Synthesis and properties of tantalum oxide films prepared by the sol-gel method using photo-irradiation

Recently, interest in the sol-gel method has been increasing, especially in preparing dielectric thin films with high dielectric constant. Tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅) films are good candidates for insulators in LSI devices, electroluminescent devices and film capacitors because of their large dielectric constant. In the present paper, the preparation method and properties of Ta₂O₅ films, fabricated by a new process consisting of sol-gel process together with the photo-irradiation process, is reported. In this method, it became possible to fabricate Ta₂O₅ films at low temperature. Electric characteristics of these Ta₂O₅ films were almost the same as those Ta₂O₅ films prepared by sputtering and chemical vapor deposition.