Polysilicon TFT circuit design and performance

Abstract

Both n- and p-channel polysilicon TFTs can be fabricated, allowing CMOS circuit techniques to be used. However, TFT characteristics are poor in comparison to conventional single-crystal MOSFETs, and relatively coarse design rules must be used to be compatible with processing on large-area glass plates. The authors examine these issues and describe the performance of a range of digital and analog circuit elements built using polysilicon TFTs. Digital circuit speeds in excess of 20 MHz are reported, along with operational amplifiers with over 80 dB of gain and more than 1-MHz unity-gain frequency. Several polysilicon TFT switched-capacitor circuits are also reported and shown to have adequate linearity, output swing, and settling time to form integrated data line drivers on an active-matrix liquid crystal display. >