We compared the suitability of tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) films produced via thermal and ozone based atomic layer deposition (Th-ALD and O-3-ALDO, respectively) using pentaethoxytantalum (PET) as a Ta precursor for use as a capacitor insulator in metal-insulator-metal configurations. H2O and O-3 were used as reactants for Th-ALD and O-3-ALD Ta2O5, respectively. Both of the processes exhibited ALD mode growth with good self-saturation behavior and produced pure Ta2O5 films. However, O-3-ALD Ta2O5 films showed higher growth rates (1.1 angstrom/cycle), density (7.85 g/cm(3)) and dielectric constant values (similar to 46) compared to those of Th-ALD Ta2O5 (0.9 angstrom/cycle, 7.3 g/cm(3) and similar to 40, respectively). (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.