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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 20160049307 A1) in view of Bobek (US 20190172714 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a core material layer (Fig. 8A, 110) above a target layer (100); forming a patterned mask layer (Fig. 8B, 120) on the core material layer; forming a first spacer layer (130) to cover the patterned mask layer and the core material layer (Shown in fig. 8C); performing a first removal process on the first spacer layer and the patterned mask layer (Shown in Fig. 8D) to form a plurality of first spacers (Shown in fig. 8E); patterning the core material layer to form a core layer using the first spacers as a mask (Fig. 8F); forming a second spacer layer (Fig. 8G, 140) to cover the core layer (Fig. 8G shows 140 covering side surfaces of core layer); performing a second removal process on the second spacer layer and the core layer (Fig. 8H) to form a plurality of second spacers (Shown in fig. 8H); and transferring a pattern of the second spacers to the target layer to form a patterned target layer (Fig. 8I). However, Chen does not explicitly disclose performing a first treatment process to form a treated first spacer layer; and performing a second treatment process to form a treated second spacer layer.
On the other hand, Bobek discloses performing a treatment process (Ion implantation shown in figs. 2 and 3C, and subsequent thermal treatment described in paragraph 62: "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated") on a mask layer (Fig. 3B, hardmask 306) to form a treated mask layer (Fig. 3C, hardmask 312). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing of the invention to modify Chen according to the teachings of Bobek such that the first and second spacer layers would receive the treatment disclosed by Bobek prior to being etched, in order to increase the precision of the etched patterns by using ion implantation and a thermal treatment process to increase the hardness of the hardmasks prior to etching (para. 61 "In general, increased hardness of the... hardmask 306 provides for reduced line bending of high aspect ratio structures...").[RefA][RefA]
Regarding claim 2, Bobek discloses wherein a material of the first spacer layer and the second spacer layer comprises a dielectric material (Amorphous carbon hardmask 306; amorphous carbon is widely considered a dielectric).
Regarding claim 3, Bobek discloses wherein density of the treated first spacer layer is higher than density of the first spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 4, Bobek discloses wherein density of the treated second spacer layer is higher than density of the second spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 5, Bobek discloses wherein hardness of the treated first spacer layer is higher than hardness of the first spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 6, Bobek discloses wherein hardness of the treated second spacer layer is higher than hardness of the second spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 7, Bobek discloses the treatment process reducing the hydrogen content in the hardmask layer (Para. 25 "...the beneficial effects of implantation such as... hydrogen reduction"). It is well known that reducing hydrogen content in a material will in some way affect the material's hydrophilicity. Therefore, the treatment process disclosed by Bobek implicitly teaches wherein the hydrophilicity of the treated spacer layer is different from hydrophilicity of the spacer layer.
Regarding claim 8, Bobek discloses the treatment process reducing the hydrogen content in the hardmask layer (Para. 25 "...the beneficial effects of implantation such as... hydrogen reduction"). It is well known that reducing hydrogen content in a material will in some way affect the material's hydrophilicity. Therefore, the treatment process disclosed by Bobek implicitly teaches wherein the hydrophilicity of the treated spacer layer is different from hydrophilicity of the spacer layer.
Regarding claim 9, Bobek discloses the increase in hardness and density of the treated hardmask layers due to the treatment process being intensified as dopant dosage increases (Para. 61 "In general, increased hardness of the amorphous carbon hardmask 306 provides for reduced line bending of high aspect ratio structures…. The carbide structure exhibits increased hardness when compared to an undoped hardmask"). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective time of filing of the invention to modify Bobek to make the dosage of the second treatment process greater than the dosage of the first treatment process, in order to increase the precision and fineness of the final pattern on the target layer.
Regarding claim 12, Bobek discloses wherein the first treatment process comprises a plasma treatment process or an ion implantation process (Fig. 2, operation 230 is ion implantation into hardmask).
Regarding claim 13, Bobek discloses wherein the second treatment process comprises a plasma treatment process or an ion implantation process (Fig. 2, operation 230 is ion implantation into hardmask).
