EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`References cited herein:
`
`o U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184 C“ 184 Patent”)
`
`- U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,382 (“Wang”)
`
`0 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”)
`
`Dischar e in a
`-Current Low-Pressure uasi-Station
`0 D.V. Mozgrin, et al, Hi
`Magnetic Field: Experimental Research, Plasma Physics Reports, Vol. 21, No. 5, 1995
`(“Mozgrin”)
`
`0 Leipold et al., High-electron densig, atmospheric pressure air glow discharges, Power
`Modulator Symposium, 2002 and 2002 High-Voltage Workshop. Conference Record of
`the Twenty-Fifth International, June 2002 (“Leipold”)
`
`0 Gudrnundsson et al., Evolution of the electron energy distribution and plasma parameters
`in a pulsed magnetron discharge, Applied Physics Letters, 78(22) May 2001
`(“Gudmundsson”)
`
`Claims18Sand
`
`Wang in View of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a method of generating
`a strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`1. A method of
`generating a
`strongly-
`ionized plasma, Wang at 7: 17-31 (“The background power level PB is chosen to exceed the
`the method
`minimum power necessary to support a plasma...
`[T]he application of the high
`comprising:
`peak power Pp quickly causes the already existing plasma to spread and
`increases the density of the plasma.”).
`
`Wang at 7: 19-22 (“Preferably, the peak power Pp is at least 10 times the
`background power PB, more preferably at least 100 times, and most preferably
`1000 times to achieve the greatest effect of the invention.”).
`
`Wang at 4:29-31 (“. . .increases the sputtering rate but also at sufficiently high
`density ionizes a substantial fraction of the sputtered particles into positively
`charged metal ions.”).
`
`at 7:31-39 “. . .hihl
`
`ionized sutterin. ..
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses supplying feed gas
`proximate to an anode and a cathode assembly.
`
`Wang at 3:66-4:1 (“A grounded shield 24 protects the chamber walls fiom
`
`a) supplying
`feed gas
`proximate to an
`anode and a
`cathode
`
`assembl
`
`; and
`
`ActiVeUS 1222493 17V. 1
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`1
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`INTEL 1122
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`INTEL 1122
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`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Claims18sand
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`
`Wang at claim 27 “reactor [has an] anode with respect to a cathode of said
`target.” .
`
`Wang at 4:5-8 (“A sputter working gas such as argon is supplied from a gas
`source 32.... [and] flows into the processing region 22”).
`
`Wang at 4:20-21 (“a reactive gas, for example nitrogen is supplied to the
`processing space 22. . .”).
`
`Wang at Fig. l:
`
`81,
`
`SUPPLY
`
`Fl G.
`
`l
`
`b) generating a
`Voltage pulse
`between the
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses generating a Voltage
`pulse between the anode and the cathode assembly.
`
`anode and the Wang at Fig. 7:
`cathode
`
`assembly,
`
`ActiVeUS 1222493 1 7V.l
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`

`
`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Claims 8 and
`18
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`‘4
`I
`
`(‘\\.\;
`
`80
`
`SUPPLY
`
`,
`
`104
`
`FIG.
`
`7
`
`Wang at 7:61-62 (“The pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a train of
`negative voltage pulses.”).
`
`Wang at Fig. 1.
`
`Wang at Fig. 6:
`
`Wang at 3:66-4:1 (“A grounded shield 24 ..
`cathode of the ne '
`'
`_
`
`. acts as a grounded anode for the
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses the voltage pulse having
`at least one of a controlled amplitude and a controlled rise time that increases
`an ionization rate so that a rapid increase in electron density
`and a formation of a strongly-ionized plasma occurs.
`
`Wang at 7:28-30 (“. .. the application of the high peak power Pp instead
`quickly causes the already existing plasma to spread and increases the density
`of the plasma.”).
`
`Wan ; at 7: 19-25
`
`ower Pp is at least 10 times the
`
`the voltage
`pulse having at
`least one of a
`
`controlled
`
`amplitude and a
`controlled rise
`
`time that
`
`increases an
`
`ionization rate
`
`so that a raid
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`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Wang in View of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`Claims18sand
`background power PB ... and most preferably 1000 times. . .. A background
`increase in
`electron density power P3 of one kW will typically be sufficient. . ..”).
`and a formation
`
`of a strongly-
`ionized plasma
`occurs
`
`Kudryavtsev at 32, right col, 111] 5-6 (“The discharge occurred inside a
`cylindrical tube. . .. The gas was preionized by applying a dc current. . .. A
`voltage pulse
`was applied to the tube.”).
