Havemann anticipates claims 1-12 of U.S. Patent No. 6,784,552, Nulty et al.
`(“the ʼ552 Patent”) under 35 U.S.C. § 102
`
`
`Prior Art Cited in this Chart:
`U.S. Patent No. 5,482,894, Havemann (“Havemann”)
`
`
`Claim Language
`Claim 1
`A structure, comprising:
`
`a conductive layer
`disposed over a substrate;
`
`Havemann
`
`“The present invention relates to a method of producing and a
`structure for self-aligned contacts on semiconductor devices.”
`Col. 2, lines 10-11.
`“Conformal dielectric 30 deposited on the sidewalls of conductors
`26 may also be thinned at this point (e.g., if layer 30 is used in a
`known manner to align ion implantation to substrate 20, layer 30
`may require thinning after implantation to reduce the aspect ratio
`of insulated gap 29).
`Col. 5, lines 10-14.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`a first insulating layer on
`the conductive layer;
`
`
`
`
`“FIG. 1B shows the structure after patterning and etching by
`known methods to form two conductors 26, including insulating
`conductor caps 28, separated by a gap 24 with a relatively high
`aspect ratio (1.4:1 aspect ratio shown).”
`Col. 3, lines 62-65.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`a contact region in said
`
`
`“Preferably, a short anisotropic etch of the conformal layer follows
`
`
`
`Petitioner Hynix - HYNIX-1008
`
`1
`
`
`(“the ʼ552 Patent”) under 35 U.S.C. § 102
`
`
`Prior Art Cited in this Chart:
`U.S. Patent No. 5,482,894, Havemann (“Havemann”)
`
`
`Claim Language
`Claim 1
`A structure, comprising:
`
`a conductive layer
`disposed over a substrate;
`
`Havemann
`
`“The present invention relates to a method of producing and a
`structure for self-aligned contacts on semiconductor devices.”
`Col. 2, lines 10-11.
`“Conformal dielectric 30 deposited on the sidewalls of conductors
`26 may also be thinned at this point (e.g., if layer 30 is used in a
`known manner to align ion implantation to substrate 20, layer 30
`may require thinning after implantation to reduce the aspect ratio
`of insulated gap 29).
`Col. 5, lines 10-14.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`a first insulating layer on
`the conductive layer;
`
`
`
`
`“FIG. 1B shows the structure after patterning and etching by
`known methods to form two conductors 26, including insulating
`conductor caps 28, separated by a gap 24 with a relatively high
`aspect ratio (1.4:1 aspect ratio shown).”
`Col. 3, lines 62-65.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`a contact region in said
`
`
`“Preferably, a short anisotropic etch of the conformal layer follows
`
`
`
`Petitioner Hynix - HYNIX-1008
`
`1
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`first insulating layer;
`
`Havemann
`these steps if contact is to be made to the substrate in the gap
`(which may then be followed by a deposition of conducting
`material in the gap to form an electrical contact to the substrate.”
`Col. 2, lines 62-66.
`
`“Finally, as illustrated in FIG. 11, contact plug 40, formed of a
`conducting material (e.g. a composite comprised of a refractory
`metal underlayer with a tungsten overlayer) may be deposited in
`cap window 39 and contact window 41 (which includes the portion
`of insulated gap 29 underlying window 39) to form a contact to the
`substrate at gap bottom 43.”
`Col. 4, line 63 – Col. 5, line 1.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`at least one insulating
`spacer in the contact region
`adjacent to the first
`insulating layer; and
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`Col. 6, line 6.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`an etch stop material over
`said first insulating layer
`and adjacent to the
`insulating spacer, the etch
`stop material being a
`
`
`“Additional material may subsequently be deposited as a
`conformal dielectric overlayer 42, e.g., using thermal oxide or
`silicon nitride (see FIG. 2C).”
`Col. 5, lines 16-18.
