Review Article: Atomic layer deposition for oxide semiconductor thin film transistors: Advances in research and development

Abstract

This article is a review of recent research and development advances in oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) fabricated by atomic layer deposition (ALD) processes. The ALD process is remarkable as it offers accurate control of film thickness and composition as well as the ability to achieve excellent uniformity over large areas at relatively low temperatures. Firstly, an introduction to n-type oxide TFTs is provided with a focus on the development of active-layer material combinations from binary oxide active layers, like zinc oxide and indium oxide, to ternary and quaternary oxide active layers formed by doping with elements such as gallium or tin to achieve high mobility and high device stability for TFTs. Secondly, ALD p-type channel oxide TFTs are also introduced, which are required for the realization of many types of low-power circuits, such as complementary metal oxide semiconductor devices.