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
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 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 20claimed 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.
Claims 1, 3-5, 8-9 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al. (US 6656831, hereinafter Lee) in view of Papalia et al. (US 2020/0321220, hereinafter Papalia).
With respect to claim 1, Lee discloses a semiconductor processing method comprising: providing a treatment precursor (Col. 4; lines 34-38; pretreating the substrate with argon) to a processing region (250) of a semiconductor
processing chamber (200 of Fig. 2), wherein a substrate (290) is disposed within the processing region (Fig. 2); contacting a surface of the substrate with the treatment precursor (Col. 4; lines 34-38; pretreating the substrate with argon);
providing deposition precursors to the processing region (Col. 3; lines 50-60), wherein the deposition precursors comprise a metal-containing precursor (Col. 2; lines 25-30; Col. 3; lines 50-60; metal precursor gas);
forming plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 2; lines 25-30; PECVD of the metal nitride layer comprises contacting a plasma of a metal precursor gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, and a hydrogen-containing gas with the substrate to form a metal nitride layer. The deposited metal nitride layer is preferably treated with nitrogen plasma to densify the metal nitride film); and contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 2; lines 25-30; and Col. 4; lines 21-35), wherein the contacting deposits a metal-containing layer on the substrate (Col. 4; lines 25-35; depositing TiN film).
Lee does not explicitly disclose that the metal containing layer is a hardmask layer.
In an analogous art, Papaplia discloses that the metal containing layer is a hardmask layer (Para 0033; TiN may be used as a hard mask). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee’s method/system by having Papalia’s disclosure in order to protect the semiconductor device.
With respect to claim 3, Lee discloses forming plasma effluents of the treatment precursor (Col. 4; lines 34-39).
With respect to claim 4, Lee discloses wherein the plasma effluents of the treatment precursor are formed at a plasma power of less than or about 1,000 W (Col. 5; lines 32-35; power level 350-1000Watts).
With respect to claim 5, Lee discloses prior to providing the deposition precursors, providing a seed layer precursor to the processing region (Col. 6; lines 59-61; seed layer); and contacting the substrate with the seed layer precursor (col. 6; lines 59-60), wherein the contacting deposits a seed layer on the substrate, and wherein the metal-containing hardmask is deposited on the seed layer (Col. 6; lines 59-67).
With respect to claim 8, Lee discloses wherein the metal- containing hardmask comprises one or more of chromium, cobalt, hafnium, molybdenum, osmium, ruthenium, rhenium, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, and zirconium (Col. 4; lines 25-35; titanium).
With respect to claim 9, Lee discloses semiconductor processing method (Col. 6; lines 7-8) comprising: providing a seed layer precursor (Col. 6; lines 55-61) to a processing region (250 of Fig. 2) of a semiconductor processing chamber (200), wherein a substrate (290) is disposed within the processing region; contacting the substrate with the seed layer precursor (Col. 6; lines 55-61), wherein the contacting
deposits a seed layer on the substrate (Col. 6; lines 59-61);
providing deposition precursors to the processing region (Col. 3; lines 50-60), wherein the deposition precursors comprise a metal-containing precursor (Col. 2; lines 25-30; Col. 3; lines 50-60; metal precursor gas);
forming plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 2; lines 25-30; PECVD of the metal nitride layer comprises contacting a plasma of a metal precursor gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, and a hydrogen-containing gas with the substrate to form a metal nitride layer. The deposited metal nitride layer is preferably treated with nitrogen plasma to densify the metal nitride film); and contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 2; lines 25-30; and Col. 4; lines 21-35), wherein the contacting deposits a metal-containing layer on the substrate (Col. 4; lines 25-35; depositing TiN film).
Lee does not explicitly disclose that the metal containing layer is a hardmask layer.
In an analogous art, Papaplia discloses that the metal containing layer is a hardmask layer (Para 0033; TiN may be used as a hard mask). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee’s method/system by having Papalia’s disclosure in order to protect the semiconductor device.
With respect to claim 13, Lee does not explicitly disclose wherein the substrate comprises a layer of silicon-containing material or a layer of carbon-containing material.
In an analogous art, Papalia discloses wherein the substrate comprises a layer of silicon-containing material or a layer of carbon-containing material (Para 0029; substrate comprises of silicon). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee’s method/system by having Papalia’s disclosure in order to provide controllable electrical properties while keeping the cost of the device very low.
With respect to claim 14, Lee discloses increasing a flow rate of the metal-containing precursor while contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the deposition precursors;
increasing a plasma power while contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 5; lines 5-20; 30-32; 60-67); or both.
Claims 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee/Papalia in view of Jung et al. (US 2021/0104396, hereinafter Jung).
With respect to claim 2, Lee/Papalia discloses the semiconductor processing method of claim 1.
Lee/Papalia does not explicitly disclose wherein the treatment precursor comprises a hydrogen-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, or a hydrogen-and-nitrogen-containing precursor.
In an analogous art, Jung discloses wherein the treatment precursor comprises a hydrogen-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, or a hydrogen-and-nitrogen-containing precursor (Para 0035; 0042; nitrogen precursor). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee/Papalia’s method/system by having Jung’s disclosure in order to remove contaminants form semiconductor devices.
