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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
1. Claims 1-10 and 14-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2016/0365246 to Yamamoto et al. (“Yamamoto”).
With regard to Claims 1-4 and 14-15, Yamamoto teaches semiconductor manufacturing via a substrate processing method wherein an adsorption layer containing a first element and an organic ligand is formed on the substrate via a cyclic process performed a predetermined number of times (see Abstract; ¶ [0005]). According to Yamamoto, the process comprises supplying a source gas containing the first element and an organic ligand (DIPAS), supplying a treatment gas thereto to reduce an amount of by-products residing on the substrate surface, and supplying a first reactive gas to the thus-formed layer (see process intervals of FIGs. 4-8; ¶¶ [0005], [0055]-[0056], [0065], [0078], [0081], [0085]-[0086], [0093]).
With regard to Claims 5 and 7, Yamamoto teaches providing claimed types of first reactive gasses containing oxygen and supplying claimed types of oxygen-free gas as a treatment gas (see ¶¶ [0083], [0129], [0140]-[0142], [0148]-[0149]).
With regard to Claim 6, Yamamoto teaches provision of a reducing gas as a treatment gas (see ¶ [0129]).
With regard to Claim 8, Yamamoto teaches provision of nitrogen-containing reactive gas, and a film containing the first element and oxygen, and free of nitrogen (see ¶¶ [0132], [0134], [0148]).
With regard to Claim 9, Yamamoto teaches supplying treatment gas in a non-plasma state (see ¶ [0129]).
With regard to Claim 10, Yamamoto teaches the claimed cycle sequence (see ¶¶ [0141], [0148]).
With regard to Claim 16, Yamamoto teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium which stores a program that executes the process of Claim 1 (see ¶ [0054]).
With regard to Claim 17, Yamamoto teaches a substrate processing apparatus comprising a source gas supplier, a treatment gas supplier, a first reactive gas supplier, and a controller configured to control apparatus elements to execute the process of Claim 1 (see FIGs. 1-3; ¶¶ [0039]-[0054]).
With regard to Claim 18, Yamamoto teaches additional embodiments wherein the reactive gas is an oxidizing agent (see ¶ [0142]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
2. Claims 11-13 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamamoto.
With regard to Claims 11-13, Yamamoto teaches modification of provided gasses and cycle sequencing without particular limitation in order to obtain various kinds of films featuring a first element (see ¶¶ [0139]-[0150]). To the extent the reference does not expressly teach the claimed sequences, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have performed the claimed sequencing throughout the course of routine experimentation and optimization in pursuit of obtaining a desired type of film as taught by Yamamoto.
With regard to Claims 19-20, Yamamoto teaches additional embodiments featuring reactive gasses comprising oxygen and hydrogen (see ¶¶ [0139]-[0148]), and instructs that appropriate selection of source, treatment, and reactive gasses enables formation of various kinds of films (see ¶ [0149]). To the extent that the reference does not expressly teach the claimed second by-products, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have practiced the process of Yamamoto as claimed throughout the course of routine experimentation and optimization in pursuit of obtaining a desired type of film.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s argument filed 25 June 2026 have been fully considered but are not found persuasive. Applicant argues that Yamamoto differs from the claimed process in view of the target of the treatment process therein (see Response at Pg. 8). This argument is not found persuasive. As portrayed in FIGs. 4-11, Yamamoto teaches provision of source, treatment, and reactive gasses in the manner claimed.
New grounds of rejection have been presented herein in response to the claims as amended.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael P Rodriguez whose telephone number is (571)270-3736. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 - 6:00 Eastern M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Cleveland can be reached at 571-272-1418. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Michael P. Rodriguez/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1712
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