The growth mechanisms and film properties of atomic layer deposition ͑ALD͒ Ta-based thin films were investigated from alkylamide precursor ͓Ta͑NMe 2 ͒ 5 , ͑PDMAT͔͒. The reactions of PDMAT with various reactants including water, NH 3 , oxygen, and hydrogen plasma were studied and the resulting film properties were investigated by various analysis techniques. For TaN ALD from NH 3 and H plasma, the films were contaminated by considerable amount of carbon, while the Ta 2 O 5 deposited from water and O plasma were quite pure. Also, nitrogen was incorporated for ALD from PDMAT and H plasma, while no nitrogen incorporation was observed for O-plasma based plasma enhanced-ALD of Ta 2 O 5 except at high deposition temperature over 300°C. The results were comparatively discussed focusing on the differences in growth mechanism depending on reactants.