TEM of lattice bending in crystallized areas of anodized Ta-O films

Abstract

In the present paper we study the crystals grown in thin, initially amorphous films of tantalum oxide, interesting as possible materials for dielectric (high-k) layers to be applied in microelectronics. Here we employ some straightforward procedures making use of extinction bend contours (that are often observed in crystallizing amorphous films) and obtain indications of strong internal lattice bending in the crystallized areas.