Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T03:47:08.069Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of Annealing on the Mechanical and Electrical Properties of DC Sputtered Tantalum Pentoxide (Ta2O5) Thin Films

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2011

J. M. Purswani
Affiliation:
Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
A. P. Pons
Affiliation:
Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA
J. T. Glass
Affiliation:
Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA Electrical and Computer Engineering, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA
R. D. Evans
Affiliation:
Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106, USA The Timken Company, Canton, Ohio 44706, USA
J. D. Cogdell
Affiliation:
The Timken Company, Canton, Ohio 44706, USA
Get access

Abstract

Tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) films were deposited onto p-type silicon substrates using reactive DC magnetron sputtering, and then annealed for one hour in a dry air ambient at temperatures of 730°C, 780°C, and 830°C. Annealing was shown to reduce stress from the as-deposited sample, and resulted in a compressive stress state for samples annealed at 730°C and a tensile stress state for the other samples. Hardness values were approximately 8 GPa, with the exception of the sample annealed at 780°C that demonstrated a hardness of 13 GPa. Leakage current generally decreased with annealing, especially at the lower temperatures. Electrical breakdown was observed for as-deposited and the 830°C annealed films. Resistivities of the films ranged from 6.5 × 109 to 6.1 × 1012 ω-cm, with the film annealed at 830°C being the most conductive. Annealing also led to an increase in dielectric constant. Dielectric constants varied from 9.3 for the as-deposited to greater than 30 for the 780°C and 830°C annealed sample. Annealing resulted in crystalline films that were close to stoichiometric.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Chaneliere, C., Autran, J. L., Devine, R. A. B., and Balland, B., Materials Science and Engineering R22, 269322 (1998).Google Scholar
2. Park, Y.-B., Li, X., Nam, G.-J., and Rhee, S.-W., Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics 10, 113119 (1999).Google Scholar
3. Porporati, A., Roitti, S., and Sbaizero, O., Journal of the European Ceramic Society 23, 247251 (2003).Google Scholar
4. Kim, S.-O. and Kim, H. J., Thin Solid Films 253, 435439 (1994).Google Scholar
5. Salam, K. M. A., Fukudu, H., and Nomura, S., Journal of Applied Physics 93 (2), 11691175 (2003).Google Scholar
6. Chen, K., Nielsen, M., Yang, G. R., Rymaszewski, E. J., and Lu, T. M., Journal of Electronic Materials 26 (4), 397401 (1997).Google Scholar
7. Spassov, D., Atanassova, E., and Beshkov, G., Microelectronics Journal 31, 653661 (2000).Google Scholar
8. Houng, M.-P., Wang, Y.-H., Horng, J.-H., and Huang, R.-C., Japanese Journal of Applied Physics 40 (8), 50795084 (2001).Google Scholar
9. Kim, I., Kim, J.-S., Kwon, O.-S., Ahn, S.-T., Chun, J. S., and Lee, W.-J., Journal of Electronic Materials 24 (10), 14351441 (1995).Google Scholar
10. Lee, J. S., Chang, S. J., Chen, J. F., Sun, S. C., Liu, C. H., and Liaw, U. H., Materials Chemistry and Physics 77, 242247 (2002).Google Scholar
11. Joshi, P. C. and Cole, M. W., Journal of Applied Physics 86 (2), 871880 (1999).Google Scholar
12. Dimitrova, T., Arshak, K., and Atanassova, E., Thin Solid Films 381, 3138 (2001).Google Scholar
13. Mahodaux, C., Rignault, H., Giovannini, H., Escoubas, L., and Morreti, P., Microsc. Microanal. Microstruct. 8, 251260 (1997).Google Scholar
14. Oliver, W. C. and Pharr, G. M., Journal of Materials Research 7 (6), 15641583 (1992).Google Scholar