EXHIBIT C.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`
`References cited herein:
`(cid:120) U.S. Pat. No. 7,811,421 (“’421 Patent”)
`
`(cid:120) D.V. Mozgrin, et al, High-Current Low-Pressure Quasi-Stationary Discharge in a
`Magnetic Field: Experimental Research, Plasma Physics Reports, Vol. 21, No. 5, 1995
`(“Mozgrin”)
`
`(cid:120) D.V. Mozgrin, High-Current Low-Pressure Quasi-Stationary Discharge in a Magnetic
`Field: Experimental Research, Thesis at Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, 1994
`(“Mozgrin Thesis”)
`
`(cid:120) Dennis M. Manos & Daniel L. Flamm, Plasma Etching: An Introduction, Academic Press
`1989 (“Manos”)
`
`
`
`‘421 Claims 14 and 37
`
`Mozgrin in view of the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`[1pre]. A sputtering source
`comprising:
`
`[1a] a) a cathode assembly
`comprising a sputtering target that is
`positioned adjacent to an anode; and
`
`[1b] b) a power supply that
`generates a voltage pulse between
`the anode and the cathode assembly
`that creates a weakly-ionized plasma
`and then a strongly-ionized plasma
`from the weakly-ionized plasma
`without an occurrence of arcing
`
`
`ActiveUS 122662413v.1
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`Mozgrin discloses a sputtering source.
`
`Mozgrin 403, right col, ¶4 (“Regime 2 was
`characterized by intense cathode sputtering…”)
`
`Mozgrin discloses a cathode assembly comprising a
`sputtering target that is positioned adjacent to an anode.
`
`‘421 Patent at 3:39-4:2 (“FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-
`sectional view of a known magnetron sputtering
`apparatus 100 having a pulsed power source 102. …
`The magnetron sputtering apparatus 100 also includes a
`cathode assembly 114 having a target 116. … An
`anode 130 is positioned in the vacuum chamber 104
`proximate to the cathode assembly 114.”)
`
`Mozgrin at Fig. 1
`
`Mozgrin at 403, right col., ¶4 (“Regime 2 was
`characterized by an intense cathode sputtering….”)
`
`Mozgrin at 403, right col, ¶ 4 (“…The pulsed
`deposition rate of the cathode material…”)
`
`Mozgrin discloses a power supply that generates a
`voltage pulse between the anode and the cathode
`assembly that creates a weakly-ionized plasma and
`then a strongly-ionized plasma from the weakly-
`ionized plasma without an occurrence of arcing
`between the anode and the cathode assembly, an
`amplitude, a duration and a rise time of the voltage
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`INTEL 1221
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`‘421 Claims 14 and 37
`
`EXHIBIT C.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`Mozgrin in view of the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`between the anode and the cathode
`assembly, an amplitude, a duration
`and a rise time of the voltage pulse
`being chosen to increase a density of
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`pulse being chosen to increase a density of ions in the
`strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`‘421 Patent at Fig. 6
`
`‘421 Patent at 8:22-23 (“The weakly-ionized plasma is
`also referred to as a pre-ionized plasma.”)
`
`Mozgrin at Figs. 2 and 3
`
`Mozgrin at 401, left col, ¶ 4 (“It was possible to form
`the high-current quasi-stationary regime by applying a
`square voltage pulse to the discharge gap which was
`filled up with either neutral or pre-ionized gas.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 402, right col, ¶2 (“Figure 3 shows typical
`voltage and current oscillograms.… Part I in the
`voltage oscillogram represents the voltage of the
`stationary discharge (pre-ionization stage).”)
`
`Mozgrin at 401, right col, ¶2 (“[f]or pre-ionization, we
`used a stationary magnetron discharge; … provided the
`initial plasma density in the 109 – 1011 cm(cid:1956)3 range.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 409, left col, ¶ 4 (“The implementation of
`the high-current magnetron discharge (regime 2) in
`sputtering … plasma density (exceeding 2x1013 cm-
`3).)”
`
`Mozgrin at 400, left col, ¶ 3 (“Some experiments on
`magnetron systems of various geometry showed that
`discharge regimes which do not transit to arcs can be
`obtained even at high currents.”)
