view represents an atomic level illustration of the ambient gas being an inert gas or according to one example a nitrogen bearing gas nitrogen atoms 42 within the nitrogen bearing gas migrate into metal layer 30 as a result of anneal the atomic implications of anneal and the effect upon metal layer 30 is shown metal layer 30 is sandwiched directly between polysilicon 14 and the overlying nitridation species the nitradation species can occur from a nitrogen bearing ambient or from a metal nitride layer deposited upon metal layer 30 during silicidation as brought about by the first anneal phase silicon atoms 44 migrate or move from polysilicon 14 to bond with metal atoms 46 contained within metal layer 30 at the same time nitrogen atoms 42 move from the overlying nitrogen source to bond with metal atoms 46 within metal layer 30 the density of atomic nitrogen 42 is controlled by defining the nitrogen content of the gas species or the nitrogen content of an overlying metal nitride material such that an abundance free non bonded nitrogen atoms 42 exist the propensity for nitrogen atoms to move to metal bond sites 46 and the relative mobility of nitrogen in relation to silicon allows nitrogen to penetrate deeper within layer 30 than silicon from layer 14 as such silicon atom 44a is blocked from bonding to metal atom 46a due to the occurrence of a pre existing bond of nitrogen atom 42a within metal atom 46a.