Symmetric vertical-channel nickel-salicided poly-Si thin-film transistors with self-aligned oxide overetching structures

This paper reports the impacts of NH₃ plasma treatment time, oxide overetching depth, and gate oxide thickness on symmetric vertical-channel Ni-salicided poly-Si thin-film transistors (VSA-TFTs) for the first time. off-state currents may be improved by increasing the oxide overetching depth. The on/off current ratio may be also improved by increasing the oxide overetching depth. The NH₃ plasma optimum treatment time of VSA-TFTs is significantly shorter than that of conventional top-gate horizontal-channel TFTs. The performance of VSA-TFTs is degraded by NH₃ plasma treatment for too long a time. VSA-TFTs with 15-nm gate oxide thickness display better subthreshold swing (<150 mV/dec) than VSA-TFTs with 30-nm gate oxide thickness. off-state currents can be improved by increasing L_mask, even when the oxide overetching depth and the gate oxide thickness are changed.