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 § 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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 3-6, and 11-14 are 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.
Regarding claim 3, claim 1 requires only a nitrogen gas exposure or a nitrogen plasma exposure not a nitrogen gas “and/or” a nitrogen plasma exposure. Therefore, this claim is unclear due to the fact there cannot be both exposures alternating.
Regarding claim 6, claim 1 requires only a nitrogen gas exposure or a nitrogen plasma exposure not a nitrogen gas “and/or” a nitrogen plasma exposure. Therefore, this claim is unclear due to the fact there cannot be both exposures at a first and second interval respectively.
Claims 4 and 5 are rejected based upon their dependency.
Claims 11-14 depend upon claim 7 and all refer to a “nitrogen-containing gas” step which was not introduced in claim 7. It is unclear if this is the same as a “nitrogen-containing species”. However, claim 9 introduces a “nitrogen-containing gas” step and for the purposes of this action, claims 11-14 will be interpreted as being dependent upon claim 9 instead of claim 7.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 7, 8 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by Zhou et al. (US Pat. Pub. 2023/0223248).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou teaches a method of forming a structure on a substrate, comprising:
exposing at least one opening formed in a multi-tier portion of the substrate to a tungsten-containing gas at a precursor gas flow rate [fig. 18a, multi-tier substrate 770/772/65/73, paragraph [0155] teaches tungsten precursor at a flow rate];
exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to a reducing agent comprising boron at a reducing agent flow rate, wherein the tungsten-containing gas and the reducing agent are alternated cyclically to form a nucleation layer within the at least one opening of the substrate [fig. 22a, B2H6/SiH4 soak is part of the deposition process for nucleation layer, the process is repeated to create the layer];
exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to a nitrogen-containing gas to inhibit growth of the nucleation layer at narrow portions within the at least one opening, wherein the nitrogen-containing gas is selected from the group consisting of NF3, NH3, N2H4, and combinations thereof [fig. 22a, growth suppressant soak, paragraph [0129] teaches NH3];
exposing the at least one opening to the tungsten-containing gas to form a fill layer over the nucleation layer within the at least one opening [fig. 22a, K2, paragraph [0163] teaches tungsten gas for bulk fill]; and
exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to the nitrogen-containing gas or a nitrogen-containing plasma to inhibit growth of portions of the fill layer along the at least one opening [paragraph [0163] teaches also applying growth suppressant gas as taught previously, paragraph [0129] teaches nitrogen for growth suppressant].
With respect to the nitrogen-containing gas inhibiting the growth of the nucleation layer at narrow portions within the opening, it is not necessary for the reference to disclose that the process of the reference is performed to achieve the same goals as applicant or to obtain the same advantages recognized by applicant. It is sufficient that the process suggested by the reference alone or in combination with the remaining references is encompassed by the instant claims (i.e. a nitrogen gas exposure is performed).
Regarding claim 2, Zhou discloses the method of claim 1, wherein exposing the at least one opening to the tungsten-containing gas comprises a chemical vapor deposition process [paragraph [0164] teaches CVD for the tungsten gas].
Regarding claim 7, Zhou teaches a method of forming a structure on a substrate, comprising:
exposing at least one opening formed within the substrate to a tungsten-containing precursor gas at a precursor gas flow rate, wherein the at least one opening comprises a lower portion and an upper portion, wherein the upper portion comprises a width smaller than a width of the lower portion [fig. 18a, multi-tier substrate 770/772/65/73, the upper opening in 65 is narrower than the lower opening in 770, paragraph [0155] teaches tungsten precursor at a flow rate];
exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to a reducing agent comprising boron at a reducing agent flow rate, wherein the tungsten-containing gas and the reducing agent are alternated cyclically to form a nucleation layer within the at least one opening of the substrate [fig. 22a, B2H6/SiH4 soak is part of the deposition process for nucleation layer, the process is repeated to create the layer];
exposing the at least one opening to the tungsten-containing precursor gas to form a portion of a fill layer over the nucleation layer within the at least one opening [fig. 22a, K2, paragraph [0163] teaches tungsten gas for bulk fill]; and
exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to the nitrogen-containing species selected from the group consisting of NF3, NH3, N2H4, a nitrogen-containing plasma and combinations thereof [nitrogen containing species is a NH3 exposure, paragraph [0163] teaches also applying growth suppressant gas as taught previously, paragraph [0129] teaches NH3 for growth suppressant].
