-effect mobility (μFE) of 16 cm2V−1s−1, threshold voltage (VTH) of −0.45 V subthreshold swing (SS) of 133 mV/dec., and ON/OFF current ratio of ~108. The optimal a-IGTO TFT shows excellent stability under positive-bias-temperature stress (PBTS) with a small ΔVTH shift of 0.35 V. The enhancements are due to the high film quality and fewer interfacial traps at the a-IGTO/ZAO interface. Therefore, the spray pyrolyzed a-IGTO TFT can be a promising candidate for flexible TFT in the next-generation display.