Influence of UV irradiation and humidity on a low-cost ZnO nanoparticle TFT for flexible electronics

Nowadays, flexible and transparent electronics are receiving much attention in industry and research groups. Aiming at a suitable device for this technology, we present a low-cost and low-temperature integration process for ZnO nanoparticle thin-film transistors using a spray coating technique. An inverted coplanar structure with high-k gate dielectric filled with TiO₂ nanoparticles is used as transistor template. The transistor´s stability when exposed to dry air, wet air and ultra-violet irradiation is studied. Conjointly, a model for the observed effects based on the adsorption of oxygen and water molecules at the nanoparticle surface is proposed.