FE B.
`
`6. 2004 11: 44 AM
`
`SONN ENS CH EIN
`
`. -·No. 08 32'-P 12/ lr .. - - -
`
`I hereby certify that thill correspondence Is being sent via
`facsimile 703-308-7722 to Examiner Chlis c. Chu at ltle
`l'rademark Office on
`Un~ed Slates Patent a
`
`Paul E Raug!J ph R
`Name of Applicant, assignee or
`~resen~
`
`7
`
`Signawre
`
`Our File No. 09799940-0011
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`In re Application of:
`
`James E. Nulty, et al.
`
`Serial No. 09/540,610
`
`Filing Date: March 31, 2000
`
`For Method for Eliminating Lat~ral
`Spacer Erosion on Enclosed
`Contact Topographies During RF
`Sputter Cleaning
`
`Examiner Chris C. Chu
`
`Group Art Unit No. 2815
`
`AMENDMENT AND REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
`Mail Stop-AF
`Commissioner for Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`Dear Sir:
`
`Responsive to the Official Action of May 5, 2003 Appli~ants respectfully request
`reconsideration in light of the following amendments and remarks.
`
`PAGE 12111' RCVD AT 216/200412:40:08 PM ~astern Standard TimeJ • SVR:USPTO·EFXRF·211 ' DHIS:7463865 1 CSID: • DURATION (mm-ss):03·36
`
`----------- ~--------------
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.001
`
`
`
`6. 2004 11: 44 AM
`
`SONN ENS CH EIN
`
`. -·No. 08 32'-P 12/ lr .. - - -
`
`I hereby certify that thill correspondence Is being sent via
`facsimile 703-308-7722 to Examiner Chlis c. Chu at ltle
`l'rademark Office on
`Un~ed Slates Patent a
`
`Paul E Raug!J ph R
`Name of Applicant, assignee or
`~resen~
`
`7
`
`Signawre
`
`Our File No. 09799940-0011
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`In re Application of:
`
`James E. Nulty, et al.
`
`Serial No. 09/540,610
`
`Filing Date: March 31, 2000
`
`For Method for Eliminating Lat~ral
`Spacer Erosion on Enclosed
`Contact Topographies During RF
`Sputter Cleaning
`
`Examiner Chris C. Chu
`
`Group Art Unit No. 2815
`
`AMENDMENT AND REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION
`Mail Stop-AF
`Commissioner for Patents
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
`
`Dear Sir:
`
`Responsive to the Official Action of May 5, 2003 Appli~ants respectfully request
`reconsideration in light of the following amendments and remarks.
`
`PAGE 12111' RCVD AT 216/200412:40:08 PM ~astern Standard TimeJ • SVR:USPTO·EFXRF·211 ' DHIS:7463865 1 CSID: • DURATION (mm-ss):03·36
`
`----------- ~--------------
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.001
`
`
`
`FE8. 6 2004 11:44AM
`
`SONN ENSCH E l N- -·
`~
`I
`
`NO. 0832---P. 13/17 ________ __
`
`IN THE ClAIMS
`
`(Previously presented) The semiconductor apparatus of claim 27 wherein
`25.
`said etch stop material comprises silicon nitride.
`
`(Previously presented) The semiconductor apparatus of claim 27 wherein
`26.
`said etch stop material comprises silicon dioxide.
`
`27.
`
`(Currently Amended) A structure, comprising:
`(a) a conductive layer disposed over a substrate:
`(b) a first Insulating layer on the conductive layer;
`(c) a contact region in said first insulating layer;
`(d) at least one insulating spacer in the contact region adjacent to the first
`insulating layer; and
`(e) an etch stop material over said first insulating layer and adjacent to the
`Insulating spacer, the etch stop material being a different material from the insulating
`spacer.
`
`wh
`contact region.
`
`28.
`
`(Cancelled)
`
`(Previously presented) The structure of Claim 27, wherein the Insulating
`29.
`spacer has a surface portion in the contact region without overlying etch stop material.
`
`(Previously presented) The structure of Claim 29, wherein the Insulating
`30.
`spacer surface portion without overlying etch stop material comprises an insulating
`spacer surface portion most distant from said substrate.
`
`31 .
`
`(Cancelled) .
`
`(Previously presented) The structure of Claim 2.7, further comprising a
`32.
`second insulating layer on the etch stop layer and over the conductive layer.
`
`2
`.PAGE 13117 * RCVD AT 2/61200412:40:08 PM !Eastern Standard Timej* SVR:USPTO·EFXRF·2/1' DNIS:7463865' CSID: *DURATION (mm-ss):03·36
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.002
`
`
`
`FEB. 6. 2004 \1: 44AM
`
`SONNENSCH EIN
`.
`;
`
`- - - - - - - - -No. os3r·-p_ 14/1?-·-
`
`~
`.
`i
`
`(Previously presented) The structure of Claim 32, further comprising a
`33.
`second conductive material in the contact region.
`
`34.
`
`(Currently amended) A st11.1cture, comprising:
`(a) a first electrically conductive material formed in and/or on a surface of
`
`a substrate;
`
`(b) a contact opening in a region adjacent to a second electrically
`condu.ctive material formed on lhe substrate;
`(c) an electrically insulative spacer in the contact opening adjacent to the
`second electrically conductive material;
`(d) an etch stop material over the electrically insulatlve spacer and the first
`and second electrically conductive materials. the etch stop material being a different
`material from the insulative spacer:
`(e) a blanket layer over the etch stop material; and
`(f) an opening through a first part of the etch stop material to the first
`electrically conductive material.
`wherein the electrically lnsulative spacer has a substantially rectangular
`cross-sectional shape in a o!ane that Is substantially perpendicular to the substrate
`surface.
