Numerical study of sub-gap density of states dependent electrical characteristics in amorphous In-Ga-Zn-O thin-film transistors

We demonstrate the effect of the sub-gap density of states (DOS) on electrical characteristics in amorphous indium-gallium-zinc (IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). Numerical analysis based on a two-dimensional device simulator Atlas controlled the sub-gap DOS parameters such as tail acceptor-like states, tail donor-like states, Gauss acceptor-like states, and Gauss donor-like states in amorphous IGZO TFTs. We confirm accuracy by exploiting physical factors, such as oxygen vacancy, peroxide, hydrogen complex, band-to-band tunneling, and trap-assisted tunneling. Consequently, the principal electrical parameters, such as the threshold voltage, saturation mobility, sub-threshold swing, and on-off current ratio, are effectively tuned by controlling sub-gap DOS distribution in a-IGZO TFTs.