invention contemplates forming any number of line openings 100 and or combinations of line 200 a and via 200 b openings in second dielectric material 108 where via openings exposes other conductive features 104 that may be present in first dielectric material 102 to enable electrical contact between lower 40 and upper 50 interconnect levels a first liner layer 112 which may include for example tantalum ta titanium ti tantalum nitride tan or titanium nitride tin may be deposited for example by conventional physical vapor deposition pvd chemical vapor deposition cvd or atomic layer deposition ald techniques onto the etched surfaces of dielectric 108 and hard mask 110 first liner layer 112 has a thickness ranging approximately from 20 nm to approximately 100 nm and coats the line opening 100 and 200 a via opening 200 b and hard mask 110 first dielectric material 102 of lower interconnect level 40 may include any interlevel or intralevel dielectric including inorganic dielectrics or organic dielectrics that may be porous or non porous the typical thickness of first dielectric material 102 may range from approximately 200 nm to approximately 450 nm conductive feature 104 includes a conductive material that may be separated from first dielectric material 102 by a barrier layer not shown the barrier layer may be tantalum ta tantalum nitride tan titanium ti titanium nitride tin ruthenium ru ruthenium nitride run tungsten w tungsten nitride wn or any other material that can serve as a.