`References cited herein:
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
` U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716 (“‘716 Patent”)
`
` U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,382 (“Wang”)
`
` 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”)
`
` Milton Ohring, The Material Science of Thin Films, Academic Press, 1992 (“Ohring”)
`
` Yu. P. Raizer, Gas Discharge Physics, Springer, 1991 (“Raizer”)
`
`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`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 123178670v.1
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a method for
`generating a strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`Wang at 7:19-25 (“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. A
`background power PB of 1kW will typically be sufficient to support a
`plasma with the torpedo magnetron and a 200 mm wafer although with
`little if any actual sputter deposition.”)
`
`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”) (emphasis added).
`
`Wang at 7:31-39 (“In one mode of operating the reactor, during the
`background period, little or no target sputtering is expected. The SIP
`reactor is advantageous for a low-power, low-pressure background
`period since the small rotating SIP magnetron can maintain a plasma at
`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 background
`period.”)
`
`The combination of Wang and 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.
`
`Wang at Fig. 7
`
`
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`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-
`
`ActiveUS 123178670v.1
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`Wang at 4:5-6 (“A sputter working gas such as argon is supplied from a
`gas source 32….”)
`
`Wang at 4:20-21 (“… a reactive gas, for example nitrogen is supplied to
`the processing space 22….”)
`
`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 (Ex. 1005) (“…thus creating a region 42 of a high-
`density plasma (HDP)…”)
`
`Wang at 7:3-49 (“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… 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 7:25-28 (“As a result, once the plasma has been ignited at the
`beginning of sputtering prior to the illustrated waveform, no more
`plasma ignition occurs.”).
`
`Wang at 7:58-61 (“… DC power supply 100 is connected to the target
`14 … and supplies an essentially constant negative voltage to the target
`14 corresponding to the background power PB.”)
`
`
`Wang at 7:22-23 (“A background power PB of 1 kW will typically be
`sufficient to support a plasma…”)
`
`The combination of Wang and 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
`
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`ionized plasma,
`thereby generating a
`strongly-ionized
`plasma without
`developing an
`electrical breakdown
`condition in the
`chamber.
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`chamber.
`
`Wang at Fig. 7
`
`Wang at 7:61-62 (“The pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a train of
`negative voltage pulses.”)
`
`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 background power PB of
`1 kW will typically be sufficient…”)
`
`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.”).
`
`Wang at 7:36-39 (“However, it is possible to combine highly ionized
`sputtering during the pulses with significant neutral sputtering during
`the background period.”)
`
`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 7:3-49 (“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… The
`initial plasma ignition needs be performed only once and at much lower
`power levels so that particulates produced by arcing are much
`reduced.”).
`
`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
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`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 Kudryavtsev’s
`fast stage of ionization in Wang so as to increase plasma density and
`thereby increase the sputtering rate. Further, use of Kudryavtsev’s fast
`stage in Wang 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 Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses the ionizing the
`feed gas comprises exposing the feed gas to one of a static electric field,
`
`- 4 -
`
`15. The method of
`claim 14 wherein the
`
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`
`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`ionizing the feed gas
`comprises exposing
`the feed gas to one of
`a static electric field,
`an pulsed electric
`field, UV radiation,
`X-ray radiation,
`electron beam
`radiation, and an ion
`beam.
`
`16. The method of
`claim 14 wherein at
`least one of a rise time
`and magnitude of the
`electrical pulse
`supplied across the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma is selected to
`increase a density of
`the weakly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`an pulsed electric field, UV radiation, X-ray radiation, electron beam
`radiation, and an ion beam.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14.
`
`Wang at Fig. 1 and 7.
`
`Wang at 4:5-6 (“A sputter working gas such as argon is supplied from a
`gas source 32 through a mass flow controller 34 to a region in back of
`the grounded shield 24.”).
`
`Wang at 4:8-10 (“The gas flows into the processing region 22 through a
`gap formed between the pedestal 18, the grounded shield 24, and a
`clamp ring or plasma focus ring 36 surrounding the periphery of the
`wafer 20.”).
