James E. NULTY et al.
`
`Serial No.: 08/577,751 /
`
`Filed: December 22, 1995
`
`Group Art Unit: 2812
`
`Examiner: GURLEY
`
`INATING LATERAL SPACER EROSION ON
`For: METHOD FOR ELI
`ENCLOSED CONTACT TOPOGRAPI-IIES DURING RF SPUTTER
`CLEANING
`
`Assistant Commissioner for Patents
`
`Washington, D.C. 20231
`
`DECLARATION UNDER 37 C.F.R. 1.131/
`I, James E. Nulty, hereby declare and state that:
`
`1.
`
`I am an inventor of the above-identified patent application.
`
`—--‘
`
`2. S
`
`I have read and I understand (a) the above-identified patent application, (b) the
`
`Declaration Under 37 C.F.R. 1.132 dated July 25, 1998 and the references cited therein, (0) the
`
`Office Action dated September 22, 1998, (d) U.S. Patent No. 5,759,867 to Armacost et al.
`
`(hereinafter, “Armacost et al.”), filed on April 21, 1995, and (e) the attached documentation in
`
`non-redacted form.
`
`3.
`
`a)
`
`I understand that the above-identified application for patent claims, in one aspect:
`
`a method of forming a contact opening in a structure comprising a substrate and a
`
`plurality of devices thereon, each of the devices comprising a conductive layer
`disposed over the substrate and a first insulating layer on the conductive layer, and
`
`at least two of the devices being interspaced by a contact region, the method
`
`comprising:
`
`I hereby certify that this correspondence is being deposited with the United States Postal Service as first class mail
`in an envelope addressed to: Assistant Commissioner for Patents, Washington, D ., 20231, on
`¢2)—
`1999.
`
`,
`
`Signature
`
`'
`
`1)’ ELL 5 7
`Date
`
`INTEL 101 1
`
`
`
`
`Serial No.: 08/577,751 /
`
`Filed: December 22, 1995
`
`Group Art Unit: 2812
`
`Examiner: GURLEY
`
`INATING LATERAL SPACER EROSION ON
`For: METHOD FOR ELI
`ENCLOSED CONTACT TOPOGRAPI-IIES DURING RF SPUTTER
`CLEANING
`
`Assistant Commissioner for Patents
`
`Washington, D.C. 20231
`
`DECLARATION UNDER 37 C.F.R. 1.131/
`I, James E. Nulty, hereby declare and state that:
`
`1.
`
`I am an inventor of the above-identified patent application.
`
`—--‘
`
`2. S
`
`I have read and I understand (a) the above-identified patent application, (b) the
`
`Declaration Under 37 C.F.R. 1.132 dated July 25, 1998 and the references cited therein, (0) the
`
`Office Action dated September 22, 1998, (d) U.S. Patent No. 5,759,867 to Armacost et al.
`
`(hereinafter, “Armacost et al.”), filed on April 21, 1995, and (e) the attached documentation in
`
`non-redacted form.
`
`3.
`
`a)
`
`I understand that the above-identified application for patent claims, in one aspect:
`
`a method of forming a contact opening in a structure comprising a substrate and a
`
`plurality of devices thereon, each of the devices comprising a conductive layer
`disposed over the substrate and a first insulating layer on the conductive layer, and
`
`at least two of the devices being interspaced by a contact region, the method
`
`comprising:
`
`I hereby certify that this correspondence is being deposited with the United States Postal Service as first class mail
`in an envelope addressed to: Assistant Commissioner for Patents, Washington, D ., 20231, on
`¢2)—
`1999.
`
`,
`
`Signature
`
`'
`
`1)’ ELL 5 7
`Date
`
`INTEL 101 1
`
`
`
`
`In re James E. Nulty et al.
`Serial No. 08/577,751
`
`Page 2
`PM950l2
`
`forming an etch stop layer over insulating spacers in the contact region,
`
`wherein the insulating spacers have a substantially rectangular profile; and
`
`subsequently
`
`anisotropically etching the structure having the insulating spacers and the
`
`etch stop layer in the contact region with an etchant having a selectivity
`
`for the etch stop layer relative to the second insulating layer sufficiently
`
`low to retain the substantially rectangular profile of the insulating spacers,
`
`the etch stop layer being different from the second insulating layer;
`
`and, in a second aspect,
`
`13)
`
`a method for forming a contact opening to a first electrically conductive material
`
`formed in and/or on a surface of a substrate, the contact opening being formed in a
`
`region adjacent to a second electrically conductive material formed on the
`
`substrate, comprising the steps of:
`
`i)
`
`forming an electrically insulative spacer adjacent to the second electrically
`
`conductive material, the spacer having a substantially rectangular cross-
`
`sectional shape in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the
`
`substrate surface;
`
`forming an etch stop layer over the spacer and the first and second
`
`electrically conductive regions;
`
`iii)
`
`iv)
`
`forming a blanket layer over the etch stop layer;
`
`I
`selectively etching the blanket layer to form an opening to a first part of
`
`the etch stop layer that is formed over the first electrically conductive
`
`region;
`
`etching the etch stop layer to remove part of the etch stop layer formed
`
`over the first electrically conductive region, under conditions that etch (i)
`
`the material of the etch stop layer adjacent to the spacer and (ii) the spacer
`
`such" that the substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape of the spacer
`
`
`
`In re James E. Nulty et al.
