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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The prior art documents submitted by applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement filed on 07/19/2024 has been considered and made of record.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites the limitation “a thickness of the dielectric layer is between 4 nm and 15”. The measurement unit for 15 is not specified, therefore the upper value of a thickness of the dielectric layer is not indefinite. For the purpose of examination, claim 9 will be interpreted as: “The method of claim 8, wherein a thickness of the dielectric layer is between 4 nm and 15 nm.”
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, 2, 5-7 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Soman et al., (United States Patent Application Publication Number, US 2024/0420934 A1), hereinafter referenced as Soman.
Regarding claim 1, Soman teaches a method of forming a layer in a trench formed in an upper surface of a substrate (Fig.3B), comprising: providing a substrate (Fig.3B, substrate formed by elements #305 and #310 which can be both made of silicon, paragraph [0035], rows 11-12, 22-25) within a reaction chamber( paragraph [0004], rows 4-7); flowing a precursor on the substrate within the reaction chamber (paragraph [0004], rows 11-13); flowing a reactant on the substrate within the reaction chamber (paragraph [0004], rows 19-21); and generating a plasma by a dual radio frequency (RF) plasma source including a high frequency (HF) component and a low frequency (LF) component (paragraph [0063], rows 10-14); wherein the precursor reacts with the reactant to form a layer (Fig.3B, layer #335a is formed by the reaction of the silicon containing precursor with the oxygen reactant); wherein a pressure in the reaction chamber during at least the step of providing the plasma is between 2,000 and 4,000Pa (paragraph [0070], row 1-8).
Regarding claim 2, Soman teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the high frequency (HF) has a frequency in a range between about 13 MHz and about 27 MHz and the low frequency (LF) power has a frequency in a range between about 100 KHz and about 500 KHz (paragraph [0063], rows 10-14).
Regarding claim 5, Soman teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a duration of flowing the precursor is between about 0.3 and about 2.0 seconds (paragraph [0046], rows 1-6).
Regarding claim 6, Soman teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a duration of generating the plasma is between about 0.5 and about 30 seconds (paragraph [0050], rows 1-6).
Regarding claim 7, Soman teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a temperature within the reaction chamber is between about 350 °C and about 450 °C (paragraph [0071], rows 1-5).
Regarding claim 10, Soman teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the precursor comprises at least one of: a silane, a silylamine, an aminosilane, or a halogenated silicon compound (paragraph [0042], row 9-12).
Regarding claim 11, Soman teaches the method of claims 1 and 10 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the precursor comprises at least one of: silane (SiH4),disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H10), N(Si2H5)3, trisilylamine N(SiH3)3, N(SiMe3)(SiHMeNMe2)2, 2,2-disilyltrisilane (Si(SiH3)4), trisdimethylaminosilane (SiH(NMe2)3), bis(diethylamino)silane (SiH2(NEt2)2) (BEDAS), bis(tert-butylamino)silane (SiH2(NHtBu)2) (BTBAS), di-isopropylamido)silane (SiH3(NiPr2)) (DIPAS), where Me represents a methyl group, Et represents an ethyl group, tBu represents a tert-butyl group, and iPr represents an isopropyl group, trichloro disilane (Si2Cl3H3), pentachloro disilane (Si2C15H), hexachloro disilane (Si2C16), octachlorotrisilane (Si3C18), dichloro silane (SiCl2H2), dimethyldichlorosilane (SiCl2Me2), tetrachloro silane (SiCl4), tetraiodo silane (SiI4), triiodo silane (SiI3H), or diiodo silane(SiI2H2) (paragraph [0042], row 9-14).
Regarding claim 12, Soman teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Soman further teaches the method of any claim 1, wherein the reactant comprises a nitrogen precursor (paragraph [0051], rows 1-2).
Claims 1, 2 and 4-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ishikawa et al., (United States Patent Application Publication Number, US 2017/0250068 A1), hereinafter referenced as Ishikawa.
Regarding claim 1, Ishikawa teaches a method of forming a layer in a trench formed in an upper surface of a substrate, comprising: providing a substrate within a reaction chamber (paragraph [0007], rows 1-4, and paragraph [0030], row 3-5); flowing a precursor on the substrate within the reaction chamber (paragraph [0030], rows 3-6 and paragraph [0071], rows 1-2); flowing a reactant on the substrate within the reaction chamber (paragraph [0030], rows 3-6, 9-11); and generating a plasma by a dual radio frequency (RF) plasma source including a high frequency (HF) component and a low frequency (LF) component (paragraph [0064], rows 1-3, the source generates both, paragraph [0040], rows 19-23); wherein the precursor reacts with the reactant to form a layer (paragraph [0030], rows 18-20); wherein a pressure in the reaction chamber during at least the step of providing the plasma is between 2,000 and 4,000Pa (Table 1).
