Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Deposition of Tantalum Nitride: Difference between revisions

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 =Tantalum Nitride (TaN<sub>x</sub>)=
-Tungsten nitride (WNₓ, commonly W₂N or δ‑WN) is a refractory ceramic that combines very high melting temperature, extreme hardness, chemical inertness, and good electrical conductivity in a composition‑tunable, CMOS‑compatible matrix.
+Tantalum nitride (TaNₓ, typically Ta₂N or cubic δ‑TaN) is a refractory ceramic that pairs very high melting temperature, extreme hardness, chemical inertness, and controllable electrical resistivity in a CMOS‑compatible matrix.
-Thin films are produced chiefly by reactive magnetron sputtering—where nitrogen flow and substrate temperature set stoichiometry and phase—and by e‑beam evaporation of tungsten in a reactive nitrogen ambient, yielding dense layers with controllable resistivity and stress.
+Thin films are grown mainly by reactive magnetron sputtering; tuning nitrogen flow, substrate temperature, and energy lets engineers dial in stoichiometry, grain size, stress, and resistivity.
-In semiconductor process flows, WNₓ acts as a robust Cu diffusion barrier/liner, hard mask, gate or contact material, and precision thin‑film resistor; its high absorption coefficient also makes it the standard absorber layer in EUV lithography photomasks and a candidate for x‑ray mask blanks.
+Within semiconductor process flows, TaNₓ is the workhorse Cu diffusion barrier/liner, a stable gate or contact metal, a hard mask, and a precision thin‑film resistor in analog/RF circuits; its high absorption coefficient also makes it the standard absorber layer in EUV lithography photomasks.
-Optically, WN-based stacks offer durable, high-temperature plasmonic and thermally emissive coatings, mid-IR absorbers, and multilayer structures for soft-x-ray mirrors and synchrotron beamline optics, delivering stability far beyond noble metals under extreme photon flux.
+Optically, TaN‑based multilayers act as durable high‑temperature plasmonic and thermally emissive coatings, mid‑IR absorbers, and soft‑X‑ray mirrors for synchrotron beamlines and space telescopes, outperforming noble metals under extreme photon and thermal loads.
-Beyond electronics and photonics, the material’s wear and oxidation resistance support MEMS springs, high‑temperature sensors, and corrosion‑resistant coatings, while select WN phases become superconducting below roughly 3–5 K, enabling niche low‑loss microwave resonators and detector elements that benefit from its mechanical robustness and diffusion‑barrier capability.
+Beyond electronics and photonics, TaN’s wear and oxidation resistance underpin MEMS springs, high‑temperature sensors, and corrosion‑resistant coatings, while many TaN phases become superconducting below ~4–8 K, enabling low‑loss microwave resonators, kinetic‑inductance detectors, and other cryogenic devices that benefit from its simultaneous mechanical robustness and diffusion‑barrier capability.
 == Deposition of Tantalum Nitride ==
-Deposition of TaN<sub>x</sub> can only be done by reactive sputtering using W target.
+Deposition of TaN<sub>x</sub> can only be done by reactive sputtering using a Ta target.
 The tool of choice for this application is the Cluster-based multi-chamber high vacuum sputtering deposition system, commonly referred to as the "[[Specific Process Knowledge/Thin film deposition/Cluster-based multi-chamber high vacuum sputtering deposition system|Cluster Lesker]]." The operating process is described in detail.: