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 .
Claims 7-20 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected group II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 07/06/26.
Applicant’s election without traverse of group I and species I in the reply filed on 07/06/26 is acknowledged.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 21-23, 25, and 29-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stephen Fonash et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2002/0132101, here after Fonash). James D Carducci et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2015/0279633, here after Carducci) is used as evidence of inherency. Thomas Rajesh et al, RSC Adv. 2015, 5, 84927-84935, here after Rajesh is used as evidence for inherency for claims 3, 25, and 32.
Claims 1-2, 4, 21 are rejected. Fonash teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, in a chamber of a deposition tool (plasma chamber), a semiconductor substrate [0015, 0008 last sentence, fig. 12a]; and
performing, using the deposition tool, a deposition operation that includes forming a layer (silicon dioxide) of a material (porous or columnar film, 3) on the semiconductor substrate [fig. 12a, 0016],
wherein performing the deposition operation includes performing a plasma-based
deposition operation using an electromagnetic field within the chamber [0023], and
wherein a dielectric coating (silicon nitride) on sidewalls of the chamber increases film reproducibility and quality [0077, lines 7-12], which in fact voids distribute uniform through the thickness of the film and across the film [0008, second sentence], therefore reduce a center-to-edge mismatch profile of the layer of the material on the semiconductor substrate (as the film is uniform). Fonash teaches dielectric coating (silicon nitride) on sidewalls of the chamber increases film reproducibility and quality, which in fact causes uniformity of the electromagnetic field within the chamber as Carducci teaches by coating chamber walls(liner) of a plasma chamber uniformity of plasma within the chamber enhances [0032].
Claim 2 is rejected as Fonash teaches the deposition toll is a high density plasma deposition tool and an electron cyclotron resonance tool [0017] which in fact uses a combination of high-frequency microwaves and a strong magnetic field to create a dense, highly ionized plasma at low gas pressures, therefore generating positively-charged ions, and the positively-charged ions(results from hydrogen and silane) inherently drawn to electrons near the dielectric coating because of electrostatic forces between opposite electrically charge particles.
Claim 22 is rejected as Fonash teaches the dielectric coating comprises silicon nitride and silicon nitride has a dielectric strength of 17.7 kilovolts per millimeter (see document #1 last page).
Claim 23 is rejected as Fonash teaches the dielectric material is silicon nitride which in fact has an impedance which is much higher than 300 ohms.
Claim 25 is rejected. Fonash teaches the deposition tool is Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (ECR-PECDV) [0046], where comprises: a pedestal component within the chamber, wherein the sidewalls of the chamber are adjacent to the pedestal component (look at fig. 1 of Thomas).
Claim 29 is rejected as Fonash teaches coating chamber walls with dielectric coating, it considered as entire chamber walls are coated therefore the coating extends above the pedestal component entire sidewall coverage height of the sidewalls (also see Thomas fig. 1 for pedestal position).
Claim 30 is rejected for the same reason claim 29 is rejected above, coating the entire chamber walls with dielectric material in fact meets limitation of dielectric coating extends above the pedestal component a partial sidewall coverage height of the sidewalls.
Claim 31 is rejected. Fonash teaches wall/species interactions can impact the kinetics and species balance present during film growth [0077], therefore all chamber walls including a bottom surface of the chamber should covered by dielectric coating.
Claim 32 is rejected. Fonash teaches introducing microwave power into plasma chamber [0021, 0023], which in fact requires power circuits configured to generate the electromagnetic field(microwave) within the chamber during the plasma-based deposition operation [also look at fig. 1 Thomas].
Claim 33 is rejected. Fonash teaches a method, comprising:
receiving, in a chamber of a deposition tool, a semiconductor substrate (5); and
performing, using the deposition tool (PECVD), a deposition operation that includes forming a layer of a material (silicon oxide) on the semiconductor substrate,
wherein a dielectric coating (silicon nitride) forms on sidewalls of the chamber [0077]. Coating dielectric coating on chamber walls increases reproducibility and quality [0077] and increases film reproducibility and quality [0077, lines 7-12], which in fact voids distribute uniform through the thickness of the film and across the film [0008, second sentence], therefore reduce a center-to-edge mismatch profile of the layer of the material on the semiconductor substrate (as the film is uniform). Fonash teaches dielectric coating (silicon nitride) on sidewalls of the chamber increases film reproducibility and quality, which in fact causes uniformity of the electromagnetic field within the chamber as Carducci teaches by coating chamber walls(liner) of a plasma chamber uniformity of plasma within the chamber enhances [0032].
