AUGER-ELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY APPLIED TO THE STUDY OF TA TA2O5, TA2O5/MNO2 INTERFACES/

An analysis by Anger electron spectroscopy has allowed the characteriz ation of Ta/Ta2O5, Ta2O5/MnO2 interfaces in a tantalum capacitor. This analysis was carried out systematically on samples collected during t he various fabrication phases of the capacitor. Spectra have been reco rded on each sample, before and after cleaning by ion bombardment, at room temperature, and after different sputtering times. The peaks obta ined during this study are those of tantalum, carbon, oxygen, manganes e, phosphorus, argon and nitrogen. Oxygen and carbon are always presen t, even after sputtering. At the Ta2O5/MnO2 interface, the amount of c arbon is very large. The normalized peak heights as a function of temp erature show that there is a significant emergence of impurities at th e anode surface.