The surface morphology in polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) film is an issue regardless of whether conventional excimer laser annealing (ELA) or the newer metal-induced lateral crystallization (MILC) process is used. This paper investigates the stress distribution while undergoing long-term mechanical stress and the influence of stress on electrical characteristics. Our simulated results show that the nonuniform stress in the gate insulator is more pronounced near the polysilicon/gate insulator edge and at the two sides of the polysilicon protrusion. This stress results in defects in the gate insulator and leads to a nonuniform degradation phenomenon, which affects both the performance and the reliability in thin-film transistors (TFTs). The degree of degradation is similar regardless of bending axis (channel-length axis, channel-width axis) or bending type (compression, tension), which means that the degradation is dominated by the protrusion effects. Furthermore, by utilizing long-term electrical bias stresses after undergoing long-tern bending stress, it is apparent that the carrier injection is severe in the subchannel region, which confirms that the influence of protrusions is crucial. To eliminate the influence of surface morphology in poly-Si, three kinds of laser energy density were used during crystallization to control the protrusion height. The device with the lowest protrusions demonstrates the smallest degradation after undergoing long-term bending.
High-Si-content transition metal nitride coatings, which exhibited an X-ray amorphous phase, were proposed as protective coatings on glass molding dies. In a previous study, the Zr-SiN coatings with Si contents of 24-30 at.% exhibited the hardness of Si 3 N 4 , which was higher than those of the middle-Si-content (19 at.%) coatings. In this study, the bonding characteristics of the constituent elements of Zr-SiN coatings were evaluated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Results indicated that the Zr 3d 5/2 levels were 179.14-180.22 and 180.75-181.61 eV for the Zr-N bonds in ZrN and Zr 3 N 4 compounds, respectively. Moreover, the percentage of Zr-N bond in the Zr 3 N 4 compound increased with increasing Si content in the Zr-SiN coatings. The Zr-N bond of Zr 3 N 4 dominated when the Si content was >24 at.%. Therefore, high Si content can stabilize the Zr-N compound in the M 3 N 4 bonding structure. Furthermore, the thermal stability and chemical inertness of Zr-SiN coatings were evaluated by conducting thermal cycle annealing at 270 • C and 600 • C in a 15-ppm O 2-N 2 atmosphere. The results indicated that a Zr 22 Si 29 N 49 /Ti/WC assembly was suitable as a protective coating against SiO 2-B 2 O 3-BaO-based glass for 450 thermal cycles.
Zr-Si-N films were fabricated through the co-deposition of high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) and radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS). The mechanical properties of the films fabricated using various nitrogen flow rates and radio-frequency powers were investigated. The HiPIMS/RFMS co-sputtered Zr-Si-N films were under-stoichiometric. These films with Si content of less than 9 at.%, and N content of less than 43 at.% displayed a face-centered cubic structure. The films' hardness and Young's modulus exhibited an evident relationship to their compressive residual stresses. The films with 2-6 at.% Si exhibited high hardness of 33-34 GPa and high Young's moduli of 346-373 GPa, which was accompanied with compressive residual stresses from −4.4 to −5.0 GPa.
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