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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of “Group II (Claims 7-20)” in the reply filed on 04/13/2026, is acknowledged. Applicant’s arguments regarding the restriction of “Group I (Claims 1-6)” is persuasive; therefore, the restriction on “Group I” filed on 02/19/2026 is hereby withdrawn. Claims 1-20 will be examined.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “first dielectric cap layer” of claims 5,10 and 18, and the “second dielectric cap layer” of claims 6,11 and 19 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claims 17 and 19 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 17 recites the limitation "wherein the cap layer comprises a metal cap layer selectively deposited on the pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer" in the first sentence of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Application will be examined with Claim 17 being best interpreted by the Examiner in the following manner:
wherein the cap layer comprises a metal cap layer selectively deposited on a pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer, the metal cap layer comprising at least one of cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt tungsten phosphide (CoWP), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), and copper (Cu) alloy thereof.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "wherein the cap layer comprises a second dielectric cap layer selectively deposited on the pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer" in the first sentence of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Application will be examined with Claim 19 being best interpreted by the Examiner in the following manner:
wherein the cap layer comprises a second dielectric cap layer selectively deposited on a pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer, wherein the second dielectric cap layer comprises at least one of silicon nitride, nitrogen-doped carbon-containing silicon, and a carbon-containing silicon.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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 1-4,7-9,12-17 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 7,858,510 B1; Banerji et al.; 12/2010; (“510”).
Regarding Claim 1. 510 teaches in Figs. 3B,4A,4E and 7 about a cluster tool for forming an interconnection structure comprising:
a pre-clean chamber (Fig. 7, item 721) configured to pre-clean (“stations 703 and 705 residing in one chamber 721 and simultaneously undergo identical operations including pre-clean”, Col. 25, Ln. 21-23) an exposed surface of a metal layer (Fig. 4A, exposed surface of item 405) formed within a first dielectric layer of the interconnection structure (Fig. 4A, item 405 is formed within dielectric item 401; best taught by step 303 of Fig. 3B);
a selective chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber (Fig. 7, item 719) configured to selectively deposit a cap layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer (“protective caps formed … layer deposits selectively only onto the metal layer without significantly depositing onto dielectric”, Col. 2, Ln. 45-56);
a plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) chamber (Fig. 7, item 717) configured to deposit a second dielectric layer (Fig. 4E, item 411) on the cap layer and an exposed surface of the first dielectric layer (“upon formation of the protective cap, a layer of doped or undoped silicon carbide is deposited … silicon carbide layer 411 is deposited … over copper lines and over the dielectric region … the layer of silicon carbide can be deposited … preferably by PECVD”, Col.19, Ln. 41-49);
one or more transfer chambers (Fig. 7, item 715) coupled to the pre-clean chamber, the selective CVD chamber, and the PECVD chamber (Fig. 7, item 715 is coupled to chamber items 721,719 and 717), and configured to transfer the interconnection structure between the pre-clean chamber, the selective CVD chamber, and the PECVD chamber without breaking vacuum environment (“substrate may be transferred between the stations without a vacuum break”, Col. 6, Ln. 4-6); and
a controller (Fig. 7, item 723) configured to cause the pre-cleaning of the metal layer in the pre-clean chamber, the selective deposition of the cap layer in the selective CVD chamber, and the deposition of the second dielectric layer in the PECVD chamber (Fig. 7, “controller 723 provides instructions for operation of a multi-station apparatus 701”, Col. 25, Ln. 17-18).
Regarding Claim 2. 510 teaches in Col. 14 about a cluster tool for forming an interconnection structure, wherein the pre-cleaning of the exposed surface of the metal layer comprises providing reactive hydrogen radicals H* generated by a remote plasma source in the pre-clean chamber (“complete or partial removal of copper oxide is performed by using a remote plasma comprising a gas selected from a group consisting of H2 … used to form a plasma in a chamber that is physically separated from the chamber holding the wafer substrate … formed plasma is then directed through a delivery line to an ion filter, which depletes the plasma of ions, while leaving the radicals. The resulting radical-rich process gas is delivered through an inlet … to the chamber housing the substrate”, Col. 14, Ln. 53-64).
