Annealing temperature effects on the electrical characteristics of p-channel polysilicon thin film transistors

In this work, we studied the effects of different thermal annealing on the electrical characteristics of non-self-aligned low-temperature p-channel polycrystalline silicon (polysilicon) thin film transistors. Different thermal treatments were performed after Al-gate formation at different temperature (200 degrees C, 250 degrees C, 350 degrees C and 450 degrees C) and annealing times. We found that optimal conditions were obtained at 350 degrees C, with transfer characteristics showing a subthreshold slope of 0.5 V/dec, field effect mobility > 100 cm(2)/Vs and threshold voltage around -3.5 V. Hot carrier induced degradation was also analyzed performing bias-stress measurements on devices annealed at 350 degrees C and at different bias stress conditions. The experimental data show that a maximum transconductance degradation is obtained for V,(stress) - V-t = -4 V while bias-stress at V-g = V-t and vertical bar V-g(stress)vertical bar >> vertical bar V-ds(stress)vertical bar did not produce appreciable changes in both transfer and output characteristics.