`
`Wang at 7:61-63 (“The pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a train of
`negative voltage pulses…”).
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses at least one of a
`rise time and magnitude of the electrical pulse supplied across the
`weakly-ionized plasma is selected to increase a density of the weakly-
`ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14.
`
`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.”).
`
`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 expected.”).
`
`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 (“in 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.”)
`
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`
`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`
`Kudryavtsev at 34, right col, ¶ 4 (“[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.”)
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to combine Wang
`with Kudryavtsev. 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. Because Wang
`applies voltage pulses that “suddenly generate an electric field,” one of
`ordinary skill reading Wang would have been motivated to consider
`Kudryavtsev to further appreciate the effects of applying Wang’s pulse.
`
`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 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.
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses at least one of a
`rise time and magnitude of the electrical pulse supplied across the
`weakly-ionized plasma is selected to excite atoms in the weakly-ionized
`plasma to generate secondary electrons that increase an ionization rate
`of the weakly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14.
`
`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.”).
`
`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 expected.”).
`
`Kudryavtsev at Figs. 1, 6
`
`- 6 -
`
`17. The method of
`claim 14 wherein at
`least one of a rise time
`and magnitude of the
`electrical pulse
`supplied across the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma is selected to
`excite atoms in the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma to generate
`secondary electrons
`that increase an
`ionization rate of the
`weakly-ionized
`
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`plasma.
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`
`Kudryavtsev at 34, right col, ¶ 4 (“[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 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 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 Abstract (“in 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.”)
`
`Kudryavtsev at Equation 1
`
`Kudryavtsev at 30, right col, last ¶ (“n2, and ne are the atomic densities
`in the … first excited states and the electron density, respectively … 2e
`[is] the rate coefficient[]….”)
`
`It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to combine Wang
`with Kudryavtsev. 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. Because Wang
`applies voltage pulses that “suddenly generate an electric field,” one of
`ordinary skill reading Wang would have been motivated to consider
`Kudryavtsev to further appreciate the effects of applying Wang’s pulse.
`
`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.,
`
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`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.
`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.
`
`Background:
`Ohring at 104 (“Microscopically, positive gas ions in the discharge
`strike the cathode plate and eject neutral target atoms…. In addition,
`other particles (secondary electrons, desorbed gases, and negative ions)
`… are emitted from the target.”)
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses at least one of a
`rise time and magnitude of the electrical pulse supplied across the
`weakly-ionized plasma is selected to improve uniformity of the
`strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14.
`
`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.”).
`
`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 expected.”).
`
`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.”) (emphasis added).
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev 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.”).
`
`Wang at 4:5-7 (“A sputter working gas such as argon is supplied from a
`
`18. The method of
`claim 14 wherein at
`least one of a rise time
`and magnitude of the
`electrical pulse
`supplied across the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma is selected to
`improve uniformity of
`the strongly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`21. The method of
`claim 14 wherein the
`supplying the
`electrical pulse
`comprises applying a
`quasi-static electric
`field across the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma.
`
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`gas source 32 through a mass flow controller 34 to a region in back of
`the grounded shield 24.”).
`
`Wang at 7:61-62 (“pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a train of
`negative voltage pulses.”)
`
`Wang at 5:45-48 (“[The pulse width τw] should be at least 50 μs.”)”
`Fu at 1:46-48 (“Although the base pressure can be held to about 10-7
`Torr or even lower, the pressure of the working gas is typically
`maintained at between about 1 and 1000 mTorr.”). [Wang incorporates
`Fu by reference]
`
`Background:
`
`Raizer at 11, §2.1.4 (“The collision frequency m is proportional
`to…pressure p.”).
`
`Raizer at Table 2.1 (“m/p = 5.3 x 109 s-1 Torr-1”)
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses generating a
`magnetic field proximate to the weakly-ionized plasma, the magnetic
`field trapping electrons in the weakly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 14.
`
`Wang at Fig. 1.
