Universal Compact Model for Thin-Film Transistors and Circuit Simulation for Low-Cost Flexible Large Area Electronics

TLDR: A user-friendly tool was developed to provide an interactive way for convenient parameter extraction and the model is continuous from the off-state and subthreshold regimes to the above-threshold regime, avoiding the convergence problems when being used in SPICE circuit simulations.

Abstract: Thin-film transistors (TFT) in hydrogenated amorphoussilicon, amorphousmetal oxide, andsmallmolecule and polymer organic semiconductors would all hold promise as potential device candidates to large area flexible electronics applications. A universal compact dc model was developed with a proper balance between the physical and mathematical approaches for these thin-film transistors (TFTs). It can capture the common key parameters used for device performance benchmarking of the different TFTs while being applicable to a wide range of TFT technologies in different materials and device structures. Based on this model, a user-friendly tool was developed to provide an interactive way for convenient parameter extraction. The model is continuous from the off-state and subthreshold regimes to the above-threshold regime, avoiding the convergence problems when being used in SPICE circuit simulations. Finally, for verification, it was implemented into a SPICE circuit simulator using Verilog-A to simulate a TFT circuit examplewith the simulated results agreeing verywell with the experimental measurements.