Improvement of Electrical Performance of Metal-Induced Laterally Crystallized Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-Film Transistors

In this study, we present a new method named seed-induced lateral crystallization (SILC), wherein the Ni that is deposited on amorphous silicon (a-Si) is removed prior to crystallization. The newly developed polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistor (TFT) exhibits a field effect mobility of 63 cm 2 /V-s, leakage current of 7.9 × 10 −11 A, slope of 0.8 V/dec, I on of 2.8 × 10 −4 A at V D = 10 V, and V TH of 5.5 V. The leakage current has been reduced by an order of magnitude as compared with conventional metal-induced lateral crystallized (MILC) poly-Si TFTs, in which Ni is removed after the crystallization. In order to materials analysis, Raman scattering spectroscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used. Since a batch process is possible in MILC technology, it is more advantageous than the excimer laser annealing (ELA) technology for mass production of a large size display. Since SILC TFT shows a leakage current comparable to an ELA poly-Si TFT, its application to the mass production of AMOLED display is expected have a substantial impact on the industry.