In-situ Synchrotron Radiation Photoemission Spectroscopy Study of Atomic Layer Deposition of $Ta_2O_5$ film on Si Substrate with Ta(NtBu)(dmamp)$_2Me$ and $H_2O$

The interfacial state between $Ta_2O_5$ and a Si substrate during the growth of $Ta_2O_5$ films by atomic layer deposition (ALD) was investigated using in-situ synchrotron radiation photoemission spectroscopy (SRPES). A newly synthesized liquid precursor Ta($N^tBu$) $(dmamp)_2Me$ was used as the metal precursor, with Ar as a purging gas and $H_2O$ as the oxidant source. After each half reaction cycle, samples were analyzed using in-situ SRPES under ultrahigh vacuum at room temperature. SRPES analysis revealed that Ta suboxide and Si dioxide were formed at the initial stages of $Ta_2O_5$ growth. However, the Ta suboxide states almostdisappeared as the ALD cycles progressed. Consequently, the $Ta^{5+}$ state, which corresponds with the stoichiometric $Ta_2O_5$, only appeared after 4.0 cycles. Additionally, tantalum silicate was not detected at the interfacial states between $Ta_2O_5$ and Si. The measured valence band offset between $Ta_2O_5$ and the Si substrate was 3.22 eV after 3.0 cycles.