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 05/07/2025. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 5-8 and 10-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olechnowicz et al [US 2008/0016684 A1] in view of Li et [US 2018/0342422 A1] and further in view of Hsiung et al [US 2022/0102507 A1].
In regards to claim 1. Olechnowicz discloses a plasma-exposed part for a plasma processing tool (Paragraph [0069-90]), the plasma-exposed part comprising:
when exposed to plasma process gas chemistries comprising fluorine and/or oxygen (Fig. 2a-c, 25 Paragraph [0061]),
Olechnowicz does not specify an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide
Li discloses an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide (see paragraphs [0040]-[0042]; claim 1: light-absorbing masks and methods of dicing a semiconductor wafer including a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming one mask above the semiconductor wafer. The resulting enhanced light-absorbing and 'etch resistant' mask is robust 'against a silicon etch process')
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Li with Olechnowicz to discloses or teaches an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide for purpose improved etch resistance in a water soluble dicing mask as disclosed by Li (Paragraph [0035]).
Olechnowicz in view of Li does not specify the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
Hsiung discloses the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide (Paragraph [0039] “the etch-resistant layer 145 is made of an oxide-based material”), a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Li with Olechnowicz to discloses or teaches the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin for purpose of allowing control etching process as disclosed by Hsiung (Paragraph [0012])
In regards to claim 3. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the part of claim 1, wherein the etch-resistant material comprises one or more of the oxide (Hsiung Paragraph [0039] “the etch-resistant layer 145 is made of an oxide-based material”), the nitride, or the oxynitride of titanium or zirconium.
In regards to claim 5. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the part of claim 1, wherein a bulk portion and a surface of the plasma- exposed part are formed from the etch-resistant material (Olechnowicz: Abstract).
In regards to claim 6. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the part of claim 1, wherein the plasma-exposed part is an electrode (Olechnowicz: Claim 1: one electrical electrode selected from a resistive heating electrode, plasma generating electrode), a plasma containment shroud, or an edge ring.
In regards to claim 7. Olechnowicz discloses a plasma processing tool (Paragraph [0069-90]) comprising:
a processing chamber (Claim 1, “A wafer processing apparatus for use in a processing chamber”); and
a plasma-exposed part (Fig. 2a-c, 25 & Paragraph [0061]) located within the processing chamber (Claim 1, “A wafer processing apparatus for use in a processing chamber”), the plasma-exposed part (Paragraph [0069-90]) comprising when exposed to plasma process gas chemistries comprising fluorine and/or oxygen,
an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide
the etch- resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
Olechnowicz does not specify an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide
Li discloses an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide (see paragraphs [0040]-[0042]; claim 1: light-absorbing masks and methods of dicing a semiconductor wafer including a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming one mask above the semiconductor wafer. The resulting enhanced light-absorbing and 'etch resistant' mask is robust 'against a silicon etch process')
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Li with Olechnowicz to discloses or teaches an etch-resistant material that has a lower etch rate than silicon or silicon carbide for purpose improved etch resistance in a water soluble dicing mask as disclosed by Li (Paragraph [0035]).
Olechnowicz in view of Li does not specify the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
Hsiung discloses the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide (Paragraph [0039] “the etch-resistant layer 145 is made of an oxide-based material”), a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Hsiung with Olechnowicz in view of Li to discloses or teaches the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin for purpose of allowing control etching process as disclosed by Hsiung (Paragraph [0012])
In regards to claim 8. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the tool of claim 7, wherein the tool comprises a dielectric plasma etching tool (Li: Paragraph [0039]).
In regards to claim 10. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the tool of claim 7, wherein the plasma-exposed part comprises an outer layer supported by a bulk portion (Olechnowicz: Abstract & Paragraph [0060-90]), the outer layer comprising the etch-resistant material.
In regards to claim 11. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the tool of claim 10, wherein the bulk portion comprises one or more of silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon oxide (Li: Paragraph [0042]).
In regards to claim 12. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the tool of claim 7, wherein a bulk portion and a surface of the plasma- exposed part are formed from the etch-resistant material (Olechnowicz: Abstract & Paragraph [0060-90]).
In regards to claim 13. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the tool of claim 7, wherein the plasma-exposed part is an electrode (Olechnowicz: Claim 1: one electrical electrode selected from a resistive heating electrode, plasma generating electrode), a plasma containment shroud, or an edge ring.
Claims 14-15 and 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olechnowicz et al [US 2008/0016684 A1] in view of Li et [US 2018/0342422 A1]
In regards to claim 14. Olechnowicz in view of Li a discloses plasma-exposed part for a plasma processing tool (Paragraph [0069-90]), the plasma-exposed part (Paragraph [0069-90]) comprising:
a bulk portion (Fig. 2-21, 10); and an outer layer supported by the bulk portion, the outer layer comprising an etch-resistant material (Paragraph [0069-90]) that is different than a material of the bulk portion (Fig. 2-21, 10),
Olechnowicz does not specify the etch-resistant material configured to etch at a lower rate in a selected plasma chemistry than silicon or silicon carbide.