Exposing the opening to the tungsten-containing precursor gas to form the fill layer within the at least one opening [fig. 22a, K2, paragraph [0163] teaches tungsten gas for bulk fill, K2 is repeated to form the fill, this exposure would be a second or subsequent exposure]; and
Exposing the opening of the substrate to the nitrogen-containing species to inhibit growth of the fill layer within the at least one opening [paragraph [0163] teaches also applying growth suppressant gas as taught previously, paragraph [0129] teaches nitrogen for growth suppressant, the exposure is repeated as part of the fill process].
Regarding claim 8, Zhou discloses the method of claim 7, wherein the at least one opening further comprises a middle portion between the upper portion and the lower portion, wherein the middle portion comprises a width smaller than a width of the upper portion and the width of the lower portion [fig. 18, the middle portion is the portion of the opening located in 772].
Regarding claim 10, Zhou teaches the method of claim 7, wherein the opening is disposed within two or more tier layers, wherein an upper tier layer interfaces a lower tier layer at an interface, wherein a width of an opening with the upper tier layer at the interface is narrower than a width of an opening within the lower tier layer at the interface [paragraph [0054] teaches 772 is optional, with 772 omitted in fig. 18a, 65 would interface with 770 and opening at the interface would be narrower than the opening within the lower tier layer].
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.
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.
Claim(s) 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou as applied to claims 1, 2, 7, 8 and 10 above, and further in view of Wang et al. (US Pat. Pub. 2020/0185225).
Regarding claim 16, Zhou teaches a method of forming a structure on a substrate, comprising:
Forming a tungsten nucleation layer within at least one opening formed in a multi-tier portion of the substrate [fig. 18a, multi-tier substrate 770/772/65/73, paragraph [0155] teaches tungsten precursor at a flow rate to form nucleation layer];
exposing the at least one opening to the tungsten-containing gas to form a fill layer over the nucleation layer within the at least one opening [fig. 22a, K2, paragraph [0163] teaches tungsten gas for bulk fill]; and
exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to the nitrogen-containing gas to inhibit growth of portions of the fill layer along the at least one opening, wherein the nitrogen containing gas is selected from the group consisting of NF3, NH3, N2H4 and combinations thereof [paragraph [0163] teaches also applying growth suppressant gas as taught previously, paragraph [0129] teaches NH3 for growth suppressant].
Zhou fails to teach the use of a nitrogen containing plasma on the nucleation layer and instead teaches a nitrogen gas exposure on the nucleation layer. However, Wang teaches performing a nitrogen plasma exposure during tungsten fill processes including performing the nitrogen plasma on a nucleation layer [fig. 2b, inhibition step performed on a thin conformal feature prior to filling, nitrogen plasma taught as inhibition step [0063]].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Wang into the method of Zhou by exposing the tungsten nucleation layer to a nitrogen-containing plasma to inhibit growth of the nucleation layer. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhou in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of improve selectivity, improve fill rate and uniformity, [Wang, paragraphs [0067 and 0104]].
Regarding claim 17, Zhou in view of Wang teaches the method of claim 16, before exposing the at least one opening of the substrate to the nitrogen-containing gas, forming a second nucleation layer over the fill layer [fig. 18f, nucleation layer 361, fill layer 362, second nucleation layer 363].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 15 and 18-20 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.
Claims 2-6 and 11-14 are rejected under 35 USC 112b above but are believed to be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection above.
Conclusion
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/JOHN M PARKER/ Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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