High-Performance Low-Voltage Thin-Film Transistors: Experimental and Simulation Validation of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma-Assisted Li₅AlO₄ Metal Oxide Solution Processing

Metal oxide materials processed using solution methods have garnered significant attention due to their ability to efficiently and affordably create transparent insulating layers or active channel layers on various substrates for thin-film transistors (TFTs) used in modern electronics. The key properties of TFTs largely depend on how charge carriers behave near the thin layer at the semiconductor and dielectric interface. Effectively controlling these characteristics offers a straightforward yet effective approach to enhancing device performance. In this study, we propose a novel strategy utilizing atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment to modulate the electrical properties of dielectric thin films and the interfaces between dielectric and semiconductor layers in TFTs processed by using solution methods. Through APP exposure, significant improvements in key TFT parameters were achieved for solution-processed TFTs. Interface states have been reduced from 10¹³ to 10¹¹ cm^-2, and the on/off current ratio has increased from 10³ to 10⁶ while maintaining a high field-effect mobility of 34 cm² V^-1 s^-1. Additionally, UV-visible spectroscopy and X-ray analysis have confirmed the effectiveness of APP treatment in controlling interface states and traps, leading to overall performance enhancements in the TFTs. Furthermore, our experimental findings have been systematically validated using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations of fabricated TFTs.