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Device Isolation in Hybrid Field-Effect Transistors by Semiconductor Micropatterning Using Picosecond Lasers

Robert M. Ireland1, Yu Liu1, Josef W. Spalenka4, Supriya Jaiswal2, Kenshi Fukumitsu3, Shingo Oishi3, Hiroshi Saito3, Mochizuki Ryosuke3, Paul G. Evans4,* et al.

Howard E. Katz1,†

  • 1Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Department of Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University, 3400 North Charles Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21218, USA
  • 2Hamamatsu Corporation, 360 Foothill Road, Box 6910, Bridgewater, New Jersey 08807-0910, USA
  • 3Hamamatsu Photonics K.K, 5000, Hirakuchi, Hamakita-ku, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, 434-8601 Japan
  • 4Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA

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Phys. Rev. Applied 2, 044006 – Published 15 October, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevApplied.2.044006

Abstract

A solid-state picosecond laser is used to ablate semiconductor thin films in spatially localized areas, providing an alternative to device isolation strategies based on chemical or ion etching techniques. Field-effect transistors (FETs) of emerging organic and inorganic materials often utilize a continuous semiconductor film and an array of top-contact electrodes. Electrically isolating individual FET components from other circuit elements is essential in order to reduce parasitic capacitances and unwanted current pathways, both to improve device performance and to enable the observation of new or enhanced physical phenomena. We pattern FET arrays with ultrafast-pulse-duration (1.5 ps) and low-fluence (0.09  J cm−2) optical pulses using the fundamental wavelength (1030 nm) of an Yb-YAG laser. We investigate two representative semiconductor materials. First, zinc oxide (ZnO) is deposited onto Si/SiO2 substrates by sol-gel methods and used to create n-channel FETs with aluminum top electrodes. Isolation of individual FETs enables the clear observation of photomodulation of the FET device parameters via photoinduced electron donation from an adsorbed chromophore. The second system comprises thin-film bilayers of tellurium and organic semiconductor molecules sequentially vapor-deposited onto Si/SiO2 substrates, with gold electrodes deposited last. Charge carrier mobility is maintained for devices isolated by picosecond lasers, but leakage currents through the FET dielectric are drastically reduced.

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Phys. Rev. Applied 2, 044006– Published 15 October, 2014
  • Received 27 February 2014
Article part of CHORUS

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