Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a void free, reduced stress aluminum layer and an overlying silicon nitride layer on a substrate, comprising: forming a gate oxide layer 12 over said substrate, forming a polysilicon layer 14 over said gate oxide layer 12; forming a polyoxide layer 16 over said polysilicon layer 14; forming a first insulating layer 18 composed of silicon nitride over said polyoxide layer 16; forming an aluminum alloy layer 20 over said first insulating layer; forming a silicon nitride layer 24 over said aluminum alloy layer 20 by ramping said substrate from room temperature up to between about 345.degree. and 355.degree. C., at a pressure between about 2200 and 2500 m torr, in a N.sub.2 ambient, for time of between about 3 and 8 minutes; and ramping the temperature down to between 315.degree. and 325.degree. C. and depositing silicon nitride over said aluminum layer at a temperature of between about 315.degree. and 325.degree. C.