TUNGSTEN FEATURE FILL WITH NUCLEATION INHIBITION

Application No. 18/943,613

• Filed: Nov 11, 2024
• Priority: Mar 27, 2012 — provisional 61/616,377
  • Dec 14, 2012 — provisional 61/737,419
  • Feb 22, 2013 — continuation of 10/256,142
  • Mar 06, 2019 — continuation of 11/410,883
  • Jun 28, 2022 — continuation of 12/444,651
• Examiner: ISAAC, STANETTA D
• Assignee: Novellus Systems LLC
• OA Round: 1 (Non-Final)

Office Action

DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on 1/10/25. 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 specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.

Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 –

(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.

Claim(s) 32-34 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(b) as being anticipated by Reisman et al. (US Patent 5,112,439, hereinafter referred to as “Reisman”, IDS reference).
Reisman discloses the semiconductor method as claimed. See figures 1A-3 and corresponding text, where Reisman teaches, in claim 32, a method comprising: providing a substrate (10) to a processing chamber, the substrate comprising a structure comprising a plurality of features and field regions between the features (15); depositing a first nucleation layer conformally over the structure; treating at least a portion of the first nucleation layer with activated nitrogen species; deposit a first bulk layer over the first nucleation layer, wherein the first bulk layer is preferentially deposited in the plurality of features; depositing a second nucleation layer on the first bulk layer; depositing a second bulk layer on the second nucleation layer figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67).
Reisman teaches, in claim 32, further comprising depositing tungsten in the one or more features, wherein more tungsten is deposited in the interior regions than at the feature openings. (figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67)

Reisman teaches, in claim 33, wherein the first bulk is deposited by reacting a tungsten halide with a reducing agent.
(figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67)

treating at least a portion of the first nucleation layer with activated nitrogen species; (figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67)

deposit a first bulk layer over the first nucleation layer, wherein the first bulk layer is preferentially deposited in the plurality of features; (figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67)

depositing a second nucleation layer on the first bulk layer;
depositing a second bulk layer on the second nucleation layer. (figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67)

Reisman teaches, in claim 34, wherein the activated nitrogen species are formed by remote plasma (figures 1A-1C; col. 6, lines 40-67, col. 7, lines 1-67).

Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-31 are allowed over the prior art of record.

Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STANETTA D ISAAC whose telephone number is [phone]. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6.
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, Leonard Chang can be reached at 571-270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/STANETTA D ISAAC/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 September 5, 2026

Prosecution Timeline

• Nov 11, 2024: Application Filed
• Feb 21, 2025: Response after Non-Final Action
• Sep 10, 2026: Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)