Layered TaSiN as an oxidation resistant electrically conductive barrier

TaSiN films deposited as layered TaN-SiN structures of various compositions have been examined for their oxidation resistant properties during annealing in oxygen at annealing conditions commonly used to prepare perovskite dielectrics. The films have been characterized by Rutherford backscattering analysis (RBS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrical resistivity measurements. Films with less than 15 at.% Si showed some resistance to oxidation after annealing for 1 min at 650 degrees C but became fully oxidized after longer anneals. Increasing the Si content up to 28 at.% increasingly improved the oxidation resistance of the alloys to the point where the films resisted complete oxidation for up to 5 min at 700 degrees C. For alloys with greater than 28 at.% Si, no oxidation could be detected by RES or electrical measurements for anneals up to 5 min at 700 degrees C. Furthermore, these high Si content alloys were still conductive with resistivities of near 1000 mu Omega cm. It was also found that TaSiN and lead lanthanum titanate (PLT) interact strongly during annealing, and another nonoxidizing barrier metal, such as Pt, is required between the two materials if TaSiN is to be used as an electrode/barrier with lead-based perovskites.