DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species II (FIGs. 22-26 & 28), encompassing claims 1-6 and 9-20 in the reply filed on 2/10/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 7-8 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 2/10/2026.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 9-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. US 2021/0090948 A1 (Chen).
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In re claim 1, Chen discloses (e.g. FIGs. 1-24) a method comprising:
forming a contact spacer 80 (including lower portion of 82, FIGs. 13-14) on a sidewall of an inter-layer dielectric 60,74, wherein the contact spacer 80,82 encircles a contact opening 76;
forming a silicide region 86 (FIG. 15) in the contact opening 76 and on a source/drain region 54;
depositing an adhesion layer 82 (e.g. upper portion of 82, FIG. 14; or lower portion of 84, FIG. 15) extending into the contact opening 76;
performing a treatment process (FIG. 17), so that the contact spacer 80,82 is treated (the oxidation process 87 is performed to the structure shown in FIG. 16 including 80,82 and 84), wherein the treatment process is selected from the group consisting of an oxidation process (FIG. 17, ¶ 39), a carbonation process, and combinations thereof;
depositing a metal barrier 84 (at least upper portion of 84, FIG. 15, ¶ 36) over the adhesion layer 82 (or lower portion of 84);
depositing a metallic material 92 to fill the contact opening 76 (FIG. 20); and
performing a planarization process (FIG. 21, ¶ 49) to remove excess portions of the metallic material 92 over the inter-layer dielectric 74.
In re claim 2, Chen discloses wherein the treatment process 87 (FIG. 17) is performed after both of the adhesion layer 82 and the metal barrier 84 are deposited (FIG. 15, ¶ 34,36).
In re claim 3, Chen discloses further comprising, after the treatment process (FIG. 17), removing top portions and sidewall portions of the adhesion layer (lower portion of 84) and the metal barrier (upper portion of 84) (see FIG. 18, ¶ 40), wherein the metallic material 92 is filled starting from bottom portions of the adhesion layer (lower portion of 84) and the metal barrier (upper portion of 84) at a bottom of the contact opening 76.
In re claim 4, Chen discloses further comprising, after the top portions and the sidewall portions of the adhesion layer (lower portion of 84) and the metal barrier (upper portion of 84) are removed (FIG. 18), performing a passivation process on the contact spacer 80 using a process gas comprising oxygen (see FIG. 22, no specific “passivation process” is claimed that would distinguish over provision of etch stop layer 122 that covers the contact spacer 80, wherein the etch stop layer 122 comprises silicon oxy-carbide, or silicon oxy-nitride, ¶ 52, which uses a gas containing oxygen as precursor, ¶ 25).
In re claim 5, Chen discloses the passivation process further include the provision of silicon layer 90 or metal 92 (see FIGs. 19-20) covering the sidewalls of contact spacer 80 using a process gas that further hydrogen (H2) (hydrogen from SiH-4, ¶ 43; reaction process gas including H2, ¶ 44; or process gas H2 during reflow of 92, ¶ 47).
In re claim 9, Chen discloses further comprising, after the treatment process 87 (FIG. 17), performing a reduction process using hydrogen (H2). See ¶ 47, H2 process gas used to remove impurities.
In re claim 10, Chen discloses the contact spacer may include layer 82,84 that is subject to oxidation process. The oxidation duration can be 15-60 seconds (¶ 39). As such, only the end of the oxidation process, e.g. the last 10 seconds out of 60 seconds is considered to teach the claimed “treatment process”. As such, before the treatment process (including the initial duration of the oxidation, e.g. up to 50 seconds of oxidation), the contact spacer (oxidized 82,84 up to 50 seconds of oxidation) has a high dielectric constant, and after the treatment process (after end of oxidation), the contact spacer (oxidized 82,84 at the end of oxidation process) has a low-k dielectric constant (the additional oxidation during the end introduces additional oxygen to the oxidized layer 82,84 and thus lowers the dielectric constant).
In re claim 11, Chen discloses (e.g. FIG. 17) wherein the treatment process 87 is performed through a plasma treatment process (¶ 39).
In re claim 12, Chen discloses (e.g. FIG. 17) wherein the treatment process 87 is performed at an elevated wafer temperature (no specific temperature claimed, Chen teaches 160-250°C which is elevated relative to a lower temperature, ¶ 39).
In re claim 13, Chen discloses (e.g. FIGs. 17-20) no specific treatment process is claimed that would distinguish over combination of oxidation treatment 87 and provision of silicon layer 90 or metal 92 (see FIGs. 19-20) covering the sidewalls of contact spacer 80. Thus, the treatment process is performed using a treatment process gas selected from the group consisting of oxygen, carbon, and combinations thereof (during the oxidation, ¶ 39), and the treatment process gas further comprises hydrogen (H2) (during provision of silicon layer 90 and metal 92; hydrogen from SiH-4, ¶ 43; reaction process gas including H2, ¶ 44; or process gas H2 during reflow of 92, ¶ 47).
