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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/01/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Missing conjunction between last two clauses Appropriate correction is required for clarity and proper punctuation.
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.
Claims 1, 12, and 17 recites the limitation "the first mandrill bar" in the 4th clause. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Only “a mandrill bar” limitation is introduced in an earlier clause of each of those claims, and thus “the first mandrill bar" interpreted as “the mandrill bar” for examination purposes.
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, 11, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (US 20180315601 A1) in view of Niroomand et al. (US 7732343 B2).
Regarding claim 1, Peng et al. teaches a method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus (semiconductor device 100), comprising:
forming a target layer (target layer 102), a bottom mask layer comprising a first mask (hard mask layer 108), and a photoresist pattern (photoresist 120), on a substrate (semiconductor substrate 104);
forming a conformal spacer layer (spacer layer 126) on the first mask and the first mandrill bar (mandrels 124);
etching the spacer layer (anisotropic dry etch), such that at least a portion of the first mask is free ([0042]) of the spacer layer;
forming a sacrificial layer (sacrificial material 138) on the at least the portion of the first mask;
forming a hard-mask bar (FIG.16B, hard mask layer 108) by etching the spacer layer and the first mask; and
patterning ([0048] and FIG.16A/B) the target layer by using the hard-mask bar.
Peng et al. does not teach contracting the photoresist pattern; and forming a mandrill bar on the first mask by using the photoresist pattern that is contracted.
However, Niroomand et al. teaches contracting ([0055] and FIG. 4A: line 124 isotopically etched to “shrink” features) the photoresist pattern; and
forming a mandrill bar (modified lines 124') on the first mask by using (FIG.5A) the photoresist pattern that is contracted.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the contracted photoresist and mandrel bar technique of Niroomand et al. to the spacer/hard mask patterning method of Peng et al. to increase spacing between patterned features, thereby allowing smaller pitch features while maintaining smooth pattern transfer process.
Regarding claim 11, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. teaches the method of claim 1. Niroomand et al. teaches wherein the contracting ([0055] and FIG. 4A: line 124 isotopically etched to “shrink” features) of the photoresist pattern comprises contracting a width of the photoresist pattern by several nm ([0055], reduced from 80 nm-120 nm to 35 nm-70 nm).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the contracted photoresist and mandrel bar technique of Niroomand et al. to the spacer/hard mask patterning method of Peng et al. to increase spacing between patterned features, thereby allowing smaller pitch features while maintaining smooth pattern transfer process.
Regarding claim 12, Peng et al. teaches a method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus (semiconductor device 100), comprising:
forming a target layer (target layer 102), a bottom mask layer comprising a first mask (hard mask layer 108), and a photoresist pattern (tri-layer photoresist 120), on a substrate (semiconductor substrate 104);
forming a conformal spacer layer (spacer layer 126) on the first mask and the first mandrill bar (mandrels 124);
etching the spacer layer ([0042], anisotropic dry etch), such that at least a portion of a top surface (FIG.12A) of the mandrill bar and at least a portion of the first mask are free ([0042]) of the spacer layer;
etching ([0043] and FIG.13A/B) the mandrill bar, such that at least a portion of the first mask is free (FIG.12A) of the mandrill bar;
forming a sacrificial layer (sacrificial material 138) on the at least the portion of the first mask that is free of the mandrill bar (FIGS.12-19);
forming a hard-mask bar (FIG.16B, hard mask layer 108) by etching the spacer layer and the first mask; and
patterning ([0048] and FIG.16A/B) the target layer by using the hard-mask bar.
Peng et al. does not teach contracting the photoresist pattern; and forming a mandrill bar on the first mask by using the photoresist pattern that is contracted.
However, Niroomand et al. teaches contracting ([0055] and FIG. 4A: line 124 isotopically etched to “shrink” features) the photoresist pattern; and
forming a mandrill bar (modified lines 124') on the first mask by using (FIG.5A) the photoresist pattern that is contracted.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have provided the contracted photoresist and mandrel bar technique of Niroomand et al. to the spacer/hard mask patterning method of Peng et al. to increase spacing between patterned features, thereby allowing smaller pitch features while maintaining smooth pattern transfer process.
Claims 2, 4-7, 13, 14, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (US 20180315601 A1) in view of Niroomand et al. (US 7732343 B2) and Ma et al. (US 9735013 B2).
Regarding claim 2, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. teaches the method of claim 1. Niroomand et al. teaches the contracting ([0055] and FIG. 4A: line 124 isotopically etched to “shrink” features) of the photoresist pattern.
