Prof. Jen-Sue Chen: Nanoscale oxide thin films for microelectronic devices

ABSTRACT

Transistion metal oxide thin films are widely applied in microelectronic devices, where the defects in oxides critically connect the material characteristics to electrical perfromances. In this presentation, sputtering deposited tantalum oxide (TaO_x) and solution processed zinc-tin oxide (ZTO) are applied as resistance modulation layer in resistive switching memories and active channel in thin film transistors (TFTs), repectively. The Ta/TaO_x/Pt memory device exhibits polarity-dependent and multilevel resistance switching behaviors. A schematic on the aggregation of oxygen vacancies to form conducting paths is proposed and the electrode-TaO_x interface decisively determines the distribution of oxygen vacancies. In solution processed ZTO TFTs, the carrier concentration, subgap trap density and field-effect mobility can be modified via incorporation of Sn in ZnO because it will effectively suppress the oxygen deficiency and consequently improve the TFT performances.