Patent ID: 6911394

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device comprising the steps of: providing a semiconductor substrate; forming a dielectric layer over said semiconductor substrate; etching at least one trench or at least one via in said dielectric layer to expose a portion of a surface of said semiconductor substrate; forming at least one conductive layer comprising copper within said trench or said via, wherein said at least one conductive layer comprises at least one dopant; polishing at least a portion of said at least one conductive layer; and thermally annealing said at least one conductive layer at a predetermined temperature, said at least one dopant diffuses substantially to the surface of at least one side of said at least one conductive layer to form at least one dopant oxide layer and at least one copper layer when said at least one conductive layer is thermally annealed at said predetermined temperature and said at least one dopant is exposed to oxygen.