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Tantalum Interconnect Metallization for Thin-Film Neural Interface Devices.

Justin R Abbott¹, Yupeng Wu^2,3, Zachariah M Campanini¹

¹Department of Bioengineering, The University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA.

|March 28, 2026

Summary

Tantalum (Ta) shows promise as a conductive metal for neural interfaces, offering a viable alternative to gold. This study investigated tantalum

Keywords:

metallization neural interfaces tantalum thin films

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Area of Science:

Materials Science
Neuroscience
Electrical Engineering

Background:

Neural interfaces utilize conductive metal traces for electrical interconnects, traditionally relying on noble metals.
Tantalum (Ta) has potential as an alternative interconnect metallization for neural devices, but its properties require further characterization.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate tantalum (Ta) as a replacement for noble metal interconnects in thin-film neural interfaces.
To characterize the structural and electrical properties of sputter-deposited tantalum on amorphous silicon carbide (a-SiC).

Main Methods:

Tantalum was deposited onto a-SiC with and without a titanium (Ti) adhesion layer using sputtering.
Resistivity, crystal structure (X-ray diffraction), and feature size fabrication (photolithography, RIE) were analyzed.
Microelectrode arrays with α-Ta and gold (Au) interconnects were tested using cyclic voltammetry and current pulsing.

Main Results:

Tantalum's resistivity varied significantly based on the presence of a Ti adhesion layer, with α-Ta (on Ti) showing low resistivity (35 ± 6 µΩ·cm) and β-Ta (direct deposition) showing high resistivity (197 ± 31 µΩ·cm).
Fabricated microelectrode arrays demonstrated stability over 500 cyclic voltammetry cycles.
α-Ta interconnects exhibited a small increase in access voltage (21 mV) compared to Au under current pulsing.

Conclusions:

Tantalum, particularly the α-Ta phase, is a promising low-resistivity material for thin-film metallization in neural interfaces.
Tantalum interconnects demonstrate good stability and comparable performance to gold, warranting further investigation for neural device applications.