Regarding Claim 3. 510 teaches in Figs. 2A and 4E about a cluster tool for forming an interconnection structure, wherein
the metal layer comprises at least one of copper (Cu), copper-aluminum (CuAI) alloy, and copper-manganese (CuMn) alloy (Fig. 4E, “layer of copper or copper alloy 405”, Col. 14, Ln. 19),
the first dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide (Si02) or a low-k dielectric material (Fig. 2A, “Layer 201 can include a variety of ILD materials, such as … silicon oxide”, Col. 11, Ln. 17-20), and
the second dielectric layer comprises a low-k dielectric material (Fig. 2A, “materials with lower dielectric constants than silicon nitride are often used as dielectric diffusion barriers”, Col. 12, Ln. 44-45).
Regarding Claim 4. 510 teaches in Cols. 3 and 4 about a cluster tool for forming an interconnection structure, wherein the cap layer comprises a metal cap layer selectively deposited on the pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer, the metal cap layer comprising at least one of cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt tungsten phosphide (CoWP), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), and copper (Cu) alloy thereof (“A number of metals are suitable as dopants for forming with the metal line protective caps ... suitable precursors for deposition of other metals include but are not limited to … cobalt … titanium”, Col. 3, Ln. 55 to Col. 4, Ln. 4).
Regarding Claim 7. 510 teaches in Figs. 3B,4A,4E and 7 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, comprising:
performing a pre-clean process to remove oxides formed on an exposed surface of a metal layer (Fig. 4A, exposed surface of item 405) formed within a first dielectric layer of the interconnection structure (Fig. 4A, item 405 is formed within dielectric item 401; best taught by step 303 of Fig. 3B) in a pre-clean chamber (Fig. 7, item 721, “stations 703 and 705 residing in one chamber 721 and simultaneously undergo identical operations including pre-clean”, Col. 25, Ln. 21-23);
performing a selective deposition process to deposit a cap layer on the pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer (“protective caps formed … layer deposits selectively only onto the metal layer without significantly depositing onto dielectric”, Col. 2, Ln. 45-56) in a selective chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber (Fig. 7, item 719); and
performing a blanket deposition process to deposit a second dielectric layer (Fig. 4E, item 411) on the cap layer and an exposed surface of the first dielectric layer (“upon formation of the protective cap, a layer of doped or undoped silicon carbide is deposited … silicon carbide layer 411 is deposited … over copper lines and over the dielectric region … the layer of silicon carbide can be deposited … preferably by PECVD”, Col.19, Ln. 41-49) in a plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) chamber (Fig. 7, item 717), wherein
the pre-clean process, the selective deposition process, and the blanket deposition process are performed in a cluster tool (Fig. 7, cluster tool item 701) without exposure to an ambient environment exterior to the cluster tool (“substrate may be transferred between the stations without a vacuum break”, Col. 6, Ln. 4-6).
Regarding Claim 8. 510 teaches in Figs. 2A and 4E about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein
the metal layer comprises at least one of copper (Cu), copper-aluminum (CuAI) alloy, and copper-manganese (CuMn) alloy (Fig. 4E, “layer of copper or copper alloy 405”, Col. 14, Ln. 19),
the first dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide (Si02) or a low-k dielectric material (Fig. 2A, “Layer 201 can include a variety of ILD materials, such as … silicon oxide”, Col. 11, Ln. 17-20), and
the second dielectric layer comprises a low-k dielectric material (Fig. 2A, “materials with lower dielectric constants than silicon nitride are often used as dielectric diffusion barriers”, Col. 12, Ln. 44-45).
Regarding Claim 9. 510 teaches in in Cols. 3 and 4 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein the cap layer comprises a metal cap layer selectively deposited on the pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer, the metal layer comprising at least one of cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt tungsten phosphide (CoWP), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), and copper (Cu) alloy thereof (“A number of metals are suitable as dopants for forming with the metal line protective caps ... suitable precursors for deposition of other metals include but are not limited to … cobalt … titanium”, Col. 3, Ln. 55 to Col. 4, Ln. 4).
Regarding Claim 12. 510 teaches in in Col. 14 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein the pre-clean process comprises providing reactive hydrogen radicals H* generated by a remote plasma source in the preclean chamber (“complete or partial removal of copper oxide is performed by using a remote plasma comprising a gas selected from a group consisting of H2 … used to form a plasma in a chamber that is physically separated from the chamber holding the wafer substrate … formed plasma is then directed through a delivery line to an ion filter, which depletes the plasma of ions, while leaving the radicals. The resulting radical-rich process gas is delivered through an inlet … to the chamber housing the substrate”, Col. 14, Ln. 53-64).
