| CPC H01L 21/76841 (2013.01) [H01L 21/76829 (2013.01); H01L 23/53266 (2013.01)] | 14 Claims |

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1. A method to produce a layered substrate, comprising:
depositing a diffusion barrier layer on the substrate;
depositing an underlayer comprising a Group 6 metal on the barrier layer; and
depositing a ruthenium layer comprising ruthenium on the underlayer, to produce the layered substrate;
wherein the method further comprises annealing of the layered substrate by heating of the layered substrate at a temperature of greater than or equal to about 800° C. in an oxygen free environment, for a period of time of greater than or equal to about 5 seconds and less than or equal to about 500 seconds; and
wherein an upper surface of the annealed layered substrate has an average roughness Ra of less than or equal to about 10 nm, and/or the upper surface of the annealed layered substrate has a root mean square roughness Rq of less than or equal to about 10 nm.
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