`
`Mozgrin at Fig. 7
`
`Mozgrin explicitly notes that arcs can be avoided. See
`Mozgrin at 400, left col, ¶ 3 (“Some experiments on
`magnetron systems of various geometry showed that
`discharge regimes which do not transit to arcs can be
`obtained even at high currents.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 400, right col, ¶ 1 (“A further increase in
`the discharge currents caused the discharges to transit
`to the arc regimes…”)
`
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`‘421 Claims 14 and 37
`
`EXHIBIT C.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`Mozgrin in view of the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`Mozgrin at 404, left col, ¶ 4 (“The parameters of the
`shaped-electrode discharge transit to regime 3, as well
`as the condition of its transit to arc regime 4, could be
`well determined for every given set of the discharge
`parameters.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 406, right col, ¶ 3 (“Moreover, pre-
`ionization was not necessary; however, in this case, the
`probability of discharge transferring to the arc mode
`increased.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 404, left col, ¶ 2 (“[t]he density turned out
`to be about 3 x 1012 cm-3 in the regime of Id = 60A and
`Ud = 900 V.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 403 left col, ¶ 4 (“[t]ransferring to regime 3,
`the discharge occupied a significantly larger cathode
`surface than in the stationary regime.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 404, right col, ¶ 2 (“The density ranged
`from (2 – 2.5) x 1014 cm-3 at 360 - 540A current up to
`(1-1.5) x 1015 cm-3 at 1100-1400 A current.”)
`
`Background:
`
`Manos at 231 (“…arcs… are a problem…”)
`
`The combination of Mozgrin and the Mozgrin Thesis
`discloses the rise time of the voltage pulse is in the
`range of approximately 0.01V/μsec to 1000V/μsec.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1
`
`Mozgrin at 402, Fig. 3 caption (“Oscillograms of (a)
`current and (h) voltage of the quasi-stationary
`discharge (50 μs per div., 180 A per div., 180 V per
`div.)”)
`
`Mozgrin at 401, right col, ¶ 1 (“…the supply unit was
`made providing square voltage and current pulses with
`[rise] times (leading edge) of 5 – 60 μs...”)
`
`Mozgrin Thesis at 63, Fig. 3.2
`
`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill to
`combine Mozgrin with the Mozgrin Thesis. Both
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`
`14. The sputtering source of claim 1
`wherein the rise time of the voltage
`pulse is in the range of
`approximately 0.01V/μsec to
`1000V/μsec.
`
`
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`‘421 Claims 14 and 37
`
`EXHIBIT C.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`Mozgrin in view of the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`Mozgrin and Mozgrin Thesis are written by the same
`author, address similar subject matter, and describe the
`same research. The Mozgrin Thesis merely provides
`additional detail for the material already disclosed in
`Mozgrin. Thus, a person of ordinary skill reading
`Mozgrin would have looked to the Mozgrin Thesis to
`determine additional details not present in Mozgrin
`such as those shown in Fig. 3.2.
`
`Mozgrin discloses a method for high deposition rate
`sputtering.
`
`Mozgrin at 403, right col, ¶4 (“Region 2 was
`characterized by intense cathode sputtering….”)
`
`Mozgrin discloses generating a voltage pulse between
`the anode and the cathode assembly comprising a
`sputtering target, the voltage pulse creating a weakly-
`ionized plasma and then a strongly-ionized plasma
`from the weakly-ionized plasma without an occurrence
`of arcing between the anode and the cathode assembly.
`
`See evidence cited in claim [1a]
`
`See evidence cited in claim [1b]
`
`Mozgrin discloses adjusting an amplitude and a rise
`time of the voltage pulse to increase a density of ions in
`the strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim [1b]
`
`The combination of Mozgrin and the Mozgrin Thesis
`discloses the rise time of the voltage pulse is in the
`range of approximately 0.01 V/μsec to 1000V/μsec.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 34
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14
`
`[34pre]. A method for high
`deposition rate sputtering, the
`method comprising:
`
`[34a] a) generating a voltage pulse
`between the anode and the cathode
`assembly comprising a sputtering
`target, the voltage pulse creating a
`weakly-ionized plasma and then a
`strongly-ionized plasma from the
`weakly-ionized plasma without an
`occurrence of arcing between the
`anode and the cathode assembly;
`and
`[34b] b) adjusting an amplitude and
`a rise time of the voltage pulse to
`increase a density of ions in the
`strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`37. The method of claim 34 wherein
`the rise time of the voltage pulse is
`in the range of approximately 0.01
`V/μsec to 1000V/μsec.
`
`
`
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