KINETICS OF INTERFACE STATE GENERATION INDUCED BY HOT CARRIERS IN N-CHANNEL POLYCRYSTALLINE SILICON THIN-FILM TRANSISTORS

Interface state creation, induced by hot hole injection, has been freq uently observed in n-channel polysilicon thin-film transistors, when s ubjected to prolonged bias stress with negative gate biases. In this w ork we propose a new model for the kinetics of interface state formati on, that closely links the interface state generation to the measured gate leakage current. The interface state generation mechanism appears to be driven by the recombination of hot holes (injected from the sem iconductor active layer) with electrons (injected from the gate electr ode). This model is shown to fit very well the time evolution of the i nterface states, as determined by the sheet conductance of the damaged region close to the drain.