Ta-Al multilayer coatings were fabricated through cyclical gradient concentration deposition by direct current magnetron co-sputtering. The as-deposited coatings presented a multilayer structure in the growth direction. The oxidation behavior of the Ta-Al multilayer coatings was explored. The results specified that Ta-rich Ta-Al multilayer coatings demonstrated a restricted oxidation depth after annealing at 600 • C in 1% O 2 -99% Ar for up to 100 h. This was attributed to the preferential oxidation of Al, the formation of amorphous Al-oxide sublayers, and the maintenance of a multilayer structure. By contrast, Ta 2 O 5 formed after exhausting Al in the oxidation process in an ambient atmosphere at 600 • C which exhibited a crystalline Ta 2 O 5 -amorphous Al-oxide multilayer structure.