[ $RuO_2$ ] is widely studied as a lower electrode material for high dielectric capacitors in DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memories) and FRAM (Ferroelectric Random Access Memories). In this study, the effects of hydrogen, oxygen, and argon Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma pretreatments on deposited by Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) $RuO_2$ nucleation was investigated using X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) analyses. Argon ECR plasma pretreatment was found to offer the highest $RuO_2$ nucleation density among these three pretreatments. The mechanism through which $RuO_2$ nucleation is enhanced by ECR plasma pretreatment may be that the argon or the hydrogen ECR plasma removes nitrogen and oxygen atoms at the TiN film surface so that the underlying TiN film surface is changed to Ti-rich TiN.