The thermal stability and the diffusion barrier properties of DC reactively sputtered tantalum oxynitride (Ta-O-N) thin films, between silver (Ag) and silicon (Si) p(+)n diodes were investigated. Both materials characterization (X-ray diffraction analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Auger depth profiling) and electrical measurements (reverse-biased junction leakage current-density) were used to evaluate diffusion barrier properties of the thin films. The leakage current density of p(+)n diodes with the barrier (Ta-O-N) was approximately four orders of magnitude lower than those without barriers after a 30 min, 400 degreesC back contact anneal. The Ta-O-N barriers were stable up to 500 degreesC, 30 min anneals. However, this was not the case for the 600 degreesC anneal. RBS spectra and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy of as-deposited and vacuum annealed samples of Ag/barrier (Ta-O-N)/Si indicate the absence of any interfacial interaction between the barrier and substrate (silicon). The failure of the Ta-O-N barriers has been attributed to thermally induced stresses, which cause the thin film to crack at elevated temperatures. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.