Low-Temperature Formation of Indium Oxide Thin-Film using Excimer Light by Solution Process and Characterization of Thin-Film Transistor Characteristics

Abstract

We report the fabrication and characterization of indium oxide (In₂O₃) thin-film transistors (TFTs) with excimer light irradiation and heat treatment by solution process. We evaluated the impact of varying the irradiation time of excimer light and the temperature of heat treatment on the In₂O₃ thin films. The combined process of excimer light irradiation and thermal treatment reacted with the formation and decomposition of OH groups. As a result, we were able to efficiently produce In₂O₃ in this fabrication process. Transfer characteristics of In₂O₃-TFTs with excimer light irradiation and heat treatment showed better than these of In₂O₃-TFTs with heat treatment, and On/Off ratio of the In₂O₃-TFT with excimer light irradiation and heat treatment was 3.26×10⁴. Furthermore, the transfer characteristics of In₂O₃-TFT irradiated by excimer lamp in O₂ atmosphere were improved, and O₂ in the atmosphere during excimer light irradiation was important for the low-temperature formation of the thin films.