Skip to main content
Log in

Study on microstructural, chemical and electrical properties of tantalum nitride thin films deposited by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering

  • Technical Paper
  • Published:
Microsystem Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The properties of tantalum nitride (TaNx) thin films on silicon and low temperature co-fired ceramics based substrates were investigated with respect to their potential use for sensor elements operated under harsh environmental conditions. For deposition reactive direct current magnetron sputtering was applied at constant back pressure (=0.9 Pa) and plasma power (=1,000 W). In all experiments, the substrates were nominally unheated. The films were investigated electrically by four point probing. For morphological and chemical analyses, a large variety of techniques such as focussed ion beam, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy were used. Only by combining all these techniques for analysing TaNx films synthesised with varying nitrogen content in the deposition chamber can a proper evaluation of the microstructure and the chemical composition be done. Both the microstructure and the chemical composition are influenced strongly with a resulting effect on the electrical film properties.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abdin S, Val C (1979) The production of tantalum nitride film resistors using a continuous sputtering machine. Thin Solid Films 57:327–331. doi:10.1016/0040-6090(79)90172-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayerdi I, Castano E, Garcia-Alonso A, Gracia FJ (1994) Ceramic pressure sensor based on tantalum thin film. Sens Actuators A Phys 42:435–438. doi:10.1016/0924-4247(94)80028-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ayerdi I, Castano E, Garcia-Alonso A, Gracia FJ (1997) High-temperature ceramic pressure sensor. Sens Actuators A Phys 60:72–75. doi:10.1016/S0924-4247(96)01438-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baba K, Hatada R (1996) Synthesis and properties of tantalum nitride films formed by ion beam assisted deposition. Surf Coat Technol 84:429–433. doi:10.1016/S0257-8972(95)02799-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baunack S, Hoffmann V, Zahn W (2006) Quantitative nitrogen analysis by Auger electron spectrometry and glow discharge optical emission spectrometry. Microchim Acta 156:69–72. doi:10.1007/s00604-006-0587-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang C-C, Jeng JS, Chen JS (2002) Microstructural and electrical characteristics of reactively sputtered Ta-N thin films. Thin Solid Films 413:46–51. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(02)00342-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang C-C, Chen JS, Hsu W-S (2004) Failure mechanism of amorphous and crystalline Ta-N films in the Cu/Ta-N/Ta/SiO2 structure. J Electrochem Soc 151:G746–G750. doi:10.1149/1.1803836

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen GS, Lee PY, Chen ST (1999) Phase formation behavior and diffusion barrier property of reactively sputtered tantalum-based thin fillms used in semiconductor metallization. Thin Solid Films 353:246–273. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(99)00431-9

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen GS, Chen ST, Huang SC, Lee HY (2001) Growth mechanism of sputter deposited Ta and Ta-N thin films induced by an underlying titanium layer and varying nitrogen flow rates. Appl Surf Sci 169–170:353–357. doi:10.1016/S0169-4332(00)00679-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chung G-S (2007) Characteristics of tantalum nitride thin film strain gauges for harsh environments. Sens Actuators A Phys 135:355–359. doi:10.1016/j.sna.2006.07.025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Depla D, Li XY, Mahieu S, Gryse RD (2008) Determination of the effective electron emission yields of compound materials. J Phys D Appl Phys 41:202003. doi:10.1088/0022-3727/41/20/202003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frisk K (1998) Analysis of the phase diagram and thermochemistry in the Ta–N and the Ta–C–N systems. J Alloys Compd 278:216–226. doi:10.1016/S0925-8388(98)00582-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gladczuk L, Patel A, Demaree JD, Sosnowski M (2005) Sputter deposition of bcc tantalum films with TaN underlayers for protection of steel. Thin Solid Films 476:295–302. doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2004.10.020

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grosser M, Schmid U (2009) The impact of sputter conditions on the microstructure and on the resistivity of tantalum thin films. Thin Solid Films 517:4493–4496. doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2008.12.009

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hieber K (1974) Structural and electrical properties of Ta and Ta nitrides deposited by chemical vapour deposition. Thin Solid Films 24:157–164. doi:10.1016/0040-6090(74)90261-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joint Committee on Powder Diffraction Standards (2002) The International Centre for Diffraction Data, Powder Diffraction FIles (2002) Campus Boulevard Newtown Square PA 19073-3273 USA

  • Lovejoy ML, Patrizi GA, Roger DJ, Barbour JC (1996) Thin-film tantalum-nitride resistor technology for phosphide-based optoelectronics. Thin Solid Films 290–291:513–517. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(06)08966-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu YM, Weng RJ, Hwang WS, Yang YS (2001a) Electrical properties of TaxNy films by implementing OES in the sputtering system. Mater Chem Phys 72:278–280. doi:10.1016/S0254-0584(01)00452-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lu YM, Weng RJ, Hwang WS, Yang YS (2001b) Study of phase transition and electrical resistivity of tantalum nitride films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering with OES detection system. Thin Solid Films 398–399:356–360. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(01)01342-6

