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A method of forming a sputtering target and other metal articles having controlled oxygen and nitrogen content levels and the articles so formed are described. The method includes surface-nitriding a deoxidized metal powder and further includes consolidating the powder by a powder metallurgy techniq

A method of forming a sputtering target and other metal articles having controlled oxygen and nitrogen content levels and the articles so formed are described. The method includes surface-nitriding a deoxidized metal powder and further includes consolidating the powder by a powder metallurgy technique. Preferred metal powders include, but are not limited to, valve metals, including tantalum, niobium, and alloys thereof.

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What is claimed is: 1. A sputtering target assembly comprising a consolidated surface-nitrided metal powder sputter target and a backing plate. 2. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder comprises tantalum, niobium, an alloy of tantalum, an alloy of niobium, or combin

What is claimed is: 1. A sputtering target assembly comprising a consolidated surface-nitrided metal powder sputter target and a backing plate. 2. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder comprises tantalum, niobium, an alloy of tantalum, an alloy of niobium, or combinations thereof. 3. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder comprises tantalum. 4. The sputtering target assembly of claim 3, wherein said metal powder has a tantalum nitride shell. 5. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder comprises niobium. 6. The sputtering target assembly of claim 5, wherein said metal powder has a niobium nitride shell. 7. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder has an oxygen content of about 100 ppm or less and has a nitrogen content of at least about 40 ppm. 8. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder has an oxygen content from about 1 ppm to about 100 ppm. 9. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder has a nitrogen content from about 1,000 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 10. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder is consolidated at a temperature not exceeding 0.7 TH of said metal powder. 11. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder is consolidated at a temperature of about 0.7 TH or more of said metal powder. 12. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder is consolidated by a powder metallurgy technique. 13. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder is consolidated by hot isostatic pressing. 14. The sputtering target assembly of claim 13, wherein said sputter target has a yield strength of from about 18,000 to about 40,000 psi and an elongation to failure of about 20% or more. 15. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said metal powder is consolidated by extrusion. 16. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an oxygen content of about 300 ppm or less and has a nitrogen content of at least about 10 ppm. 17. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an oxygen content of about 100 ppm or less and has a nitrogen content of at least about 40 ppm. 18. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an oxygen content from about 1 ppm to about 100 ppm. 19. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a nitrogen content from about 1,000 ppm to about 10, 000 ppm. 20. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a purity of about 99.5% or greater. 21. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of about 300 microns or less. 22. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of 100 microns or less. 23. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of about 50 microns or less. 24. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of about 10 microns or less. 25. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a random texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 26. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (111) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 27. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (100) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 28. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a uniform mixed (100):(111) texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 29. The sputtering target assembly of claim 1, wherein said sputter target has a uniform texture that lies along or near the (111)-(100) symmetry line on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 30. The sputtering target assembly of claim 24, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (111) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 31. The sputtering target assembly of claim 24, wherein said sputter target has a random texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 32. The sputtering target assembly of claim 24, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (110) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 33. The sputtering target assembly of claim 24, wherein said sputter target has a uniform mixed (111):(100) texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 34. The sputtering target assembly of claim 24, wherein said sputter target has a uniform texture that lies along or near the (111)-(100) symmetry line on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 35. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder has an oxygen content of about 100 ppm or less and has a nitrogen content of at least about 40 ppm. 36. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder has an oxygen content from about 1 ppm to about 100 ppm. 37. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder has a nitrogen content from about 1,000 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 38. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder is consolidated at a temperature not exceeding 0.7 TH of said metal powder. 39. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder is consolidated at a temperature of about 0.7 TH or more of said metal powder. 40. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder is consolidated by a powder metallurgy technique. 41. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder is consolidated by hot isostatic pressing. 42. The sputtering target assembly of claim 41, wherein said sputter target has a yield strength of from about 18,000 to about 40,000 psi and an elongation to failure of about 20% or more. 43. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said metal powder is consolidated by extrusion. 44. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has an oxygen content of about 300 ppm or less and has a nitrogen content of at least about 10 ppm. 45. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has an oxygen content of about 100 ppm or less and has a nitrogen content of at least about 1,000 ppm. 46. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a nitrogen content from about 1,000 ppm to about 10, 000 ppm. 47. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a purity of about 99.5% or greater. 48. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of about 300 microns or less. 49. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of about 50 microns or less. 50. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has an average grain size of about 10 microns or less. 51. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a random texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 52. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (111) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 53. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (100) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 54. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a uniform mixed (100):(111) texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 55. The sputtering target assembly of claim 2, wherein said sputter target has a uniform texture that lies along or near the (111)-(100) symmetry line on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 56. The sputtering target assembly of claim 49, wherein said spatter target has a uniform primary texture of (111) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 57. The sputtering target assembly of claim 49, wherein said sputter target has a random texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 58. The sputtering target assembly of claim 49, wherein said sputter target has a uniform primary texture of (110) on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 59. The sputtering target assembly of claim 49, wherein said sputter target has a uniform mixed (111):(100) texture on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 60. The puttering target assembly of claim 49, wherein said sputter target has a uniform texture that lies along or near the (111)-(100) symmetry line on the surface or throughout the entire thickness of said metal. 61. The sputtering target of claim 1, wherein said metal powder has a BET surface area of from about 0.1 m2/g to about 10 m2/g.