RAPID THERMAL PROCESSED THIN-FILMS OF REACTIVELY SPUTTERED TA2O5

Rapid thermal processed thin films of reactively sputtered tantalum pe ntoxide Ta2O5 thin films have been deposited on silicon and platinum c oated silicon substrates by reactive magnetron sputtering. The as-depo sited films were amorphous and showed good electrical properties in te rms of a dielectric permittivity of about 24 and leakage current densi ty of 9 x 10(-8) A cm(-2). A rapid thermal annealing process at temper atures above 700 degrees C crystallized the films, increased the diele ctric relative permittivity, and decreased the leakage current. The di electric constant for a film rapidly annealed at 850 degrees C increas ed to 45 and its leakage current density lowered to 2 x 10(-8) A cm(-2 ). The dielectric measurements in the MIS configuration showed that Ta 2O5 might be used as a dielectric material instead of SiO2 or Si3N4 fo r integrated devices. The current voltage characteristics observed at low and high fields suggested different conduction mechanisms.