Ta2O5 thin films were prepared by spin-coating methanol solutions of Ta chloromethoxide. It was prepared by reacting TaCl5 with methanol, followed by water addition (H2O: Ta molar ratio was 16). Thin films were deposited by spin-coating onto SiO2/Si substrates, followed by drying at 90 degrees C and heat-treatment up to 700 degrees C. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Crystallization was obtained only after heating at 700 degrees C, in the Ta2O5 orthorhombic phase. The resulting films had a thickness of 100 nm. Their structure was constituted by porous crystals with size up to 50 nm, while the pores had a size of about 10 nm. The results demonstrated that TaCl5 is very convenient precursor for the wet chemical synthesis of Ta2O5 thin films. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.