Reflection mode XAFS investigations of reactively sputtered thin films

Amorphous Ta-oxide and Sn-nitride thin films were prepared by reactive sput ter deposition on smooth float glass substrates and investigated ex situ us ing reflection mode XAFS. The absorption coefficient mu and its fine struct ure were extracted from the measured reflection mode XAFS spectra with a me thod based on the Kramers-Kronig transform. Bond distances, coordination nu mbers and Debye-Waller factors were determined by a detailed XAFS data anal ysis and compared to those of reference compounds. In addition, changes of the atomic short range order of the sputter deposited Ta2O5-films induced b y a thermal heat treatment in ambient air were examined as a function of th e annealing temperature.