In re claim 14, Chen discloses (e.g. FIG. 17) wherein in the treatment process 87, an outer portion of the contact spacer 80 (and also including portion of 82) is treated more than an inner portion of the contact spacer (more superficial region would be subject to more treatment).
In re claim 15, Chen discloses (e.g. FIGs. 1-24) a method comprising:
forming a dielectric spacer 80,88 (FIG. 17) on a sidewall of a dielectric layer 60,74, wherein the sidewall faces an opening 76,78 in the dielectric layer, and the dielectric spacer 80,88 encircles the opening;
depositing a metal barrier 82,84 (FIG. 15, ¶ 36) extending into the opening and on the dielectric spacer 80,88;
performing a treatment process 87 on the metal barrier 82,84 (FIG. 17) and the dielectric spacer 80,88, wherein a dielectric constant of the dielectric spacer is reduced by the treatment process (the oxidation duration can be 15-60 seconds, ¶ 39; the dielectric constant of the dielectric spacer 88 (oxidized 82,84) is reduced with increasing duration of oxidation);
depositing a metallic material 92 on the metal barrier 82,84, wherein the metallic material 92 fills the opening 76,78 (FIG. 20); and
performing a planarization process (FIG. 21, ¶ 49) on the metallic material 92.
In re claim 16, the metal barrier may include 82,84 and further include silicide layer 91 (FIG. 21). As such, Chen teaches (FIG. 21) wherein the metal barrier (including 82,84,91) and the metallic material 92 comprise a same metal (metal silicide 91 comprising same metal as the metal fill 92, ¶ 48).
In re claim 17, Chen discloses further comprising, before the metal barrier is deposited (e.g. before forming 91, FIG. 21), depositing a metal nitride layer 84 extending into the opening 76,78 (¶ 36).
In re claim 18, Chen discloses further comprising performing an etching process to remove a top portion and sidewall portions of the metal barrier 84 that has been treated (oxidized portion of 82,84 removed, see FIG. 18, ¶ 40), with a bottom portion of the metal barrier 82,84 at a bottom of the opening 76,78 being left (FIG. 18), and the metallic material 92 is deposited in a bottom-up deposition process (FIG. 20, ¶ 44).
In re claim 19, Chen discloses (e.g. FIGs. 1-24) a method comprising:
forming a dielectric spacer 80 on a sidewall of a dielectric layer 60,74 (FIG. 13), wherein the dielectric spacer 80 encircles an opening 76,78;
depositing an adhesion layer 82 (FIG. 14, ¶ 35) extending into the opening and on the dielectric spacer 80;
depositing a metal barrier 84 (FIG. 15, ¶ 36) extending into the opening and on the adhesion layer 82;
performing a treatment process (FIGs. 16-17, ¶ 37-39) on the metal barrier 84, the adhesion layer 82, and the dielectric spacer 80;
performing an etching process (FIG. 18) to remove some portions of the metal barrier 84 and the adhesion layer 82 to reveal the dielectric spacer 80 (oxidized portion of 82,84 removed, ¶ 40);
depositing a metallic material 92 to fill the opening 76,78 through a bottom-up deposition process (FIG. 20, ¶ 44); and
performing a planarization process on the metallic material 92 (FIG. 21, ¶ 49).
Claims 1-3, 9-12, 14-15, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ji et al. US 2019/0296026 A1 (Ji).
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In re claim 1, Ji discloses (e.g. FIGs. 5-19) a method comprising:
forming a contact spacer 27A on a sidewall of an inter-layer dielectric 24 (FIG. 10), wherein the contact spacer 27A encircles a contact opening;
forming a silicide region 35M (FIG. 19, ¶ 143) in the contact opening and on a source/drain region 20 (¶ 92);
depositing an adhesion layer (e.g. lower portion of 26A) extending into the contact opening;
performing a treatment process 28 (FIG. 11, ¶ 114), so that the contact spacer 27A is treated, wherein the treatment process 28 is selected from the group consisting of an oxidation process (¶ 114), a carbonation process, and combinations thereof;
depositing a metal barrier (e.g. upper portion of 26A or 29) over the adhesion layer (lower portion of 26A) (no particular “metal barrier” claimed that would distinguish over layer 26A,29 acting as a physical barrier for metal 35U or 23);
depositing a metallic material 35U to fill the contact opening; and
performing a planarization process to remove excess portions of the metallic material 35U over the inter-layer dielectric 24 (¶ 145).
