Hot Carrier Degradation Reduction in Metal Oxide Thin-Film Transistors by Implementing a Lightly Doped Drain-Like Structure

In this letter, hot carrier (HC) degradation in metal oxide thin-film transistors is significantly reduced by implementing a lightly doped drain (LDD)-like structure. The influence of LDD-like region on HC degradation is investigated for the first time. The on-current degradation rate is significantly reduced from ‒ 85.03% to ‒1.54% when the length of the LDD-like region is increased from 10 μm to 100 μm. TCAD simulation and contact resistance extraction confirm that the LDD-like region connected between the active layer and the drain functions as a resistor to distribute the voltage drop, thereby improving HC reliability. The quantified analysis of the relationship between the LDD-like region and HC degradation further confirms the voltage distribution by the LDD-like region and is the primary reason for mitigating HC degradation.