Precise Patterning of Large‐Scale TFT Arrays Based on Solution‐Processed Oxide Semiconductors: A Comparative Study of Additive and Subtractive Approaches

Abstract

AbstractPrecise patterning of solution‐processed oxide semiconductors is critical for cost‐effective, large‐scale, and high throughput fabrication of circuits and display application. In this paper, demonstration and comparison are made using the additive and subtractive patterning strategies to precisely fabricate wafer‐scale thin film transistor arrays (1600 devices), which are based on high‐quality solution‐processed indium zinc oxide (IZO) and indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO). The IZO and IGZO TFTs exhibit field‐effect mobility up to 8.0 and 5.2 cm2 V−1 s−1 when using the additive method, whereas the highest mobility of 24.2 and 13.7 cm2 V−1 s−1 for IZO and IGZO TFTs is achieved when using the subtractive method. The X‐ray photoelectronic spectroscopy studies and quantitative 2D device simulations together reveal that good device performance is attributed to moderate shallow donor‐like states (providing electrons) from oxygen vacancy and few accepter‐like states (trapping electrons) resulted from the dense structural framework of MO bonds. After examining the uniformity and reliability of the devices, the solution‐patterned inverters are demonstrated using negative‐channel metal oxide semiconductors, which show full swing output transfer characteristics and thus provide a promising method for solution‐based fabrications of circuits.