Metal oxide semiconductor thin-film transistors for flexible electronics
OA Location
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The field of flexible electronics has rapidly expanded over the last decades, pioneering novel
applications, such as wearable and textile integrated devices, seamless and embedded patch-like
systems, soft electronic skins, as well as imperceptible and transient implants. The possibility to
revolutionize our daily life with such disruptive appliances has fueled the quest for electronic devices
which yield good electrical and mechanical performance and are at the same time light-weight,
transparent, conformable, stretchable, and even biodegradable. Flexible metal oxide semiconductor
thin-film transistors (TFTs) can fulfill all these requirements and are therefore considered the most
promising technology for tomorrow’s electronics. This review reflects the establishment of flexible
metal oxide semiconductor TFTs, from the development of single devices, large-area circuits, up to
entirely integrated systems. First, an introduction on metal oxide semiconductor TFTs is given,
where the history of the field is revisited, the TFT configurations and operating principles are presented,
and the main issues and technological challenges faced in the area are analyzed. Then, the
recent advances achieved for flexible n-type metal oxide semiconductor TFTs manufactured by
physical vapor deposition methods and solution-processing techniques are summarized. In particular,
the ability of flexible metal oxide semiconductor TFTs to combine low temperature fabrication,
high carrier mobility, large frequency operation, extreme mechanical bendability, together with
transparency, conformability, stretchability, and water dissolubility is shown. Afterward, a detailed
analysis of the most promising metal oxide semiconducting materials developed to realize the
state-of-the-art flexible p-type TFTs is given. Next, the recent progresses obtained for flexible metal
oxide semiconductor-based electronic circuits, realized with both unipolar and complementary
technology, are reported. In particular, the realization of large-area digital circuitry like flexible
near field communication tags and analog integrated circuits such as bendable operational ampli-
fiers is presented. The last topic of this review is devoted for emerging flexible electronic systems,
from foldable displays, power transmission elements to integrated systems for large-area sensing
and data storage and transmission. Finally, the conclusions are drawn and an outlook over the field
with a prediction for the future is provided.
applications, such as wearable and textile integrated devices, seamless and embedded patch-like
systems, soft electronic skins, as well as imperceptible and transient implants. The possibility to
revolutionize our daily life with such disruptive appliances has fueled the quest for electronic devices
which yield good electrical and mechanical performance and are at the same time light-weight,
transparent, conformable, stretchable, and even biodegradable. Flexible metal oxide semiconductor
thin-film transistors (TFTs) can fulfill all these requirements and are therefore considered the most
promising technology for tomorrow’s electronics. This review reflects the establishment of flexible
metal oxide semiconductor TFTs, from the development of single devices, large-area circuits, up to
entirely integrated systems. First, an introduction on metal oxide semiconductor TFTs is given,
where the history of the field is revisited, the TFT configurations and operating principles are presented,
and the main issues and technological challenges faced in the area are analyzed. Then, the
recent advances achieved for flexible n-type metal oxide semiconductor TFTs manufactured by
physical vapor deposition methods and solution-processing techniques are summarized. In particular,
the ability of flexible metal oxide semiconductor TFTs to combine low temperature fabrication,
high carrier mobility, large frequency operation, extreme mechanical bendability, together with
transparency, conformability, stretchability, and water dissolubility is shown. Afterward, a detailed
analysis of the most promising metal oxide semiconducting materials developed to realize the
state-of-the-art flexible p-type TFTs is given. Next, the recent progresses obtained for flexible metal
oxide semiconductor-based electronic circuits, realized with both unipolar and complementary
technology, are reported. In particular, the realization of large-area digital circuitry like flexible
near field communication tags and analog integrated circuits such as bendable operational ampli-
fiers is presented. The last topic of this review is devoted for emerging flexible electronic systems,
from foldable displays, power transmission elements to integrated systems for large-area sensing
and data storage and transmission. Finally, the conclusions are drawn and an outlook over the field
with a prediction for the future is provided.
Date Issued
2016-06-09
Date Acceptance
2016-04-15
Citation
Applied Physics Reviews, 2016, 3 (2)
ISSN
1931-9401
Publisher
AIP Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Applied Physics Reviews
Volume
3
Issue
2
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Physics, Applied
Physics
FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS
GA-ZN-O
BIAS STRESS STABILITY
GALLIUM-ZINC-OXIDE
A-IGZO TFTS
ROOM-TEMPERATURE FABRICATION
CHEMICAL-VAPOR-DEPOSITION
N-CHANNEL ZNO
HIGH-PERFORMANCE
SOL-GEL
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
021303