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 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.
Drawings
Figures 2A and 2B should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. See MPEP § 608.02(g). Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office Action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office Action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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)(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 7 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Han et al. (US20240186149).
Regarding claim 7, Han discloses a plasma processing method (abstract) comprising: a first step of forming a pattern on a molybdenum-containing film using plasma generated by a mixed gas of a gas containing oxygen and a gas containing halogen (step 304, Fig. 3A, and paragraphs 0038-0039); a second step of forming, after the first step, a protective film on the pattern using plasma generated by a gas containing carbon (step 306, Fig. 3A, and paragraph 0035); a third step of breakthrough, after the second step, the protective film at a bottom of the pattern using plasma generated by a gas containing oxygen (step 308, Fig. 3A, and paragraph 0042); and a fourth step of etching, after the third step, using plasma generated by a gas containing halogen (step 310, Fig. 3A and paragraph 0038), wherein the second to fourth steps are repeated until reaching a predetermined pattern depth (repeating cycle 312, Fig. 3A). Han is silent about the breakthrough step comprising oxidizing the molybdenum-containing film; however, Han discloses that the oxygen content and RF power may be increased to help remove the protective film (protection layer 340) in the breakthrough step (paragraph 0042). When the protection layer is removed and the molybdenum underneath the protection layer is exposed to oxygen plasma, oxidizing the molybdenum-containing film inherently takes place.
Regarding claim 9, Han discloses wherein the gas containing halogen is a chlorine gas (Cl2, paragraph 0038).
Regarding claim 10, Han discloses wherein the gas containing halogen is a tetrafluoromethane gas (CF4, paragraph 0038).
Regarding claim 11, Han discloses wherein the gas containing carbon is a trifluoromethane gas (CHF3, paragraph 0035).
Regarding claim 12, Han discloses wherein the gas containing halogen is a chlorine gas (Cl2, paragraph 0038).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 12-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 8, the cited prior art of record, taken either alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious a method comprising: a fifth step of, after the fourth step, removing the protective film and an altered layer formed on a surface of the molybdenum-containing film or an altered layer formed on the ruthenium-containing film using plasma generated by a gas containing hydrogen, in the context of the instant claim.
Regarding claim 13, it is a dependent of claim 8.
Regarding claim 12, the cited prior art of record, taken either alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious a method comprising: wherein the method further comprises, after the second step, a step of reducing roughness of the protective film using plasm generated by an argon gas (Ar), a helium gas (He), a nitrogen gas (N2), a hydrogen gas (H2), in the context of the instant claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIONG-PING LU whose telephone number is (571) 270-1135. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 9:00am – 5:00pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua L Allen, can be reached at telephone number (571)270-3176. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JIONG-PING LU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1713