Synthesis of TaZnO Thin Films Using Combinatorial Magnetron Sputtering and Its Electrical, Structural and Optical Properties

The structural, electrical, and optical properties of tantalium zinc oxide (TaZnO) thin films grown using combinatorial magnetron sputtering system were investigated. To explore the effects of film thickness and post annealing treatment on the properties of the films, we have fabricated TaZnO sample libraries having different thicknesses and carried out post annealing treatment. Sample libraries fabricated at room temperature showed the resistivity ranged 2.1∼ 7.1x 10⁻³ Ωcm, while the films post annealed at 200 °C under 1 mTorr exhibited the resistivity as low as 1.2x10⁻³ Ω cm. XRD measurements revealed that the film structure was strongly depended on the film thickness, showing that the structure was changed from amorphous to polycrystalline with increasing the film thickness. Furthermore, it was found that figure of merit (Ø_TC), which was determined by T% and R_s of the TaZnO films, showed maximum value as the films with a thickness of 230 nm was postannealed at 200 °C under vacuum of 1 mTorr.