DETAILED ACTION
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/29/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Pg. 14, ¶ [0063], lines 3-2 bottom up, “This may be process may be …” should read “This process may be …”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-17 /are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chandrashekar (US 20160093528 A1) in view of Haukka (US 20230069459 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Chandrashekar discloses A method (¶ [0004]) comprising:
providing a 3-D structure (Figs. 1E-F) of a partially manufactured semiconductor substrate (103, Fig. 1A) to a chamber (Fig. 9A), the 3-D structure comprising sidewalls (sidewalls of horizontal bars, Fig. 1F), a plurality of openings (opening between horizontal bars, Fig. 1F) in the sidewalls leading to a plurality of features (127, Fig. 1F) of interior regions fluidically accessible through the openings;
depositing a first layer of metal (502, 504; 504 may be omitted, Fig. 5, ¶ [0107]) within the 3-D structure such that the first layer lines the plurality of features of the 3-D structure;
treating the first layer non-conformally with a compound (an inhibition chemistry to selectively inhibits portions 506, Fig. 5, ¶ [0107]) such that that the treatment is preferentially applied at portions of the first layer near the plurality of openings relative to the plurality of interior regions;
treating the first layer with a nitrogen species (N2H2, NH3, ¶ [0107]);
after treating the first layer with a nitrogen species, depositing a second layer of metal (510 preferentially deposited in non-inhibited portion to fill hard-to-fill regions behind the constrictions then the remainder is filled with 510, Fig. 5, ¶ [0107]) in the 3-D structure on the first layer such that the second layer at least partially fills the plurality of interior regions of the 3-D structure and wherein the second layer of metal is preferentially deposited in the plurality of interior regions relative to the plurality of openings.
Though not disclosing a compound to selectively inhibit the nucleation near the openings of the features is boron-containing, Chandrashekar discloses (Fig. 3C, ¶ [0093-0094]) exposing a substrate including a feature to a diborane before exposing to an inhibitor will modulate the inhibiting effect of the inhibitor.
Haukka discloses (¶ [0052, 0054]) an inhibition compound applied to the upper part of the gap to promote the first precursor to travel further down to the gap where the inhibition compound is not present; and the inhibitor is boron-containing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the pre-treatment of diborane and inhibitor treatment of Chandrashekar for the one-time treatment of boron-containing inhibitor compound of Haukka, to better fill high aspect features.
Regarding claim 2, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1; Chandrashekar further discloses wherein treating the first layer with nitrogen species comprises exposing the first layer to nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) (¶ [0046]).
Regarding claim 3, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1; Chandrashekar further discloses wherein the treating first layer with nitrogen species comprises exposing the first layer to ammonia (NH3) (¶ [0107]).
Regarding claim 4, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1; Chandrashekar further discloses wherein treating the first layer with nitrogen species comprises exposing the first layer to a plasma generated from a nitrogen-containing gas (¶ [0046]).
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Regarding claim 5, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1. Though being silent regarding the boron-containing compound is diborane, Chandrashekar discloses (Fig. 3, ¶ [0093-0094]) a pre-treatment of diborane followed by an inhibitor treatment would increase the inhibiting effect. Haukka discloses (¶ [0052, 0054]) a boron-containing inhibitor would be applied at once to the upper portion of the gap to facilitate the precursor travel further down to the gap. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the two steps of treatments of Chandrashekar for one step of treatment of Haukka with diborane-containing inhibitor for time saving.
Regarding claim 6, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1; the modified method of Chandrashekar would result for the inhibitor to contain boron; thus, Chandrashekar discloses the boron-containing compound is introduced to a chamber housing the substrate in the presence of hydrogen (H2) (¶ [0101]).
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Regarding claim 7, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1; the modified method of Chandrashekar would result for the inhibitor to contain boron; thus Chandrashekar discloses the boron-containing compound is introduced to a chamber housing the substrate in the absence of hydrogen (H2) (¶ [0101] discloses both treatment with and without H2).
