Low-temperature, high-performance solution-processed thin-film transistors with peroxo-zirconium oxide dielectric

We demonstrated solution-processed thin film transistors on a peroxo-zirconium oxide (ZrO₂) dielectric with a maximum temperature of 350 °C. The formation of ZrO₂ films was investigated by TG-DTA, FT-IR, and XPS analyses at various temperatures. We synthesized a zirconium oxide solution by adding hydrogen peroxide (H₂O ₂). The H₂O₂ forms peroxo groups in the ZrO₂ film producing a dense-amorphous phase and a smooth surface film. Because of these characteristics, the ZrO₂ film successfully blocked leakage current even in annealing at 300 °C. Finally, to demonstrate that the ZrO₂ film is dielectric, we fabricated thin-film transistors (TFTs) with a solution-processed channel layer of indium zinc oxide (IZO) on ZrO₂ films at 350 °C. These TFTs had a mobility of 7.21 cm²/(V s), a threshold voltage (V_th) of 3.22 V, and a V_th shift of 1.6 V under positive gate bias stress.