Claim 34 is rejected. Fonash teaches a method, comprising:
performing, using a deposition tool (PECVD), a deposition operation that includes forming a layer of a material on a substrate, wherein performing the deposition operation includes performing a plasma-based deposition operation using an electromagnetic field(microwave) within a chamber of the deposition tool [0021, 0023], and wherein a dielectric coating on sidewalls of the chamber [0077]. Coating dielectric coating on chamber walls increases reproducibility and quality [0077], which in fact voids distribute uniform through the thickness of the film and across the film [0008, second sentence], therefore reduce a center-to-edge mismatch profile of the layer of the material on the semiconductor substrate (as the film is uniform). Fonash teaches dielectric coating (silicon nitride) on sidewalls of the chamber increases film reproducibility and quality, which in fact causes uniformity of the electromagnetic field within the chamber as Carducci teaches by coating chamber walls(liner) of a plasma chamber uniformity of plasma within the chamber enhances [0032].
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.
Claims 3, 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stephen Fonash et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2002/0132101, here after Fonash), further in view of Toshihisa Nozawa et al (WO 2016009781, here after Nozawa).
Claim 3 is rejected. Fonash teaches the deposition tool is Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (ECR-PECDV) [0046], where comprises: a pedestal component within the chamber, holding the substrate (look at fig. 1 of Thomas), but does not teach adjusting the vertical position. Nozawa teaches a plasma deposition chamber for deposition where the vertical position of substrate on pedestal(shaft) is adjusted by lowering or raising to average the intensity distribution of the microwaves(electromagnetic field) along the diameter direction of the wafer(adjust uniformity of EM field)[page 9 paragraph 2]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Fonash, where the vertical distance of the substrate (on pilar) is adjusted, because it helps uniformity of distribution of electromagnetic field intensity along the substrate.
Claim 26 is rejected. Fonash teaches the deposition tool is Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (ECR-PECDV) [0046], where comprises: a pedestal component within the chamber, holding the substrate (look at fig. 1 of Thomas), but does not teach adjusting the vertical position with component positioning system. Nozawa teaches a plasma deposition chamber for deposition where the vertical position of substrate on pedestal(shaft) is adjusted by position component positioning system(bellows) for lowering or raising to average the intensity distribution of the microwaves(electromagnetic field) along the diameter direction of the wafer(adjust uniformity of EM field)[page 9 paragraph 2]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Fonash, where the vertical distance of the substrate (on pilar) is adjusted, because it helps uniformity of distribution of electromagnetic field intensity along the substrate.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stephen Fonash et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2002/0132101, here after Fonash), further in view of Yoshiyuki Higuchi et al (WO 2022/168364, here after Higuchi).
Claim 5 is rejected. Fonash teaches forming a film such as silicon nitride or
silicon dioxide (which is piezoelectric in single crystalline form) but does not teach the that is used as part of a microphone structure. Higuchi teaches a method of making a resonator for piezoelectric microphones [page 3 paragraph 3] and teaches forming a layer such as silicon dioxide or piezoelectric silicon nitride or aluminum nitride [page 6 paragraph 3]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Fonash, where the silicon nitride layer of Higuchi is made by Fonash method, because it is suitable way for making silicon nitride layers.
Claim 6 is rejected. Higuchi teaches the piezoelectric layer is silicon nitride or aluminum nitride [page 6 paragraph 3]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Fonash, and Higuchi when the layer is aluminum nitride, because it can be silicon nitride or aluminum nitride.
Claim 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stephen Fonash et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2002/0132101, here after Fonash), further in view of Robert O’donnell et al (KR 20110015676, here after Odonnell).
Claim 24 is rejected. Fonash teaches coating chamber walls with a dielectric coating but does not teach a roughness of the dielectric coating. Odonnell teaches coating plasma chamber(cvd) walls with a dielectric coating where the roughness is
400 microinches (10.16 micron) [page 9 paragraph 5 last sentence, page 8 paragraph 3 lines 1-2, page 12, claim 1, last 4 lines]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Fonash, where the roughness of dielectric layer is 10.16 um, because it is suitable roughness for protective layer for chambers.
Claims 27-28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stephen Fonash et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2002/0132101, here after Fonash), Toshihisa Nozawa et al (WO 2016009781, here after Nozawa), further in view of Chunlei Zhang et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2023/0236569, here after Zhang).
Claim 27 is rejected. Nozawa does not teach determining an adjustment to the vertical position using a machine learning model. Zhang teaches a method of estimation of a chamber component (mesa, pillar or substrate support) condition (vertical position) by using machine learning model [0007-0008]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in art at the time of the invention was made to have a method of Fonash, where the vertical position is adjusted using a machine learning model, because it is suitable way to do it.
Claim 28 is rejected as Zhang teaches training and updating the machine learning model based on the material deposited by the deposition operation [0007, 0030].
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/TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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