Platinum is a candidate for utilization as a conductive material in advanced semiconductor processing. Platinum can be utilized in an elemental form, or as an alloy (such as, for example, rhodium/platinum), and can be deposited onto a substrate by, for example, sputter deposition or chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. Platinum is typically formed to have a relatively smooth upper surface. Such smooth upper surface can be advantageous in, for example, applications in which circuitry is formed over the platinum layer. Specifically, the relatively smooth surface can provide a substantially planar platform upon which other circuitry is formed. However, there can be advantages to incorporating roughened conductive layers into integrated circuitry in applications where high surface area is desired, as with capacitor electrodes. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop methods of forming platinum layers having roughened outer surfaces.
In another aspect of the prior art, platinum-comprising materials are frequently utilized as catalysts in, for example, the petroleum industry, as well as in, for example, automobile exhaust systems. Frequently, an efficiency of a catalyst can be improved by enhancing a surface area of the catalyst. Accordingly, it would be desirable to develop methods of enhancing surface area of platinum-comprising materials.