The characterization and fabrication of active matrix thin film transistors (TFTs) has been studied for an addressable microfluidic electrowetting channel device as application. A new transparent semiconductor material, Amorphous Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (a-IGZO), is used for TFT, which shows high electrical performance rather than amorphous silicon based TFT; higher mobility and even higher transparency. The purpose of this dissertation is to optimize each TFT process including the optimization of a-IGZO properties to achieve robust device for application. To minimize hysteresis of TFT curves, the gate dielectric is discussed extensively in this dissertation. By optimizing gas ratio of NH3SiH4, it is found that the TFT with NH3 rich SiNx gate dielectric deposited with NH3/SiH4 =5.1 and stoichiometric SiO2 demonstrates best condition to reduce hysteresis. a-IGZO films is investigated as a function of power and substrate bias effect which affects to electrical performance; the higher power and substrate bias increase the carrier density in the film and mainly cause threshold voltage(VT) to shift in the negative gate voltage direction and mobility to increase, respectively. In addition, the powerful method to estimate the electrical properties of a-IGZO is proposed by calculating O2 and IGZO flux during sputtering in which the incorporation ratio with O2/IGZO ≈1 demonstrates the optimized a-IGZO film for TFT. It is confirmed that both physical and chemical adsorption affects the electrical property of a-IGZO channel by studying TFT-IV characteristics with different pressure and analyzing X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), which mainly affects the VT instability. The sputtered SiO2 passivation shows better electrical performance. To achieve electrically compatible (lower back channel current) a-IGZO film to SiO2 sputter passivated device, a-IGZO TFTs require oxygen rich a-IGZO back channel by employing two step a-IGZO deposition process (2nd 10nm a-IGZO with PO2 = 1.5mTorr on 1st 40nm a-IGZO with PO2=1mTor). Electrowetting microfluidic channel device as application using a-IGZO TFTs is studied by doing preliminary test. The electrowetting channel test using polymer post device platform is candidate for addressable electrowetting microfluidic channel device driven by active matrix type a-IGZO TFT.

In this dissertation, the electrical characteristics of generally used hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) TFTs in LCD and newly risen amorphous indium-gallium-zinc oxide (a-IGZO) TFTs were studied. For modern mobile display and large-size flat panel display application, the traditional thin-film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) technology confronts with a lot of challenges and problems. In general, flexible displays must exhibit some bending ability; however, bending applies mechanical strain to electronic circuits and affects device characteristics. Therefore, the electrical characteristics of a-Si:H TFTs fabricated on stainless steel foil substrates with uniaxial bending were investigated at different temperatures. Experimental results showed that the on-state current and threshold voltage degraded under outward bending. This is because outward bending will induce the increase of band tail states, affecting the transport mechanism at different temperatures. In addition, for practical operation, the electrical characteristics of a-Si:H TFTs under flat and bending situations after AC/DC stress at different temperatures were studied. It was found that high temperature and mechanical bending played important roles under AC stress. The dependence between the accumulated sum of bias rising and falling time and the threshold voltage shifts under AC stress was also observed. Because a-Si:H is a photosensitive material, the high intensity backlight illumination will degrade the performance of a-Si:H TFTs. Thus, the photo-leakage current of a-Si:H TFTs under illumination was investigated at different temperatures. Experimental results showed that a-Si:H TFTs exhibited a pool performance at lower temperatures. The indirect recombination rate and the parasitic resistance (Rp) are responsible for the different photo-leakage-current trends of a-Si:H TFTs under varied temperature operations. To investigate the photo-leakage current, the a-Si:H TFTs were exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. It was found that the photo current of a-Si:H TFTs was reduced after UV light irradiation. The detail mechanisms on reducing/increasing photo-leakage current by UV light irradiation were discussed. Recently, the oxide-based semiconductor TFT, especially a-IGZO TFT, is considered as one of promising candidates for active matrix flat-panel display. However, the a-IGZO TFT exists significant electrical instability issue and manufacturing problems. As a consequence, we investigated the effect of hydrogen incorporation on a-IGZO TFTs to reduce interface states between active layer and insulator. Experimental results showed that the electrical characteristics of hydrogen-incorporated a-IGZO TFTs were improved. The threshold voltage shift (£GVth) in hysteresis loop is suppressed from 4 V to 2 V due to the hydrogen-induced passivation of the interface trap states. Finally, we reported the effect of ambient environment on a-IGZO TFT instability. As a-IGZO TFTs were stored in atmosphere environment for 40 days, the transfer characteristics accompanying strange hump were observed during bias-stress. The hump phenomenon is attributed to the absorption of H2O molecule. Additionally, the sufficient electric field is also necessary to cause this anomalous transfer characteristic.

