Effects of annealing in O2 and N2 on the microstructure of metal organic chemical vapor deposition Ta2O5 film and the interfacial SiO2 layer

Ta₂O₅ films were made by metal organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and annealed at various temperatures under N₂ and O₂ ambients in a conventional furnace and a rapid thermal reactor (RTR). The microstructure and composition of the Ta₂O₅ film and the interfacial SiO₂ layer before and after various annealing treatments were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The as-deposited Ta₂O₅ film has an amorphous structure. The surface topology of the as-deposited Ta₂O₅ film is smooth without any apparent features. Annealing of the as-deposited film results in crystallization to an orthorhombic structure with (1 0 0) preferred orientation, and an increase in surface roughness, with the appearance of grain boundaries under AFM. The crystallization temperature varies in the various annealing treatments. An interfacial SiO₂ layer was found between the as-deposited/annealed Ta₂O₅ films and silicon substrate. The annealing treatments result in an increase in thickness of the SiO₂ layer and roughness changes of the Ta₂O₅/SiO₂/Si interfaces, which are discussed in terms of element diffusion and thermodynamic stability.