Patent ID: 7759187

Claim:
An electroplating method for use in fabricating an integrated circuit, the method comprising: forming a seed film on at least a portion of a surface of a substrate assembly by atomic layer deposition, wherein the seed film comprises at least one noble metal and at least one conductive metal oxide, wherein the at least one noble metal comprises platinum, and further wherein the conductive metal oxide comprises at least one metal that is different than platinum, wherein forming a seed film comprises repeating one or more deposition cycles, wherein at least one of the one or more deposition cycles comprises: providing a predetermined amount of one or more noble metal containing precursors, and providing a reactant for use in converting the predetermined amount of the one or more noble metal precursors to less than a monolayer of at least a first noble metal; and further wherein at least another of the one or more deposition cycles comprises: providing a predetermined amount of at least one platinum containing precursor, and providing a component comprising oxygen for use in converting the predetermined amount of the at least one platinum containing precursor to less than a monolayer of platinum and for use in oxidizing at least a portion of the first noble metal; and electroplating a conductive layer over at least a portion of the seed film.