Patent ID: 6878620

Claim:
A method for processing a substrate having a patterned photoresist thereon, comprising: etching a barrier layer and a low k dielectric layer of the substrate using the patterned photoresist as a mask to form an opening having sidewalls and extending through the barrier layer arid the low k dielectric layer to an underlying metal feature or metal layer of the substrate; depositing a pre-liner on the substrate, wherein the pre-liner is deposited over the patterned photoresist and the sidewalls of the opening, and wherein the pre-liner is selected from the group consisting of oxygen-doped silicon carbide, oxygen and nitrogen-doped silicon carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon, aluminum oxide, and combinations thereof; depositing a liner selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tantalum nitride, tungsten, tungsten nitride, platinum, ruthenium, and combinations thereof on the pre-liner; removing the patterned photoresist, the pre-liner, and the liner from horizontal surfaces of the substrate; and then depositing a seed layer on the substrate.