Pour réaliser des fonctions électroniques sur support souple, le transistor en couches minces (TFT) est indispensable. Cette thèse a pour objectif d’approfondir les connaissances sur ces dispositifs.L’état de l’art est synthétisé dans le chapitre 1. Cette partie présente tout d’abord les TFT et justifie l’utilisation de l’oxyde d’indium gallium zinc (IGZO). Ensuite les propriétés de cet oxyde semi-conducteur amorphe sont traitées ; et enfin le chapitre fait état des résultats obtenus avec des TFT en IGZO.Le chapitre 2 établie un lien entre les propriétés de l’IGZO et le dépôt par pulvérisation cathodique. L’étude des films a été réalisée par ellipsométrie spectroscopique. Celle-ci a mis en évidence des variations dans les propriétés optiques dues au temps de dépôt, à la concentration en oxygène et à la position sur le substrat. Ces résultats ont été comparés à des mesures de résistivité, pour comprendre plus précisément la cause de ces variations.Le chapitre 3 élabore un procédé complet permettant de réaliser des TFT sur support souple. Le choix des différents matériaux est discuté, et les différents outils de procédés sont adaptés afin de réaliser ces dispositifs. Les TFT obtenus sont caractérisés en fonction du temps de recuit et sous flexion. Ils ont atteint des mobilités 10 cm².V-1.s-1.Le chapitre 4 étudie le dépôt d’IGZO par impression jet d’encre. Une encre a été formulée et les différents paramètres d’impression ajustés. Afin de comparer les différentes techniques de dépôt, des TFT avec canal en IGZO imprimé ont été réalisé et les films imprimés ont été caractérisé par ellipsométrie spectroscopique. Ces dispositifs ont atteint des mobilités de 0,4 cm2.V-1.s-1. / In order to carry out electronics functions on flexible substrate, thin film transistor is essential. The aim of this thesis is to increase knowledge on this device.State of art of IGZO TFT is summarized in chapter 1. This part presents thin film transistor and justify the choice of IGZO as the semiconductor material. Then, properties of this amorphous oxide semiconductor are discussed. Finally, this chapter presents the results obtained in the literature for IGZO based thin film transistor.Chapter 2 establishes a link between IGZO properties and sputtering deposition. Films are studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Experiments show variations in optical properties due to deposition time, oxygen content and position on the wafer. Resistivity measurements are carried out to understand more deeply the causes of these variations.Chapter 3 develops a complete process to achieve TFT on flexible substrate. The choice of different materials and processes is discussed. The performances of the TFT are investigated versus the annealing time and characterized under mechanical stress. Mobility up to 10 cm2.V-1.s-1 can be achieved after an annealing at 300°C during 1h30. Mechanical stresses show a degradation of the transistor induced by cracks in the oxide layer.Chapter 4 focuses on IGZO's deposition by inkjet printing. An ink is formulated using metallic salts and a solvents mixture. The parameters of the printing system are also optimized. To compare the different techniques of deposition, printed IGZO TFTs are characterized and compared with the one fabricated with the standard PVD deposition technique. Mobility is relatively lower and equals 0.4 cm2.V-1.s-1.

