Time-resolved in situ investigations of reactive sputtering processes by grazing incidence X-ray absorption spectroscopy

We have applied the time-resolved grazing incidence X-ray absorption fine structure technique to study in situ the atomic short range order and the electronic structure of reactively sputter deposited thin films. Results obtained during the reactive deposition of amorphous Ta-pentoxide thin films deposited in oxygen containing atmospheres will be presented. A new calculation scheme for a detailed reflection mode EXAFS data analysis giving bond distances, coordination numbers and Debye–Waller factors is presented. The atomic short range structure of the amorphous Ta2O5 thin films is compared to that of crystalline β-Ta2O5.