Enhancing the performance of low-temperature (LT) polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistors (TFTs) requires high-quality poly-Si films. One of the authors (A.H.) has already demonstrated a continuous-wave (CW) laser lateral crystallization (CLC) method to improve the crystalline quality of thin poly-Si films, using a diode-pumped solid-state CW laser. Another candidate method to increase the on-current and decrease the subthreshold swing (s.s.) is the use of a high-k gate stack. In this paper, we discuss the performance of top-gate CLC LT poly-Si TFTs with sputtering metal/hafnium oxide (HfO2) gate stacks on nonalkaline glass substrates. A mobility of 180 cm2/Vs is obtained for n-ch TFTs, which is considerably higher than those of previously reported n-ch LT poly-Si TFTs with high-k gate stacks; it is, however, lower than the one obtained with a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposited SiO2 gate stack. For p-ch TFTs, a mobility of 92 cm2/Vs and an s.s. of 98 mV/dec were obtained. This s.s. value is smaller than the ones of the previously reported p-ch LT poly-Si TFTs with high-k gate stacks. The evaluation of a fabricated complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor inverter showed a switching threshold voltage of 0.8 V and a gain of 38 at an input voltage of 2.0 V; moreover, full swing inverter operation was successfully confirmed at the low input voltage of 1.0 V. This shows the feasibility of CLC LT poly-Si TFTs with a sputtered HfO2 gate dielectric on nonalkaline glass substrates.

A multigate polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) thin-film transistor (TFT) is a recently popular topic in the field of Si devices. In this study, self-aligned planar metal double-gate poly-Si TFTs consisting of an embedded bottom metal gate, a top metal gate fabricated by a self-alignment process, and a lateral poly-Si film with a grain size greater than 2 µm were fabricated on a glass substrate at 550. The nominal field-effect mobility of an n-channel TFT is 530 cm2/Vs, and its subthreshold slope is 140 mV/dec. The performance of the proposed TFTs is superior to that of top-gate TFTs fabricated using equivalent processes.

Conventional metal-glazed thick-film resistors are applied to Hybrid Integrated Circuits, chip resistors and others. These resistors are usually fired at a high temperature of around 850C on ceramic substrates. Recently, however, attempts have been made to fire some metal-glazed thick-film resistors at lower temperatures on glass substrates for application as the control resistors for the discharge current of dc Plasma Display Panels (PDPs). We have attempted to realize such low-firing-temperature thick-film resistors using Pb2Ru2O7-x as conductive particles, two kinds of lead-borosilicate glasses as binders, and three kinds of metallic oxide as additives, which are fired at 580C on a soda lime glass substrate. The electrical properties of the specimens, 16 kinds in all, fabricated from various combinations of binder glasses, additives and electrode materials have been measured. Effective dimensions of the specimen resistor are 0.25 0.25 mm2 or less in surface area, since extremely small size is required by PDPs. The effect of the combination of additive and binder glass on the conductive particles of Pb2Ru2O7-x has been examined in detail, together with the affinity for electrical conjunction between resistor and electrode.