`U.S. Patent No. 7,147,759
`
`References cited herein:
`
`(cid:120) U.S. Patent No. 7,147,759 (“‘759 Patent”)
`
`(cid:120) U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,382 (“Wang”)
`
`(cid:120) A. A. Kudryavtsev, et al, Ionization relaxation in a plasma produced by a pulsed inert-gas
`discharge, Sov. Phys. Tech. Phys. 28(1), January 1983 (“Kudryavtsev”)
`
`(cid:120) U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,327 (“Kobayashi”)
`
`Claim 18
`
`[1pre.] A magnetically
`enhanced sputtering
`source comprising:
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev discloses a
`magnetically enhanced sputtering source.
`
`Wang at Title (“Pulsed sputtering with a small rotating
`magnetron.”).
`
`[1a.] an anode;
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev discloses an anode.
`
`‘759 Patent at Fig. 1
`
`‘759 Patent at Fig. 1 (“FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of
`a known magnetron sputtering apparatus having a pulsed power
`source.”)
`
`‘759 Patent at 3:40-41 (“an anode 130 is positioned in the
`vacuum chamber 104 proximate to the cathode assembly.”)
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`EXHIBIT A.07
`U.S. Patent No. 7,147,759
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`Claim 18
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`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
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`Wang at Fig. 1
`
`Wang at 3:66-4:1 (“A grounded shield 24 protects the chamber
`walls from sputter deposition and also acts as a grounded anode
`for the cathode of the negatively biased target 14.”)
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev discloses a cathode
`assembly that is positioned adjacent to the anode, the cathode
`assembly including a sputtering target.
`
`‘759 Patent at Fig. 1
`
`[1b.] a cathode assembly
`that is positioned adjacent
`to the anode, the cathode
`assembly including a
`sputtering target;
`
`‘759 Patent at Fig. 1 (“FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of
`a known magnetron sputtering apparatus having a pulsed power
`source.”)
`
`‘759 Patent at 3:40-41 (“an anode 130 is positioned in the
`vacuum chamber 104 proximate to the cathode assembly.”)
`
`Wang at Fig. 1
`
`Wang at 3:66-4:1 (“A grounded shield 24 protects the chamber
`walls from sputter deposition and also acts as a grounded anode
`for the cathode of the negatively biased target 14.”)
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev discloses an
`ionization source that generates a weakly-ionized plasma
`
`[1c.] an ionization source
`that generates a weakly-
`ionized plasma proximate
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`Claim 18
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`to the anode and the
`cathode assembly;
`
`[1d.] a magnet that is
`positioned to generate a
`magnetic field proximate
`to the weakly-ionized
`plasma, the magnetic field
`substantially trapping
`electrons in the weakly-
`ionized plasma proximate
`to the sputtering target;
`and
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`EXHIBIT A.07
`U.S. Patent No. 7,147,759
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`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
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`proximate to the anode and the cathode assembly.
`
`Wang at Fig. 1.
`
`Wang at 7:17-31 (“The background power level PB is chosen to
`exceed the minimum power necessary to support a plasma...
`[T]he application of the high peak power PP quickly causes the
`already existing plasma to spread and increases the density of the
`plasma.”)
`
`Wang at 7:19-25 (“Preferably, the peak power PP is at least 10
`times the background power PB … and most preferably 1000
`times to achieve the greatest effect of the invention. A
`background power PB of 1 kW [causes] little if any actual sputter
`deposition.”)
`
`Wang at 4:23-31 (“A small rotatable magnetron 40 is thus
`creating a region 42 of a high-density plasma (HDP)…”)
`
`Wang at 7:47-49 (“The initial plasma ignition needs to be
`performed only once and at much lower power levels so that
`particulates produced by arcing are much reduced.”).
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev discloses a magnet
`that is positioned to generate a magnetic field proximate to the
`weakly-ionized plasma, the magnetic field substantially trapping
`electrons in the weakly-ionized plasma proximate to the
`sputtering target.
`
`‘759 Patent at 3:10-12 (“FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a
`known magnetron sputtering apparatus 100…” that has a magnet
`126.”)
`
`‘759 Patent at 4:4-10 [describing the prior art Fig. 1] (“The
`electrons, which cause ionization, are generally confined by the
`magnetic fields produced by the magnet 126. The magnetic
`confinement is strongest in a confinement region 142….”)
`
`Wang at Fig. 1.
`
`Wang at 4:23-27 (“A small rotatable magnetron 40 is disposed in
`the back of the target 14 to create a magnetic field near the face
`of the target 14 which traps electrons from the plasma to increase
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`Claim 18
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`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
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`[1e.] a power supply
`generating a voltage pulse
`that produces an electric
`field between the cathode
`assembly and the anode,
`the power supply being
`configured to generate the
`voltage pulse with an
`amplitude and a rise time
`that increases an
`excitation rate of ground
`state atoms that are
`present in the weakly-
`ionized plasma to create a
`multi-step ionization
`process that generates a
`strongly-ionized plasma,
`which comprises ions that
`sputter target material,
`from the weakly-ionized
`plasma, the multi-step
`ionization process
`comprising exciting the
`ground state atoms to
`generate excited atoms,
`and then ionizing the
`excited atoms within the
`weakly-ionized plasma
`without forming an arc
`discharge.
`
`the electron density.”)
