Self-assembled nanocrystalline ZnO thin film transistor performance optimization for high speed applications

Abstract

ZnO nanocrystals grown at relatively low temperatures using various vacuum deposition techniques can yield semiconducting thin films of self-assembled nanocolumns 20-50 nm in diameter. Such films are suitable for the fabrication of high speed and transparent thin film transistors (TFTs). Unlike amorphous TFTs, the performance of ZnO transistors depends both on the crystal quality of nanocrystals and the electrical properties of boundary layers between them. We investigated the use of radio frequency sputtering, atomic layer deposition, and pulsed laser deposition techniques to fabricate self-assembled nanocrystalline thin films and determined the influence of deposition conditions on the performance of transistors. Device design and fabrication parameters were also optimized to demonstrate TFTs with high current density and high speed performance comparable to single crystalline-based transistors.