Xenon Flash Lamp Annealing on a-IGZO Thin-film Transistors at Different Pulse Repetition Numbers

Xenon (Xe) flash lamps were applied to the annealing process of amorphous In–Ga–Zn–O (a-IGZO) semiconductor films at room temperature for different pulse repetition numbers, and the results were compared with the conventional annealing process. From the Hall measurement results, the a-IGZO films annealed using Xe flash lamps showed improvements in carrier mobilities similar to a-IGZO films annealed in a conventional vacuum furnace. The Xe flash lamp was also used in the annealing process in the fabrication of a-IGZO thin-film transistors (TFTs). The transfer characteristics of a-IGZO TFTs showed enhanced saturation field-effect mobilities, smaller subthreshold swing, threshold voltage shifts, and higher on–off ratios at higher pulse repetition numbers of the Xe flash lamp. These results showed that the Xe flash lamp has an annealing effect on amorphous oxide semiconductor electronic devices with higher productivities.