Abstract
The thermal stability and the diffusion barrier properties of DC reactively sputtered tantalum oxynitride (Ta-O-N) thin films, between silver (Ag) and silicon (Si) p+n diodes were investigated. Both materials characterization (X-ray diffraction analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Auger depth profiling) and electrical measurements (reverse-biased junction leakage current-density) were used to evaluate diffusion barrier properties of the thin films. The leakage current density of p+n diodes with the barrier (Ta-O-N) was approximately four orders of magnitude lower than those without barriers after a 30 min, 400°C back contact anneal. The Ta-O-N barriers were stable up to 500°C, 30 min anneals. However, this was not the case for the 600 °C anneal. RBS spectra and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy of as-deposited and vacuum annealed samples of Ag/barrier (Ta-O-N)/Si indicate the absence of any interfacial interaction between the barrier and substrate (silicon). The failure of the Ta-O-N barriers has been attributed to thermally induced stresses, which cause the thin film to crack at elevated temperatures.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 338-345 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Thin Solid Films |
Volume | 457 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 15 2004 |
Keywords
- Diffusion barrier
- Electrical properties and measurements
- Silver metallization
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Surfaces and Interfaces
- Surfaces, Coatings and Films
- Metals and Alloys
- Materials Chemistry