<div>In this thesis, we propose a model to predict the interfacial delamination in a flexible solar cell. The interface in a multilayer Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) flexible solar cell was studied applying the principles of fracture mechanics to a fixed-arm-peel test. </div><div>The principles of fracture mechanics ( J-integral and cohesive model) were implemented in a finite element software to compare the experimental with the numerical peeling force. A fixed-arm-peel test was used to obtain the peeling force for different peeling angles. This peel force and material properties from the CIGS solar cell were processed in several non-linear equations, so the energy required to start the delamination was obtained.The accuracy of the model was compared by fitting the experimental and numerical peeling force, which had a difference of 0.08 %. It is demonstrated that the peeling process for 90-degree could be replicated in COMSOL® software for a CIGS solar cell.</div>

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Parmi les nitrures III-V, le matériau InGaN a été intensément étudié depuis les années 2000 pour des applications photovoltaïques, en particulier pour des cellules multi-jonctions, grâce à son large gap modulable pouvant couvrir quasiment tout le spectre solaire. On pourrait alors atteindre de hauts rendements tout en assurant de bas coûts. Cependant, l’un des problèmes de l’InGaN est l’absence de substrat accordé en maille provoquant une grande densité de défauts et limitant ainsi les performances des composants. Nous avons donc étudié la faisabilité de cellules solaires simples jonctions à base d’InGaN sur des substrats alternatifs comme le silicium et le verre afin de baisser les coûts et d’avoir de larges applications. Afin d’adapter l’InGaN sur ces substrats alternatifs, nous avons utilisé une couche tampon en ZnO. Ce travail a été réalisé dans le cadre du projet ANR NewPVonGlass. Plus particulièrement, dans ce projet, mon travail avait pour objectifs de réaliser des caractérisations électriques et optiques des matériaux et des composants. Les deux premières parties de cette thèse introduisent le matériau InGaN et l’effet photovoltaïque. Les techniques de caractérisation utilisées sont expliquées dans le troisième chapitre. Ensuite, les résultats obtenus lors de la caractérisation cristalline du matériau InGaN sont présentés en fonction du substrat, de la concentration d’indium et de l’épaisseur de la couche. Puis, la cinquième partie développe les caractérisations des premières cellules à base d’InGaN sur saphir. Enfin, dans le dernier chapitre, des simulations de cellules solaires à base d’InGaN ont été réalisées. Le modèle développé nous a permis d’optimiser la structure et le dopage du composant et de déterminer les paramètres critiques. Nous montrons donc, dans ce travail, le développement d’une cellule solaire à base d’InGaN : des caractérisations des matériaux de base à celles des cellules solaires, en passant par la modélisation. / Among III-V nitrides, the InGaN material has intensively been studied since the year 2000 for photovoltaic applications, in particular for multi-junction solar cells, thanks to its large tunable band gap covering almost the entire solar spectrum. Then, it will be possible to reach high efficiency and low cost. However, one of the problems of InGaN material is the absence of lattice-matched substrate leading to high defect density which limits device performances. We have thus studied the feasibility of single junction InGaN based solar cells on alternative substrate such as silicon and glass in order to lower the price and to benefit from their wide application fields. To adapt InGaN material on these new substrates, we have utilized ZnO buffer layer. This work has been carried out within the framework of the ANR project NewPVonGlass. More particularly, in this project, I was in charge of the electrical and optical characterizations of the materials and devices. In the two first parts of this manuscript, the InGaN material and the photovoltaic effect are introduced. Then, the characterization techniques are explained in the third chapter. In the fourth part, the results obtained during crystalline characterization of the InGaN materials are presented depending on the substrate, the indium percentage and the InGaN layer thickness. Then, the fifth chapter presents the first InGaN-based solar cell characteristics on sapphire substrate. Finally, in the last part, simulations of InGaN-based solar cell have been performed. The developed model was able to optimize the structure and to determine the critical parameters. Thus, we have shown in this work the development of an InGaN-based solar cell from the base material characterizations to the device tests, through modeling.

