This study investigated microstructures, crystal structures, polarization, dielectric and electromechanical properties of 0.76Bi_1/2Na_1/2TiO₃-0.24SrTiO₃ (BNT-24ST)-based piezoceramcs by adding Li₂CO₃ and B₂O₃ (LB) as sintering aids for low-temperature sintering. All samples were successfully synthesized using conventional solid-state reaction method and sintered at 950, 1,000, 1,050, 1,100 and 1,175℃ for 2 hours. Without LB, specimens required sintering temperatures over 1,175℃ for sufficient densification, while the addition of 0.10-mol LB decreased the sintering temperatures down to 950℃. The average grain size and dielectric properties of BNT-24ST-10LB ceramics were enhanced with increasing sintering temperature. We found that the low-temperature sintered BNT-24ST piezoceramics by adding LB showed the d₃₃*value of 402 pm/V at 4 kV/mm after sintering at 1,050℃, which was better than that of high-temperature fired specimens sintered at 1,175℃ without LB (242 pm/V). We believe that the results of this study promise a candidate for low-cost multilayer ceramic actuator applications.

We investigated the effect of a post-annealing process using ultraviolet (UV) light on the electrical properties of solution-processed InZnO (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). UV light was irradiated on IZO TFTs for different time periods of 0s, 30s, and 90s. We measured transfer and retention stability curves to evaluate the performance of the fabricated TFTs. In addition, we measured height, amplitude, and phase AFM images to analyze changes in the surface and morphology of the devices. AFM measurements were performed by setting the drive amplitude of the cantilever tip to 47.9 mV in tapping mode, then dividing the device surface into 500 nm × 500 nm. In the case of IZO TFT irradiated with UV for 30s, the electron mobility and Ion/Ioff ratio were improved, the threshold voltage was reduced by approximately 2 V, and the subthreshold swing also decreased form 1.34 V/dec to 1.11 V/dec.

This research introduces the sputtered IZO thin film transistor (TFT) with solution-processed Al₂O₃ diffusion layer. IZO is one of the most commonly used amorphous oxide semiconductor (AOS) TFT. However, most AOS TFTs have many defects that degrade performance. Especially oxygen vacancy in the active layer. In previous research, aluminum was used as a carrier suppressor by binding the oxygen vacancy and making a strong bond with oxygen atoms. In this paper, we use a solution-processed Al₂O₃ diffusion layer to fabricate stable IZO TFTs. A double-layer solution-processed Al2O3-sputtered IZO TFT showed better performance and stability, compared to normal sputtered IZO TFT.

In this study, a femtosecond laser pre-annealing technology based on indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) was investigated. We demonstrated a stable pre-annealing process to analyze the change in the surface structures of thin-films, and we improved the electrical performance. Furthermore, static and dynamic electrical characteristics of IZO TFTs with n-channel inverters were observed. To investigate the static and dynamic responses of our solution-processed IZO TFTs, simple resistor-load-type inverters were fabricated by connecting a 1-MΩ resistor. The femtosecond laser pre-annealing process based on IZO TFTs showed good performance: a field-effect mobility of 3.75 cm₂/Vs, an I_on/I_off ratio of 1.8×10⁵, a threshold voltage of 1.13 V, and a subthreshold swing of 1.21 V/dec. Our IZO-TFT-based N-MOS inverter performed well at operating voltage, and therefore, is a good candidate for advanced logic circuits and display backplane.

A soft baking process was used to enhance the electrical characteristics of solution-processed indium-zincoxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). We demonstrate a stable soft baking process using a hot plate in air to maintain the electrical stability and improve the electrical performance of IZO TFTs. These oxide transistors exhibited good electrical performance; a field-effect mobility of 7.9 cm²/Vs, threshold voltage of 1.4 V, sub-threshold slope of 0.5 V/dec, and a current on/off ratio of 2.9×10⁷ were measured. To investigate the static response of our solutionprocessed IZO TFTs, simple resistor load type inverters were fabricated by connecting a resistor (5 or 10 MΩ). Our IZO TFTs, which were manufactured using the soft baking process at a baking temperature of 120℃, performed well at the operating voltage, and are therefore a good candidate for use in advanced logic circuits and transparent display backplanes.

We investigated the effect of different thin-film thicknesses (25, 30, and 40 nm) on the electrical performance of solution-processed indium-zinc-oxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The structural properties of the IZO thin films were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM). AFM images revealed that the IZO thin films with thicknesses of 25 and 40 nm exhibit an uneven distribution of grains, which deforms the thin film and degrades the performance of the IZO TFT. Further, the IZO thin film with a thickness of 30 nm exhibits a homogeneous and smooth surface with a low RMS roughness of 1.88 nm. The IZO TFTs with the 30-nm-thick IZO film exhibit excellent results, with a field-effect mobility of 3.0(±0.2) cm²/Vs, high Ion/Ioff ratio of 1.1×10⁷, threshold voltage of 0.4(±0.1) V, and subthreshold swing of 0.7(±0.01) V/dec. The optimization of oxide semiconductor thickness through analysis of the surface morphologies can thus contribute to the development of oxide TFT manufacturing technology.

We investigated the rewritable operation of a non-volatile memory device composed of Al (top)/TiO₂/ indium-zinc-oxide (IZO)/Al (bottom). The oxygen-deficient IZO layer of the device was spin-coated with 0.1 M indium nitrate hydrate and 0.1 M zinc acetate dehydrate as precursor solutions, and the TiO₂ layer was fabricated by atomic layer deposition. The oxygen vacancies IZO layer of an active component annealed at 400℃ using thermal annealing and it was proven to be in oxygen vacancies and oxygen binding environments with OH species and heavy metal ions investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The device, which operates at low voltages (less than 3.5 V), exhibits non-volatile memory behavior consistent with resistive-switching properties and an ON/OFF ratio of approximately 3.6×10³ at 2.5 V.

By inserting a very thin metal layer of Ag between two outer oxide layers of amorphous silicon indium zinc oxide (SIZO), we fabricated a highly transparent SJZO/Ag/SIZO multilayer on a glass substrate. In order to find the optimized thickness of Ag layers, we investigated the variation of optical properties depending on Ag thickness. It was found that the transition of Ag layer from island formation to a continuous film occurred at a critical thickness. Continuity of the Ag film is very important for optical properties in SIZO/Ag/SIZO multilayer. With about 15 nm thick Ag layer, the multilayer showed a high optical transmittance of 80% at 550 nm and low emissivity in IR.

The dependency of sputtering power on the electrical performances in amorphous HIZO-TFT (hafnium-indium-zinc-oxide thin film transistors) has been investigated. The HIZO channel layers were prepared by using radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method with different sputtering power at room temperature. TOF-SIMS (time of flight secondary ion mass spectrometry) was performed to confirm doping of hafnium atom in IZO film. The field effect mobility (μFE) increased and threshold voltage (Vth) shifted to negative direction with increasing sputtering power. This result can be attributed to the high energy particles knocking-out oxygen atoms. As a result, oxygen vacancies generated in HIZO channel layer with increasing sputtering power resulted in negative shift in Vth and increase in on-current.