NIroomand et al. does not further teach comprises: injecting ions into the photoresist pattern; or performing plasma-doping on the photoresist pattern; or injecting the ions into the photoresist pattern and performing the plasma-doping on the photoresist pattern.
However, Ma et al. teaches comprises injecting the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) and performing the plasma-doping ([0046], plasma doping tool (PLAD)) on the photoresist pattern.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 4, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al.teaches the method of claim 2. Ma et al. teaches wherein the injecting of the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) comprises injecting the ions in a direction inclined at an angle ([0032], 60°) with reference to a longitudinal direction (plane normal to the sidewall surface 120) of the photoresist pattern.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 5, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al.teaches the method of claim 4. Ma et al. teaches wherein the angle ([0032], 60°) is in a range from about -90 to about 90°.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 6, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al.teaches the method of claim 2. Ma et al. teaches wherein the injecting of the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) further comprises
rotating (at least 4 rotations per implant cycle) the substrate (device 100, comprising substrate 104) by 360/n°;
injecting the ions into the photoresist pattern after the rotating ([0034] and FIG.3) of the substrate by 360/n°; and
performing the rotating and the injecting n times (device rotated 30°, 45°, 60°, or 90° depending on contact holes patterns, following each of the 4+ ion implants).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 7, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al.teaches the method of claim 2. Ma et al. teaches wherein the injecting of the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) comprises injecting B, BFx, As, P, C, Ar, Si, Ge, H, or Xe ions ([0031], Si) at least once.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 13, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. teaches the method of claim 12. Niroomand et al. teaches the contracting ([0055] and FIG. 4A: line 124 isotopically etched to “shrink” features) of the photoresist pattern.
Niroomand et al. does not further teach comprises: injecting ions into the photoresist pattern; or performing plasma-doping on the photoresist pattern; or injecting the ions into the photoresist pattern and performing the plasma-doping on the photoresist pattern.
However, ma et al. comprises injecting the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) and performing the plasma-doping ([0046], plasma doping tool (PLAD)) on the photoresist pattern.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 14, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al.teaches the method of claim 13. Ma et al. teaches wherein the injecting of the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) comprises injecting B, BFx, As, P, C, Ar, Si, Ge, H, or Xe ions ([0031], Si) at least once.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 17, Peng et al. teaches a method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus (semiconductor device 100), comprising:
forming a target layer (target layer 102), a bottom mask layer comprising a first mask (hard mask layer 108), and a photoresist pattern (tri-layer photoresist 120), on a substrate (semiconductor substrate 104);
forming a conformal spacer layer (spacer layer 126) on the first mask and the first mandrill bar (mandrels 124);
etching the spacer layer (anisotropic dry etch), such that at least a portion of the first mask is free ([0042]) of the spacer layer;
forming a sacrificial layer (sacrificial material 138) on the at least the portion of the first mask that is free of the spacer layer (FIGS.5-9);
forming a hard-mask bar (FIG.16B, hard mask layer 108) by etching the spacer layer and the first mask; and
patterning ([0048] and FIG.16A/B) the target layer by using the hard-mask bar.
Peng et al. does not teach contracting the photoresist pattern;
forming a mandrill bar on the first mask by using the photoresist pattern that is contracted; and
wherein the contracting of the photoresist pattern comprises injecting ions into the photoresist pattern, performing plasma-doping on the photoresist pattern, or performing a combination thereof at least once.
Niroomand et al, however, teaches contracting ([0055] and FIG. 4A: line 124 isotopically etched to “shrink” features) the photoresist pattern; and
forming a mandrill bar (modified lines 124') on the first mask by using (FIG.5A) the photoresist pattern that is contracted;
Niroomand et al. does not teach wherein the contracting of the photoresist pattern comprises injecting ions into the photoresist pattern, performing plasma-doping on the photoresist pattern, or performing a combination thereof at least once.
However, Ma et al. teaches wherein the contracting ([0044] and FIG.6A: vertical height ‘H’ of feature 102-B reduced by amount ‘y’) of the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) comprises injecting ions (ion implantation 118) into the photoresist pattern.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 18, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teaches the method of claim 17. Ma et al. teaches wherein the contracting ([0044] and FIG.6A: vertical height ‘H’ of feature 102-B reduced by amount ‘y’) of the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) comprises repeating ([0043], series of ion implants) injecting the ions into the photoresist pattern.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Regarding claim 19, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teaches the method of claim 17. Ma et al. teaches wherein the injecting of the ions ([0023], ion implantations 118) into the photoresist pattern (patterning features 102A-B) comprises injecting B, BFx, As, P, C, Ar, Si, Ge, H, or Xe ions ([0031], Si) at least once.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied ion implantation method of Ma et al. to patterned photoresist architecture of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and thereby enable controlled photoresist feature dimensions and improved pattern transfer capabilities.
