EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`
`References cited herein:
`(cid:120) U.S. Pat. No. 7,811,421 (“’421 Patent”)
`
`(cid:120) U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,382 (“Wang”)
`
`(cid:120) U.S. Pat. No. 5,958,155 (“Kawamata”)
`
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`[1pre]. A sputtering source comprising: Wang discloses a sputtering source.
`
`Wang at Title (“pulsed sputtering with a small
`rotating magnetron”)
`
`[1a] a) a cathode assembly comprising a
`sputtering target that is positioned
`adjacent to an anode; and
`
`Wang 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.”)
`
`Wang at 3:66-4:1 (“A grounded shield 24 … acts
`as a grounded anode for the cathode of the
`negatively biased target 14.”)
`
`Wang 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
`pulse being chosen to increase a density of ions in
`the strongly-ionized plasma
`
`Wang at Figs. 1, 6 and 7
`
`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
`
`- 1 -
`
`[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
`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.
`
`ActiveUS 122672032v.1
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`TSMC-1119
`TSMC v. Zond, Inc.
`Page 1 of 8
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`14 corresponding to the background power PB.”)
`
`Wang at 7:61-62 (“The pulsed DC power supply
`80 produces a train of negative voltage pulses.”)
`
`Wang at 3:66-4:1 (“A grounded shield 24 … acts
`as a grounded anode for the cathode of the
`negatively biased target 14.”)
`
`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 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.”)
`
`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 7:13-28 (“Accordingly, it is advantageous
`to use a target power waveform illustrated in FIG.
`6… As a result, once the plasma has been ignited
`
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`at the beginning of sputtering prior to the
`illustrated waveform…”)
`
`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 7:28-30 (“…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.”)
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the increase of the density of ions in the
`strongly-ionized plasma is enough to generate
`sufficient thermal energy in a surface of the
`sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield to be
`related to a temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1
`
`‘421 Patent at 2:9-10 (“In general, the deposition
`rate is proportional to the sputtering yield.”)
`
`Kawamata at 3:18-20 (“[G]enerat[ing] plasma
`over the film source material to thereby cause the
`surface of the film source material to have its
`temperature raised by the plasma.”)
`
`Kawamata at 7:53 (“When the input power is 400
`W or higher, it is seen that the surface temperature
`of granules 3 rises to about 650ºC or higher…
`When the input power is 800 W, the surface
`temperature of the granules 3 rises to about 1100
`ºC.”)
`
`Kawamata at 7:51-53 (“FIG. 2 shows what
`changes of the surface temperature of granules 3
`and the rate of film formation on the substrate 2
`
`- 3 -
`
`3. The sputtering source of claim 1
`wherein the increase of the density of
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma is
`enough to generate sufficient thermal
`energy in a surface of the sputtering
`target to cause a sputtering yield to be
`related to a temperature of the sputtering
`target.
`
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`are brought about by changes of the input power”)
`
`Kawamata at Fig. 2
`
`One of ordinary skill would have been motivated
`to incorporate the teachings of Kawamata in
`Wang, e.g., using input power to control the
`density of the plasma and thereby control the
`temperature of the sputtering material so as to
`control the sputtering yield.
`
`Also, one of ordinary skill reading Wang would
`have looked to Kawamata. Wang teaches
`increasing the sputtering rate by generating a high-
`density plasma. Wang at 4:27-29. (“[C]reating a
`region 42 of a high-density plasma (HDP), which
`… increases the sputtering rate.”) Kawamata
`similarly notes that “[o]bjects of the present
`invention are to provide a process for producing a
`thin film…by sputtering at a high speed and a thin
`film produced thereby…” Kawamata at 2:6-9
`(emphasis added). Both Wang and Kawamata
`provide ways to enhance the sputtering rate and
`one of ordinary skill in the art would have been
`motivated to combine the teachings of Wang with
`Kawamata.
`
`Also, using Kawamata’s teachings of temperature
`control in Wang would have been a combination
`of old elements in which each element behaved as
`expected.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the sputtering yield is related to a
`temperature of a surface of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1
`
`See evidence cited in claim 3
`
`Kawamata at Fig. 2
`
`4. The sputtering source of claim 3
`wherein the sputtering yield is related to
`a temperature of a surface of the
`sputtering target.
`
`5. The sputtering source of claim 3
`wherein the thermal energy generated in
`the sputtering target does not
`substantially increase an average
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the thermal energy generated in the
`sputtering target does not substantially increase an
`
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`average temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1
`
`See evidence cited in claim 3
`
`‘421 Patent at 20:52-56 (“When the temperature of
`the target 220 reaches a certain level, the target
`material is evaporated in an avalanche-like
`manner. In one embodiment, the high-power pulse
`generates thermal energy 516 into only a shallow
`depth of the target 220 so as to not substantially
`increase an average temperature of the target
`220.”)
