DTMES 2022 - Presentation

Abstract - Thin Film Transistors (TFTs) are essential devices in large area electronics, and in particular, in active matrix crystal displays (AMLCDs). Their applications are expected to increase even more in the coming years due to the extension of the Internet of Things (IoT), facilitated by the growth of flexible, printed and stretchable electronics. Existing or potential applications of TFTs are active matrix reflective or emissive displays, imagers, radio-frequency identification, and wearable sensor systems. In addition, depending of the material of the active layer, some types of TFTs can be printed in biodegradable substrates, therefore enabling more sustainable technologies. A deep understanding of the physics of the different types of Thin Film Transistors is necessary to improve their technological processes in order to achieve higher performances. TFT modeling is of course instrumental to that purpose. In addition, accurate compact TFT modeling is a requirement for the design of circuits using TFTs. There are different types of TFTs, such as a-Si:H, polysilicon, nanocrystalline Si, organic, and oxide TFTs. Each type of material introduces specific physical properties and phenomena which affect the behavior of the TFT. We review the physics of the different types of TFTs, addressing material and interface properties, electrostatic, and charge and heat transport. Afterwards, we present models for the relevant physical effects in the different types of TFTs, and finally, physically based compact models suitable for circuit design. We also will target electrical characterization and parameter extraction methods.

Benjamin Iniguez obtained the Ph D in Physics in 1996 from the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Spain. He was a postdoctoral researcher at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI, Troy NY, USA, 1997-98) and at the Universite catholique de Louvain Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, 1998-2001). In February 2001 he joined the Department of Electronic, Electrical and Automatic Control Engineering of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain) as Titular Professor. In February 2010 he became Full Professor at URV. He obtained the Distinction from the Catalan Government for the Promotion of University Research in 2004 and the ICREA Academia Award (ICREA Institute) in 2009 and 2014. He led two research projects funded by the European Union about electron device modeling He has supervised or co-supervised 15 Ph D students. He has published more than 180 research papers in international journals and more than 160 abstracts in proceedings of conferences. He was elevated to the grade of IEEE Fellow in 2019. He is currently Distinguished Lecturer of the Electron Devices Society (EDS), Member of the Board of Governors of the EDS, Vice-Chair of the Region 8 of the EDS Section and Chapters Committee (SRC), Chair of the EDS Spain Chapter, Editror of IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices (EDS) and served as Chair of EDS Compact Modeling Technical Committee (2017-2021). His main research interests are the physics and modeling of advanced semiconductor devices, in particular nanoscale Multi-Gate MOSFETs GaN HEMTs, and organic and oxide TFTs..