Electrostatic Charge Model for Dual-Layer Oxide Thin-Film Transistors

Abstract

A simple electrostatic two-equation model for dual-layer thin-film transistor (TFT) operation is developed. The model distributes electrostatic charge between the top and bottom semiconductor layers, and the resulting transfer and mobility curves accurately simulate experimental dual-layer a-IGZO/a-IZO TFT operation. The model further provides an analytic expression that maps charge confinement in the high-mobility a-IZO bottom semiconductor layer with the a-IGZO top-layer thickness and the conduction-band offset. By considering both a-IGZO/a-IZO layer charge partition and competing thickness-dependent oxygen vacancy trap density effects, the model suggests an optimal a-IGZO layer thickness of 9 to 12 nm. Importantly, this general electrostatic model extends to most dual-layer TFT systems and calculates how the top semiconductor layer TFT turn-on voltage changes sharply with the conduction band offset and layer thickness.