Schottky Diode Based on Microcrystalline Silicon Deposited at 165°C for RFID Application

摘要

Nowadays there is a lot of interest for the development of smart and low cost radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to replace barcodes. Cost reduction can be expected if the antenna is directly connected to the electronic chip, both fabricated directly on the flexible holder of the tag. Thus, the assembly over-cost is highly reduced once no additional step is needed. This way is addressed now through organic electronics. However the performance in terms of working bias, stability and mainly repeatability are far from the requirement in commercial practical use. One method to reduce the manufacturing cost of RFID tags is to use large area electronics methods and technology. A possibility is to use hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon as the semiconductor material for the electrical devices on RFID tags. Microcrystalline silicon possesses several superior benefits when compared with the amorphous silicon. These include higher carrier mobility, the possibility to fabricate p-type devices and better stability. Silicon electronics on low cost flexible substrate has to be processed at low temperature. Among these substrates, heat stabilized PEN manufactured by DuPont Teijin Films can reach the highest temperature of 200°C with 0.2% shrinkage only, during 10 minutes. The highest temperature of the process is then 200°C. At such low temperature silicon can be deposited amorphous or crystallized. In this study, microcrystalline silicon, previously optimized (1,2) is chosen for its possibility to produce efficient CMOS electronics.