`
`Wang at 4:23-31 (“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 the electron
`density. For charge neutrality, the ion density also increases, thus
`creating a region 42 of a high-density plasma (HDP)”) (emphasis
`added).
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses an apparatus for
`generating a strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1 preamble.
`
`25. The method of
`claim 14 further
`comprising generating
`a magnetic field
`proximate to the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma, the magnetic
`field trapping
`electrons in the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`26. An apparatus for
`generating a strongly-
`ionized plasma, the
`apparatus comprising:
`
`a. an anode;
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses an anode.
`
`‘716 Patent at 2:19-20 (“FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a
`known plasma generating apparatus 100…”)
`
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`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`b. a cathode that is
`positioned adjacent to
`the anode;
`
`c. an ionization source
`that generates a
`weakly-ionized
`plasma proximate to
`the cathode, the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma substantially
`eliminating the
`probability of
`developing an
`electrical breakdown
`condition between the
`anode and the
`cathode; and
`
`’716 Patent at 2:41-42 (“An anode 130 is positioned in the vacuum
`chamber 104 proximate to the cathode 114.”)
`
`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.”). (emphasis added).
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a cathode that is
`positioned adjacent to the anode.
`
`‘716 Patent at 2:19-20 (“FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a
`known plasma generating apparatus 100…”)
`
`’716 Patent at 2:41-42 (“An anode 130 is positioned in the vacuum
`chamber 104 proximate to the cathode 114.”)
`
`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 and Kudryavtsev discloses an ionization
`source that generates a weakly-ionized plasma proximate to the cathode,
`the weakly-ionized plasma substantially eliminating the probability of
`developing an electrical breakdown condition between the anode and
`the cathode.
`
`Wang at Fig. 7
`
`Wang at 4:5-6 (“A sputter working gas such as argon is supplied from a
`gas source 32….”)
`
`Wang at 4:20-21 (“… a reactive gas, for example nitrogen is supplied to
`the processing space 22….”)
`
`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
`
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`

`

`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`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 (Ex. 1005) (“…thus creating a region 42 of a high-
`density plasma (HDP)…”)
`
`Wang at 7:3-49 (“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… 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 7:25-28 (“As a result, once the plasma has been ignited at the
`beginning of sputtering prior to the illustrated waveform, no more
`plasma ignition occurs.”).
`
`Wang at 7:58-61 (“… DC power supply 100 is connected to the target
`14 … and supplies an essentially constant negative voltage to the target
`14 corresponding to the background power PB.”)
`
`
`Wang at 7:22-23 (“A background power PB of 1 kW will typically be
`sufficient to support a plasma…”)
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a power supply
`that is electrically coupled to the anode and to the cathode, the power
`supply generating an electric field that excites atoms in the weakly-
`ionized plasma, thereby forming a strongly-ionized plasma without
`developing an electrical breakdown condition in the chamber.
`
`Wang at Fig. 7
`
`Wang at 7:61-62 (“The pulsed DC power supply 80 produces a train of
`negative voltage pulses.”)
`
`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 background power PB of
`1 kW will typically be sufficient…”)
`
`Wang at 7:28-30 (“… the application of the high peak power PP instead
`
`d. a power supply that
`is electrically coupled
`to the anode and to
`the cathode, the
`power supply
`generating an electric
`field that excites
`atoms in the weakly-
`ionized plasma,
`thereby forming a
`strongly-ionized
`plasma without
`developing an
`electrical breakdown
`condition in the
`chamber.
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`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`quickly causes the already existing plasma to spread and increases the
`density of the plasma.”).
`
`Wang at 7:36-39 (“However, it is possible to combine highly ionized
`sputtering during the pulses with significant neutral sputtering during
`the background period.”)
`
`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 7:3-49 (“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… The
`initial plasma ignition needs be performed only once and at much lower
`power levels so that particulates produced by arcing are much
`reduced.”).