Regarding claim 8, Chandrashekar discloses A method¶ [0004]) (comprising:
a) providing a 3-D structure (Figs. E-F) of a partially manufactured semiconductor substrate (103, Fig. 1A) to a chamber (Fig. 9A), the 3-D structure comprising sidewalls (sidewalls of horizontal bars, Fig. 1F) a plurality of openings (openings between horizontal bars, Fig. 1F) in the sidewalls leading to a plurality of features (127, Fig. 1F) having a plurality of interior regions (127, Fig. 1F) fluidically accessible through the openings, wherein the each of the plurality of features includes multiple feature sections separated by pillars (125, Fig. 1F);
b) depositing a first layer (502, 504; 504 can be omitted, Fig. 5, ¶ [0107]) of metal within the 3-D structure such that the first layer lines the plurality of features of the 3-D structure;
c) treating the first layer non-conformally with a compound (an inhibition chemistry to selectively inhibits portions 506, Fig. 5, ¶ [0107])) such that that the treatment is preferentially applied at portions of the first layer near the plurality of openings relative to the plurality of interior regions;
d) treating the first layer with a nitrogen species (N2H2, NH3, ¶ [0107]); and
e) after treating the first layer with the nitrogen species, depositing a second layer of metal (510 preferentially deposited in non-inhibited portion to fill hard-to-fill regions behind the constrictions then the remainder is filled with 510, Fig. 5, ¶ [0107]) within the 3-D structure on the first layer such that the second layer preferentially fills one or more feature sections further within the plurality of features relative to one or more feature sections closer to the nearest sidewall opening.
Though not disclosing a compound to selectively inhibit the nucleation near the openings of the features is boron-containing, Chandrashekar discloses (Fig. 3C, ¶ [0093-0094]) exposing a substrate including a feature to a diborane before exposing to an inhibitor will modulate the inhibiting effect of the inhibitor.
Haukka discloses (¶ [0052, 0054]) an inhibition compound applied to the upper part of the gap to promote the first precursor to travel further down to the gap where the inhibition compound is not present; and the inhibitor is boron-containing. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the pre-treatment of diborane and inhibitor treatment of Chandrashekar for the one-time treatment of boron-containing inhibitor compound of Haukka for time saving.
Regarding claim 9, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 8; Chandrashekar further discloses comprising repeating operations (c), (d), and (e) (¶ [0011]).
Regarding claim 10, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 9; Chandrashekar does not disclose the second iteration of operation (c) is characterized by one or more of reduced hydrogen flow rate, decreased temperature, reduced boron-containing compound flow rate, or reduced dose time relative to the first iteration of operation (c). However, absent unpredictable results, the second iteration of operation (c) can be characterized by one or more reduced hydrogen flow rate, decreased temperature, reduced boron-containing compound flow rate, or reduced dose time relative to the first iteration of operation (c) could be achieved by routine optimization. MPEP 2144.05
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to vary some of the characteristics of the operation (c) in the second iteration for optimal results.
Regarding claim 11, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 10. Chandrashekar does not disclose the second iteration of operation (d) is characterized by reduced amount of nitrogen species relative to the first iteration of operation (d). However, absent unpredictable results, the second iteration of operation (d) can be characterized by reduced amount of nitrogen species relative to the first iteration of operation (d) could be achieved by routine optimization. MPEP 2144.05
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to vary some of the characteristics of the operation (d) in the second iteration for optimal results.
Regarding claim 12, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 8; Chandrashekar further discloses treating the first layer with nitrogen species comprises exposing the first layer to nitrogen trifluoride (NF3) (¶ [0046]).
Regarding claim 13, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 1; Chandrashekar further discloses treating the first layer with nitrogen species comprises exposing the first layer to ammonia (NH3) (¶ [0107]).
Regarding claim 14, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 8; Chandrashekar further discloses 1 treating the first layer with nitrogen species comprises exposing the first layer to a plasma generated from a nitrogen-containing gas (¶ [0046]).
Regarding claim 15, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 8. Though being silent regarding the boron-containing compound is diborane, Chandrashekar discloses (Fig. 3, ¶ [0093-0094]) a pre-treatment of diborane followed by an inhibitor treatment would increase the inhibiting effect. Haukka discloses (¶ [0052, 0054]) a boron-containing inhibitor would be applied at once to the upper portion of the gap to facilitate the precursor travel further down to the gap. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the two steps of treatments of Chandrashekar for one step of treatment of Haukka with diborane-containing inhibitor for time saving.
Regarding claim 16, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 8; the modified method of Chandrashekar would result for the inhibitor to contain boron; thus, Chandrashekar discloses the boron-containing compound is introduced to a chamber housing the substrate in the presence of hydrogen (H2) (¶ [0101]).
Regarding claim 17, Chandrashekar in view of Haukka discloses the method of claim 8; the modified method of Chandrashekar would result for the inhibitor to contain boron; thus, Chandrashekar discloses the boron-containing compound is introduced to a chamber housing the substrate in the absence of hydrogen (H2) (¶ [0101] discloses both treatment with and without H2).
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Brogan (US 20180119305 A1) and Humayun (US 20140154883 A1) disclose a method of void-free metal filling.
Conclusion
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/DTH/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/Leonard Chang/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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