Charge trapping and detrapping characteristics in amorphous InGaZnO TFTs under static and dynamic stresses

We have investigated the static and dynamic bias stress-induced charge trapping and detrapping phenomenon in amorphous indium–gallium–zinc oxide thin film transistors. It is observed that the charges trapped after electron injection in the interface and bulk traps are unstable and slowly decay over time. The stretched-exponential equation, which can be derived based on the trapping/detrapping of charges to/from existing traps and continuous redistribution of charges in bulk dielectrics, is successfully applied in fitting the time dependence of the threshold voltage shift during the stress and recovery phases under dynamic stresses. The characteristic time constants decrease with increasing temperature and drain bias during the recovery phase. Under dynamic stresses with various frequencies, the threshold voltage shift strongly depends on the frequency of dynamic stresses, i.e., a high frequency stress results in a small threshold voltage shift and a long lifetime. The stress-induced threshold shift phenomenon is observed to be relieved after a long-time low temperature post thermal annealing process and device passivation with an aluminum oxide layer.