Claims 6-7, 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee/Papalia in view of Venkatasubramanian (US 2018/0218902, hereinafter Venkat).
With respect to claim 6, Lee/Papalia does not explicitly disclose wherein the seed layer precursor comprises one or more of a boron-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and a silicon-containing precursor.
In an analogous art, Venkat discloses wherein the seed layer precursor comprises one or more of a boron-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and a silicon-containing precursor (Para 0011; boron-based precursor gas for seed layer). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee/Papalia’s method/system by having Venkat’s disclosure in order to enhance adhesion and improve uniformity of the layers.
With respect to claim 10, Lee/Papalia does not explicitly disclose wherein the seed layer consists of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, or a combination thereof.
In an analogous art, Venkat discloses wherein the seed layer consists of boron, nitrogen, oxygen, silicon, or a combination thereof (Para 0011; boron-based gas for seed layer). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee/Papalia’s method/system by having Venkat’s disclosure in order to enhance adhesion and improve uniformity of the layers.
With respect to claims 7 and 11, Lee/Papalia does not explicitly forming plasma effluents of the seed layer precursor.
In an analogous art, Venkat discloses forming plasma effluents of the seed layer precursor (Para 0049-0050 and 0055). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee/Papalia’s method/system by having Venkat’s disclosure in order to enhance adhesion and improve uniformity of the layers.
With respect to claim 12, Lee/Papalia does not explicitly disclose wherein the plasma effluents of the seed layer precursor are formed at a plasma power of less than or about 2,250 W.
In an analogous art, Venkat discloses wherein the plasma effluents of the seed layer precursor are formed at a plasma power of less than or about 2,250 W (para 0064; 1500 Watts). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee/Papalia’s method/system by having Venkat’s disclosure in order to enhance adhesion and improve uniformity of the layers.
Claims 15-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Roy et al. (US 2017/0207087, hereinafter Roy).
With respect to claim 15, Lee discloses a semiconductor processing method comprising:
providing deposition precursors (Col. 3; lines 50-60) to a processing region (250 of Fig. 2) of a semiconductor processing chamber (200), wherein a substrate (290) is disposed within the processing region (Fig. 2); wherein the deposition precursors comprise a metal-containing precursor (Col. 2; lines 25-30; Col. 3; lines 50-60; metal precursor gas);
forming plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 2; lines 25-30; PECVD of the metal nitride layer comprises contacting a plasma of a metal precursor gas, a nitrogen-containing gas, and a hydrogen-containing gas with the substrate to form a metal nitride layer. The deposited metal nitride layer is preferably treated with nitrogen plasma to densify the metal nitride film); and contacting the substrate with the plasma effluents of the deposition precursors (Col. 2; lines 25-30; and Col. 4; lines 21-35), wherein the contacting deposits a metal-containing layer on the substrate (Col. 4; lines 25-35; depositing metal film).
Lee does not explicitly disclose that the metal containing layer is a hardmask layer; wherein a flow rate of at least one of the deposition precursors, a plasma power, or both are increased during a first amount of deposition of the metal-containing hardmask.
In an analogous art, Roy discloses that the metal containing layer is a hardmask layer (Para 0017 and 0019; hardmask), wherein a flow rate of at least one of the deposition precursors, a plasma power, or both are increased during a first amount of deposition of the metal-containing hardmask (Para 0041-0043; and 005; ramped up flow rate). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee’s method/system by having Roy’s disclosure in order to protect the semiconductor device.
With respect to claim 16, Lee discloses prior to providing the deposition precursors: contacting a surface of the substrate with a treatment precursor (Col. 6; lines 59-67) contacting the surface of the substrate with a seed layer precursor, wherein the contacting deposits a seed layer on the substrate (Col. 6; lines 59-61; seed layer); or both.
With respect to claim 17, Lee does not explicitly disclose wherein the first amount of deposition is less than or about 10% of a total deposition duration.
In an analogous art, Roy discloses wherein the first amount of deposition is less than or about 10% of a total deposition duration (Para 0041-0043; and 005; ramped up flow rate – gradually increasing the deposition). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee’s method/system by having Roy’s disclosure in order to protect the semiconductor device.
With respect to claim 18, Lee discloses wherein the metal containing precursor comprises a chromium-containing precursor, a cobalt-containing precursor, a hafnium-containing precursor, a molybdenum-containing precursor, an osmium-containing precursor, a ruthenium-containing precursor, a rhenium-containing precursor, a tantalum- containing precursor, a titanium-containing precursor, a tungsten-containing precursor, or a zirconium-containing precursor (Col. 3; lines 52-56; claim 11).
With respect to claim 20, Lee discloses wherein a temperature in the processing region is maintained at less than or about 600 °C (Col. 7; lines 15-22).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee/Roy in view of Venkat.
With respect to claim 19, Lee/Roy does not explicitly disclose wherein the deposition precursors further comprise one or more of a boron-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and a silicon-containing precursor.
In an analogous art, Venkat discloses wherein the deposition precursors further comprise one or more of a boron-containing precursor, a nitrogen-containing precursor, and a silicon-containing precursor (Para 0011; boron-based precursor gas for seed layer). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lee/Roy’s method/system by having Venkat’s disclosure in order to enhance adhesion and improve uniformity of the layers.
Conclusion
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/MOHAMMAD M CHOUDHRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899