`Serial No. 08/577,751
`
`'
`
`Page 3
`PM95012
`
`is maintained (hereinafter, paragraphs (a)(i)-(b)(v) are collectively referred
`
`to as “the presently claimed invention”).
`
`4.
`
`The attached documentation provides evidence of the conception and reduction to
`
`practice of at least one working embodiment of the presently claimed invention prior to April 21,
`1995.
`
`5.
`
`For example, a structure was made by an embodiment of the presently claimed
`
`invention prior to April 21, 1995 (see item 4a, “Construction of the Device,” on the first page of
`
`the attached documentation);
`
`6.
`
`The date on the micrograph of a structure made by an embodiment of the
`
`presently claimed invention is prior to April 21, 1995 (see “Method Comparison -- Invention” in
`
`the attached documentation).
`
`7.
`
`I declare that all statements made herein of my own knowledge are true and that
`
`all statements made on information and belief are believed to be true; and further that these
`
`statements were made with the knowledge that willful false statements and the like so made are
`
`punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both, under Section 1001 of Title 18 of the United States
`
`Code and that such willful false statements may jeopardize the validity of this application or any
`
`patent issuing thereon.
`
`8.
`
`Further Declarant saith not.
`
`James E. Nulty
`
`
`Date
`
`ADF
`
`
`
`Page 4
`
`INVENTION DISCLOSURE FORH
`
`‘
`
`Disclosure No.
`
`I.
`
`
`
`'lNVENTOR(S)
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`3.
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`CONCEPTION OF INVENTION
`
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`
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`
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`
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`
`b. Date of first written description
`
`
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`
`c. Date of first orai disciosure to others
`
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`
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`a.) Date Compieted
`CONSTRUCTION OF DEVICE
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`
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`
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`
`
`Read, and Understood
`
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`
`
`Page5
`
`INVENTION DISCLOSURE FORM
`
`7.
`
`USE
`
`a.
`
`Is invention presently being used? Yes
`
`X
`
`No
`
`.
`
`b. Are there specific plans for its use in near future?
`
`
`é“):
`
`_
`
`8.
`
`RELATED PRINTED PUBLICATIONS. PATENTS, PATENT APPLICATIONS.
`
`
`
`9. was INVENTION
`
`Conceived
`(Yes
`"(No
`Constructed
`(Yes
`(No
`Tested
`(Yes
`(No }g
`a. Contract Number
`(Give Full Contract Number)
`
`
`50
`
`During performance of
`Government contract?
`
`This description of invention should be written in the 1nventor's own words and generally
`should follow the outline given below. Sketches, prints, photos, and other illustrations.
`as well as reports of any nature in which the invention is referred to. if available, should
`form a part of this disclosure and reference can be made thereto in the description of
`contruction and operation.
`
`FOR ANSHERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, USE THE ATTACHED SHEET(S).
`
`1. General purpose of invention. State in general terms the objects of the invention.
`
`2. Describe old method(s), if any,of performing the function of the invention.
`
`3.
`
`\>
`7
`K
`Indicate the disadvantages of the old method(a). V¢VuT ?f°hl4“~(S7 '5 7”“ ‘WVc¢+'L"
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`Describe the construction of your invention, showing the changes, additions and
`improvements over the old method.
`
`5. Give details of the operation if not already described under 4.
`
`State the advantages of your invention over what has been done before.
`
`7.
`
`I
`
`
`__w____
`‘-‘-~ .
`Date
`_
`Dace _§__________.
`
`-
`
`um i______
`
`/
`
`Indicate any alternate method of construction.
`Q:¥i¢v<a_- 7? E71»X§A7/
`/
`Inventg;
`//‘vi
`
`witness
`
`
`
`
`
`
`..
`
`(Each page upon which information is entered should be signed and witnessed.)
`
`
`
`
`
`Page6
`
`INVENTION nlscuasunr: roan
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`FOR ANSWERS TO THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS, USE REHAINDER OF SHEET AND THE ATTACHED SHEET(S).
`
`
`9. Features which are believed to be new.
`
`11. After the disclosure -is prepared, it should be signed by the 1nventor(s) and then
`read and signed by two witnesses in the space provided at the bottom of each sheet.
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`\//
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`
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`
`Witness. Read, and nderstood
`
`D3C9 _____________._
`
`S
`
`(Each page upon which information is entered should be signed and witnessed.)
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