DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on 09 June 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 06 June 2026, with respect to the prior art rejections using Fujita of claims 1, 15, and 17 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding claim 1, the Applicant argues that Fujita does not teach thermally converting without plasma. The examiner respectfully disagrees. Fujita ¶ [0044] states that a plasma process may be used to further enhance the reaction between processing gas G and liquid L. Hence, Fujita teaches a non-preferred embodiment that is plasma-free. Furthermore, there are no references in Fujita that state that a plasma-free step would make the process inoperable. Regarding claim 15, the applicant argues that Fujita does not teach filling the gap using a metal or metalloid from a list of elements. The examiner agrees. However, upon further search and consideration, the examiner finds that Cooper and Fujita in view of Hatanpää teaches this limitation. Regarding claim 17, the applicant argues that Fujita does not teach super cycles. The examiner disagrees. Fujita ¶ [0045] teaches repeating steps 1 and 2 when filling the gap.
In summary, this application is not placed in a condition for an allowance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 24 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 24 requires “a step of at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling liquid” and “providing a transformation reactant to a reaction chamber,” with the underlined elements already defined in parent claim 1. It is not clear whether these elements are the same as the ones defined in claim 1 or different. For the purpose of compact prosecution, the examiner will treat these elements to be the same as in claim 1.
Claim 27 requires “at least partially filling the gap with a gap filling liquid” and “subjecting the substrate to a transformation reactant,” with the underlined elements already defined in parent claim 15. It is not clear whether these elements are the same as the ones defined in claim 15 or different. For the purpose of compact prosecution, the examiner will treat these elements to be the same as in claim 15.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Fujita (US 2023/0243031 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Fujita teaches a method for curing a gap filling liquid, the method comprising:
providing a substrate (W, see Fig. 2A-2C) comprising a gap (Wb), the gap being at least partially filled with a gap filling liquid (L), the gap filling liquid comprising at least one of a metal and a metalloid (¶ [0029]: Liquid L contains Ti, which is a metal), the gap filling liquid comprising oligomers (¶ [0034]) formed from gaseous monomers (using plain meaning, the various gases listed in ¶ [0034] are monomers; Merriam-Webster: monomer is a chemical compound that can undergo polymerization) during a polymerization reaction (¶ [0034]);
providing (¶ [0055]-[0057]) a transformation reactant (processing gas G; see Fig. 2B and ¶ [0035]; ¶ [0038]- [0040]: oxygen, nitrogen, or hydride containing gas) to the reaction chamber (2, see Fig. 3); and
exposing the gap filling liquid to the transformation reactant (¶ [0035]: step S2), thereby thermally converting (¶ [0036]: generates convection ) at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material (¶ [0035]-[0037]: causes L to move from Wb to Wd thereby forming a film W3; ¶ [0038]: transforms to an oxide or nitride film) in the gap thereby filling the gap (¶ [0035]: “The thin film W3 may also be formed on the side surface of the recess or the bottom surface of the recess,” emphasis added), wherein thermally converting is without subjecting the substrate to a plasma (¶ [0044], [0078]: Fujita suggests step S2 may include plasmarizing the gas G for the purpose of promoting the reaction between gas G and liquid L, which is a preferred embodiment; this means that Fujita also teaches an embodiment whereby there is no plasmarization of gas G; furthermore, Fujita does not state that a plasma-free step would make the process inoperable).
Regarding claim 24, the method of claim 1, further comprising executing a plurality of super cycles (¶ [0045] : ”…steps S1 to S2 may be performed repeatedly. The number of times steps S1 to S2 are repeated is also called the number of cycles”), each of the super cycles comprising a step of at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling liquid (this step is already taught by Fujita; see claim 1 rejection above), the step of providing a transformation reactant to a reaction chamber (this step is already taught by Fujita; see claim 1 rejection above), and the step of exposing the gap filling liquid to the transformation reactant, wherein the gap is filled by the plurality of super cycles (see ¶ [0045] ).
Claims 15, 16, 18-19, 26 and 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Cooper (US 2019/0309422 A1).
Regarding claim 15, Cooper teaches a method for filling a gap (¶ [0016] ), the method comprising;
providing a substrate (¶ [0027] ) comprising a gap (¶ [0027]: topography; also see ¶ [0016], ¶ [0005], [0048]: high-aspect ratios );
at least partially filling the gap with a gap filling liquid formed by polymerization of oligomers (¶ [0086], [0054]), the gap filling liquid comprising at least one of a metal and a metalloid (¶ [0083]: Cobalt; also metals listed in ¶ [0024]-[0025], [0053], [0061]);
providing a transformation reactant (¶ [0075]: direct argon, remote hydrogen plasma, helium or hydrogen plasma); and
exposing the gap filling liquid to the transformation reactant (¶ [0075]), thereby thermally converting (¶ [0072]: energy is applied using the transformation reactant; ¶ [0078]: 400 C; ¶ [0088]: annealing by H2 plasma ) at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material (¶ [0080]: conductive film) in the gap thereby filling the gap,
wherein the metal or metalloid comprised in the gap filling fluid comprises an element selected from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi (¶ [0083]: Cobalt; also metals listed in ¶ [0024]-[0-025],[0053], [0061] ).
