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 .
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.
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) 1-7, 10, and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai (US20060009034A1) in view of Wu (US20140106083A1).
In reference to claim 1:
Lai discloses a method of forming a structure on a substrate (abstract, Fig. 4A-C showing a via filling process), comprising:
forming an adhesion layer on a substrate within a first substrate processing system (para 0057);
forming a tungsten containing layer within the first substrate processing system after forming the adhesion layer and prior to exposing the adhesion layer to air (paras 0055-0057 discussing the tungsten containing layer process and paras 0048, 0053 disclosing the systems 300 and 350 are under vacuum such that the tungsten containing layer is deposited “prior to exposing the adhesion layer to air”) wherein the tungsten containing layer is formed by a one-time soak process including:
soaking the substrate once, and only once, in a first gas (para 0035 disclosing the nucleation layer is formed by soaking the substrate once, and only once, in a first gas);
purging the first gas (para 0202); and
soaking the substrate once, and only once, in a second gas (para 0202).
Lai does not disclose removing the tungsten containing layer from the adhesion layer. However this is taught by Wu. Wu teaches a method of forming a structure on a substrate (abstract, para 0009). Wu further teaches in the process of forming vias post processing steps including CMP and tungsten etchback are utilized to provide a planar surface with tungsten filled feature (para 0033). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the method of Lai with the method of Wu in order to obtain a method which produces a planar surface with tungsten filled features.
In reference to claim 2:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses wherein the first gas includes a boron hydride (para 0011 disclosing diborane).
In reference to claim 3:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses wherein the boron hydride is diborane (para 0011), and the first gas is a mixture of diborane and a hydrogen containing gas (para 0032).
In reference to claim 4:
In addition to the discussion of claim 2, above, Lai further discloses wherein the second gas includes tungsten hexafluoride (see Lai claim 4).
In reference to claim 5:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses wherein the first gas includes tungsten hexafluoride and the second gas includes diborane (see Lai claim 5).
In reference to claim 6:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses wherein the tungsten containing layer has a thickness within 0.1 Angstroms of 10 Angstroms (para 0029).
In reference to claim 7:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses that poor surface uniformity increases film resistivity (para 0009) and that the method produced significantly improved surface uniformity (para 0023) but does not explicitly disclose wherein the tungsten containing layer has a stack resistivity less than 125 micro ohm-cm. However, as the prior art recites the same process steps using the same reactants, it is the Examiner’s position that the structure produced will have the same properties (See MPEP 2144.09.I).
In reference to claim 10:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses:
removing the substrate from the first substrate processing system after forming the tungsten containing layer, wherein the tungsten containing layer is exposed to air (para 0068 disclosing moving the substrate from the first processing system to a second processing system, a CMP apparatus, which would expose the substrate to air);
placing the substrate into a second substrate processing system after exposing the tungsten containing layer to air (para 0068 disclosing moving the substrate from the first processing system to a second processing system, a CMP apparatus, which would expose the substrate to air); and
wherein removing the tungsten containing layer occurs in the second substrate processing system (para 0068).
In reference to claim 11:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses wherein the tungsten containing layer is completely removed (para 0068 disclosing the CMP process results in a fully planar surface).
Claim(s) 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai and Wu as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view of Wei (US20190096680A1).
In reference to claims 8 and 9:
In addition to the discussion of claim 1, above, Lai further discloses wherein the method is used for forming a device gate (para 0069), the adhesion layer comprises titanium nitride (abstract), and wherein the adhesion layer is deposited on a dielectric layer such as silicon oxide (para 0024, 0071) but fails to disclose wherein the adhesion layer includes fluorine atoms diffused within the titanium nitride (claim 8) or wherein the adhesion layer is deposited on a high-κ dielectric layer, wherein the high-κ dielectric layer includes fluorine atoms diffused therein (claim 9). However, this is taught by Wei. Wei teaches a method of forming a gate structure (abstract). Wei further discloses wherein the dielectric layer includes silicon oxide or high-k dielectrics (para 0029) which have fluorine atoms diffused therein from a dummy fluorine-containing layer (para 0031) and wherein the TiN adhesion layer also includes fluorine atoms diffused therein (paras 0030, 0044). It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to substitute the layer stack of modified Lai with the layer stack of Wei because the simple substitution of one known element for another is likely to be obvious when predictable results are achieved. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 415-421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1395 – 97 (2007) (see MPEP § 2143, B.).
Claim(s) 12-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lai.