`
`Kudryavtsev at 31, right col, 1] 6 (“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 (“electron density increases explosively in time due
`to accumulation of atoms in the lowest excited states”)
`
`Kudryavtsev at 34, right col, 1] 4 (“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.”)
`
`Like Kudryavtsev’s voltage pulse, application of Wang’s voltage pulse (which
`produces the peak power Pp) to the weakly-ionized plasma rapidly increases
`the plasma density and the density of free electrons.
`
`If one of ordinary skill, did not experience Kudryavtsev’s “explosive increase”
`in plasma density in Wang, 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
`increase the sputtering rate. Also, Kudryavtsev’s fast stage would reduce the
`time required to reach a given plasma density in Wang, thus reducing the time
`required for a sputtering process. Further, use of Kudryavtsev’s fast stage in
`Wang would have been a combination of old elements that yielded predictable
`results. Finally, because Wang’s pulse, or the pulse used in the combination
`of Wang and Kudryavtsev, produced Kudryavtsev’s fast stage of ionization,
`the rise time and amplitude of the pulse result in increasing the ionization rate
`of excited atoms and creation of a multi-step ionization process.
`
`Also, 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
`as lasers, as breakdown, laser sarks, etc.” Ku
`'
`
`ActiVeUS 1222493 17V. 1
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`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Claims18Sand
`
`Wang in View of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`col, 1] 4 (emphasis added). 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.
`
`Finally, Wang’s voltage pulse has both a controlled amplitude and rise time as
`required by claim 1. Wang specifies that the background power PB can be 1
`kV and that the peak power Pp can be 1,000 times greater than the background
`power, i.e., 1 MW. Wang at 7: 19-25 (“Preferably, the peak power Pp is at
`least 10 times the background power PB ... and most preferably 1000 times. . ..
`A background power PB of one kW will typically be sufficient. . ..”). One of
`ordinary skill would have understood that Wang’s voltage amplitude was
`controlled to produce Wang’s specified peak power level Pp.
`
`The rise time of Wang’s voltage pulse is also controlled. Wang at 5:23-26
`(“The illustrated pulse form is idealized. Its exact shape depends on the
`design of the pulsed DC power supply 80, and significant rise times and fall
`times are exected.”
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses without forming an arc
`between the anode and the cathode assembly.
`
`without
`forming an arc
`between the
`
`anode and the Wang at Fig. 6
`cathode
`
`assembly.
`
`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
`i nited at the be’
`'
`of s utterin rior to the illustrated waveform. . ..” .
`
`The combination of Wang, Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin discloses discharging
`energy from an energy storage device into the plasma to enhance the rapid
`increase in electron density and the formation of the strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`8. The method
`of claim 1
`further
`comprising
`discharging
`energy fiom an
`energy storage Wang at 7:61-62 (“pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a train of negative
`device into the
`voltage pulses.”).
`plasma to
`enhance the
`
`See evidence cited for claim 1.
`
`ActiVeUS 1222493 17V. 1
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`

`
`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Wang in View of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`
`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill to use “energy storage
`devices,” such as capacitors, when implementing Wang’s pulsed power supply
`80.
`
`Wang and Mozgrin both describe using pulses to increase the density of a
`plasma for sputtering. Accordingly, one of ordinary skill reading Wang would
`have looked to Mozgrin to find details of the power supply. Also, using
`Mozgrin’s power supply in Wang would have been nothing more than a
`combination of old elements in which each element behaved as redicted.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a method of generating
`a strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1 preamble.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses supplying feed gas
`proximate to an anode and a cathode assembly.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1(a).
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses generating a voltage
`pulse between the anode and the cathode assembly, the voltage pulse having at
`least one of a controlled amplitude and a controlled rise time that shifts an
`electron energy distribution in the plasma to higher energies that increase an
`ionization rate so as to result in a rapid increase in electron density and a
`formation of a strongly-ionized plasma without forming an arc between the
`anode and the cathode assembly.
`
`See evidence cited in claim l(b).
`
`One of ordinary skill would have readily understood that the electron energy
`distribution shifts to higher energies in Wang, because Wang applies voltage
`pulses in a magnetron sputtering chamber.
`
`Background.‘
`Leipold at Abstract (“Application of a high voltage pulse causes a shift in the
`electron energy distribution fiJIlClIlOIl to higher energies. This causes a
`temporary increase of the ionization rate and consequently an increase of the
`electron density.”)
