EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`
`
`References cited herein:
`
` U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716 (“‘716 Patent”)
`
` 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”)
`
` 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”)
`
` 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”)
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`14. A method for
`generating a strongly-
`ionized plasma, the
`method comprising:
`
`a. ionizing a feed gas
`in a chamber to form a
`weakly-ionized
`plasma that
`substantially
`eliminates the
`probability of
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`The combination of Mozgrin with Kudryavtsev discloses a method
`for generating a strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`‘716 Patent at claim 24 (“wherein the peak plasma density of the
`strongly-ionized plasma is greater than about 1012 cm˗3”)
`
`Mozgrin at Fig 1
`
`Mozgrin at 400, right col, ¶ 4 (“To study the high-current forms of
`the discharge, we used two types of devices: a planar magnetron and
`a ystem with specifically shaped hollow electrodes.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 401, right col, ¶2 (“For pre-ionization … the initial
`plasma density in the 109 – 1011 cm-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 409, left col, ¶5 (“The high-current diffuse discharge
`(regime 3) is useful for producing large-volume uniform dense
`plasmas ni  1.5x1015cm-3…”).
`The combination of Mozgrin with Kudryavtsev discloses ionizing a
`feed gas in a chamber to form a weakly-ionized plasma that
`substantially eliminates the probability of developing an electrical
`breakdown condition in the chamber.
`
`‘716 Patent at 5:14-15 (“The weakly-ionized plasma 232 is also
`referred to as a pre-ionized plasma.”)
`
`- 1 -
`
`TSMC-1324
`TSMC v. Zond, Inc.
`Page 1 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`developing an
`electrical breakdown
`condition in the
`chamber; and
`
`b. supplying an
`electrical pulse across
`the weakly-ionized
`plasma that excites
`atoms in the weakly-
`ionized plasma,
`thereby generating a
`strongly-ionized
`plasma without
`developing an
`electrical breakdown
`condition in the
`chamber.
`
`
`‘716 Patent at claim 23 (“wherein the peak plasma density of the
`weakly-ionized plasma is less than about 1012 cm˗3”)
`
`Mozgrin at Figs. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7
`
`Mozgrin at 401, left col, ¶ 1 (“The [plasma] discharge had an annular
`shape and was adjacent to the cathode.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 401, left col, ¶ 4 (“[A]pplying 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˗3 range.”)
`
`Mozgrin at 400, right col, ¶ 3 (“We investigated the discharge
`regimes in various gas mixtures at 10-3 – 10 torr…”)
`
`Mozgrin at 402, ¶ spanning left and right cols (“We studied the high-
`current discharge in wide ranges of discharge current…and operating
`pressure…using various gases (Ar, N2, SF6, and H2) or their mixtures
`of various composition…”)
`
`The combination of Mozgrin with Kudryavtsev discloses supplying
`an electrical pulse across the weakly-ionized plasma that excites
`atoms in the weakly-ionized plasma, thereby generating a strongly-
`ionized plasma without developing an electrical breakdown condition
`in the chamber.
`
`‘716 Patent at claim 23 (“wherein the peak plasma density of the
`weakly-ionized plasma is less than about 1012 cm˗3”)
`
`‘716 Patent at claim 24 (“wherein the peak plasma density of the
`strongly-ionized plasma is greater than about 1012 cm˗3”)
`Mozgrin at Fig. 1
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 2 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 2 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Mozgrin at Fig. 2
`
`Mozgrin at Fig. 3
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 3 -
`
`
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 3 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`Mozgrin at 402, right col, ¶ 2 (“Part 1 in the voltage oscillogram
`represents the voltage of the stationary discharge (pre-ionization
`stage).”)
`
`Mozgrin at 401, right col, ¶2 (“For pre-ionization … the initial
`plasma density in the 109 – 1011 cm-3 range.”)