`
`‘421 Patent at 9:57-61 (“the thermal energy in at
`least one of the cathode assembly… is conducted
`away or dissipated by liquid or gas cooling…”)
`
`Kawamata at 7:36-40 (“The [sputtering target was]
`heated by the plasma with their temperature
`maintained by a balance between plasma heating
`and cooling by cooling water 8 flowing on the
`lower face of the magnetron cathode 5….”)
`
`Kawamata at Fig. 1
`
`[17pre]. A sputtering source comprising: Wang discloses a sputtering source.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 1 preamble
`
`[17a] a) a cathode assembly comprising a
`sputtering target that is positioned
`adjacent to an anode;
`
`Wang discloses a cathode assembly comprising a
`sputtering target that is positioned adjacent to an
`anode.
`
`[17b] 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
`between the anode and the cathode
`assembly, an amplitude and a rise time of
`the voltage pulse being chosen to
`
`See evidence cited in claim [1a]
`
`Wang 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 and a rise time of the voltage pulse
`being chosen to increase a density of ions in the
`
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`increase a density of ions in the strongly-
`ionized plasma; and
`
`strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`See evidence cited in claim [1b]
`
`[17c] c) a substrate support that is
`positioned adjacent to the sputtering
`target; and
`
`Wang discloses a substrate support that is
`positioned adjacent to the sputtering target.
`
`Wang at 3:63-66 (“A pedestal electrode 18
`supports a wafer 20 to be sputter coated in planar
`opposition to the target 14 across a processing
`region 22.”)
`
`[17d] d) a bias voltage source having an
`output that is electrically plasma. coupled
`to the substrate support.
`
`Wang discloses a bias voltage source having an
`output that is electrically plasma. coupled to the
`substrate support.
`
`18. The sputtering source of claim 17
`wherein the increase of the density of
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma is
`enough to generate sufficient thermal
`energy in a surface of the sputtering
`target to cause a sputtering yield to be
`related to a temperature of the sputtering
`target.
`
`19. The sputtering source of claim 18
`wherein the sputtering yield is related to
`a temperature of a surface of the
`sputtering target.
`
`Wang at Fig. 1
`
`Wang at 4:32-34 (“[A]n RF bias power supply is
`connected to the pedestal electrode 18 to create a
`negative DC self-bias on the wafer 20”)
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the increase of the density of ions in the
`strongly-ionized plasma is enough to generate
`sufficient thermal energy in a surface of the
`sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield to be
`related to a temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 17
`
`See evidence cited in claim 3
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the sputtering yield is related to a
`temperature of a surface of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 17
`
`See evidence cited in claim 18
`
`20. The sputtering source of claim 18
`wherein the thermal energy generated in
`the surface of the sputtering target does
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the thermal energy generated in the
`surface of the sputtering target does not
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`not substantially increase an average
`temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`substantially increase an average temperature of
`the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 17
`
`See evidence cited in claim 18
`
`See evidence cited in claim 5
`
`[34pre]. A method for high deposition
`rate sputtering, the method comprising:
`
`Wang discloses a method for high deposition rate
`sputtering.
`
`Wang at Title (“pulsed sputtering with a small
`rotating magnetron”)
`
`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 1 kW 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 7:36-39 (“However, it is possible to
`combine highly ionized sputtering during the
`pulses with significant neutral sputtering during
`the background period.”)
`
`Wang 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]
`
`[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.
`
`Wang discloses adjusting an amplitude and a rise
`time of the voltage pulse to increase a density of
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma.
`
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`EXHIBIT C.12
`U.S. Patent No. 7,811,421
`‘421 Claims 3-5, 18-20, 36, 40, 41
`Wang in view of Kawamata
`
`See evidence cited in claim [1b]
`
`36. The method of claim 34 wherein the
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma cause
`a surface layer of the sputtering target to
`evaporate.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses wherein the ions in the strongly-ionized
`plasma cause a surface layer of the sputtering
`target to evaporate.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 34
`
`Kawamata at 5:66-6:3 (“when the [surface]
`temperature is 1100° C or higher, the vapor
`pressure of the film source material is increased so
`as to be as high as the pressure of the introduced
`gas, with the result that evaporated molecules
`directly reach the substrate.” )
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the adjusting an amplitude and a rise
`time of the voltage pulse increases the density of
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma enough to
`generate sufficient thermal energy in a surface of
`the sputtering target to cause a sputtering yield to
`be related to a temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 34
`
`See evidence cited in claim 3
`
`40. The method of claim 34 wherein the
`adjusting an amplitude and a rise time of
`the voltage pulse increases the density of
`ions in the strongly-ionized plasma
`enough to generate sufficient thermal
`energy in a surface of the sputtering
`target to cause a sputtering yield to be
`related to a temperature of the sputtering
`target.
`
`41. The method of claim 40 wherein the
`sputtering yield is non-linearly related to
`the temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`The combination of Wang and Kawamata
`discloses the sputtering yield is non-linearly
`related to the temperature of the sputtering target.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 34
`
`See evidence cited in claim 40
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