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev discloses a power
`supply generating a voltage pulse that produces an electric field
`between the cathode assembly and the anode, the power supply
`being configured to generate the voltage pulse with an amplitude
`and a rise time that increases an excitation rate of ground state
`atoms that are present in the weakly-ionized plasma to create a
`multi-step ionization process that generates a strongly-ionized
`plasma, which comprises ions that sputter target material, from
`the weakly-ionized plasma, the multi-step ionization process
`comprising exciting the ground state atoms to generate excited
`atoms, and then ionizing the excited atoms within the weakly-
`ionized plasma without forming an arc discharge.
`
`‘759 Patent at Fig. 5
`
`Wang at Figs. 6, 7.
`
`Wang at 7:61-62 (“The pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a
`train of negative voltage pulses.”).
`
`Wang at 5:23-27 (“[The pulse’s] exact shape depends on the
`design of the pulsed DC power supply 80, and significant rise
`times and fall times are expected.”).
`
`Wang at 4:29-31 (“increases the sputtering rate...”).
`
`Wang at 7:19-25 (“Preferably, the peak power level PP is at least
`10 times the background power level PB, … most preferably 1000
`times to achieve the greatest effects of the invention. A
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`Claim 18
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`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
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`background power PB of 1 kW will typically be sufficient…”)
`
`Wang at 7:31-39 (“The SIP reactor is advantageous for a low-
`power, low-pressure background period since the small rotating
`SIP magnetron can maintain a plasma at a lower power and lower
`pressure than can a larger stationary magnetron. However, it is
`possible to combine highly ionized sputtering during the pulses
`With significant neutral sputtering during the back ground
`period.”).
`
`Wang at 7:3-6 (“Plasma ignition, particularly in plasma sputter
`reactors, has a tendency to generate particles during the initial
`arcing, which may dislodge large particles from the target or
`chamber.”)
`
`Wang at 7:47-49 (“The initial plasma ignition needs be performed
`only once and at much lower power levels so that particulates
`produced by arcing are much reduced.”).
`
`Wang at 7:13-28 (“Accordingly, it is advantageous to use a target
`power waveform illustrated in FIG. 6… As a result, once the
`plasma has been ignited at the beginning of sputtering prior to the
`illustrated waveform…”).
`
`Kudryavtsev at 34, right col, ¶ 4 (“Since the effects studied in this
`work are characteristic of ionization whenever a field is suddenly
`applied to a weakly ionized gas, they must be allowed for when
`studying emission mechanisms in pulsed gas lasers, gas
`breakdown, laser sparks, etc.”)
`
`Kudryavtsev at Fig. 1
`
`Kudryavtsev at Fig. 6
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,147,759
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`Claim 18
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`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
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`Kudryavtsev at 31, right col, ¶ 7 (“The behavior of the increase in
`ne with time thus enables us to arbitrarily divide the ionization
`process into two stages, which we will call the slow and fast
`growth stages. Fig. 1 illustrates the relationships between the
`main electron currents in terms of the atomic energy levels during
`the slow and fast stages.”).
`
`Kudryavtsev at 31, right col, ¶ 6 (“For nearly stationary n2
`[excited atom density] values … there is an explosive increase in
`ne [plasma density]. The subsequent increase in ne then reaches
`its maximum value, equal to the rate of excitation [equation
`omitted], which is several orders of magnitude greater than the
`ionization rate during the initial stage.”)
`
`Kudryavtsev at Abstract (“[I]n a pulsed inert-gas discharge
`plasma at moderate pressures… [i]t is shown that the electron
`density increases explosively in time due to accumulation of
`atoms in the lowest excited states.”)
`
`If one of ordinary skill, applying Wang’s power levels did not
`experience Kudryavtsev’s “explosive increase” in plasma density,
`it would have been obvious to adjust the operating parameters,
`e.g., increase the pulse length and/or pressure, so as to trigger
`Kudryavtsev’s fast stage of ionization. One of ordinary skill
`would have been motivated to use Kudryavtsev’s fast stage of
`ionization in Wang so as to increase plasma density and thereby
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`U.S. Patent No. 7,147,759
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`Claim 18
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`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
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`18. The sputtering source
`of claim 1 wherein the
`magnet comprises an
`electro-magnet.
`
`increase the sputtering rate. Further, use of Kudryavtsev’s fast
`stage in Wang would have been a combination of old elements
`that yielded predictable results of increasing plasma density and
`multi-step ionization.
`
`Kudryavtsev states, “[s]ince the effects studied in this work are
`characteristic of ionization whenever a field is suddenly applied
`to a weakly ionized gas, they must be allowed for when studying
`emission mechanisms in pulsed gas lasers, gas breakdown, laser
`sparks, etc.” Kudryavtsev at 34, right col, ¶ 4 (Ex. 1004).
`Because Wang applies voltage pulses that “suddenly generate an
`electric field,” one of ordinary skill reading Wang would have
`been motivated to consider Kudryavtsev and to use
`Kudryavtsev’s fast stage in Wang.
`
`The combination of Wang with Kudryavtsev and Kobayashi
`discloses the magnet comprises an electro-magnet.
`
`See evidence recited in claim 1.
`
`Kobayashi at 1:12 (“The present invention relates to a sputtering
`device…”).
`
`Kobayashi at 4:14-18. (“The sputtering electrode 3 is a
`magnetron cathode equipped with a magnet assembly.”).
`
`Kobayashi at 4:19-20 (“The magnets are both permanent
`magnets, but they can instead comprise electromagnets.”)
`
`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill to combine
`Wang with Kobayashi. Both Wang and Kobayashi relate to
`sputtering devices used in the fabrication of semiconductor
`devices. A combination of Kobayashi’s electromagnet in the
`sputtering device described by Wang would be a combination of
`known elements in which each element performed as expected.
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