Annealing effects on the optical and electrochemical properties of tantalum pentoxide films

• Published in: Journal of advanced ceramics Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 704 - 713
• Main Authors: Ren, Wei, Yang, Guang-Dao, Feng, Ai-Ling, Miao, Rui-Xia, Xia, Jun-Bo, Wang, Yong-Gang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Beijing Tsinghua University Press 01.08.2021; Springer; School of Science & School of Electronic Engineering,Xi 'an University of Posts &Telecommunications,Xi 'an 710121,China%School of Physics and Information Technology,Shaanxi Normal University,Xi 'an 710119,China%Institute of Physics & Optoelectronics Technology,Baoji University of Arts and Sciences,Baoji 721016,China
• Subjects: Analysis; Annealing; Ceramics; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemical properties; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Dielectric films; Diffraction; Electrochemical analysis; Electron beams; Glass; Materials Science; Morphology; Nanotechnology; Natural Materials; Optical properties; Phase transitions; Polycrystals; Research Article; Structural Materials; Tantalum; Tantalum oxides; Thin films; X-rays; anneal; films; optical property; Ta; electrochemical stability; O; Ta2O5 films
• ISSN: 2226-4108; 2227-8508
• DOI: 10.1007/s40145-021-0465-2

Tantalum pentoxide (Ta 2 O 5 ) has attracted intensive attention due to their excellent physicochemical properties. Ta 2 O 5 films were synthesized via electron beam evaporation (EBE) and subsequently annealed at different temperatures ranging from 300 to 900 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that amorphous Ta 2 O 5 thin films form from 300 to 700 °C and then a phase transition to polycrystalline β-Ta 2 O 5 films occurs since 900 °C. The surface morphology of the Ta 2 O 5 films is uniform and smooth. The resulted Ta 2 O 5 films exhibit excellent transmittance properties for wavelengths ranging from 300 to 1100 nm. The bandgap of the Ta 2 O 5 films is broadened from 4.32 to 4.46 eV by annealing. The 900 °C polycrystalline film electrode has improved electrochemical stability, compared to the other amorphous counterparts.