DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of Application
In response to Office action dated 10/01/2025 (“10-01-25 Reply”), Applicant filed remarks and currently amended claims 1, 4, 11, 12, 18 and 19 in reply dated 01/30/2026 (“01-30-26 Reply”).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 01/09/2026 was filed after the mailing date of the 10-01-25 Reply. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 because the statement as required by 37 CFR 1.97(e)(1) is provided. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to independent claims 1 and 19 have overcome the prior art rejections based at least in part on Citla as set forth under line item number 1 of the 10-01-25 Reply.
Applicant’s amendments to independent claim 12 now reciting, “forming plasma effluents of a conversion precursor at a plasma power of greater than 1,000 W” does appear to be taught by Citla. Specifically, Citla teaches in paragraph 0048 (bolded for emphasis),
Method 200 may also optionally include conversion of the amorphous silicon to another material. For example, subsequent to the etching and densifying, one or more conversion precursors may be delivered to the processing region of the chamber. For example, a nitrogen-containing precursor, an oxygen-containing precursor, and/or a carbon-containing precursor may be delivered to the processing region of the chamber, along with any carrier or diluent gases. A plasma may be formed of the conversion precursor, which may then contact the amorphous silicon material within the feature. At optional operation 230, plasma effluents of the conversion precursor may interact with the amorphous silicon material within the trench, and convert the material to silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxycarbide, silicon carbon nitride, or silicon oxycarbonitride, along with any other materials that may be used to convert amorphous silicon films. The plasma power may be similar to powers previously stated, and may be from about 100 W up to about 1,000 W or more for a capacitively-coupled system, as well as up to 10 kW or more for an inductively-coupled plasma system, for example, although any type of conversion may also be performed.
Therefore, the newly added limitations are taught by Citla. Citla teaches a power range that is squarely within the claimed range thereby making the claimed power range prima facie obvious.
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.
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Claims 12-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2023/0071366 A1 to Citla et al. (“Citla”).
Regarding the newly added limitation of independent claim 12, Applicant’s amendments to independent claim 12 now reciting, “forming plasma effluents of a conversion precursor at a plasma power of greater than 1,000 W” does appear to be taught by Citla. Specifically, Citla teaches in paragraph 0048 (bolded for emphasis),
Method 200 may also optionally include conversion of the amorphous silicon to another material. For example, subsequent to the etching and densifying, one or more conversion precursors may be delivered to the processing region of the chamber. For example, a nitrogen-containing precursor, an oxygen-containing precursor, and/or a carbon-containing precursor may be delivered to the processing region of the chamber, along with any carrier or diluent gases. A plasma may be formed of the conversion precursor, which may then contact the amorphous silicon material within the feature. At optional operation 230, plasma effluents of the conversion precursor may interact with the amorphous silicon material within the trench, and convert the material to silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide, silicon oxynitride, silicon oxycarbide, silicon carbon nitride, or silicon oxycarbonitride, along with any other materials that may be used to convert amorphous silicon films. The plasma power may be similar to powers previously stated, and may be from about 100 W up to about 1,000 W or more for a capacitively-coupled system, as well as up to 10 kW or more for an inductively-coupled plasma system, for example, although any type of conversion may also be performed.
Therefore, the newly added limitations are taught by Citla. Citla teaches a power range that is squarely within the claimed range thereby making the claimed power range prima facie obvious.
Regarding claim 13, Citla teaches in paragraph 0049: the thickness of densified material may be controlled to be at a thickness of less than or about 50A (5nm) that is squarely within the claimed range. Further, paragraph 0049 states in the first line that the deposition is only several nanometers --- therefore the end material after etching may be 5nm or less – As such there appears to be at least one embodiment of Citla where the thickness per cycle would be less than 5nm.
Regarding claim 14, Citla teaches in paragraphs 0004, 0042-0046 of applying a bias power to the substrate support 104 while converting remaining silicon-containing material to a silicon-and-nitrogen-containing material or a silicon-and-oxygen-containing material.
Regarding claim 15, Citla teaches wherein the etching fully removes (see paragraph 0007 and claim 15 of Citla) the silicon-containing material from sidewalls of the feature above a base fill of the feature.
Regarding claim 16, Citla teaches wherein the conversion precursor comprises a nitrogen-containing precursor or an oxygen-containing precursor (refer to claim 3 rejection, supra).
Regarding claim 17, Citla teaches of densifying (claim 1 of Citla: “and densifying remaining flowable film within the feature defined within the semiconductor substrate with plasma effluents of the hydrogen-containing precursor.” See paragraph 0048) remaining silicon-containing material within the feature.
Regarding claim 18, Citla teaches wherein the substrate 103/305 is maintained at a temperature of less than or about 350° C (see paragraph 0005: “A temperature of the semiconductor substrate may be maintained at a temperature of less than or about 20° C. during the method.” This is squarely within the claimed range).
Allowable Subject Matter
Independent claim 1 contains allowable subject matter, because the closest art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements of claim 1, wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature of greater than or about 200°C.
The prior art of Citla in paragraph 0005 specifically teaches, “A temperature of the semiconductor substrate may be maintained at a temperature of less than or about 20°C during the method.” Therefore, 200°C overcomes the prior art of Citla.
Dependent claims 2-11 contain allowable subject matter, because they depend on the allowable subject matter of claim 1.
Independent claim 19 contains allowable subject matter, because the closest art of record, singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements of claim 19, wherein the substrate is maintained at a temperature of greater than or about 200°C.
The prior art of Citla in paragraph 0005 specifically teaches, “A temperature of the semiconductor substrate may be maintained at a temperature of less than or about 20°C during the method.” Therefore, 200°C overcomes the prior art of Citla.
Dependent claim 20 contains allowable subject matter, because it depends on the allowable subject matter of claim 19.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN P DULKA whose telephone number is (571)270-7398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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02 April 2026
/John P. Dulka/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817