Effects of deposition parameters on tantalum films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering

Abstract Effects of deposition parameters on tantalum films deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering were studied. The results indicated that the electrical properties were relative to the oxygen and other impurities rather than to growth orientation. As the sputtering power increases from 25 to 100 W, the preferred-growth orientation of Ta films changes from (200) to (202) and the oxygen and impurities content in the films decrease. The temperature coefficient of resistance also reduces from −289.79 to −116.65 ppm/°C. The O/Ta ratio decrease and grain size reduction related to a change of electrical resistivity were observed at substrate temperatures in the range 300–500 °C. At 650 °C, partial stable α-Ta associated with a sharp decrease of the electrical resistivity was also found.