Numerical simulation of defect states and electron transport mechanisms in amorphous oxide thin film transistors

TL;DR

This paper uses physics-based numerical simulations to analyze how defect states and sub-gap density of states influence electron transport mechanisms in amorphous oxide thin film transistors, revealing a bias-dependent crossover in conduction modes.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed DOS model and demonstrates the transition from trap-limited to percolation conduction with increasing gate bias in amorphous oxide TFTs.

Findings

Trap-limited conduction dominates at low bias

Percolation conduction becomes prevalent at higher bias

Sub-gap DOS critically affects TFT performance

Abstract

Physics based numerical simulation has been carried out to probe the sub-gap density of states (DOS) and underlying electron transport properties of amorphous oxide based thin film transistors (TFTs). The DOS model of TFTs consists of exponential band tails, Gaussian shallow donor levels and deep acceptor states. Electrical transport and various TFT performance parameters are found to be critically dependent on the sub-gap DOS. At low gate bias, when Fermi level lies below the conduction band mobility edge, defect states mediated trap limited conduction is found to be the dominant transport mechanism. However, at relatively higher gate bias, percolation conduction above the mobility edge becomes prevalent. Such possible crossover of electron transport is well corroborated by gate bias dependent band bending and induced free electron density in the channel layer. Such studies are important to unravel the critical role of sub-gap DOS on the electrical performance and charge transport processes of disordered amorphous oxide TFTs.