Regarding Claim 13. 510 teaches in in Col. 2 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein the selective deposition process comprises a selective CVD process (“protective caps formed … layer deposits selectively only onto the metal layer without significantly depositing onto dielectric”, Col. 2, Ln. 45-56).
Regarding Claim 14. 510 teaches in in Col. 19 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein the blanket deposition process comprises a PECVD process (“upon formation of the protective cap, a layer of doped or undoped silicon carbide is deposited … silicon carbide layer 411 is deposited … over copper lines and over the dielectric region … the layer of silicon carbide can be deposited … preferably by PECVD”, Col.19, Ln. 41-49).
Regarding Claim 15. 510 teaches in Figs. 4E and 7 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, comprising:
performing a selective deposition process to deposit a cap layer on an exposed surface of a metal layer formed within a first dielectric layer of the interconnection structure (“protective caps formed … layer deposits selectively only onto the metal layer without significantly depositing onto dielectric”, Col. 2, Ln. 45-56) in a selective chemical vapor deposition (CVD) chamber (Fig. 7, item 719); and
performing a blanket deposition process to deposit a second dielectric layer (Fig. 4E, item 411) on the cap layer and an exposed surface of the first dielectric layer (“upon formation of the protective cap, a layer of doped or undoped silicon carbide is deposited … silicon carbide layer 411 is deposited … over copper lines and over the dielectric region … the layer of silicon carbide can be deposited … preferably by PECVD”, Col.19, Ln. 41-49) in a plasma-enhanced CVD (PECVD) chamber (Fig. 7, item 717), wherein
the selective deposition process and the blanket deposition process are performed in a cluster tool (Fig. 7, cluster tool item 701) without exposure to an ambient environment exterior to the cluster tool (“substrate may be transferred between the stations without a vacuum break”, Col. 6, Ln. 4-6).
Regarding Claim 16. 510 teaches in Figs. 2A and 4E about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein
the metal layer comprises at least one of copper (Cu), copper-aluminum (CuAI) alloy, and copper-manganese (CuMn) alloy (Fig. 4E, “layer of copper or copper alloy 405”, Col. 14, Ln. 19),
the first dielectric layer comprises silicon oxide (Si02) or a low-k dielectric material (Fig. 2A, “Layer 201 can include a variety of ILD materials, such as … silicon oxide”, Col. 11, Ln. 17-20), and
the second dielectric layer comprises a low-k dielectric material (Fig. 2A, “materials with lower dielectric constants than silicon nitride are often used as dielectric diffusion barriers”, Col. 12, Ln. 44-45).
Regarding Claim 17. 510 teaches in Cols. 3 and 4 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein
wherein the cap layer comprises a metal cap layer selectively deposited on a pre-cleaned surface of the metal layer, the metal cap layer comprising at least one of cobalt (Co), titanium (Ti), manganese (Mn), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt tungsten phosphide (CoWP), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), platinum (Pt), and copper (Cu) alloy thereof (“A number of metals are suitable as dopants for forming with the metal line protective caps ... suitable precursors for deposition of other metals include but are not limited to … cobalt … titanium”, Col. 3, Ln. 55 to Col. 4, Ln. 4).
Regarding Claim 20. 510 teaches in Cols. 2 and 19 about a method of forming an interconnection structure, wherein the selective deposition process comprises a selective CVD process (“protective caps formed … layer deposits selectively only onto the metal layer without significantly depositing onto dielectric”, Col. 2, Ln. 45-56), and the blanket deposition process comprises a PECVD process (“upon formation of the protective cap, a layer of doped or undoped silicon carbide is deposited … silicon carbide layer 411 is deposited … over copper lines and over the dielectric region … the layer of silicon carbide can be deposited … preferably by PECVD”, Col.19, Ln. 41-49).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6, 10-11 and 18-19 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, since the prior art does not teach or suggest the claimed limitations.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE ANDRES LOPEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-5763. The examiner can normally be reached M-F (8:30am to 5:00pm).
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/FERNANDO L TOLEDO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897
/JORGE ANDRES LOPEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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