Hyunji Shin

Unencapsulated solution-processed oxide-semiconductor transistors suffer from cross-sensitivity and baseline instability. In this study, we systematically investigate the field-effect transport kinetics and species-dependent gas interaction dynamics of solution-processed amorphous indium zinc oxide thin-film transistors across pressure state transitions (760–10⁻³ Torr) and single-gas purging environments (N₂, O₂, Ar, CO₂, and humid air > 90% relative humidity). Our experimental findings indicate that atmospheric pressure variations dictate bulk channel conduction via free-carrier density shifts, whereas relative humidity drives parasitic gate (I_G)/surface leakage currents (I_surface) through moisture-mediated interfacial trap creation. Purging tests reveal a nonpolar sensing window where N₂ promotes bulk carrier accumulation, while Ar drives carrier depletion without degrading gate dielectric insulation. Electrophilic O₂ suppresses channel current while increasing I_G, whereas CO₂ exhibits total electrical invariance. Real-time pulse-switching measurements confirm high detection fidelity (maximum signal-to-noise ratio > 30 dB for N₂ and Ar) with excellent recovery. Correlating these dynamic responses with an exponential sub-bandgap density-of-states model establishes key principles for developing unencapsulated oxide chemical sensors that can discriminate complex gas–species mixtures in real-world ambient environments.

In this study, we systematically decoupled reversible charge transitions via recombination and irreversible bulk trapping via ionization in solution-processed indium zinc oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) under positive- and negative-bias-stress (PBS and NBS) conditions. We defined highly decoupled degradation behavior by completely evaluating time-dependent transfer characteristics and saturation leakage currents across a range of indium molarities (0.0125 M to 0.2 M). Results indicate that PBS-induced instability is likely governed by a reversible electrostatic neutralization process reducing total effective shallow and deep acceptor-like states, which are dynamically counteracted by interfacial recombination at the dielectric/semiconductor boundary. Conversely, severe degradation under NBS originated from irreversible bulk trapping triggered by the ionization of donor-like oxygen vacancies in a ZnO amorphous random network. Total effective trapped charges were calculated from threshold voltage shifts to clarify these defect kinetics quantitatively; these calculations demonstrated direct correlation with the integrated theoretical capacities of the deep and shallow acceptor-like gap-state distributions. Finally, we propose a comprehensive density of state–energy band alignment model incorporating thermal activation energies and flat-band voltages. This analytical framework proves that the composition-dependent Fermi level positioning rigorously limits and dictates complex bias-stress instabilities, offering profound insights for designing highly stable amorphous oxide semiconductor TFTs.

The recovery lifetime postponement mechanism in solution-processed (SP) indium zinc oxide (IZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) is analytically formulated under thermal and photo-annealing conditions. A quantitative density of states (DOS) model is employed to analyse charge transport dynamics and the impact of In molarity ratios on the retention lifetime and electrical stability. The photo-retention characteristics of IZO TFTs were examined during photo-annealing, showing that higher In molarity concentrations extend the retention lifetime. To quantify this behaviour, a recovery lifetime estimation method based on post-annealing and DOS distributions is proposed. A DOS–energy diagram describing the charge transition mechanism and its relationship with the atomic structure of SP IZO semiconductors is developed. A trade-off between the prolonged retention lifetime and recovery capability with increasing In molarity is noted. This work provides a detailed framework for understanding retention lifetime dynamics, stability, and performance of SP IZO TFTs, offering insights for their widespread application in sensor devices.

Organic phototransistors exhibit great promise for use in a wide range of technological applications due to their flexibility, low cost, and low-temperature processability. However, their low transparency due to visible light absorption has hindered their adoption in next-generation transparent electronics. For this reason, the present study sought to develop a highly sensitive organic phototransistor with greater transparency and significantly higher light sensitivity in the visible and UVA regions without deterioration in its electrical properties. An organic blended thin-film transistor (TFT) fabricated from the blend of an organic semiconductor and an insulating polymer demonstrated improved electrical properties in the dark and a higher current under light irradiation even though its transmittance was higher. The device exhibited a transmittance of 87.28% and a photosensitivity of 7049.96 in the visible light region that were 4.37% and 980 times higher than those of the single-semiconductor-based device. The carrier mobility of the device blended with the insulating polymer was improved and greatly amplified under light irradiation. It is believed that the insulating polymer facilitated the crystallization of the organic semiconductor, thus promoting the flow of photogenerated excitons and improving the photocurrent. Overall, the proposed TFT offers excellent low-temperature processability and has the potential to be employed in a range of transparent electronic applications.

