Thin Film Logic Circuits with Amorphous SiInZnO Channel Layer Annealed at Different Atmospheres for Next‐Generation Integrated Circuits

Abstract

In this study, amorphous‐oxide‐based thin film logic circuits are fabricated using only an n‐type silicon‐indium‐zinc‐oxide (a‐SIZO) active channel layer annealed at different atmospheres (N2 or air). More carriers are present in the N2 atmosphere than in the air because the number of oxygen vacancies (VO) formed is higher. The inverters (NOT logic circuits) are simply fabricated by adopting different Vth, adjusted by using different annealing atmospheres. The inverters have high voltage gain values of 11.64 and 9.99 at VDD = 5 V. A higher gain is obtained when the thin film transistor annealed in N2 is used in the enhancement mode. The reason for this is closely related to the subthreshold slope value. Furthermore, more complex n‐type‐based NAND and NOR thin‐film circuits are fabricated by simply adopting different annealing atmospheres, and are confirmed to operate like the logic gates. This simple fabrication method of thin‐film logic circuits can open up the possibility for the implementation of next‐generation integrated circuits.