Regarding claim 16, the method according to claim 15 comprising executing a plurality of super cycles (¶ [0090] ), a super cycle comprising the step of at least partially filling the gap with a gap filling liquid (¶ [0090] ), and the step of subjecting the substrate to a transformation reactant (¶ [0090] ).
Regarding claim 18, the method according to claim 15, wherein the gap filling liquid comprises a transition metal (¶ [0083]: Cobalt; also metals listed in ¶ [0024]-[0025],[0053], [0061] ).
Regarding claim 19, method according to claim 15, wherein the gap filling liquid comprises a halogen (¶ [0023]: metal precursor is mixed with ligands having Cl, F, or Br; the latter are known in the art as halogens; ¶ [0024]: metal precursors also have Cl, Br )
Regarding claim 26, the method of claim 15, wherein thermally converting is without subjecting the substrate to a plasma (¶ [0075]: direct argon).
Regarding claim 27, the method of claim 26, further comprising executing a plurality of super cycles (¶ [0090]), a super cycle comprising the step of at least partially filling the gap with a gap filling liquid (¶ [0090]), and the step of subjecting the substrate to a transformation reactant, wherein the gap is filled by the plurality of super cycles (¶ [0090] ).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 15-16, 18-22 and 25-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujita (US 2023/0243031 A1) in further view of Hatanpää (US 2019/0249300 A1-).
Regarding claim 15, Fujita teaches a method for filling a gap, the method comprising;
providing a substrate (W, see Fig. 2A-2C) comprising a gap (Wb);
at least partially filling the gap (¶ [0022]; step S1) with a gap filling liquid (L) formed by polymerization of oligomers (¶ [0034]), the gap filling liquid comprising at least one of a metal and a metalloid (¶ [0029]: Liquid L contains Ti, which is a metal);
providing (¶ [0035]: step S2) a transformation reactant (processing gas G; see Fig. 2B and ¶ [0035]; ¶ [0038]-[0040]: oxygen, nitrogen, or hydride containing gas); and
exposing the gap filling liquid to the transformation reactant (¶ [0035: step S2), thereby thermally converting (¶ [0036]: generates convection ) at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material (¶ [0035]-[0037]: causes L to move from Wb to Wd thereby forming a film W3; ¶ [0038]: transforms to an oxide or nitride film) in the gap thereby filling the gap (¶ [0035]: “The thin film W3 may also be formed on the side surface of the recess or the bottom surface of the recess,” emphasis added).
Fujita further teaches the gap filling liquid comprises a halide (¶ [0025] ) of a metal selected from Ti (¶ [0029]), W, V, or Mo (¶ [0030]: W, V, or Mo) in order to fill the gap with an oxide or nitride film (¶ [0038] ).
However, Fujita does not teach the gap filling fluid comprises an element selected from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi.
Hatanpää, in the same field of invention, teaches a method of filling a gap (¶ [0105]: films deposited may be used for gap fill layers ) wherein the gap filling fluid (¶ [0116]: in some embodiments, the transition metal halide compound is converted to liquid ) comprises an element selected from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi (¶ [0045]: transition metal halide compound can consist of Co, Cu, Ni ).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Hatanpää into the method Fujita substitute the composition of the metal halide in the gap filling liquid to any of the elements listed above. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Fujita in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of forming transition metal films having Co, Cu, or Ni in the gap (Hatanpää ¶ [0009], [0045]).
Regarding claim 16, the method according to claim 15 comprising executing a plurality of super cycles (Fujita ¶ [0045]: S1 and S2 repeated many times), a super cycle comprising the step of at least partially filling the gap with a gap filling liquid (S1), and the step of subjecting the substrate to a transformation reactant (S2).
Regarding claim 18, the method according to claim 15, wherein the gap filling liquid comprises a transition metal (Hatanpää ¶[0004]: Cu, Co, or Ni are known in the art as transition metals).
Regarding claim 19, the method according to claim 15, wherein the gap filling liquid comprises a halogen (Fujita ¶ [0029]: liquid L may include TiCl, TiCl2, TiCl3, or TiCl4; alternatively, Hatanpää ¶[0052] lists chlorides and bromides of metal halides; Cl and Br are known in the art as halogens).
