Modeling of asymmetric degradation based on a non-uniform electric field and temperature in amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O thin film transistors

Abstract

We propose a new local degradation model based on a non-uniform increase in donor-like traps (DLTs) determined by distributions of an electric field and measured device temperature in amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O (a-IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs). A systematic investigation of the degradation model reveals that vertical field-dependent DLTs are essential for modeling of measured asymmetric electrical characteristics between the source and drain after positive gate and drain bias stressing. An increased temperature due to self-heating is found to play a role in intensifying the asymmetric degradation. From the individual simulation of measured transfer curves at different stress times, the model parameters and an asymmetry index as a function of stress time are extracted. It is expected that this novel methodology will provide new insight into asymmetric degradation and be utilized to predict the influence of electric field and heat on degradation under various bias-stress conditions in a-IGZO TFTs.