`
`Claims18Sand
`rapid increase
`in electron
`
`density and the
`formation of
`
`the strongly-
`ionized plasma.
`
`1 1. A method
`
`of generating a
`strongly-
`ionized plasma,
`the method
`
`com 0 risin ; :
`
`a) supplying
`feed gas
`proximate to an
`anode and a
`
`cathode
`
`assembl
`
`; and
`
`b) generating a
`voltage pulse
`between the
`
`anode and the
`
`cathode
`
`assembly, the
`voltage pulse
`having at least
`one of a
`
`controlled
`
`amplitude and a
`controlled rise
`
`time that shifts
`
`an electron
`
`energy
`distribution in
`
`the plasma to
`higher energies
`that increase an
`
`ionization rate
`
`so as to result
`
`in a ra 0 id
`
`ActiVeUS 1222493 17V. 1
`
`

`
`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`
`
`
`
`Claims 8 and
`18
`
`
`
`increase in
`
`
`
`electron density Gudmundsson at 3427, right col, 1] 2 (“For the measurements presented here,
`and a formation
`the average power was 300 W, pulse width 100 us, and repetition frequency
`of a strongly-
`50 Hz. The peak voltage was roughly 800 V. . ..”).
`ionized plasma
`without
`forming an arc
`between the
`anode and the
`
`Gudmundsson at 3428, left col, 1] 2 (“Figure l [of Gudmundsson] shows the
`evolution of the electron energy distribution function with time from initiating
`the pulse.”).
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`cathode
`assembly.
`
`
`
`Gudmundsson at 3429, right col, 1] l (“The average electron energy peaks at
`3.5 eV roughly 100 us after initiating the pulse. This peak in the average
`energy coincides with the presence of the high energy group of electrons
`apparent in the electron energy distribution.”)
`
`
`
`
`Gudmundsson at Figs. 1 and 2:
`0.06 GK]:
`005
`o 8
`
`o E
`
`o 8
`
`0.04
`
`0.09
`
`
`
`.‘\'n1'n1ali2e:lEEDF
`
`NtnriimlizetlEEDF
`
`.\;Il1‘lII.1lllI¥lFiF.T)l7 O 8
`
`
`
` U
`1
`?
`5
`6
`7
`O
`1
`2
`5
`6
`7
`0
`‘
`2
`5
`5
`7
`
`
`
`
`
`.3: [Jr]
`
`2 [av]
`
`.35 [e\l]
`
`FIG. 1. Normalized EEDF ineasured (a) during pulses 60. 80. and 100 us
`after initiating the pulse: lb) around the electron density inaximum 105. 110.
`and 130 ,us after initiating the p11lse: and (cl 250. 350. and 450 ,us after
`initiating the pulse. Pulse length. 100 ,us: average power. 300 \V: and pres-
`s1u‘e 2 111Ton‘_
`
`
`
`
`
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`
`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Claims 8 and
`18
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`
`100
`
`200
`
`300
`
`400
`
`500
`
`>_
`
`fl
`
`0
`
`100
`
`200
`
`300
`
`400
`
`500
`
`1‘. [#5]
`la] Electron den',it}'_ Ibl avenge ekctron energy. and 0::
`2
`FIG,
`+ floating potential Tn.
`-’ plasma potential TF1, and ’ potential diflelmce
`112,1‘ {'30 as a function of mm‘ from mmimon of the pulse Target cunrm
`pulse length. 100 us: avenge power. 300 W: and pressure. 2 mTon
`
`Gudmundsson’s teaching that applying a voltage pulse that raises the density
`of a plasma also “shifts an electron energy distribution in the plasma to higher
`energies” is part of the background knowledge that one of ordinary skill would
`have in mind while readin; Wan.
`
`18. The method The combination of Wang, Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin discloses discharging
`of claim 11
`energy from an energy storage device into the plasma to enhance the rapid
`further
`increase in electron density and the formation of the strongly-ionized plasma.
`comprising
`discharging
`energy fiom an
`energy storage
`device into the
`
`See evidence cited for claim 1 1.
`
`See evidence cited for claim 8.
`
`plasma to
`enhance the
`
`ActiveUS 1222493 1 7v.l
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`

`
`EXHIBIT G.06
`
`U.S. Patent No. 7,808,184
`
`Wang in View of Kudryavtsev and Mozgrin
`
`ionized lasma.
`
`Claims18Sand
`rapid increase
`in electron
`
`density and the
`formation of
`
`the strongly-
`
`ActiVeUS 1222493 17V. 1