Regarding claim 14, Chen discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: forming a core material layer (Fig. 8A, 110) above a target layer (100); forming a patterned mask layer (Fig. 8B, 120) on the core material layer; forming a first spacer layer (130) to cover the patterned mask layer and the core material layer (Shown in fig. 8C); performing a first removal process on the first spacer layer and the patterned mask layer (Shown in Fig. 8D) to form a plurality of first spacers (Shown in fig. 8E); patterning the core material layer to form a core layer using the first spacers as a mask (Fig. 8F); forming a second spacer layer (Fig. 8G, 140) to cover the core layer (Fig. 8G shows 140 covering side surfaces of core layer); performing a second removal process on the second spacer layer and the core layer (Fig. 8H) to form a plurality of second spacers (Shown in fig. 8H); and transferring a pattern of the second spacers to the target layer to form a patterned target layer (Fig. 8I). However, Chen does not explicitly disclose before performing the first removal process or performing the second removal process, performing a treatment process to change a property of the first spacer layer or the second spacer layer.
On the other hand, Bobek discloses performing a treatment process (Ion implantation and subsequent thermal treatment; para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated") to change a property of the first spacer layer or the second spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312"). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filing of the invention to modify Chen according to the teachings of Bobek such that before performing the first removal process or performing the second removal process, a treatment process would be performed to change a property of the first and second spacer layer, in order to increase the precision of the etched patterns by using ion implantation and a thermal treatment process to increase the hardness of the hardmasks prior to etching (para. 61 "In general, increased hardness of the... hardmask 306 provides for reduced line bending of high aspect ratio structures...").
Regarding claim 15, Bobek discloses wherein density of the treated first spacer layer is higher than density of the first spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 16, Bobek discloses wherein density of the treated second spacer layer is higher than density of the second spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 17, Bobek discloses wherein hardness of the treated first spacer layer is higher than hardness of the first spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 18, Bobek discloses wherein hardness of the treated second spacer layer is higher than hardness of the second spacer layer (Para. 62 "subsequent to the ion implantation process, the film stack 300 is thermally treated…. The thermal treatment of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 further incorporates the implanted ions 310 into the framework of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312. For example, the implanted ions 310 may be redistributed within the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312 for form a more uniform doping profile.... The redistribution and bonding of the implanted ions 310 may function to further increase the hardness, density, and etch selectivity of the doped amorphous carbon hardmask 312").
Regarding claim 19, Bobek discloses the treatment process reducing the hydrogen content in the hardmask layer (Para. 25 "...the beneficial effects of implantation such as... hydrogen reduction"). It is well known that reducing hydrogen content in a material will in some way affect the material's hydrophilicity. Therefore, the treatment process disclosed by Bobek implicitly teaches wherein the hydrophilicity of the treated spacer layer is different from hydrophilicity of the spacer layer.
Regarding claim 20, Bobek discloses the treatment process reducing the hydrogen content in the hardmask layer (Para. 25 "...the beneficial effects of implantation such as... hydrogen reduction"). It is well known that reducing hydrogen content in a material will in some way affect the material's hydrophilicity. Therefore, the treatment process disclosed by Bobek implicitly teaches wherein the hydrophilicity of the treated spacer layer is different from hydrophilicity of the spacer layer.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 10, the prior art of record does not disclose the method of claim 1, wherein during the second treatment process, a part of the second spacer layer remains covering the core layer.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art of record does not disclose the method of claim 1 further comprising forming a sacrificial layer on the target layer; and forming a hard mask layer on the target layer, wherein transferring the pattern of the second spacers to the target layer to form the patterned target layer comprises: patterning the hard mask layer and the sacrificial layer to form a patterned hard mask layer and a patterned sacrificial layer using the second spacers as a mask; and patterning the target layer to form the patterned target layer using the patterned hard mask layer as a mask.
Conclusion
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/S.J.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/MARLON T FLETCHER/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817