TA-SI-C HIGH RESISTIVITY THIN FILMS FOR THERMAL PRINTING HEADS.

Ta-Si-C thin films have been developed for thermal printing heads, and the effect of composition on the film properties has been studied. The results show that: (1) when Ta-Si-C thin films are formed, the composition of the film does not agree with the target composition; (2) the addition of carbon to Ta/SiC mixtures suppresses recrystallization during high-temperature treatment; (3) excellent characteristics are achieved with thermal printing heads using Ta-Si-C thin films formed using a target with more than 20% carbon in a SiC/C mixture; and (4) irreversible resistance changes are very small in thermal printing heads containing more than 20% carbon when external heat is applied. These findings indicate that Ta-Si-C is an excellent material for use in thermal printing heads.