Fabrication of electrodes for memory cells

A method, comprising:

• forming a metal layer for an access line;
• forming, above the metal layer, an electrode layer for a memory cell, wherein a surface of the electrode layer has an initial surface roughness;
• polishing the surface of the electrode layer to change the surface from having the initial surface roughness to having a subsequent surface roughness that is less than the initial surface roughness;
• and
• forming, after the polishing, an active layer in contact with the surface of the electrode layer, wherein a uniformity of a thickness of the active layer is based at least in part on the subsequent surface roughness.

A method, comprising:

• forming a metal layer for an access line;
• forming, above the metal layer, a first electrode layer comprising carbon for a memory cell;
• reducing a surface roughness of an upper surface of the first electrode layer by applying a chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) process to the upper surface of the first electrode layer;
• forming a chalcogenide layer in contact with the upper surface of the first electrode layer after applying the CMP process;
• and
• forming, above the chalcogenide layer, a second electrode layer comprising carbon for the memory cell.