A method for producing a tantalum nitride layer on a substrate, comprising; directly injecting a liquid mixture of (R1R2N)3Ta(═NR3) and (R4R5N)3Ta[&eegr;2—R6N═C (R7)(R8)] into a dispersing zone followed by delivering the dispersed mixture into a reactor containing the substrate at elevated temperature and reacting the mixture with a source of nitrogen selected from the group consisting of ammonia, alkyl amines, N2H2, alkyl hydrazine, N2 and mixtures thereof, to produce the tantalum nitride layer on the substrate, where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 are individually C1-6 alkyl, aryl or hydrogen.