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 information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9.16.2024 is being considered by the examiner.
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 4 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.
Regarding claim 4, “the laser radiation of the conductive plugs” is indefinite because “the laser radiation” lacks proper antecedent basis; in addition, “of” does not align with claim language of base claim 1.
The examiner suggests and treats as –the electromagnetic radiation to the conductive plugs-- per base claim 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, 3, 5-7, 9-13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Duriez et al. (US 20210098633 A1) in view of Nachshon (US 5114834 A) and Engelsberg et al. (US 5958268 A).
Regarding claim 1, Duriez discloses a method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a field effect transistor (FET) device over a substrate (202), the FET device comprising a nanostructure channel (214N), a gate structure (242, 244) around the nanostructure channel, and source/drain structures (230), the gate structure surrounded by a first dielectric layer (232, Fig. 2G);
depositing a second dielectric layer (250) over the gate structure and the first dielectric layer (Fig. 2H);
depositing a light-sensitive material (not shown but disclosed in [0046] as “applying a photoresist layer over the contact level dielectric layer 250”) over the second dielectric layer ([0046]);
patterning the light-sensitive material to provide a patterned light-sensitive material ([0046] – “lithographically patterning the photoresist layer to form openings therein”);
etching the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer to form source/drain contact openings (252), the source/drain contact openings exposing source/drain contact regions (230C) of the source/drain structures (Fig. 2I);
removing the patterned light-sensitive material by ashing ([0046] – “After formation of the source/drain contact openings 252, the remaining photoresist layer is removed, for example, by ashing”)
forming conductive plugs (254) in the source/drain contact openings (Fig. 2J); and
performing an annealing process (262) to activate dopants in the source/drain contact regions by directing an electromagnetic radiation to the conductive plugs (Fig. 2M, [0058-0059]).
Duriez fails to disclose removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to a polarized electromagnetic radiation.
Nachshon discloses removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to by a sweep of a beam of high energy pulses in the UV wave length range , each of which pulses removes a certain depth of the photoresist layer”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the removal of Nachshon in Duriez so as to remove photoresist layers without damage to the underlying layers (Nachshon, col 1, lines 5-30).
Duriez/Nachshon fail to disclose removal is achieved with “a polarized” electromagnetic radiation.
Engelsberg discloses removal is achieved with “a polarized” electromagnetic radiation (Title, table 7d – “Contaminant: Photoresist residual”).
would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the polarization of Engelsberg in Duriez/Nachshon so as to enable “removal of undesired material without altering the physical properties of the material underlying or adjacent the removed, undesired material” (Engelsberg, Abstract).
Regarding claim 3, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the polarized electromagnetic radiation utilized in the removing the patterned light-sensitive material (per Duriez/Nachshon) is (partly) S polarized electromagnetic radiation from a laser (Fig. 8, col 30, lines 25-45).
Regarding claim 5, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 3, wherein (partly) S polarized electromagnetic radiation is incident on the substrate at an oblique angle (Fig. 7. Col 29, starting at line 35).
Regarding claim 6, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the light sensitive material is a photoresist (Duriez – [0046], Nachshon – Title).
Regarding claim 7, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the annealing process to activate dopants in the source/drain contact regions comprises directing a P polarized or non-polarized electromagnetic radiation to the conductive plugs (Fig. 2M, [0058] does not disclose polarization hence it is presumed to be non-polarized; alternatively, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to employ non-polarized radiation so as to simplify the annealing process by avoiding polarizers while still achieving an annealing step).
Regarding claim 9, Duriez discloses a method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a field effect transistor (FET) device over a substrate (202), the FET device comprising a nanostructure channel (214N), a gate structure (242/244) around the nanostructure channel, and source/drain structures (230), the gate structure surrounded by a first dielectric layer (232, Fig. 2G);
depositing a second dielectric layer (250) over the gate structure and the first dielectric layer (Fig. 2H);
depositing (not shown but see [0046]) a light-sensitive material over the second dielectric layer;
patterning (not shown but see [0046]) the light-sensitive material to provide a patterned light-sensitive material;
etching the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer to form source/drain contact openings (252), the source/drain contact openings exposing source/drain contact regions (230C) of the source/drain structures (Fig. 2I);
removing the patterned light-sensitive material by ashing ([0046])
forming conductive plugs (254) in the source/drain contact openings (Fig. 2J); and
exposing the conductive plugs to an electromagnetic radiation (262, Fig. 2M).
Duriez fails to disclose removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to S polarized electromagnetic radiation.
Nachshon discloses removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the removal of Nachshon in Duriez so as to remove photoresist layers without damage to the underlying layers (Nachshon, col 1, lines 5-30).
Duriez/Nachshon fail to disclose removal is achieved with “S polarized” electromagnetic radiation.
Engelsberg discloses removal is achieved with (partly) “S polarized” electromagnetic radiation (Title, table 7d – “Contaminant: Photoresist residual”. See also Fig. 8, col 30, lines 25-45).
would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the polarization of Engelsberg in Duriez/Nachshon so as to enable “removal of undesired material without altering the physical properties of the material underlying or adjacent the removed, undesired material” (Engelsberg, Abstract).
Regarding claim 10, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the (partly) S polarized electromagnetic radiation utilized in the removing the patterned light-sensitive material (per Duriez/Nachshon) is from a laser (col 30, lines 25-45 – “KrF pulsed laser”).
Regarding claim 11, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic radiation utilized in the exposing the conductive plugs is from a laser (262, [0059]).
