A method of forming a material on a substrate is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method includes forming a tantalum nitride layer on a substrate disposed in a plasma process chamber by sequentially exposing the substrate to a tantalum precursor and a nitrogen precursor, followed by reducing a nitrogen concentration of the tantalum nitride layer by exposing the substrate to a plasma annealing process. A metal-containing layer is subsequently deposited on the tantalum nitride layer.