The characteristics of fluorinated polycrystalline silicon oxides and thin film transistors by CF4 plasma treatment

This study describes a simple fluorinating technique by the tetrafluoromethane (CF₄) plasma treatment to form fluorinated polyoxides and polycrystalline silicon thin film transistors (TFTs). In comparison with the non-fluorinated device, the fluorinated polyoxides and devices exhibit a higher breakdown field (>8 MV/cm), low charge trapping rates, low off-state current, and low trap states. Furthermore, the performance and reliability of the fluorinated devices are also improved by the CF₄ plasma treatment. This is due to the fact that the incorporated fluorine can break strain bonds to form stronger silicon-fluorine (Si-F) bonds to passivate the generation of interface and trap states existing near the polyoxide/polysilicon interface and grain boundaries.