Abstract
Work function tuning has a significant influence on the performance of semiconductor devices, owing to the formation of potential barriers at the interface between metal-semiconductor junctions. In this work, we introduce a technique for tuning the work function of ZnSnO thin films using high-density O2 plasma treatment. The work function and chemical composition of the ZnSnO thin film surfaces were investigated with regards to plasma treatment time through UPS/XPS systems. The optical band gap was estimated using Tauc’s relationship from transmittance data. The work function of Zn0.6Sn0.4O thin film increased from 4.16 eV to 4.64 eV, and the optical band gap increased from 3.17 to 3.23 eV. The surface of Zn0.6Sn0.4O thin films showed a smooth morphology with an average of 0.65 nm after O2 plasma treatment. The O2 plasma treatment technique exhibits significant potential for application in high-performance displays in optical devices, such as thin-film transistors (TFTs), light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and solar cells.
Highlights
Particular attention needs to be focused on the device-structure design to improve the efficiencies of electrical and optical devices
We present a technique for tuning the work function and electrical properties of
(60%Zn:40%Sn atomic ratio) thin films were treated with O2 plasma in the inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system (Vacuum Science, Yangju, Korea) for tuning the work function [21]
Summary
Particular attention needs to be focused on the device-structure design to improve the efficiencies of electrical and optical devices. The work function of thin films is directly related to the performances of these devices [1,2]. The difference in the work function between the metal-semiconductor junction at the source (or drain) leads to an increase in contact resistance, resulting in performance degradation of the device [3,4]. The operation of Schottky diodes, metal–semiconductor–metal photodetectors, and Schottky junction solar cells is based on the difference in work function between the metal-semiconductor junctions [5,6,7]. It is evident that the characteristics of the electrical and optical devices are closely related to the work function of the materials [8]. Considering work functions while designing devices is crucial to improve performance. Fang et al proposed tuning the work function of the InSnO (ITO)
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