`
`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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`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`
`
`
`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 Kudryavtsev’s
`fast stage of ionization in Wang so as to increase plasma density and
`thereby increase the sputtering rate. Further, use of Kudryavtsev’s fast
`stage in Wang 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.
`
`27. The apparatus of
`claim 26 wherein the
`ionization source is
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses the ionization
`source is chosen from the group comprising an electrode coupled to a
`DC power supply, an electrode coupled to an AC power supply, a UV
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`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`chosen from the group
`comprising an
`electrode coupled to a
`DC power supply, an
`electrode coupled to
`an AC power supply,
`a UV source, an X-ray
`source, an electron
`beam source, an ion
`beam source, an
`inductively coupled
`plasma source, a
`capacitively coupled
`plasma source, and a
`microwave plasma
`source.
`
`28. The apparatus of
`claim 26 wherein the
`anode and the cathode
`form a gap there
`between.
`
`29. The apparatus of
`claim 28 wherein a
`dimension of the gap
`between the anode
`and the cathode is
`chosen to increase an
`ionization rate of the
`excited atoms in the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`source, an X-ray source, an electron beam source, an ion beam source,
`an inductively coupled plasma source, a capacitively coupled plasma
`source, and a microwave plasma source.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 26.
`
`Wang at Figs. 1 and 7.
`
`
`Wang at 7:58 (“… DC power supply 100 is connected to the target
`14.”).
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses the anode and the
`cathode form a gap there between.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 26.
`
`It would have been obvious to either add a separate anode electrode in
`Wang’s chamber between the cathode and the grounded shield 24 and to
`position the separate anode electrode adjacent to the cathode or to move
`the grounded shield 24 so as to form the gap shown in the ‘716 patent,
`and therefore, to define a small gap between the anode and the cathode.
`Doing so would involve nothing more than rearranging well-known
`components, which is within the skill of the ordinary practitioner.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a dimension of
`the gap between the anode and the cathode is chosen to increase an
`ionization rate of the excited atoms in the weakly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 28.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 17.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev has an ionization rate of
`excited atoms that increased in the weakly-ionized plasma.
`
`It would have been obvious to rearrange Wang’s anode and cathode so
`as to form a gap, e.g., as shown in Wang’s Fig. 1. Wang’s experiments
`were conducted in actual magnetrons with a particular separation
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`

`EXHIBIT B.08
`U.S. Patent No. 7,604,716
`
`Wang in view of Kudryavtsev
`
`distance between the cathode and anode . Wang’s ionization rate of
`excited atoms in the weakly-ionized plasma increased in the system that
`Wang used.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses at least one of a
`rise time and an amplitude of the electric field is chosen to increase an
`ionization rate of the excited atoms in the weakly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 26.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 17.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses at least one of a
`rise time and an amplitude of the electric field is chosen to increase
`uniformity of the strongly-ionized plasma proximate to the cathode.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 26.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 18.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kudryavtsev discloses a magnet that is
`positioned to generate a magnetic field proximate to the weakly-ionized
`plasma, the magnetic field trapping electrons in the weakly-ionized
`plasma proximate to the cathode.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 26.
`
`Wang at Fig. 1.
`
`
`Wang at 4:23-31 (“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 the electron
`density. For charge neutrality, the ion density also increases, thus
`creating a region 42 of a high-density plasma (HDP)”).
`
`
`
`Claims 14-18, 21
`and 25-32
`
`30. The apparatus of
`claim 26 wherein at
`least one of a rise time
`and an amplitude of
`the electric field is
`chosen to increase an
`ionization rate of the
`excited atoms in the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`31. The apparatus of
`claim 26 wherein at
`least one of a rise time
`and an amplitude of
`the electric field is
`chosen to increase
`uniformity of the
`strongly-ionized
`plasma proximate to
`the cathode.
`32. The apparatus of
`claim 26 further
`comprising a magnet
`that is positioned to
`generate a magnetic
`field proximate to the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma, the magnetic
`field trapping
`electrons in the
`weakly-ionized
`plasma proximate to
`the cathode.
`
`
`
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