EXHIBIT D.12
`U.S. Patent No. 6,853,142
`
`
`References cited herein:
` U.S. Pat. No. 6,853,142 (“’142 Patent”)
`
` U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,382 (“Wang”)
`
` U.S. Pat. No. 6,190,512 (“Lantsman”)
`
` 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”)
`
`
`
`‘142 Claim 16
`
`Wang in view of Lantsman, and Mozgrin Thesis
`
`[10pre.] A method for generating
`a strongly-ionized plasma in a
`chamber, the method
`comprising:
`
`[10a.] ionizing a feed gas to
`form a weakly-ionized plasma
`that reduces the probability of
`developing an electrical
`breakdown condition in the
`chamber;
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`The combination of Wang and Lantsman discloses an
`apparatus for generating a strongly-ionized plasma in a
`chamber.
`
`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 7:31-39 (“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 7:28-30 (“ the application of the high peak power
`PP instead quickly causes the already existing plasma to
`spread and increases the density of the plasma”)
`
`The combination of Wang and Lantsman discloses an
`ionization source that generates a weakly-ionized plasma
`from a feed gas, the weakly-ionized plasma reducing the
`probability of developing an electrical breakdown
`condition in the chamber.
`
`Wang at Fig. 7
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`EXHIBIT D.12
`U.S. Patent No. 6,853,142
`
`‘142 Claim 16
`
`Wang in view of Lantsman, and Mozgrin Thesis
`
`
`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 Lantsman discloses a power
`supply that supplies power to the weakly-ionized plasma
`though an electrical pulse applied across the weakly-
`ionized plasma, the electrical pulse having a magnitude
`
`[10b.] supplying power to the
`weakly-ionized plasma by
`applying an electrical pulse
`across the weakly-ionized
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`EXHIBIT D.12
`U.S. Patent No. 6,853,142
`
`‘142 Claim 16
`
`Wang in view of Lantsman, and Mozgrin Thesis
`
`plasma, the electrical pulse
`having a magnitude and a rise-
`time that is sufficient to increase
`the density of the weakly-ionized
`plasma to generate a strongly-
`ionized plasma; and
`
`[10c.] diffusing the strongly-
`ionized plasma with additional
`feed gas thereby allowing the
`strongly-ionized plasma to
`absorb additional energy from
`the power supply.
`
`and a rise-time that is sufficient to increase the density of
`the weakly-ionized plasma to generate a strongly-ionized
`plasma.
`
`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.”)
`
`See evidence cited in limitation [10pre] of claim 10.
`
`The combination of Wang and Lantsman discloses a gas
`line that supplies feed gas to the strongly-ionized plasma,
`the feed gas diffusing the strongly-ionized plasma, thereby
`allowing additional power from the pulsed power supply to
`be absorbed by the strongly-ionized plasma.
`
`Wang at Fig. 1
`
`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
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`EXHIBIT D.12
`U.S. Patent No. 6,853,142
`
`‘142 Claim 16
`
`Wang in view of Lantsman, and Mozgrin Thesis
`
`grounded shield 24, and a clamp ring or plasma focus ring
`36 surrounding the periphery of the wafer 20.”)
`
`Wang at 4:51-55 (“A computerized controller 58 controls
`the … mass flow controller 34, as illustrated….”)
`
`Lantsman at 2:48-51 (“This secondary power supply ‘pre-
`ignites’ the plasma so that when the primary power supply
`is applied, the system smoothly transitions to final plasma
`development and deposition.”)
`
`One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to
`combine Wang and Lantsman. Lantsman is directed to
`sputtering using a plasma. So is Wang. See Wang at Title
`(“Pulsed sputtering with a small rotating magnetron”);
`3:20-21 (“[A] high plasma density is achieved adjacent to
`the magnetron during the pulse.”). Also, Lantsman uses
`two power supplies, one for pre-ionization and one for
`deposition. So does Wang. See Wang at Fig. 7 [showing
`pulsed supply 80 and constant supply 100]
`
`Lantsman generates a plasma without arcing. So does
`Wang. Wang at 7:3-49 (“Plasma ignition, particularly in
`plasma sputter reactors, has a tendency to generate
`particles during the initial arcing, …. The initial plasma
`ignition needs be performed only once and at much lower
`power levels so that particulates produced by arcing are
`much reduced.”)
`
`Summarizing, Wang and Lantsman relate to the same
`application. Further, one of ordinary skill would have been
`motivated to use Lantsman’s continuous gas flow in Wang
`so as to maintain a desired pressure in the chamber. Also,
`use of Lantsman’s continuous gas flow in Wang would
`have worked well with Wang’s mass flow controller 34
`and would have been a combination of old elements in
`which each element behaved as expected. Finally, such a
`continuous flow of gas in Wang would diffuse the
`strongly-ionized plasma and allow additional power to be
`absorbed by the plasma as required by claim 10.
`
`16. The method of claim 10
`wherein the electrical pulse
`comprises a rise time that is less
`
`The combination of Wang, Lantsman and the Mozgrin
`Thesis discloses the electrical pulse comprises a rise time
`that is less than about 100V/µsec.
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`EXHIBIT D.12
`U.S. Patent No. 6,853,142
`
`‘142 Claim 16
`
`Wang in view of Lantsman, and Mozgrin Thesis
`
`than about 100V/µsec.
`
`See evidence cited in claim 10.
`
`Mozgrin Thesis at Fig. 3.2
`
`
`
`The peak voltage in region 2 is about 720 V ( 4 div x 180
`V/div) and the voltage in region 1 is about 360 V ( 2 div x
`180 V/div). This difference is about 360 V.
`
`Mozgrin Thesis at 42, ¶ 1 (“…a power supply was selected
`which produced square current and voltage pulses with a
`rise time (leading edge of the pulse) of 5 – 60 µs...”)
`
`Assuming Mozgrin utilized the fastest rise of the leading
`edge (i.e., 5 µs) for the pulse shown in Fig 3 of Mozgrin
`(Fig. 3.2 of Mozgrin Thesis), Mozgrin discloses a rise time
`of about 72 V/µs (i.e., 360Volts/5µs = 72 V/µs). Even if
`Mozgrin utilized the slowest rise of the leading edge (i.e.,
`60 µs, which would exceed a single division on the
`oscillogram), Mozgrin would have nevertheless achieved a
`rise time of 1.2 V/µs (i.e., 360 Volts/60µs = 1.2 V/µs).
`
`One of ordinary skill have looked from Wang to Mozgrin
`Thesis to determine operational details, such as plasma
`density, of Wang’s process. One of ordinary skill would
`have further looked to the Mozgrin Thesis to determine
`additional operational details such as the rise time of the
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`EXHIBIT D.12
`U.S. Patent No. 6,853,142
`
`‘142 Claim 16
`
`Wang in view of Lantsman, and Mozgrin Thesis
`
`pulse. Moreover, both Wang and Mozgrin Thesis address
`similar subject, such as sputtering, achieving high density
`plasma, and avoiding arcing. Thus, a person of ordinary
`skill would have combined the Wang with Lantsman and
`Mozgrin Thesis to learn additional details when designing
`the commercial sputtering system described in Wang.
`
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