Regarding claim 2, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the high frequency (HF) has a frequency in a range between about 13 MHz and about 27 MHz and the low frequency (LF) power has a frequency in a range between about 100 KHz and about 500 KHz (paragraph [0064], rows 4-9).
Regarding claim 4, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the reactant is provided continuously (Table 1).
Regarding claim 5, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a duration of flowing the precursor is between about 0.3 and about 2.0 seconds (precursor pulse, Table 1).
Regarding claim 6, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a duration of generating the plasma is between about 0.5 and about 30 seconds (RF power pulse, Table 1).
Regarding claim 7, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein a temperature within the reaction chamber is between about 350 °C and about 450 °C (the substrate temperature in between 100 and 600 C, Table 1 and the substrate is within the chamber).
Regarding claim 8, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the layer comprises a dielectric layer containing a Si-N bond (paragraph [0003]).
Regarding claim 9, Ishikawa teaches the method of claims 1 and 8 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 8, wherein a thickness of the dielectric layer is between 4 nm and 15 nm (paragraph [0058]).
Regarding claim 10, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the precursor comprises at least one of: a silane, a Regarding claim 9, Ishikawa teaches the method of claims 1 and 8 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches silylamine, an aminosilane, or a halogenated silicon compound (paragraph [0055], rows 1-6 or Table 1).
Regarding claim 11, Ishikawa teaches the method of claims 1 and 10 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the precursor comprises at least one of: silane (SiH4),disilane (Si2H6), trisilane (Si3H8), tetrasilane (Si4H10), N(Si2H5)3, trisilylamine N(SiH3)3, N(SiMe3)(SiHMeNMe2)2, 2,2-disilyltrisilane (Si(SiH3)4), trisdimethylaminosilane (SiH(NMe2)3), bis(diethylamino)silane (SiH2(NEt2)2) (BEDAS), bis(tert-butylamino)silane (SiH2(NHtBu)2) (BTBAS), di-isopropylamido)silane (SiH3(NiPr2)) (DIPAS), where Me represents a methyl group, Et represents an ethyl group, tBu represents a tert-butyl group, and iPr represents an isopropyl group, trichloro disilane (Si2Cl3H3), pentachloro disilane (Si2C15H), hexachloro disilane (Si2C16), octachlorotrisilane (Si3C18), dichloro silane (SiCl2H2), dimethyldichlorosilane (SiCl2Me2), tetrachloro silane (SiCl4), tetraiodo silane (SiI4), triiodo silane (SiI3H), or diiodo silane(SiI2H2) (paragraph [0055], rows 1-6 or Table 1).
Regarding claim 12, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of any claim 1, wherein the reactant comprises a nitrogen precursor (reactant in Table 1).
Regarding claim 13, Ishikawa teaches the method of claim 1 as set forth in the anticipation rejection. Ishikawa further teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the nitrogen precursor comprises at least one of: N2, NH3,a mixture of N2 and H2, or combinations thereof (reactant in Table 1).
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 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al., (United States Patent Number, US 7326444 B1) hereinafter referenced as Wu, in view of Sandow et al., (United States Patent Application Publication Number, US 2021/0296474 A1) hereinafter referenced as Sandow.
Regarding claim 1, Wu teaches a method of forming a layer on an upper surface of a substrate (Fig.1a and 1b, layer #105 is formed on the substrate #110), comprising: providing a substrate within a reaction chamber; flowing a precursor on the substrate within the reaction chamber (abstract, rows 5-8); flowing a reactant on the substrate within the reaction chamber (column 3, rows 61-63); and generating a plasma by a dual radio frequency (RF) plasma source including a high frequency (HF) component and a low frequency (LF) component (abstract, rows 9-12, and column 6, rows 31-33); wherein the precursor reacts with the reactant to form a layer (the oxidizer reacts with the reactant to form layer #105, column 3, rows 47-56); wherein a pressure in the reaction chamber during at least the step of providing the plasma is between 2,000 and 4,000Pa (column 12, rows 41-43).
Wu does not teach forming the layer in a trench formed in an upper surface of a substrate. Sandow teaches forming a layer from the same material, carbon doped oxide, in a trench formed in an upper surface of a substrate (Fig.2A, element #136, paragraph [0040], rows 11-14). It would have been obvious to one ordinary skilled in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Sandow and disclose a layer located in a trench formed in an upper surface of a substrate. As disclosed by Shadow, the layer electrically isolate the substrate from trench electrodes, and allows the formation of IGBT devices.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Wu and Sandow teach the method of claim 1 as set forth in the obviousness rejection. Wu further teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the high frequency RF power is between about 400 watts and about 800 watts and the low frequency RF power is between about 400 watts and about 800 watts (column 12, rows 20-23).
Conclusions
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/CRISTIAN A TIVARUS/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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