Regarding claim 20, the method according to claim 15, wherein the transformation reactant comprises a Group IVA element (Fujita ¶ [0041]: hydride gas bonded to C or a hydrocarbon gas such as C2H4; alternatively, Hatanpää ¶ [0058]: second reactant may comprise hydrocarbons; C is a group IVA element as evidenced by NPL: Moore, John. ChemPrime, Chapter 12.5: Group IVA, mailed on 13 November 2025) .
Regarding claim 21, the method according to claim 15, wherein the transformation reactant comprises a silane (Fujita ¶ [0041]: SiH4 is a silane gas, as evidenced by NPL: Britannica, mailed on 13 November 2025; alternatively, see Hatanpää ¶ [0062]).
Regarding claim 22, the method according to claim 15, wherein the transformation reactant comprises a pnictogen or a chalcogen (Fujita ¶ [0039]: NO gas, N2O gas, or any of the listed oxygen-containing gases; alternatively, Hatanpää ¶ [0055]: second reactant may comprise an oxygen precursor or a nitrogen precursor; N is a pnictogen as evidenced by NPL: Barron, Andrew. Chemistry of the Main Group Elements, Chapter 8.1, mailed on 13 November 2025; O is a chalcogen as evidenced by NPL mailed on 18 June 2025).
Regarding claim 25, Fujita teaches the method of claim 24 and further teaches the gap filling liquid comprises a metal halide (¶ [0025]) selected from Ti (¶ [0029]), W, V, or Mo (¶ [0030]: W, V, or Mo) in order to fill the gap with an oxide or nitride film (¶ [0038] ). However, Fujita does not teach: wherein the metal or metalloid comprised in the gap filling fluid comprises an element from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi.
Hatanpää, in the same field of invention, teaches a method of filling a gap (¶ [0105]: films deposited may be used for gap fill layers ) wherein the metal or metalloid comprised in the gap filling fluid (¶ [0116]: in some embodiments, the transition metal halide compound is converted to liquid) comprises an element from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi (¶ [0045]: transition metal halide compound can consist of Co, Cu, Ni ).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Hatanpää into the method Fujita substitute the metal halide composition of the gap filling liquid to any of the elements listed above. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Fujita in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of forming transition metal films having Co, Cu, or Ni in the gap (Hatanpää ¶ [0009], [0045] ).
Regarding claim 26, the method of claim 15, wherein thermally converting is without subjecting the substrate to a plasma ¶ [0044]: Fujita suggests a preferred embodiment of plasmarizing the gas G for the purpose of promoting the reaction between gas G and liquid L; this means that Fujita also teaches an embodiment whereby there is no plasmarization of gas G; Fujita does not state that a plasma-free step would make the process inoperable ).
Regarding claim 27, the method of claim 26, further comprising executing a plurality of super cycles (Fujita ¶ [0045] : ”…steps S1 to S2 may be performed repeatedly. The number of times steps S1 to S2 are repeated is also called the number of cycles”), a super cycle comprising the step of at least partially filling the gap with a gap filling liquid (this step is already taught by Fujita; see claim 15 rejection above), the step of subjecting the substrate to a transformation reactant (this step is already taught by Fujita; see claim 15 rejection above), wherein the gap is filled by the plurality of super cycles (see ¶ [0045] ).
Claim 17, 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reid (US 2014/0124361 A1) in view of Fujita (US 2023/0243031 A1).
Regarding claim 17, Reid teaches a method of filling a gap, the method comprising
providing a substrate (102, see Fig. 3), the substrate comprising the gap (¶ [0022]: line feature or via feature);
providing a system comprising a gap filling fluid reaction chamber (324, see Fig. 4A and ¶ [0056]; also ¶ [0054]: plating chamber) and a transformation reaction chamber (322; see ¶ [0057], ¶ [0054]: annealing chamber); and
executing a plurality of super cycles (steps 106 & 108 & 110 & 112; see Fig. 3 and ¶ [0043]- [0045]), a super cycle comprising
moving the substrate into the gap filling fluid reaction chamber (step 106; ¶ [0027], ¶ [0054: electroless plating process performed in the plating chamber);
moving the substrate into the transformation reaction chamber (step 110; see ¶ [0054]: moving to annealing chamber); and
subjecting the substrate to a transformation treatment (¶ [0036]: annealing) in the transformation reaction chamber (step 110, see ¶ [0036]), thereby converting at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material (¶ [0036]: "copper redistributes from regions of the wafer substrate to the feature"), wherein the transformed material comprises one or more of a metal or an alloy (¶ [0047]: copper is known in the art as a metal).
