Effect of Vacuum Heat Treatment on Microstructure and Electrical Properties of Diamond-based TaxN Thin Films
LI Hao1,2, LIU Yulun1,2, LIU Jinlong1, CHEN Liangxian1, LI Chengming1, WEI Junjun1,2,*
1 Institute for Advanced Materials and Technology, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China 2 Shunde Graduate School, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Foshan 528399, Guangdong, China
Abstract: Tantalum nitride (TaxN) thin films are widely used as thin film resistor materials in a wide variety of wireless electronic devices and systems due to their excellent electrical properties and stability, but conventional ceramic substrates are no longer able to meet the increasingly high requirements for thin film resistors in terms of operating frequency and operating power dissipation. CVD diamond is an ideal choice for high demand and high reliability thin film resistors due to its unparalleled advantages in RF and thermal properties. In this work, CVD diamond was chosen as the resistor substrate, and TaxN thin films were coated on the CVD diamond substrate by reactive direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. Then the vacuum heat treatment process was carried out to the films at different temperatures under high vacuum. The changes of physical structure and surface morphology of TaxN thin films after vacuum heat treatment at different temperatures were analyzed, and the electrical pro-perties of the samples were tested by applying a four-probe system to investigate the effect of vacuum heat treatment on the electrical properties of TaxN thin films. The findings show that, with the increase of vacuum heat treatment temperature, the physical phase of TaxN film transforms from nearly amorphous state to a mixed phase of Ta2N and Ta, the resistivity (ρ) of TaxN film decreases gradually, and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) decreases gradually and tends to be close to zero. The diamond-based TaxN thin films with excellent electrical properties and good adhesion can be obtained by the vacuum heat treatment at a heat treatment temperature of 550 ℃.
1 Shen H, Ramanathan R. Microelectronic Engineering, 2006, 83(2), 206. 2 Dalili N, Liu Q, Ivey D G. Journal of Materials Science, 2012, 48(1), 489. 3 Zaman A, Meletis E. Coatings, 2017, 7(12), 209. 4 Wang C M, Hsieh J H, Li C, et al. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2005, 193(1-3), 173. 5 Gholami M, Khojier K, Monsefi M, et al. Brazilian Journal of Physics, 2022, 52(5), 171. 6 Chen Y, Zhang J, Gou H, et al. Vacuum, 2024, 222, 113092. 7 Chung H C, Liu C P. Surface and Coatings Technology, 2006, 200(10), 3122. 8 Dai W, Shi Y. Coatings, 2021, 11(8), 911. 9 Cuong N D, Kim D J, Kang B D, et al. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena, 2006, 24(3), 1398. 10 Jia X, Wei J, Huang Y. Surface Technol, 2020, 49, 120. 11 Li N. Thermophysical property of diamond/Al composites prepared by in situ reaction. Ph. D. Thesis, University of Science and Technology Beijing, China, 2023(in Chinese). 李宁. 金刚石/铝复合材料原位反应制备及热物理性能. 博士学位论文, 北京科技大学, 2023. 12 Ma G, Lin G, Gong S, et al. Vacuum, 2013, 89, 244. 13 Riekkinen T, Molarius J, Laurila T, et al. Microelectronic Engineering, 2002, 64(1-4), 289. 14 Lovejoy M, Patrizi G, Roger D, et al. Thin Solid Films, 1996, 290, 513. 15 Liu E, Jin G, Cui X, et al. Physics Procedia, 2013, 50, 438. 16 Grosser M, Münch M, Seidel H, et al. Applied Surface Science, 2012, 258(7), 2894. 17 Salamon K, Radić N, Bogdanović Radović I, et al. Journal of Physics D:Applied Physics, 2016, 49(19), 195301. 18 Woo J C, Kang P S, Kim C I. Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, 2016, 16(12), 12835. 19 Wang K Y, Chang T C, Chen W C, et al. Vacuum, 2022, 197, 110791. 20 Lee D Y, Kim I S, Song J S. Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2002, 41(7R), 4659. 21 Cuong N D, Phuong N M, Kim D J, et al. Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B, Microelectronics and Nanometer Structures Processing, Measurement, and Phenomena, 2006, 24(2), 682. 22 Chen H R, Chen Y C, Chang T C, et al. IEEE Electron Device Letters, 2015, 36(3), 271. 23 Guo L. Preparation and study of low TCR tantalum nitride films and power resistors. Master's Thesis, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, China, 2021(in chinese). 郭磊. 低 TCR 钽氮化物薄膜及功率电阻器制备与研究. 硕士学位论文, 桂林电子科技大学, 2021. 24 Liu X, Ma G J, Sun G, et al. Applied Surface Science, 2011, 258(3), 1033. 25 Kuo Y. Journal of the Electrochemical Society, 1992, 139(2), 579. 26 Chang C C, Jeng J, Chen J S. Thin Solid Films, 2002, 413(1-2), 46. 27 Au C, Anderson W, Schmitz D, et al. Journal of Materials Research, 1990, 5(6), 1224. 28 Ye S. Study on the preparation and properties of film resistor with low TCR based on TaN. Master's Thesis, South China University of Technology, China, 2017(in Chinese). 叶升. 基于氮化钽薄膜材料的低 TCR 功率电阻器制备与性能研究, 硕士学位论文, 华南理工大学, 2017. 29 Zhou D B. Structure and electrical transport properties of δ-TaN thin films. Master's Thesis, Tianjin University, China, 2015(in Chinese) 周定邦. 氮化钽薄膜的结构和电输运性质研究, 硕士学位论文, 天津大学. 2015.
渝公网安备50019002502923号 版权所有：《材料导报》编辑部
2025, Vol. 39 