Regarding claim 12, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 10, wherein the (partly) S polarized electromagnetic radiation is incident on the substrate at an oblique angle (Fig. 7. Col 29, starting at line 35).
Regarding claim 13, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the light-sensitive material is a photoresist (Duriez – [0046], Nachshon – Title).
Regarding claim 15, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic radiation utilized in exposing the conductive plugs is a non-polarized electromagnetic radiation (Fig. 2M, [0058] does not disclose polarization hence it is presumed to be non-polarized; alternatively, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to employ non-polarized radiation so as to simplify the annealing process by avoiding polarizers while still achieving an annealing step).
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Duriez et al. (US 20210098633 A1) in view of Nachshon (US 5114834 A) and Engelsberg et al. (US 5958268 A) as applied above to claims 3 and 9 above, and further in view of Izawa et al. (US 20120225568 A1).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg fails to disclose (claim 4) the method of claim 3, wherein the laser radiation of the conductive plugs includes exposing the conductive plugs to a P polarized electromagnetic radiation from a laser and (claim 14) the method of claim 9, wherein the electromagnetic radiation utilized in exposing the conductive plugs is a P polarized electromagnetic radiation.
Izawa discloses p-polarized laser irradiation ([0042], [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include p-polarized laser irradiation per Izawa in Duriez/Nachshon/Engelsberg and arrive at the claimed inventions so as to “maintaining improved laser absorptance all over the surface of the wafer W” (Izawa, [0045]).
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Duriez et al. (“Duriez2”, US 20210098632 A1) in view of Nachshon (US 5114834 A) and Engelsberg et al. (US 5958268 A).
Regarding claim 16, Duriez2 discloses a method of forming a semiconductor device, comprising:
forming a field effect transistor (FET) device over a substrate (202), the FET device comprising a nanostructure channel (214N), a gate structure (242/244) around the nanostructure channel, and source/drain structures (230), the gate structure surrounded by a first dielectric layer (232, Fig. 2G);
depositing a second dielectric layer (250) over the gate structure and the first dielectric layer (Fig. 2H);
depositing (not shown; disclosed in [0048]) a light-sensitive material over the second dielectric layer;
patterning (not shown; disclosed in [0048]) the light-sensitive material to provide a patterned light-sensitive material;
etching the second dielectric layer and the first dielectric layer to form source/drain contact openings (252), the source/drain contact openings exposing source/drain contact regions (230C) of the source/drain structures (Fig. 2I);
removing (not shown; disclosed in [0048]) the patterned light-sensitive material by ashing
performing an annealing process (262) to activate dopants in the source/drain contact regions by directing an electromagnetic radiation to the source/drain structures (Fig. 2K; [0053]); and
depositing a conductive material (274 at least) to form source/drain contacts (276) in the source/drain contact openings (Fig. 2M).
Duriez2 fails to disclose removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to a polarized electromagnetic radiation;
Nachshon discloses removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the removal of Nachshon in Duriez2 so as to remove photoresist layers without damage to the underlying layers (Nachshon, col 1, lines 5-30).
Duriez2/Nachshon fail to disclose removal is achieved with “a polarized” electromagnetic radiation.
Engelsberg discloses removal is achieved with “a polarized” electromagnetic radiation (Title, table 7d – “Contaminant: Photoresist residual”).
would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to include the polarization of Engelsberg in Duriez2/Nachshon so as to enable “removal of undesired material without altering the physical properties of the material underlying or adjacent the removed, undesired material” (Engelsberg, Abstract).
Regarding claim 17, Duriez2/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the polarized electromagnetic radiation utilized in the removing the patterned light-sensitive material (per Duriez2/Nachshon) is (partly) S polarized electromagnetic radiation from a laser (Fig. 8, col 30, lines 25-45).
Regarding claim 18, Duriez2/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the annealing process to activate dopants in the source/drain contact regions comprises directing a P polarized or non-polarized (262) electromagnetic radiation to the source/drain structures ([0055]; does not disclose polarization hence it is presumed to be non-polarized; alternatively, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to employ non-polarized radiation so as to simplify the annealing process by avoiding polarizers while still achieving an annealing step).
Regarding claim 19, Duriez2/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the polarized electromagnetic radiation utilized in the removing the patterned light-sensitive material is incident on the substrate at a first angle (Engelsberg – oblique per Fig. 7. Col 29, starting at line 35), and the electromagnetic radiation utilized in the annealing process is incident on the substrate at a second angle (Duriez2 - normal/perpendicular per Fig. 2k) different from the first angle (oblique vs normal/perpendicular).
Regarding claim 20, Duriez2/Nachshon/Engelsberg discloses the method of claim 16, wherein the light-sensitive material is a photoresist (Duriez2 – [0048], Nachshon – Title).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 8 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 prior art of record fails to disclose or suggest (claim 2) wherein the removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing the patterned light-sensitive material to a polarized electromagnetic radiation and the annealing process are carried out in the same chamber and (claim 8) wherein the removing the patterned light-sensitive material by exposing it to polarized electromagnetic radiation comprises using S polarized electromagnetic radiation and reflecting the S polarized electromagnetic radiation from the substrate or features formed on the substrate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRES MUNOZ whose telephone number is (571)270-3346. The examiner can normally be reached 8AM-5PM Central Time.
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, Eva Montalvo can be reached at (571)270-3829. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Andres Munoz/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
Prosecution Insights