The effect of electrical stress on the leakage current of polycrystalline Si thin-film transistors fabricated by metal-induced lateral crystallization

The effects of electrical stress on the leakage current of polycrystalline Si (poly-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) fabricated by metal-induced lateral crystallization (MILC) were investigated. It was found that the leakage current of MILC TFTs could be reduced by electrical stress (V-G<0, V-D>0) and this effect was saturated in about 1000 s. In addition, asymmetric Ni-offset deposition is proposed. By this method, the boundary where the two MILC regions meet can be moved out of the channel region, consequently, resulting in a great reduction in leakage current and in an insensibility to electrical stress. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.