Patent ID: 7259061

Claim:
A method for forming a capacitor for an integrated circuit, comprising the following sequence: providing a substrate; forming a first electrode including depositing a metal alloy layer formed from conductive material onto the substrate, the metal alloy layer comprising: a first surface and an exposed second surface, and grains having grain boundaries, wherein the grains are separated from one another by intergranular regions, the intergranular regions possessing a lower degree of crystalline order than the grains; electrochemically etching the exposed second surface of the metal alloy layer to increase a surface roughness of the second surface; oxidizing the metal alloy layer to form a capacitor dielectric on the first electrode; and forming a second electrode on the capacitor dielectric, wherein, during etching of the metal alloy layer, the intergranular regions are etched selectively to the grains to increase the surface roughness.