L'optomécanique est la science des interactions entre la lumière et les mouvements mécaniques. Ce rapport de thèse décrit des expériences réalisées avec des microdisques fabriqué dans différents résonateurs semi-conducteurs III-V: l'Arséniure de Gallium (GaAs), l'Arséniure d'Aluminium Gallium (AlGaAs) et l'Arséniure d'Indium Phosphide (InGaP). Ces matériaux sont compatibles avec les fonctionnalités de l’optoélectronique et procurent un couplage optomécanique géant. Pour améliorer les performances des résonateurs en GaAs, nous avons développé des méthodes de traitement de surface permettant de réduire la dissipation optique par un facteur dix et ainsi d'atteindre un facteur de qualité de six millions. En plus de ces études sur le GaAs, nous avons réalisés une étude comparative des interactions optomecaniques dans des microdisques d'InGaP et d'AlGaAs, et nous avons mis en évidences leurs résonances optomécaniques. Finalement, nous avons réalisé des mesures de force avec des résonateurs en GaAs, démontrant un nouveau principe de détection basé sur notre étude de leur la trajectoire dans l'espace de phase et leur bruit de phase / Optomechanics studies the interaction between light and mechanical motion. This PhD thesis reports on optomechanical experiments carried with miniature disk resonators fabricated out of distinct III-V semiconductors: Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), Aluminium Gallium Arsenide (AlGaAs) and Indium Gallium Phosphide (InGaP). These materials are compliant with optoelectronics functionalities and provide giant optomechanical coupling. In order to boost performances of GaAs resonators, we implemented surface control techniques and obtained a ten-fold reduction of optical dissipation, attaining a Q of six million. On top of GaAs, we performed a comparative investigation of optomechanical interactions in InGaP and AlGaAs disk resonators, and demonstrated their operation as optomechanical oscillators. Finally, we carried out optomechanical force sensing experiments with GaAs resonators, analyzing a new sensing principle in light of the phase space trajectory and phase noise of the corresponding oscillators

Indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) and zinc-tin oxide (ZTO) are investigated for thin-film transistor (TFT) applications. Negative bias illumination stress (NBIS) is employed for electrical stability assessment. Unpassivated IGZO and ZTO TFTs suffer from severe NBIS instabilities. Zinc-tin-silicon oxide is found to be an effective passivation layer for IGZO and ZTO TFTs, significantly improving the NBIS stability. NBIS instabilities in unpassivated TFTs are attributed to an NBIS-induced desorption of chemisorbed oxygen from the channel layer top surface, exposing surface oxygen vacancies. A ZTSO layer protects the channel layer top surface from adsorbed gas interactions and also appears to reduce the density of oxygen vacancies. The best device architectures investigated with respect to TFT electrical performance are found to be staggered with aluminum electrodes for unpassivated TFTs and coplanar with ITO electrodes for ZTSO-passivated TFTs. Annealing in wet-O₂ is not found to be effective for improving the performance of IGZO or ZTO TFTs or for reducing the post-deposition annealing temperature. / Graduation date: 2012

In order to meet the requests of the application as pixel switch and current driver in next generation active-matrix liquid crystal displays (AMLCD) and active-matrix organic light-emitting diodes (AMOLED). The materials of low temperature poly-silicon (LTPS) and metal-oxide are supposed to be the most potential material for active layer of thin-film transistors (TFTs) due to their high mobility compared to the traditional amorphous silicon TFTs. Therefore, in order to make the LTPS TFTs and metal-oxide TFTs affordable for the practical applications, the understanding of instability and reliability is critically important. In the first part, we studied the nonvolatile memory characteristics of polycrystalline-silicon thin-film-transistors (poly-Si TFTs) with a silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS) structure. As the device was programmed, significant gate induced drain leakage current was observed due to the extra programmed electrons trapped in the nitride layer which. In order to suppress the leakage current and thereby avoid signal misidentification, we utilized band-to-band hot hole injection method to counteract programmed electrons and this method can exhibit good sustainability because the injected hot holes can remain in the nitride layer after repeated operations. On the other hand, we also investigated the degradation behavior of