In re claim 2, Ji discloses (e.g. FIG. 11) wherein the treatment process 28 is performed after both of the adhesion layer (lower portion of 26A) and the metal barrier (upper portion of 26A) are deposited.
In re claim 3, Ji discloses after the treatment process 28 (FIG. 11), removing top portions and sidewall portions of the adhesion layer and the metal barrier (e.g. FIG. 13, layer 26A is removed including portions above 24 teaching both “top portions” for being above 24 and “sidewall portions” for being adjacent to outside sidewall of the opening), wherein the metallic material 35U is filled starting from bottom portions of the adhesion layer (lower portion of 26A) and the metal barrier (upper portion of 26A) at a bottom of the contact opening.
In re claim 9, Ji discloses further comprising, after the treatment process 28 (FIG. 11), performing a reduction process using hydrogen (H2) (etching as shown in FIG. 18 is a “reduction process” which uses hydrogen, ¶ 111).
In re claim 10, Ji discloses (FIGs. 10-11) wherein before the treatment process 28, the contact spacer 27A has a high dielectric constant, and after the treatment process 28, the contact spacer 28B has a low-k dielectric constant (¶ 114,115).
In re claim 11, Ji discloses (e.g. FIG. 11) wherein the treatment process 28 is performed through a plasma treatment process (¶ 114, radical oxidation process is performed with plasma).
In re claim 12, Ji discloses (e.g. FIG. 11) wherein the treatment process 28 is performed at an elevated wafer temperature (no specific temperature claimed, the temperature at which radical oxidation process 28 is performed is elevated relative to a lower temperature, ¶ 114).
In re claim 14, Ji discloses (e.g. FIG. 11) wherein in the treatment process 28, an outer portion of the contact spacer 27A is treated more than an inner portion of the contact spacer (¶ 113-115).
In re claim 15, Ji discloses (e.g. FIGs. 5-19) a method comprising:
forming a dielectric spacer 27A on a sidewall of a dielectric layer 24 (FIG. 10), wherein the sidewall faces an opening in the dielectric layer 24, and the dielectric spacer 27A encircles the opening;
depositing a metal barrier 26A extending into the opening and on the dielectric spacer 27A (no particular “metal barrier” claimed that would distinguish over layer 26A acting as a physical barrier for metal 35U or 23);
performing a treatment process 28 (FIG. 11, ¶ 114) on the metal barrier 26A and the dielectric spacer 27A, wherein a dielectric constant of the dielectric spacer 27A is reduced by the treatment process 28 (¶ 114-115);
depositing a metallic material 35U on the metal barrier 26A, wherein the metallic material 35U fills the opening; and
performing a planarization process on the metallic material 35U (¶ 145).
In re claim 18, Ji discloses further comprising performing an etching process (FIG. 13) to remove a top portion and sidewall portions of the metal barrier 26A that has been treated (e.g. FIG. 13, layer 26A is removed including portions above 24 teaching both “top portions” for being above 24 and “sidewall portions” for being adjacent to outside sidewall of the opening), with a bottom portion of the metal barrier 26A at a bottom of the opening being left, and the metallic material 35U (FIG. 19) is deposited in a bottom-up deposition process.
In re claim 19, Ji discloses (e.g. FIGs. 5-19) a method comprising:
forming a dielectric spacer 26A on a sidewall of a dielectric layer 24 (FIG. 10), wherein the dielectric spacer 26A encircles an opening;
depositing an adhesion layer (e.g. lower portion of 27A) extending into the opening and on the dielectric spacer;
depositing a metal barrier (e.g. upper portion of 27A) extending into the opening and on the adhesion layer (no particular “metal barrier” claimed that would distinguish over layer 27A acting as a physical barrier for metal 35U or 23);
performing a treatment process 28 (FIG. 11, ¶ 114) on the metal barrier (e.g. upper portion of 27A), the adhesion layer (e.g. lower portion of 27A), and the dielectric spacer 26A;
performing an etching process to remove some portions of the metal barrier (e.g. upper portion of 27A) and the adhesion layer (e.g. lower portion of 27A) to reveal the dielectric spacer 26A (see FIG. 18, etched opening 34 reveals a portion of dielectric spacer 26);
depositing a metallic material 35U to fill the opening through a bottom-up deposition process; and
performing a planarization process on the metallic material 35U (¶ 145).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 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.
Prior art does not disclose, alone or in combination along with, the limitations of the dependent claims 6 and 20 reciting performing a reduction process using hydrogen after etching the metal barrier and the adhesion layer and after performing the passivation process, but before depositing the metallic material.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YU CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7881. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9AM-5PM ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, WILLIAM KRAIG can be reached on 5712728660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YU CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
YU CHEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2896
Prosecution Insights