`
`
`3
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`different material from the
`insulating spacer,
`
`Havemann
`“If conformal layer 30 and overlayer 42 differ in materials (e.g.
`thermal oxide and nitride), relatively selectively between the two
`materials may also be exploited to design a structure wherein
`conductor caps 28 are extremely thin.”
`Col. 5, lines 27-31.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`wherein a side of the
`insulating spacer has an
`angle relative to the
`substrate surface that is
`either a right angle or an
`acute angle of more than
`85°.
`
`
`
`
`“Cap window 39 supplies a pattern for etching a contact window
`through organic-containing layer 32 by a suitable anisotropic
`(substantially in one direction, usually vertical) etch.”
`Col. 4, lines 37-40.
`“At some geometry, this method becomes ineffective for reliably
`forming such self-aligned contacts; the limited selectivity between
`dielectric layers and limited etch anisotropy (ability to etch in one
`direction only, e.g. vertically) make such a process difficult for
`high aspect ratio gaps.”
`Col. 2, lines 1-6.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Claim 2
`
`4
`
`
`
`Havemann
`“The selective etch process is designed to remove material from
`the second dielectric layer faster than it removes material from the
`first dielectric layer. Silicon nitride and silicon dioxide (of
`different varieties) are used for the dielectric layers; relative etch
`selectivity for the best of such dielectric combinations is on the
`order of 10:1.”
`Col. 1, 55-60.
`
`“The selective etch process is designed to remove material from
`the second dielectric layer faster than it removes material from the
`first dielectric layer. Silicon nitride and silicon dioxide (of
`different varieties) are used for the dielectric layers; relative etch
`selectivity for the best of such dielectric combinations is on the
`order of 10:1.”
`Col. 1, 55-60.
`
`“Additional material may subsequently be deposited as a
`conformal dielectric overlayer 42, e.g., using thermal oxide or
`silicon nitride (see FIG. 2C). This layer provides a minimal
`protection for substrate 20 during the O2 plasma etch to remove
`organic-containing material from insulated gap 29.”
`Col. 5, lines 15-20.
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`The semiconductor
`apparatus of claim 1
`wherein said etch stop
`material comprises silicon
`nitride.
`
`Claim 3
`The semiconductor
`apparatus of claim 1
`wherein said etch stop
`material comprises silicon
`dioxide.
`
`5
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`
`
`Col. 6, lines 30-31.
`
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`Claim 4
`The structure of claim 1,
`wherein the insulating
`spacer has a surface
`portion in the contact
`region without overlying
`etch stop material.
`
`6
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`
`
`
`
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`
`
`
`“FIG. 1D shows several additional layers, the first of which is an
`organic-containing dielectric layer 32, preferably deposited to fill
`insulated gap 29 as well as cover conductors 26 (including
`conformal layer 30).”
`Col. 4, lines 7-10.
`
`
`
`Claim 5
`The structure of claim 4,
`wherein the insulating
`spacer surface portion
`without overlying etch stop
`material comprises an
`insulating spacer surface
`portion most distant from
`said substrate.
`
`Claim 6
`The structure of claim 1,
`further comprising a
`second insulating layer on
`the etch stop layer and over
`the conductive layer.
`
`7
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`
`Claim 7
`The structure of claim 6,
`further comprising a
`second conductive material
`in the contact region.
`
`
`
`
`
`“Preferably, a short anisotropic etch of the conformal layer follows
`these steps if contact is to be made to the substrate in the gap
`(which may then be followed by a deposition of conducting
`material in the gap to form an electrical contact to the substrate.”
`Col. 2, lines 62-66.
`
`“Finally, as illustrated in FIG. 11, contact plug 40, formed of a
`conducting material (e.g. a composite comprised of a refractory
`metal underlayer with a tungsten overlayer) may be deposited in
`cap window 39 and contact window 41 (which includes the portion
`of insulated gap 29 underlying window 39) to form a contact to the
`substrate at gap bottom 43.”
`Col. 4, line 63 – Col. 5, line 1.