SONOS-TFT under off-state stress. After the electrical stress, the significant on-state degradation indicates that the interface states accompanied with hot-hole injection. Moreover, the ISE-TCAD simulation tool was utilized to model the degradation mechanism and analyze trap states distribution. Furthermore, we also performed the identical off-state stress for the device with different memory states. The different degradation behavior under different memory states is attributed to the different overlap region of injected holes and trap states. In the second part, the degradation mechanism of indium-gallium-zinc oxide (IGZO) thin film transistors (TFTs) caused by gate-bias stress performed in the dark and light illumination was investigated. The parallel threshold voltage indicates that charge trapping model dominates the degradation behavior under positive gate-bias stress. However, the degradation of negative gate bias stress is much slighter than the positive gate bias stress since the IGZO material is hard to induced hole inversion layer. In addition, the hole mobility is much lower than electron resulting in ignorable hole trapping effect. On the other hand, the identical positive and negative gate bias stress performed under light illumination exhibit opposite degradation behavior compared with dark stress. This degradation variation under dark and light illumination can be attributed to the effectively energy barrier variation of electron and hole trapping. Furthermore, to further investigate the light induced instability for IGZO TFTs, the device with and without a SiOx passivation were investigated under light illumination. The experiment results indicate that oxygen adsorption and desorption dominate the light induced instability for unpassivated device and the trap states caused during the passivation layer deposition process will induce apparent subthreshold photo-leakage current under light illumination. In the third part, we investigated the degradation mechanism of IGZO TFTs under hot-carrier and self-heating stress. Under hot-carrier stress, except the electron trapping induced positive Vt shift, an apparent on-current degradation behavior indicates that trap states creation. On the other hand, the identical hot-carrier stress performed in the asymmetric source/drain structure exhibits different degradation behavior compared with symmetric source/drain structure. For asymmetric structure, the strong electrical field in the I-shaped drain electrode will induce channel hot electron injection near the drain side and cause asymmetric threshold voltage degradation. In this part we also investigated the degradation behavior under self-heating stress. The apparent positive threshold voltage (Vt) shift and on-current degradation indicate that the combination of trap states generation and electron trapping effect occur during stress. The trap states generation is caused by the combination of Joule heating and the large vertical field. Moreover, the Joule heating generated by self-heating operation can enhance electron trapping effect and cause larger Vt shift in comparison with the gate-bias stress. Finally, the electrical properties and photo sensitivity of dual gate IGZO TFTs were investigated. The asymmetric electrical properties and photo sensitivity under top gate and bottom gate operation is attributed to the variation of gate control region. Furthermore, the obvious asymmetric photo sensitivity can be utilized to the In-cell touch panel technology and lower the process cost compared with the traditional a-Si TFTs due to the elimination of black matrix.

The objective of this study is analysing the characteristics of five different solar cell technologies regarding their efficiency, fill factor, cost and environmental impacts and comparing their improvement records over years considering their efficiency. The five solar cell technologies of interest are amorphous silicon, monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, cupper indium gallium selenide thin film and cadmium telluride thin film. The structure and manufacturing process of each of cell technologies were discussed. The study was conducted by the aid of available scientific reports regarding the electrical characteristics of different solar cell technologies. The extracted information regarding efficiency rate and fill factor was analysed using graphs and significant findings are discussed. The five technologies are also compared regarding their cost and ease of fabrication and their impacts on environment and recycling challenges. The result of this study is suggesting the most promising technology that may be the optimal option for further investment and research.