To realize oxide semiconductor-based complementary circuits and better transparent display applications, the electrical properties of p-type oxide semiconductors and the performance improvement of p-type oxide thin-film transistors (TFTs) are required. In this study, we report the effects of post-UV/ozone (O₃) treatment on the structural and electrical characteristics of copper oxide (CuO) semiconductor films and the TFT performance. The CuO semiconductor films were fabricated using copper (II) acetate hydrate as a precursor material to solution processing and the UV/O₃ treatment was performed as a post-treatment after the CuO film was fabricated. During the post-UV/O₃ treatment for up to 13 min, the solution-processed CuO films exhibited no meaningful change in the surface morphology. On the other hand, analysis of the Raman and X-ray photoemission spectra of solution-processed CuO films revealed that the post-UV/O₃ treatment induced compressive stress in the film and increased the composition concentration of Cu–O lattice bonding. In the post-UV/O₃-treated CuO semiconductor layer, the Hall mobility increased significantly to approximately 280 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, and the conductivity increased to approximately 4.57 × 10⁻² Ω⁻¹ cm⁻¹. Post-UV/O₃-treated CuO TFTs also showed improved electrical properties compared to those of untreated CuO TFTs. The field-effect mobility of the post-UV/O₃-treated CuO TFT increased to approximately 6.61 × 10⁻³ cm⁻² V⁻¹ s⁻¹, and the on-off current ratio increased to approximately 3.51 × 10³. These improvements in the electrical characteristics of CuO films and CuO TFTs can be understood through the suppression of weak bonding and structural defects between Cu and O bonds after post-UV/O₃ treatment. The result demonstrates that the post-UV/O₃ treatment can be a viable method to improve the performance of p-type oxide TFTs.

Among various energy harvesting technologies, triboelectricity is an epoch-making discovery that can convert energy loss caused by the mechanical vibration or friction of parts into energy gain. As human convenience has emerged as an important future value, wireless devices have attracted widespread attention; thus, it is essential to extend the duration and lifespan of batteries through energy harvesting or the application of self-powered equipment. Here, we report a transistor, in which the gate rotates and rubs against the dielectric and utilizes the triboelectricity generated rather than the switching voltage of the transistor. The device is a triboelectric transistor with a simple structure and is manufactured using a simple process. Compared to that at the stationary state, the output current of the triboelectric transistor increased by 207.66 times at the maximum rotation velocity. The approach reported in this paper could be an innovative method to enable a transistor to harness its own power while converting energy loss in any rotating object into harvested energy.

In this study, we demonstrate high-performance optical wavelength-selective organic thin-film transistors (TFTs) that incorporate heterogeneous organic semiconductor materials, poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-pentacene). The electrical characteristics of the fabricated transistors were analyzed in the dark to determine how the P3HT:TIPS-pentacene ratio of the semiconductor affected the performance of the transistor. Specifically, the P3HT:TIPS-pentacene weight ratio was varied (1:0, 1:0.25, 1:0.5, 1:0.75, 1:1, and 0:1) by blending 1 wt% P3HT dissolved in chloroform, and 1 wt% TIPS-pentacene dissolved in anisole. The UV-visible light absorbance characteristics of the films containing the P3HT, TIPS-pentacene, and P3HT:TIPS-pentacene blends were analyzed. Monochromatic light at wavelengths of 515 and 450 nm was used to clarify the influence of irradiation on the electrical characteristics of the TFTs. The results confirmed that the TFT containing P3HT:TIPS-pentacene at a blending ratio of 1:0.5 had the largest light-to-dark current ratio, i.e., approximately 33.8 and 23.5 when exposed to monochromatic light at wavelengths of 515 nm and 450 nm, respectively. The TFT with the P3HT:TIPS-pentacene blending ratio of 1:0.5 exhibited the highest photosensitivity values of 261.9 and 49.6 upon irradiation with light at wavelengths of 515 nm and 450 nm, respectively. The observed improvement in the performance of the heterogeneously blended organic transistors is discussed in relation to the morphological structure and charge transport path of the P3HT:TIPS-pentacene blended semiconductor films.

Organic phototransistors capable of absorbing in the visible light spectrum without color filters are the best alternatives to conventional inorganic phototransistors. In this study, the effect of illumination on the electrical characteristics of a solution-processed poly(3-hexylthiophene): 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene-blend thin-film transistor (TFT) was investigated. The wavelengths of the irradiated light were determined from the absorbance spectrum of the blended film and changes in the transistor’s electrical characteristics were explained in relation to the electrical and light absorption properties of each component material. The photosensitivity and absorbing properties of the blended TFT were enhanced at 515 and 450 nm and exhibited positively shifted threshold voltages under incident light. The results indicated that the photo-generated exci-ton pair characteristics matched the absorbance properties of the blended material and that the absorption and photocurrent characteristics of the respective components could be combined. This process for the heterogeneous blending of organic semiconductors has the potential to improve phototransistor performance and contribute to the development of broadband absorbing phototransistors.

We investigate the electrical characteristics of solution-processed poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P3HT) thin-film transistors (TFTs) under monochromatic illumination conditions at different wavelengths of 700, 655, 515, and 315 nm. The TFT characteristics measured under light illumination at the wavelengths of 700 and 655 nm were comparable to those measured in the dark state. In addition, light illumination at a wavelength of 515 nm, of which photon energy (~2.4 eV) is higher than the band gap energy of P3HT (~1.7 eV), had a little effect on the electrical characteristics of P3HT TFTs. On the other hand, the TFT performance was notably changed by light illumination at a wavelength of 315 nm. These results indicate that the photon energy, which cause the characteristic degradation in the solution-processed P3HT TFTs, is much higher than the band gap energy of P3HT. Consequently, the illumination-induced variation in the TFT performance can be understood through a broad distribution of energetic states in the solution-processed P3HT semiconductor.