`
`Figure 1I
`
`
`Claim 8
`A structure, comprising:
`a first electrically
`
`
`
`See claim 1, supra.
`“Finally, as illustrated in FIG. 11, contact plug 40, formed of a
`
`
`
`8
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`conductive material formed
`in and/or on a surface of a
`substrate;
`
`Havemann
`conducting material (e.g. a composite comprised of a refractory
`metal underlayer with a tungsten overlayer) may be deposited in
`cap window 39 and contact window 41 (which includes the portion
`of insulated gap 29 underlying window 39) to form a contact to the
`substrate at gap bottom 43.”
`Col. 4, line 63 – Col. 5, line 1
`
`“However, notching of conductor caps 28 prevalent in the prior art
`is virtually eliminated, because only the extremely thin overlayer
`42 must be removed to open the contact window to substrate 20.”
`Col. 5, lines 24-26.
`
`“Conformal dielectric 30 deposited on the sidewalls of conductors
`may also be thinned at this point (e.g., if layer 3 is used in a known
`manner to align ion implantation to substrate 20, layer 30 may
`require thinning after implantation to reduce the aspect ratio of
`insulated gap 29).”
`Col. 5, lines 10-14.
`
`Figure 1I
`
`
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`9
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`
`a contact opening in a
`region adjacent to a second
`electrically conductive
`material formed on the
`substrate;
`
`
`
`
`“Preferably, a short anisotropic etch of the conformal layer follows
`these steps if contact is to be made to the substrate in the gap
`(which may then be followed by a deposition of conducting
`material in the gap to form an electrical contact to the substrate.”
`Col. 2, lines 62-66.
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`an electrically insulative
`spacer in the contact
`opening adjacent to the
`second electrically
`conductive material;
`
`10
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`
`an etch stop material over
`the electrically insulative
`spacer and the first and
`second electrically
`conductive materials, the
`etch stop material being a
`different material from the
`insulative spacer;
`
`
`
`
`“If conformal layer 30 and overlayer 42 differ in materials (e.g.
`thermal oxide and nitride), relatively selectively between the two
`materials may also be exploited to design a structure wherein
`conductor caps 28 are extremely thin.”
`Col. 5, lines 27-31.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`a blanket layer over the
`etch stop material; and
`
`
`“An inorganic cap layer 34 may then be deposited over layer 32 by
`one of several known methods, including plasma-enhanced
`chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of silicon dioxide from
`tetraethoxysilane (TEOS).”
`Col. 4, lines 17-20.
`
`
`
`
`11
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`
`an opening through a first
`part of the etch stop
`material to the first
`electrically conductive
`material,
`
`
`
`
`“However, notching of conductor caps 28 prevalent in the prior art
`is virtually eliminated, because only the extremely thin overlayer
`42 must be removed to open the contact window to substrate 20.”
`Col. 5, lines 24-26.
`
`Figure 2D
`
`
`
`
`See claim 1, supra.
`
`
`See claim 4, supra.
`
`wherein a side of the
`electrically insulative
`spacer has an angle relative
`to the substrate surface that
`is either a right angle or an
`acute angle of more than
`85°.
`
`Claim 9
`The structure of claim 8,
`wherein the electrically
`insulative spacer has a
`surface portion without
`
`12
`
`
`
`Havemann
`
`
`See claim 5, supra.
`
`
`See claims 6 and 8, supra.
`
`
`See claim 7, supra.
`
`
`
`Claim Language
`overlying etch stop
`material.
`Claim 10
`The structure of claim 9,
`wherein the electrically
`insulative spacer surface
`portion without overlying
`etch stop material
`comprises a surface portion
`most distant from the
`substrate.
`Claim 11
`The structure of claim 8,
`further comprising a
`second insulating layer on
`the etch stop layer and over
`the conductive layer.
`Claim 12
`The structure of claim 11,
`further comprising a
`second conductive material
`in the contact region.
`
`13
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