Aging effects on the durability of tantalum nitride films

摘要

In this study, nanoindentation and nanoscratch testing were used to determine the effects of annealing and long term aging on the properties and fracture resistance of thin tantalum nitride resistor films on aluminum nitride substrates. These films were sputter-deposited to a thickness of 440 nm. Some films were left in the as-deposited condition while others were annealed or annealed and then aged. X-ray diffraction revealed that sputter deposition created high compressive residual stresses in the as-deposited films which were partially relieved by annealing. Subsequent aging of the annealed films had no effect on residual stress levels. Nanoindentation showed that mechanical properties were unchanged afte annealing and after annealing and aging. However, nanoscratch testing showed that annealing markedly reduced the susceptibility to catastrophic failure with no further changes discernible after aging.