A new design for short channel length thin-film transistors (TFTs) is proposed and demonstrated with indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) and organic semiconductor active layers. The principal advantages of the new design arise from two distinct effects: (i) Nanospike array electrodes produce field-emission enhanced charge injection from the source/drain contacts to the semiconductor and lead to higher currents, current densities, and carrier velocities. (ii) Quasi-three-dimensional gate control at low gate voltages leading to improved turn-off characteristics, better sub-threshold swing and reduced drain voltage dependence of sub-threshold behavior. These advantages are very beneficial for back-end-of-the-line (BEOL) TFTs and will also apply to most other semiconductor material TFTs with Schottky contacts. Multi-nanospike TFTs with channel lengths as small as 50 nm, and single nanospike TFTs with channel lengths of ~ 10 nm have been fabricated.