DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
Claims 13-32 are pending.
Claims 1-12 are cancelled.
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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 6 March 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 1-12 have been cancelled.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 13-15, 17-19, 21-23, 26-29 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Basol et al. (US 2004/0198190).
Regarding claims 13 and 26, Basol discloses an electrochemical deposition method including semiconductor integrated circuits (title, [0002], [0033]) (= a method of electrochemical plating a semiconductor device), the method comprising:
Immersing a semiconductor wafer (52) in a copper plating electrolyte [0007] the electrolyte comprising an anode (68) [0044] (= immersing a semiconductor substrate in a plating solution, the plating solution having an anode therein);
Applying a voltage [0041] (= producing an electrical potential difference between the semiconductor substrate and the anode);
Detecting gas bubbles [0055]-[0056] (= detecting gas bubbles within the plating solution);
Using degassing methods including ultrasonic or megasonic techniques [0051] to perform degassing in-situ as a result of the monitoring and detecting of bubbles (abstract, [0017], [0021], [0037], [0056]) (= at least partially in response to the detecting, selectively generating an acoustic wave within the plating solution to suppress at least one of bubble formation, nucleation and growth).
Regarding claim 14-15, Basol discloses wherein the acoustic wave (e.g. produced by ultrasonic wave; degasser 108) is generated in at least one of a plating cell containing the semiconductor substrate and the anode and a reservoir that supplies the plating solution to the plating cell [0047], [0051] (Figure 3). Basol discloses a monitor unit is coupled to the degasser and the detector may be placed in any number of places including first line (112, 114) or placed in the processing stations [0017], [0055]-[0056].
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Figure 3 of US 2004/0198190.
Regarding claim 17, Basol discloses ultrasonic and megasonic techniques [0051].
Regarding claim 18, Basol discloses detecting and monitoring units that read on the claimed sensor and also discloses sensors [0056]. Basol discloses degassing to inhibit at least one of bubble formation, nucleation and growth within the plating solution [0037], [0054].
Regarding claim 19, the degasser (180) is positioned between first (112) and second lines (114) (Figure 3). Basol discloses a monitor unit is coupled to the degasser and the detector may be placed in any number of places including first line (112, 114) or placed in the processing stations [0017], [0055]-[0056].
Regarding claim 21, Basol discloses that multiple degassers may be used and positioning the degasser in any one of additional tanks and the processing tanks [0048], [0050].
Regarding claim 22, Basol discloses the use of a filter in a position between the replenishment tank and processing tank [0048].
Regarding claim 23, Basol discloses ultrasonic and megasonic techniques [0051].
Regarding claim 27, Basol discloses a fourth solution flow (111D) [0048] (= overflow pipe) to a solution tank (102) (= reservoir) [0047]-[0048] and the solution flows back to the plating processing cell from the reservoir through third line (116) (Figure 3).
Regarding claims 28-29, Basol discloses detecting and monitoring units that read on the claimed sensor and also discloses sensors [0056]. Basol discloses degassing to inhibit at least one of bubble formation, nucleation and growth within the plating solution [0037], [0054]. Basol discloses the detector located in various locations including a first line, second line or processing stations [0056].
Regarding claim 31, Basol discloses ultrasonic and megasonic techniques [0051].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 16, 20 and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basol et al. (US 20040198190) in view of KR 20120003260 (‘260).
Regarding claims 16, 20 and 30, Basol discloses degasser units comprising ultrasonic or megazonic techniques [0051]. Basol fails to disclose wherein the acoustic wave is generated by driving a piezoelectric transducer.
‘260 discloses an electroplating method comprising substrate plating using vibrations to generate penetration efficiency. ‘260 discloses that the vibrating unit includes piezoelectric transducer that generates megasonic waves when power is applied and vibration energy can be generated by the megasonic waves [0009], 4th -6th paragraphs.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to produce a method comprising a piezoelectric transducer as a vibration generating unit for megasonic waves because ‘260 discloses that piezoelectric transducers provide a way in which to convert power into waves.
Claim(s) 24 and 32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basol et al. (US 20040198190) in view of Stowell et al. (US 2014/0097088).
Regarding claims 24 and 32, Basol does not disclose wherein the semiconductor substrate is immersed in the plating solution at an angle relative to a surface of the plating solution.
Stowell discloses an electroplating method comprising tilting a wafer to a non-horizontal angle upon immersion into an electroplating bath to eliminate gasses at the substrate/fluid interface before and during immersion by controlling the entry profile. Stowell discloses that this control of entry allows faster substrate entry into the electroplating solution and consequently a higher quality and more uniform electroplating/fill over the entire plating surface of the substrate. Stowell additionally discloses that the elimination of oxygen in the plating environment reduces the deleterious effects of metal corrosion at the wafer face [0027].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to produce a method comprising angling the substrate during immersion because Stowell discloses tilting a wafer to a non-horizontal angle upon immersion into an electroplating bath to eliminate gasses at the substrate/fluid interface before and during immersion by controlling the entry profile [0027].
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Basol et al. (US 20040198190) in view of Xie et al. (WO 2008/137951).
Regarding claim 25, Basol fails to disclose a controller that controls at least one of an amplitude and frequency of the acoustic wave generated within the plating solution.
Xie discloses a plating method comprising applying a certain range of vibrating frequency, amplitude and hardware configuration which can optimize mass and energy transfer. Xie discloses that the agitation disrupts the boundary layer stratification, inducing micron scale turbulent mixing by driving multiple sonic frequencies through the plating electrolyte and across the boundary layer interface. Xie discloses that air molecules directly at the wafer surface are generally displaced to achieve strong and uniformed plating results. Xie discloses that waves can be introduced into the system from any direction and can be original generated, amplified, direct, pulsing with/without the same amplitude, etc. Xie discloses varying the frequency which can be controlled individually. Xie discloses a control system (171) for controlling various features and processes of the plating computer (page 10 lines 7-12; page 12 line 13- page 13 line 14).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to produce a method comprising a controller for controlling the amplitude or frequency of acoustic wave because Xie discloses controlled process parameters including frequency and amplitude of the applied waves which displace the air at the wafer/electrolyte interface. It would have been obvious to control parameters such as frequency and amplitude in order to optimize the process parameters as described by Xie to provide uniform electroplating.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEFANIE S WITTENBERG whose telephone number is (571)270-7594. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 am -4:00 pm EST.
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/Stefanie S Wittenberg/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1795