Patent ID: 8524329

Claim:
A method for providing electroless plating over a low-k dielectric layer, comprising: forming an amorphous carbon barrier layer over the low-k dielectric layer, comprising: providing a flow a deposition gas, comprising a hydrocarbon, H 2 , and a first oxygen free diluent; forming a plasma from the deposition gas to provide the amorphous carbon barrier layer; and stopping the flow of the deposition gas; conditioning the amorphous carbon barrier layer, comprising: providing a flow of a conditioning gas comprising H 2 and a second oxygen free diluent; forming a plasma from the conditioning gas, which conditions a top surface of the amorphous carbon barrier layer; and stopping the flow of the conditioning gas; and functionalizing the conditioned amorphous carbon barrier layer for electroless plating, comprising: providing a flow of a functionalizing gas comprising NH 3 or H 2 and N 2 ; forming a plasma from the functionalizing gas; and stopping the flow of the functionalizing gas.