Li discloses the etch-resistant material configured to etch at a lower rate in a selected plasma chemistry than silicon or silicon carbide (see paragraphs [0040]-[0042]; claim 1: light-absorbing masks and methods of dicing a semiconductor wafer including a plurality of integrated circuits involves forming one mask above the semiconductor wafer. The resulting enhanced light-absorbing and 'etch resistant' mask is robust 'against a silicon etch process')
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Li with Olechnowicz to discloses or teaches the etch-resistant material configured to etch at a lower rate in a selected plasma chemistry than silicon or silicon carbide for purpose improved etch resistance in a water soluble dicing mask as disclosed by Li (Paragraph [0035]).
In regards to claim 15. Olechnowicz in view of Li discloses the part of claim 14, wherein the outer layer contacts the bulk portion (Olechnowicz Abstract).
In regards to claim 20. Olechnowicz in view of Li discloses the part of claim 14, wherein the bulk portion comprises one or more of silicon, silicon carbide, or silicon oxide (Li: Paragraph [0042]).
In regards to claim 21. Olechnowicz in view of Li discloses the part of claim 14, wherein the plasma-exposed part is an electrode (Olechnowicz: Claim 1: one electrical electrode selected from a resistive heating electrode, plasma generating electrode), a plasma containment shroud, or an edge ring.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olechnowicz et al [US 2008/0016684 A1] in view of Li et [US 2018/0342422 A1] and further in view of Hsiung et al [US 2022/0102507 A1] and further in view of Lebouitz et al [US 2012/0244715 A1]
In regards to claim 4. Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung discloses the part of claim 3,
Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung does not specify wherein the etch-resistant material comprises the nitride of titanium or the nitride of zirconium.
Lebouitz discloses wherein the etch-resistant material comprises the nitride of titanium (Paragraph [0020]) or the nitride of zirconium.
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Lebouitz with Olechnowicz in view of Li and further in view of Hsiung and further in view of Hsiung to discloses or teaches the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin for purpose of selectivity ultimately lead to improved yield which is critical for high volume production and for the creation of specialized devices which require the high selectivity as disclosed by Lebouitz (Paragraph [0003]).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olechnowicz et al [US 2008/0016684 A1] in view of Li et [US 2018/0342422 A1] and further in view of Hsiung et al [US 2022/0102507 A1]
In regards to claim 16. Olechnowicz in view of Li discloses the part of claim 14,
Olechnowicz in view of Li does not specify wherein the etch-resistant material comprises one or more of an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
Hsiung discloses wherein the etch-resistant material comprises one or more of an oxide (Paragraph [0039] “the etch-resistant layer 145 is made of an oxide-based material”), a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Hsiung with Olechnowicz in view of Li to discloses or teaches wherein the etch-resistant material comprises one or more of an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin for purpose of allowing control etching process as disclosed by Hsiung (Paragraph [0012])
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Olechnowicz et al [US 2008/0016684 A1] in view of Li et [US 2018/0342422 A1] and further in view of Lebouitz et al [US 2012/0244715 A1]
In regards to claim 18. Olechnowicz in view of Li discloses the part of claim 14,
Olechnowicz in view of Li does not specify wherein the etch-resistant material comprises one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
Lebouitz discloses wherein the etch-resistant material comprises one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium (Paragraph [0020]), hafnium, zirconium, or tin.
It would been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teaching of Lebouitz with Olechnowicz in view of Li to discloses or teaches the etch-resistant material comprising one or more of (a) an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride of one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin, or (b) one or more of silicon or silicon carbide doped with one or more of titanium, hafnium, zirconium, or tin for purpose of selectivity ultimately lead to improved yield which is critical for high volume production and for the creation of specialized devices which require the high selectivity as disclosed by Lebouitz (Paragraph [0003]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 9 and 19 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.
“wherein the etch-resistant material is configured to form a fluoride upon reacting with the plasma process gas chemistries comprising fluorine, the fluoride has a boiling point of 1000°C or lower.” as shown in claim 2.
“wherein the etch-resistant material is configured to form a fluoride upon reacting with the plasma process gas chemistries comprising fluorine, the fluoride has a boiling point of 1000°C or lower.” as shown in claim 9.
“wherein the etch-resistant material is configured to form a fluoride upon reacting with plasma process gas chemistries comprising fluorine, the fluoride has a boiling point of 1000°C or lower. “ as shown in claim 19.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hsiung et al [US 2022/0102507 A1] who teaches A method comprises forming a gate structure over a semiconductor substrate; etching back the gate structure; forming a gate dielectric cap over the etched back gate structure; depositing an etch-resistant layer over the gate dielectric cap; depositing a contact etch stop layer over the gate dielectric cap and an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the contact etch stop layer; performing a first etching process to form a gate contact opening extending through the ILD layer and terminating prior to reaching the etch-resistant layer; performing a second etching process to deepen the gate contact opening, wherein the second etching process etches the etch-resistant layer at a slower etch rate than etching the contact etch stop layer; and forming a gate contact in the deepened gate contact opening.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEI (VICTOR) CHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5177. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am to 6:00pm.
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, Alexander H Taningco can be reached at 571-272-8048. 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.
WEI (VICTOR) CHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844
/WEI (VICTOR) Y CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
