Patent ID: 7160802

Claim:
A method for forming a conductor on a silicon surface comprising: removing native oxide from the silicon surface, wherein removing the native oxide comprises cleaning he silicon surface using a plasma etch; forming a first nitrogen-containing layer on the silicon surface; forming a first WN x layer over the nitrogen-containing layer by atomic layer deposition, the first WN x layer forming a barrier layer, wherein x is between 1 and 6; forming a second nitrogen-containing layer over the surface of the first WN x layer, forming the second nitrogen-containing layer comprising providing a gas that contains nitrogen, but no gases containing tungsten, to the top surface of the first WN x layer; and depositing a tungsten layer directly over the second nitrogen-containing layer, the tungsten layer reacting with the second nitrogen-containing layer so as to form a second WN x layer over the first WN x layer for additional protection of the silicon, depositing the tungsten layer over the second nitrogen-containing layer also forming a tungsten layer over the second WN x layer, where the tungsten layer over the second WN x layer does not contain nitrogen and acts as a highly conductive layer, the tungsten layer not containing nitrogen being thicker than the first WN x layer and the second WN x layer.