In reference to claim 12:
Lai discloses a method of forming a structure on a substrate (abstract, Fig. 4A-C showing a via filling process), comprising:
soaking a substrate with a titanium nitride layer disposed thereon once, and only once, with a first amount of a tungsten hexafluoride for a first time duration in a first process chamber of a first substrate processing system (paras 0060, 0062);
purging the tungsten hexafluoride from the first process chamber (para 0062);
soaking the substrate once, and only once, with a second amount of a diborane for a second time duration in the first process chamber after purging the tungsten hexafluoride from the first process chamber to form a tungsten containing layer on the titanium nitride layer (para 0062); and
removing the substrate from the first substrate processing system (para 0068 disclosing that after deposition the structure may be planarized in a second system).
Lai does not explicitly disclose wherein removing the substrate from the first substrate processing system is to expose a surface of the tungsten containing layer to an atmospheric air. However , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to choose from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, i.e. transferring the substrate in contact with air, under vacuum, or with a chosen gas, with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). See MPEP 2143.
In reference to claim 13:
In addition to the discussion of claim 12 above, Lai further discloses:
placing the substrate with the tungsten containing layer into a second process station in a second substrate processing system (para 0052); and
forming one or more layers on the tungsten containing layer in the second process station (para 0052).
In reference to claim 14:
In addition to the discussion of claim 12, above, Lai further discloses wherein the tungsten containing layer has a thickness between 10 Angstroms and 11 Angstroms (para 0056).
In reference to claim 15:
In addition to the discussion of claim 12, above, Lai further discloses wherein the soak processes are between .01 and 60 seconds (para 0034) but does not explicitly disclose wherein the first time duration and the second time duration are between about 10 seconds and about 40 seconds. However, in the case where the claimed ranges overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art a prima facie case of obviousness exists. See MPEP 2144.05(I). As applied to the instant application, the claimed about 10 seconds to about 40 seconds lies within the prior art range of 0.01 seconds to 60 seconds and, therefore, a prima facie case of obviousness exists.
In reference to claim 16:
In addition to the discussion of claim 12, above, Lai further discloses wherein a pressure within the first process chamber when soaking the substrate in the tungsten hexafluoride and soaking the substrate in the diborane is between 5 Torr and 30 Torr (paras 0075-0091).
In reference to claim 17:
In addition to the discussion of claim 12, above, Lai further discloses placing the substrate with the tungsten containing layer into a second process station in a second substrate processing system (para 0068 disclosing moving the substrate from the first processing system to a second process station in a second substrate processing system, a CMP apparatus, which would expose the substrate to air); and
removing at least a portion of the tungsten containing layer within the second process station (para 0068 disclosing CMP).
In reference to claim 18:
Lai discloses a method of forming a structure on a substrate (abstract, Fig. 4A-C showing a via filling process), comprising:
soaking a substrate with a titanium nitride layer disposed thereon once, and only once, with a first amount of diborane for a first time duration in a first process chamber of a first substrate processing system (paras 0025, 0074; claim 3 and 5);
purging the diborane from the first process chamber (para 0025);
soaking the substrate once, and only once, with a second amount of a tungsten hexafluoride for a second time duration in the first process chamber after purging the diborane from the first process chamber to form a tungsten containing layer on the titanium nitride layer (para 0033); and
removing the substrate from the first substrate processing system (para 0068 disclosing that after deposition the structure may be planarized in a second system).
Lai does not explicitly disclose wherein removing the substrate from the first substrate processing system is to expose a surface of the tungsten containing layer to an atmospheric air. However , it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to choose from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, i.e. transferring the substrate in contact with air, under vacuum, or with a chosen gas, with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). See MPEP 2143.
In reference to claim 19:
In addition to the discussion of claim 18, above, Lai further discloses placing the substrate with the tungsten containing layer into a second process station of a second substrate processing system (para 0052); and
forming one or more layers on the tungsten containing layer (para 0052).
In reference to claim 20:
In addition to the discussion of claim 18, above, Lai further discloses placing the substrate with the tungsten containing layer into a second process station in a second substrate processing system (para 0068 disclosing moving the substrate from the first processing system to a second process station in a second substrate processing system, a CMP apparatus, which would expose the substrate to air); and
removing at least a portion of the tungsten containing layer within the second process station (para 0068 disclosing CMP).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW L SWANSON whose telephone number is (571)272-1724. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 0800-1900 and every other Friday 0800-1600.
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/ANDREW L SWANSON/Examiner, Art Unit 1745