`Mozgrin at 401, right col, ¶ 1 (“Thus, the supply unit was made
`providing square voltage and current pulses with [rise] times (leading
`edge) of 5 – 60 µs…”).
`
`Mozgrin 403, right col, ¶4 (“Regime 2 was characterized by intense
`cathode sputtering…”) (emphasis added).
`
`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 409, left col, ¶5 (“The high-current diffuse discharge
`(regime 3) is useful for producing large-volume uniform dense
`plasmas ni  1.5x1015cm-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 400, right col, ¶ 1 (“A further increase in the discharge
`currents caused the discharges to transit to the arc regimes…”).
`Mozgrin at 404, left col, ¶ 3 (“The parameters of the shaped-electrode
`discharge…transit to arc regime 4, could be well determined… The
`point of the planar-magnetron discharge transit to the arc regime was
`determined by discharge voltage and structure changes...”).
`Mozgrin at 404, left col, ¶ 4 (“If the current was raised above 1.8 kA
`or the pulse duration was increase to 2 – 10 ms, an instability
`development and discharge contraction was observed.”).
`Mozgrin at Fig. 4
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 4 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 4 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`Mozgrin at Fig. 7
`
`
`
`
`Mozgrin at 401, ¶ spanning left and right columns (“Designing the
`[pulsed supply] unit, we took into account the dependences which
`had been obtained in [Kudryavtsev] of ionization relaxation on pre-
`ionization parameters, pressure, and pulse voltage amplitude.”)
`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
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 5 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 5 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`Kudryavtsev at Fig. 6
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`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.”)
`One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to use
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 6 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 6 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`21. The method of
`claim 14 wherein the
`supplying the
`electrical pulse
`comprises applying a
`quasi-static electric
`field across the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`Kudryavtsev’s fast stage of ionization in Mozgrin so as to increase
`plasma density and thereby increase the sputtering rate. Further, use
`of Kudryavtsev’s fast stage in Mozgrin would have been a
`combination of old elements that in which each element performed as
`expected to yield predictable results of increasing plasma density and
`multi-step ionization.
`
`The combination of Mozgrin with Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin
`Thesis discloses the supplying the electrical pulse comprises applying
`a quasi-static electric field across the weakly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14
`
`’716 Patent, 7:9-12 (“By quasi-static electric field we mean an
`electric field that has a characteristic time of electric field variation
`that is much greater than the collision time for electrons with neutral
`gas particles.”).
`’759 Patent, 7:57-60 (“By quasi-static electric field, we mean an
`electric field that has a characteristic time of electric field variation
`that is much greater than the collision time for electrons with neutral
`gas particles.”)
`
`Mozgrin at pp. 407-8, Tables 1 and 2
`
`
`
`Mozgrin, at 402, Fig. 3 caption, (“Fig. 3. Oscillograms of …(50 µs
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 7 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 7 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`
`per div., …”)).
`
`Mozgrin Thesis at Fig. 3.2
`
`
`It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill to combine
`Mozgrin with the Mozgrin Thesis. Both 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 the division lines shown in Fig. 3.2.
`
`Further, as explained above with respect to claim 14, it would have
`been obvious to one of ordinary skill to combine Mozgrin with
`Kudryavtsev at least because Mozgrin itself cites Kudryavtsev and
`Mozgrin explicitly notes that it was designed in accordance with
`Kudryavtsev. Mozgrin at 401, ¶ spanning left and right columns
`“[d]esigning the [pulsed supply] unit, we took into account the
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 8 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 8 of 9
`
`

`

`EXHIBIT B.04
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Claim 21
`
`Mozgrin in view of Kudryavtsev and the Mozgrin Thesis
`
`dependences which had been obtained in [Kudryavtsev].” The
`Mozgrin Thesis also cites Kudryavtsev as paper [69]. Mozgrin
`Thesis at 118.
`
`
`
`
`
`ActiveUS 122367770v.1
`
`- 9 -
`
`TSMC-1324 / Page 9 of 9
`
`