Chromium doping of Ta3N5 thin films via thermal nitridation of sputtered tantalum oxide films

The effects of chromium doping on magnetron sputtered and thermally annealed Ta3N5 thin films have been investigated for the first time. The structural and compositional evolution of these films were closely investigated using XRD, SEM and SIMS. A simple mechanism for the incorporation of chromium into the Ta3N5 lattice was described based on kinetic experiments and SIMS analysis. Some basic recommendations can be made regarding the optimal method of preparing Cr–Ta3N5, however there is still much work to be done in characterising Cr–Ta3N5 with appreciable properties. In particular, this investigation indicates poor Cr solubility in Ta3N5 in spite of the favourable ionic radius.