Patent ID: 7824743

Claim:
A method for forming a conductive material on a substrate, comprising: positioning a substrate within a process chamber, wherein the substrate comprises a dielectric material disposed thereon, the dielectric material comprises an upper surface and apertures formed therein, and each aperture comprises a lower surface and sidewalls; depositing a metallic titanium nitride layer on the upper surface of the dielectric material and on the lower surfaces and the sidewalls of the apertures during a first PVD process, wherein the first PVD process comprises generating a first plasma and flowing nitrogen gas at a flow rate of less than about 80 sccm during; and depositing a titanium nitride retarding layer on the metallic titanium nitride layer during a second PVD process, wherein the second PVD process comprises generating a second plasma and flowing the nitrogen gas at a flow rate of about 80 sccm or greater, and depositing the titanium nitride retarding layer on the lower surfaces and sidewalls of the apertures at about 10% or less of the thickness as the titanium nitride retarding layer deposited across the upper surface of the substrate.