Tantalum Coatings: Applications, Techniques, and Properties

The present study considers the methods of fabrication and investigation, properties and areas of application of tantalum coatings. These coatings attract attention due to their properties: high wear resistance and corrosion resistance, thermal stability, chemical inertness and biocompatibility. The presented structural, mechanical, tribological, electrical, corrosion, and biological properties make it possible to establish the relationship not only between the technological parameters of obtaining tantalum coatings (argon pressure in the vacuum chamber, substrate temperature, distance between the substrate and the target, etc.) and specific properties, but also to investigate the influence of the structural and phase state on various properties. Currently, tantalum coatings are widely used in microelectronics, medicine, and for corrosion protection. The wide range of information presented in this article enables the prediction of the properties and modelling of the processes of obtaining tantalum coatings with the required characteristics. This, in turn, will make it possible to expand the field of applications of tantalum coatings and deepen knowledge on the relationship between properties.