Tantalum silicide sputtering target material for amorphous Ta-Si-N diffusion barrier for Cu metallization

Amorphous Ta-Si-N films of about 500 nm thickness were reactively sputter deposited on Si substrates using DC magnetron sputtering from TaSi/sub 0.1/, TaSi/sub 0.4/ and TaSi/sub 0.6/ targets. The film properties were characterized by sheet resistance measurement and X-ray diffraction. With increasing amounts of nitrogen in the sputtering gas, the film resistivity increased. Surface erosion of the multiphase target material was analyzed by SEM. Particulate emission is minimized with increasing density and refined microstructure of the target material.