Claims 8-10, 15, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (US 20180315601 A1) in view of Niroomand et al. (US 7732343 B2), Ma et al. (US 9735013 B2) and Qin et al. (US 7737010 B2).
Regarding claim 8, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teach the method of claim 2. Qin et al. teaches wherein, in the performing of plasma-doping (PLAD) on the photoresist pattern (photoresist layer 6), B2H6 ([0025], diborane), is used as source gas of the plasma.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated Qin et al.’s plasma doping process of photoresist into the patterning process of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. to achieve contracted photoresist and thereby increase spacing, expand etch space, make mandrel formation more stable and reduce etch burdens.
Regarding claim 9, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teach the method of claim 2. Qin et al. teaches wherein the performing of plasma-doping (PLAD) on the photoresist pattern (photoresist layer 6) comprises performing the plasma-doping at least once using at least one recipe ([0025], implant conditions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated Qin et al.’s plasma doping process of photoresist into the patterning process of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. to achieve contracted photoresist and thereby increase spacing, expand etch space, make mandrel formation more stable and reduce etch burdens.
Regarding claim 10, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teach the method of claim 2. Qin et al. teaches further comprising removing a thin-film layer (dopant-containing layer 8) formed during the performing ([0026]) of plasma-doping (PLAD) on the photoresist pattern (photoresist layer 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated Qin et al.’s plasma doping process of photoresist into the patterning process of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. to achieve contracted photoresist and thereby increase spacing, expand etch space, make mandrel formation more stable and reduce etch burdens.
Regarding claim 15, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teaches the method of claim 13. Qin et al. teaches wherein, in the performing of plasma-doping (PLAD) on the photoresist pattern (photoresist layer 6), B2H6 ([0025], diborane), is used as source gas of the plasma.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated Qin et al.’s plasma doping process of photoresist into the patterning process of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. to achieve contracted photoresist and thereby increase spacing, expand etch space, make mandrel formation more stable and reduce etch burdens.
Regarding claim 16, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teaches the method of claim 13. Qin et al. teaches wherein the performing of plasma-doping (PLAD) on the photoresist pattern (photoresist layer 6) comprises performing the plasma-doping at least once using at least one recipe ([0025], implant conditions).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated Qin et al.’s plasma doping process of photoresist into the patterning process of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. to achieve contracted photoresist and thereby increase spacing, expand etch space, make mandrel formation more stable and reduce etch burdens.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (US 20180315601 A1) in view of Niroomand et al. (US 7732343 B2), Ma et al. (US 9735013 B2) and Sinclair et al. (US 8952344 B2).
Regarding claim 3, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teach the method of claim 2. Sinclair et al. teach wherein the injecting of the ions (306, 308) into the photoresist pattern (photoresist feature 302) comprises injecting the ions in a direction parallel (FIG.6C) to a longitudinal direction (z direction) of the photoresist pattern.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have used Sinclair’s (parallel) ion direction configuration into Ma et al.’s ion implantation method because both references address ion treatment of patterned photoresist and thereby predictably yield predictable control of photoresist feature directional modification and contraction, forming hard-mask bar and target-layer pattern with smaller dimensions, increased spacing and improved manufacturability.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peng et al. (US 20180315601 A1) in view of Niroomand et al. (US 7732343 B2), Ma et al. (US 9735013 B2), Qin et al. (US 7737010 B2) and Ventzek et al. (US 20220068601 A1).
Regarding claim 20, Peng et al. in view of Niroomand et al. and Ma et al. teaches the method of claim 17. Qin et al. teaches the performing of plasma-doping (PLAD) on the photoresist pattern (photoresist layer 6).
Qin et al. does not teach comprises controlling a direction of radicals of plasma.
However, Ventzek et al. teaches comprises controlling ([0020], generate cross flow over substrate) a direction ([0035], routing gas radially outwards towards walls 134) of radicals of plasma ([0044]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated Qin et al.’s plasma doping process of photoresist into patterning process of Peng et al. as modified by Niroomand et al. and Ma et al., as well as Ventzek et al.’s directional control of plasma radicals to control where plasma species interact with photoresist, thereby dope radicals onto photoresist while limiting exposure to underlying substrate.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEANNE M KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-8768. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00-6:00.
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/JEANNE MYON KIM/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/Leonard Chang/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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