`
`35.
`
`(Cancelled).
`
`(Currently amended) The structure of Claim 34, wherein the electrically
`36.
`insulati~ spacer has a surface portion without overlying etch stop material.
`
`(Currently amended) The structure of Claim 36, wherein the electrically
`37.
`insulatiAgV~ spacer surface portion without overlying etch stop material comprises a
`surface portion most distant from the substrate.
`
`(Previously presented) The structure of Claim 34, further comprising a
`38.
`second insulating layer on the etch stop layer and over the conductive layer.
`
`(Previously presented) The structure of Claim 38, further comprising a
`39.
`second conductive material in the contact region.
`
`3
`PAGE 14117' RCVO AT 2161200412:40:08 PM ~astern Stanaard TimeJ' SVR:USPTO-EFXRF·211' ON\S:746386~' CS\0:' OURATIOK (mm~~):03·36
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.003
`
`
`
`FEB. 6. 200 4 11: 45AM
`
`·sONNEN SCHE IN •.
`
`- - - - - - --·No. 08 32 ·-p
`
`15/ 17 __ _
`
`REMARKS
`Claims 27 and 34 have been amended by incorporating the claims 28 and 35,
`respectively. Claims 36 and 37 have been amended to correct a typographical error.
`No new matter has been added.
`Applicants respectfully requests entry of this amendment, since no new
`limitations have been presented.
`The present invention relates to a semiconductor device with well defined contact
`openings. In the past, the practice with respect to formin~ contact openings during the
`fabrication of semiconductor devices, particularly self-aligned contact openings, was to
`use etchants with high selectivity to protect underlying regions. However, the properties
`of a highly selective etch of the overlying etch layer can transform a substantially
`rectangular spacer adjacent to the contact region into a sloped spacer. Before. the
`conductor materials are added to the contact opening, the opening was cleaned with a
`sputter etchant which can erode a portion of the sloped Insulating spacer. Thus In
`conventional self-aligned contact structures. the diagonal thickness of the spacer, rather
`than the vertical thickness of the Insulating layer, determined the minimum insulating
`layer thickness for the gate. Sloping spacers limit the number of structures that can be
`included on a device.
`The present invention avoids this problem by retaining the substantially
`rectangular profile of the Insulating spacers. As illustrated in Figure 4K of the present
`specification, the spacer retains a substantially rectangular or "boxy" profile, i.e. the
`sides of the spacer are not sloping.
`
`4
`Pfi.GE t5f17' RCVO ~T 21612004 t2:4Q:QS PM !Eastern Standard Timej' SVR:USPTO·EFXRF·2ft ' DKlS:7463865 ' CSlD:' DURATION (mm-ss):03·36
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.004
`
`
`
`FEB. 6. 20 04 11: 45AM
`
`SONN ENSCHEIN
`
`NO. 0832'- ·-p.
`
`16/ 17-- --
`
`Figure 4K
`The rejection of the claims under 35 U.S.C. § 103 over Dennison eta!., in view
`of Figura. eta!., and optionally further in view of Gonzalez, Is respectfully traversed.
`Dennison et a!. does not show a substantially rectangular Insulating spacer.
`Dennison. et al. describes a method of forming a bit line over a capacitor array of
`memory cells. Element 18 In Figure 2 shows a spacer. This portion of the figure Is
`reproduced below. As Illustrated, the spacer has a sloping portion. and is not
`substantially recta~gutar.
`
`18
`
`18
`
`J6
`
`'
`
`A portion of Figure 2 from Dennison et al.
`
`5
`PAGE 16117 1 RCVD AT 2/61200412:40:08 PM ~astern standard TimeJ 1 SVR:USPTO-EFXRF·211 1 DNIS:7463865 1 CSID: 1 DURATION (mm-ss):03·36
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.005
`
`
`
`FEB.
`
`6. 2004 11: 45AM
`. .. . ..
`
`SONNEN SC HEIN--·
`
`- - - - - - No. osn--P 17/ 17- - ··-
`
`Figura et a!. has been cited for an etch stop material being different from the
`insulating spacer. Gonzalez has only been cited for a description of silicon dioxide
`spacers. Neither reference describes a substantially rectangular Insulating spacer.
`The presentinventlon, as claimed, indudes a substantially rectangular insulating
`spacer. As used In the present specification, this means that the spacer does not have
`sloping sides, and retains a "boxy" profile; this ls illustrated in Figure 4K, shown above.
`In contrast, the spacers of Dennjson. et at. has sloping sides, and is therefore not
`substantially rectangular, as shown In Figure 2 of this reference, also shown above.
`Figura et al. and Gonzalez also fail to show or suggest a substantially rectangular
`insulating spacer. Applicants respectfully submit that the claimed invention is not
`obvious over the applied references. Withdrawal of this ground of rejection is
`respectfully requested.
`Applicants respectfully request that the Examiner contact the undersigned upon
`the Indication of any allowable subject matter. Applicants submit the application Is now
`in condition for allowance. Early notice of such action Is earnestly solicited.
`
`~bm-. --
`
`Paul E. Rauch, Ph.D.
`Registration No. 38,591
`Attorney for Applicants
`SONNENSCHEIN NATH & ROSENTHAL
`P. 0. BOX 061080
`WACKER DRIVE STATION, SEARS TOWER
`CHICAGO, IL 60606
`(312) 876-8000
`
`a·
`PAGE 17117 t RCVD AT 2161200412:40:08 PM ~astern Standard Timej' SVR:USPTO-EFXRF·211' DNIS:7463865' CSID: 1 DURATION (mm-ss):03·36
`
`Case No. IPR2016-00782
`DSS.2006.006
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