Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition
This study investigates the effect of tin (Sn) content on the chemical, structural, and electrical properties of zinc tin oxide (ZTO) thin films. By varying the Sn content in the ZTO films grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD), we analyzed their chemical composition and structural properties using...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Applied Surface Science Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523925000832 |
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| author | Dong-Hyun Lim Ae-Rim Choi Seung-Wook Ryu Kyung-Won Park Ji-Hye Choi Il-Kwon Oh |
| author_facet | Dong-Hyun Lim Ae-Rim Choi Seung-Wook Ryu Kyung-Won Park Ji-Hye Choi Il-Kwon Oh |
| author_sort | Dong-Hyun Lim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the effect of tin (Sn) content on the chemical, structural, and electrical properties of zinc tin oxide (ZTO) thin films. By varying the Sn content in the ZTO films grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD), we analyzed their chemical composition and structural properties using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Analysis of the Sn composition in ZTO films grown by supercycle ALD revealed a higher Sn content than expected based on theoretical predictions. This deviation is examined through in-situ quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) monitoring of the diethylzinc (DEZ) ALD reaction byproducts, which indicates variations in reactive site density during the alternating deposition cycles of ZnO and SnO₂. While DEZ adsorption involves a single ethyl ligand exchange, maintaining site density, the tetrakis(dimethylamino)tin (TDMASn) ALD reaction can alter it by changing reactive sites based on dimethylamino (DMA) ligands. The results indicate that increasing the Sn content decreases the number of oxygen vacancies in the films because of the stronger bond strength between Sn and O. Thin-film transistors (TFTs) are fabricated using ZTO films with different Sn compositions, and their electrical properties were evaluated. The results show that increasing the Sn content enhances electron mobility (which reaches a peak value at a specific Sn concentration) and shifts the threshold voltage of the TFTs. These results suggest that controlling Sn content is crucial for optimizing the performance of ZTO-based TFTs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-919efef65bc141a6b9bf52183e09711f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2666-5239 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Surface Science Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-919efef65bc141a6b9bf52183e09711f2025-08-20T02:30:56ZengElsevierApplied Surface Science Advances2666-52392025-06-012710077510.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100775Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer depositionDong-Hyun Lim0Ae-Rim Choi1Seung-Wook Ryu2Kyung-Won Park3Ji-Hye Choi4Il-Kwon Oh5Department of Intelligence Semiconductor Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, KoreaDepartment of Intelligence Semiconductor Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, KoreaR&D Process, R&D division SK hynix Inc., Icheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, KoreaR&D Center, ATIK CO., LTD., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, KoreaR&D Center, ATIK CO., LTD., Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, KoreaDepartment of Intelligence Semiconductor Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Korea; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Ajou University, Suwon, 16499, Korea; Corresponding author.This study investigates the effect of tin (Sn) content on the chemical, structural, and electrical properties of zinc tin oxide (ZTO) thin films. By varying the Sn content in the ZTO films grown via atomic layer deposition (ALD), we analyzed their chemical composition and structural properties using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Analysis of the Sn composition in ZTO films grown by supercycle ALD revealed a higher Sn content than expected based on theoretical predictions. This deviation is examined through in-situ quadrupole mass spectrometer (QMS) monitoring of the diethylzinc (DEZ) ALD reaction byproducts, which indicates variations in reactive site density during the alternating deposition cycles of ZnO and SnO₂. While DEZ adsorption involves a single ethyl ligand exchange, maintaining site density, the tetrakis(dimethylamino)tin (TDMASn) ALD reaction can alter it by changing reactive sites based on dimethylamino (DMA) ligands. The results indicate that increasing the Sn content decreases the number of oxygen vacancies in the films because of the stronger bond strength between Sn and O. Thin-film transistors (TFTs) are fabricated using ZTO films with different Sn compositions, and their electrical properties were evaluated. The results show that increasing the Sn content enhances electron mobility (which reaches a peak value at a specific Sn concentration) and shifts the threshold voltage of the TFTs. These results suggest that controlling Sn content is crucial for optimizing the performance of ZTO-based TFTs.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523925000832Zinc-tin-oxideOxide semiconductorAtomic layer depositionThin film transistor |
| spellingShingle | Dong-Hyun Lim Ae-Rim Choi Seung-Wook Ryu Kyung-Won Park Ji-Hye Choi Il-Kwon Oh Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition Applied Surface Science Advances Zinc-tin-oxide Oxide semiconductor Atomic layer deposition Thin film transistor |
| title | Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition |
| title_full | Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition |
| title_fullStr | Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition |
| title_short | Exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition |
| title_sort | exploring surface chemistry and electrical performance of zinc tin oxide thin films with controlling elemental composition grown by atomic layer deposition |
| topic | Zinc-tin-oxide Oxide semiconductor Atomic layer deposition Thin film transistor |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666523925000832 |
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