However, Reid does not explicitly teach the method of filling a gap that comprises:
forming, via polymerization, a gap filling liquid in the gap filling fluid reaction chamber, thereby at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling fluid, wherein the gap filling liquid fluid comprises at least one of a metal and a metalloid; and
proving a transformation reactant to the transformation reaction chamber, and
thereby thermally converting at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material in the gap, thereby filling the gap,
wherein the gap is filled by the plurality of super cycles.
Fujita, in the same field of invention, teaches a method of filling a gap (Wb, see Fig. 2A) that comprises:
forming, via polymerization (¶ [0034]), a gap filling liquid (L; ¶ [0022]: this is step S1 ) in the gap filling fluid reaction chamber (Reid in view of Fujita teaches doing this step in the fluid reaction chamber), thereby at least partially filling the gap (Wb, see Figs. 2A-2C) with the gap filling fluid (L; see ¶ [0022]), wherein the gap filling liquid fluid comprises at least one of a metal and a metalloid (¶ [0029]: Liquid L contains Ti, which is a metal); and
proving a transformation reactant (processing gas G; see Fig. 2B and ¶ [0035]; this is step S2) to the transformation reaction chamber (2, see Fig. 3), and
thereby thermally converting (¶ [0036]: generates convection ) at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material (W3) in the gap, thereby filling the gap (¶ [0035]: “The thin film W3 may also be formed on the side surface of the recess or the bottom surface of the recess,” emphasis added),
wherein the gap is filled by the plurality of super cycles (¶ [0045] : ”…steps S1 to S2 may be performed repeatedly. The number of times steps S1 to S2 are repeated is also called the number of cycles.” ).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Fujita into the method of Reid by performing a plurality of super cycles, with each Supercycle comprising of forming, via polymerization, the gap filling liquid in the gap filling fluid reaction chamber, thereby at least partially filling the gap with the gap filling fluid, wherein the gap filling liquid fluid comprises at least one of a metal and a metalloid; and comprising of providing a transformation reactant to the transformation reaction chamber, thereby thermally converting at least a part of the gap filling liquid into a transformed material in the gap, thereby filling the gap. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Reid in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of selectively forming a film on either a top surface of a convex portion of a substrate or within the gap itself (Fujita ¶ [0007]), wherein the convex portion is adjacent to and/or surrounded by the gap that is filled by the gap-filling liquid (Fujita ¶ [0007]; also, ¶ [0035]-[0037]: causes L to move from Wb to Wd thereby forming a film W3) in order to fill the gap and/or the convex portion with an insulating film ( ¶ [0038]: transforms to an oxide or nitride film). The ordinary artisan would also find it obvious to perform the said process with super cycles in order to optimize the thickness of the resulting film (¶ [0045] ).
Regarding claim 28, the method of claim 17, wherein thermally converting is without subjecting the substrate to a plasma (Fujita ¶ [0044] suggests a preferred embodiment of plasmarizing the gas G for the purpose of promoting the reaction between gas G and liquid L; this means that Fujita also teaches an embodiment whereby there is no plasmarization of gas G; Fujita does not state that a plasma-free step would make the process inoperable).
Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reid (US 2014/0124361 A1) in view of Fujita (US 2023/0243031 A1) as applied to claim 28 above, and further in view of Hatanpää (US 2019/0249300 A1-).
Regarding claim 29, Reid in view of Fujita teach the method of claim 28, and further teach the gap filling liquid comprises a metal halide (¶ [0025] ) selected from Ti (¶ [0029]), W, V, or Mo (¶ [0030]: W, V, or Mo) in order to fill the gap with an oxide or nitride film (¶ [0038] ). However, Reid in view of Fujita does not teach: wherein the metal or metalloid comprised in the gap filling fluid comprises an element from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi.
Hatanpää, in the same field of invention, teaches a method of filling a gap (¶ [0105]: films deposited may be used for gap fill layers) wherein the metal or metalloid comprised in the gap filling fluid (¶ [0116]: in some embodiments, the transition metal halide compound is converted to liquid ) comprises an element selected from Sb, Te, Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Rh, Fe, Cr, Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, Cu, Co, Zn, In, and Bi (¶ [0045]: transition metal halide compound can consist of Co, Cu, Ni ).
A person of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective date of the claimed invention, will find it obvious to combine the teachings of Hatanpää into the method Fujita substitute metal halide composition of the gap filling liquid to any of the elements listed above. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Fujita in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of forming transition metal films having Co, Cu, or Ni in the gap (Hatanpää ¶ [0009], [0045]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS YAP whose telephone number is (703)756-1946. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Zandra Smith can be reached at (571) 272-2429. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DOUGLAS YAP/Assistant Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/JOHN M PARKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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