Experimental validation of the exponential localized states distribution in the variable range hopping mechanism in disordered silicon films

Carriers transport in low temperature (<= 600 degrees C) polycrystalline silicon thin film transistor channel region is studied for devices biased from weak to strong inversion. Analysis is supported by the theory of the 3D variable range hopping model due to hopping between localized electronic states near the Fermi level. The corresponding density of states is determined following an exponential (tail states) distribution associated with the statistical shift of the Fermi level. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3625944]