  Degradation of metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitors of
gold/Parylene-C/Pentacene under constant voltage stress (CVS) was investigated
to explore the electrical stability and reliability of Parylene C as a gate
dielectric in flexible electronics. A stress voltage of fixed magnitude as high
as 20 V, both negative and positive in polarity, was applied to each MIS
capacitor at room temperature for a fixed duration as long as 10 s. The CVS
effects on the capacitance-voltage curve-shift, the time-dependent leakage
current, and the time-dependent dielectric breakdown were measured and
analyzed. CVS is observed to induce charge in Parylene-C and its interfaces
with gold and Pentacene. The net induced charge is positive and negative for,
respectively, negative and positive gate bias polarity during CVS. The
magnitude of the charge accumulated following positive gate CVS is
significantly higher than that following negative gate bias CVS in the range of
4 to 25 nC cm$^{-2}$. In contrast, the leakage current during the negative gate
stress is three orders of magnitude higher than that during the positive gate
stress for the same bias stress magnitude. The charge buildup and leakage
current are due to the trapping of electrons and holes near the
Parylene-C/Pentacene interface as well as in the Parylene-C layer. Before the
application of the CVS, a dielectric breakdown occurs at an electric field of
1.62 MV cm$^{-1}$. After the application of the CVS, the breakdown voltage
decreases and the density of the trapped charges increases as the stress
voltage increases in magnitude, with the polarity of the trapped charges
opposite to that of the stress voltage. The magnitude and direction of the
capacitance-voltage curve-shift depend on the trapping and recombination of
electrons and holes in the Parylene-C layer and in the proximity of the
Parylene-C/Pentacene interface during CVS.

Applied Physics