  • Mientus R, Ellmer K (1999) Reactive DC magnetron sputtering of elemental targets in Ar/N2 mixtures: relation between the discharge characteristics and the heat of formation of the corresponding nitrides. Surf Coat Technol 116–119:1093–1101. doi:10.1016/S0257-8972(99)00124-3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Misina M., Shaginyan L. R., Macek M., Panjan P. (2001) Energy resolved ion mass spectroscopy of the plasma during reactive magnetron sputtering. Surf Coat Technol 142–144:348–354. doi:10.1016/S0257-8972(01)01071-4

  • Moon DW, Kim KJ, Park Y, Kim HK, Ha YH, Oh DH, Kang HJ (2000) Medium-energy ion scattering spectroscopy for quantitative surface and near-surface analysis of ultrathin films. Surf Interface Anal 30: 484–487. doi: 10.1002/1096-9918(200008)30:1<484::AID-SIA828>3.0.CO;2-U

  • Riekkinen T, Molarius J, Laurila T, Nurmela A, Suni I, Kivilahti J (2002) Reactive sputter deposition and properties of TaxN thin films. Microelectron Eng 64:289–297. doi:10.1016/S0167-9317(02)00801-8

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schauer A, Roschy M (1972) R.F. sputtered beta-tantalum and b.c.c. tantalum films. Thin Solid Films 12:313–317. doi:10.1016/0040-6090(72)90095-8

  • Schauer A, Peters W, Juergens W (1971) A very pure thin film tantalum. Thin Solid Films 8:R9–R12. doi:10.1016/0040-6090(71)90112-X

    Google Scholar 

  • Schroder DK (1998) Semiconductor material and device characterization. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Shin C-S, Kim Y-W, Gall D, Greene JE, Petrov I (2002) Phase composition and microstructure of polycrystalline and epitaxial TaNx layers grown on oxidized Si(001) and MgO(001) by reactive magnetron sputter deposition. Thin Solid Films 402:172–182. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(01)01618-2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sun X, Kolawa E, Chen J-S, Reid JS, Nicolet M-A (1993) Properties of reactively sputter-deposited Ta-N thin films. Thin Solid Films 236:347–351. doi:10.1016/0040-6090(93)90694-K

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thornton JA (1986) The microstructure of sputtered-deposited coatings. J Vac Sci Technol A 4:3059–3065. doi:10.1116/1.573628

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Valleti K, Subrahmanyam A, Joshi SV, Phani AR, Passacantando M, Santucci S (2008) Studies on phase dependent mechanical properties of dc magnetron sputtered TaN thin films: evaluation of super hardness in orthorhombic Ta4 N phase. J Phys D Appl Phys 41:45409. doi:10.1088/0022-3727/41/4/045409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Z, Yaegashi O, Sakaue H, Takahagi T, Shingubara S (2003) Suppression of native oxide growth in sputtered TaN films and its application to Cu electroless plating. J Appl Phys 94:4697–4701. doi:10.1063/1.1609644

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wei C-T, Shieh H-PPD (2006) Effects of processing variables on tantalum nitride by reactive-ion-assisted magnetron sputtering deposition. Jpn J Appl Phys 45:6405–6410. doi:10.1143/JJAP.45.6405

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Westergård R, Bromark M, Larsson M, Hedenqvist P, Hogmark S (1997) Mechanical and tribological characterization of DC magnetron sputtered tantalum nitride thin films. Surf Coat Technol 97:779–784. doi:10.1016/S0257-8972(97)00338-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wieser E, Peikert M, Wenzel C, Schreiber J, Bartha JW, Bendjus B, Melov VV, Reuther H, Mucklich A, Adolphi B, Fischer D (2002) Improvement of Ta-based thin film barriers on copper by ion implantation of nitrogen and oxygen. Thin Solid Films 410:121–128. doi:10.1016/S0040-6090(02)00273-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wu YY, Kohn A, Eizenberg M (2004) Structures of ultra-thin atomic-layer-deposited TaNx films. J Appl Phys 95:6167–6174. doi:10.1063/1.1711176

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financed by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, contract No.: RO 653/10-1 and SCHM 2409/1-1). This support is gratefully acknowledged.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michaela Grosser.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Grosser, M., Münch, M., Brenner, J. et al. Study on microstructural, chemical and electrical properties of tantalum nitride thin films deposited by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering. Microsyst Technol 16, 825–836 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-009-0993-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-009-0993-0

Keywords

Navigation