Effects of proton irradiation on indium zinc oxide-based thin-film transistors

In this research, we performed a high-dose proton-beam irradiation process to investigate the effect of irradiation on the performance of indium-doped zinc oxide-based thin-film transistors (IZO-TFTs) by controlling their electrical and structural properties. The resistivity of IZO thin films dramatically increased with increasing proton-irradiation doses up to ∼ 1014 cm−2, after which the resistivity recovered to a level similar to as-deposited IZO thin film. After proton irradiation, the crystallinity of IZO thin films was reduced due to defect-isolation and/or chemical-isolation. The field effect mobility of IZO-TFTs decreased from 2.20 cm2 V−1 s−1 to 1.22 cm2 V−1 s−1, turn-on voltage shifted −7 V to −21 V and subthreshold swing value increased after proton irradiation with a 1012 cm−2 dose. With proton-irradiation doses over 1014 cm−2, IZO-TFTs device performance recovered to a level similar to that of a pristine device. Moreover, irradiated thin films and devices have low sensitivities to post-thermal annealing due to the creation of antisite oxygen point defects.