Abstract
A technique has been developed which has made it possible to determine the resistivity (ρ) and the temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of layers at different depths in thin tantalum films. The method involves a measurement of the sheet resistance and TCR before and after anodization steps, and simultaneous measurements of the oxide growth kinetics. It is shown that there can be a significant variation in the film properties with depth. A 1000-Å thick film, reactively sputtered in an argon-oxygen atmosphere, appeared to have a resistivity of 1000 μΩ cm and a TCR of −120 ppm/°C. but investigation by this technique showed that ρ actually varied from approximately 3000 μΩ cm at the air-film interface to 400 μΩ cm at the film-substrate interface, while the TCR varied from −1200 ppm/°C to approximately 0 ppm/°C. Oxide growth kinetics showed that the oxygen content of the film was approximately 50 at.% near the surface but only 30 at.% in the bulk of the film.
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