Floating-Electrode TFT Structure for Short-Channel Heat Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional thin film transistors (TFTs) with short channel lengths suffer from excessive electron accumulation, leading to heating and potential burnout, which affects the reliability and display performance of display apparatuses due to high electric field intensity and charge trapping in the insulating layer.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a floating electrode between the source and drain, which acts as a heat dissipator and voltage divider, preventing excessive electron accumulation and reducing the risk of thermal damage by distributing voltage and enhancing heat dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the channel length of TFT is reduced to improve integration density, then the transistor size is reduced, but excessive electron accumulation occurs leading to heating and potential burnout
Solution Approach 1:
The source-drain electrode layer is segmented into three distinct electrodes: source electrode, floating electrode, and drain electrode. This segmentation allows the source and drain to be separated by a floating electrode that can independently control electric field distribution, enabling shorter channel lengths without excessive electron accumulation and heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The floating electrode acts as an intermediary element between the source and drain electrodes. It mediates the electric field distribution and electron flow, preventing direct electron accumulation between source and drain while maintaining the shortened channel length, thus resolving the contradiction between miniaturization and reliability.
2Device complexity
If conventional source/drain electrode structure is used, then the structure is simple, but excessive electron accumulation causes heating and burnout
Solution Approach 1:
The conventional two-electrode source/drain structure is segmented into three electrodes by introducing a floating electrode. This segmentation creates distinct functional zones that prevent electron accumulation and reduce heating, while the overall structure remains relatively simple and compatible with existing manufacturing processes.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The floating electrode improves the stability and reliability of TFTs by preventing overheating and burnout, thereby enhancing the display performance and extending the lifespan of the TFTs.
Implementation Method 1
the floating electrode has a function of dissipating heat for the TFT
Implementation Method 2
since the floating electrode is disposed between the source and the drain, the floating electrode has a voltage dividing effect on the source and the drain
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a thin film transistor unit. The thin film transistor unit includes a first gate, a first gate insulating layer, a first semiconductor layer and a first source/drain electrode layer that are sequentially arranged on a substrate, wherein the first source/drain electrode layer includes a first source and a first drain that are spaced apart from each other along a first direction; and a floating electrode disposed on a side of the first semiconductor layer away from the first gate insulating layer, wherein in the first direction, an orthographic projection of the floating electrode on the substrate falls between an orthographic projection of the first source on the substrate and an orthographic projection of the first drain on the substrate.