Comparative analysis of mechanical and thermal stresses in ITO and AZO thin films on flexible PET substrates for flexible electronic applications

IF 1.9 4区工程技术 Q3 ENGINEERING, ELECTRICAL & ELECTRONIC

Microelectronics Reliability Pub Date : 2025-09-16 DOI:10.1016/j.microrel.2025.115921

Mohammad M. Hamasha , Sa'd Hamasha , Khalid Alzoubi , Raghad Massadeh , Khozima Hamasha

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study investigates the mechanical and thermal characteristics of indium tin oxide (ITO) and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films on flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. The percentage change in electrical resistance (PCER) was investigated through cyclic bending fatigue, thermal cycling, and thermal aging tests to simulate the film's degradation over time under conditions similar to real-life use. Results reveal that AZO films are more prone to crack development and resistance increase under mechanical and thermal stress, especially at elevated temperatures. ITO films proved to be more stable and have smaller PCER values with superior performance under long-term stress. The findings pinpoint ITO's superior mechanical and thermal reliability when compared with AZO and its applicability in long-term flexible electronic devices. This comparative study presents important evidence towards the stability of transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) on flexible substrates and educates the selection of material in stable, resilient, and flexible optoelectronic and photovoltaic devices.

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柔性电子用PET基板上ITO和AZO薄膜的机械和热应力比较分析

本研究研究了在柔性聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯（PET）衬底上氧化铟锡（ITO）和掺铝氧化锌（AZO）薄膜的力学和热特性。通过循环弯曲疲劳、热循环和热老化测试来模拟薄膜在类似实际使用条件下随时间的退化，研究了电阻的百分比变化（PCER）。结果表明，在机械应力和热应力作用下，特别是在高温下，AZO薄膜更容易产生裂纹并增加电阻。在长期应力作用下，ITO薄膜更稳定，pper值更小，性能更优越。研究结果表明，与AZO相比，ITO具有优越的机械和热可靠性，并且在长期柔性电子器件中具有适用性。这项比较研究为柔性衬底上透明导电氧化物（TCOs）的稳定性提供了重要证据，并指导了稳定、弹性和柔性光电和光伏器件材料的选择。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Microelectronics Reliability 工程技术-工程：电子与电气

CiteScore

3.30

自引率

12.50%

发文量

342

审稿时长

68 days

期刊介绍： Microelectronics Reliability, is dedicated to disseminating the latest research results and related information on the reliability of microelectronic devices, circuits and systems, from materials, process and manufacturing, to design, testing and operation. The coverage of the journal includes the following topics: measurement, understanding and analysis; evaluation and prediction; modelling and simulation; methodologies and mitigation. Papers which combine reliability with other important areas of microelectronics engineering, such as design, fabrication, integration, testing, and field operation will also be welcome, and practical papers reporting case studies in the field and specific application domains are particularly encouraged. Most accepted papers will be published as Research Papers, describing significant advances and completed work. Papers reviewing important developing topics of general interest may be accepted for publication as Review Papers. Urgent communications of a more preliminary nature and short reports on completed practical work of current interest may be considered for publication as Research Notes. All contributions are subject to peer review by leading experts in the field.