UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`_______________
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`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
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`_______________
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`GlobalFoundries U.S. Inc.
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`Petitioner
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`v.
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`Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1
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`Patent Owner
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`Patent No. 6,197,696
`Filing Date: March 23, 1999
`Issue Date: March 6, 2001
`
`Title: METHOD FOR FORMING INTERCONNECTION STRUCTURE
`_______________
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`Inter Partes Review No. To be assigned
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`_____________________________________________________________________
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`PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`UNDER 35 U.S.C. §§ 311-319 AND 37 C.F.R. § 42.100 ET SEQ.
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`TABLE OF CONTENTS
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`Page
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`I.
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`II.
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` The ’696 Patent ..................................................................................................................6 III.
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`Preliminary Statement .......................................................................................................1
`Technological Background ................................................................................................1
`A.
`Integrated Circuits and Interconnections .................................................................1
`B.
`Semiconductor Etching and Photolithography ........................................................4
`
`A.
`Description of the Challenged Claims .....................................................................6
`B.
`Examination of the ’696 Patent..............................................................................15
`C.
`The Challenged Claims Are Not Entitled to the Benefit of Foreign Priority ........15
`1.
`The first, second, and fourth embodiments of the ’371 application
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`do not disclose step h) of claim 10 ............................................................ 17
`The third, variant of the third, and fourth embodiments do not
`disclose step i) of claim 10 ........................................................................ 18
`The third, variant of the third, and fourth embodiments do not
`disclose step j) of claim 10 ........................................................................ 19
`No embodiments of the ’371 application disclose step l) of claim
`10............................................................................................................... 21
`Statement of Precise Relief Requested for Each Claim Challenged ...........................22
`A.
`Claims for Which Review is Requested ................................................................22
`B.
`Statutory Grounds of Challenge .............................................................................22
`C.
`Level of Ordinary Skill ..........................................................................................22
`D.
`Claim Construction ................................................................................................23
`Claims 10 and 12 of the ’696 Patent Are Unpatentable Over the Prior Art ..............23
`A.
`Disclosures of the Prior Art ...................................................................................23
`Grill (U.S. Patent No. 6,140,226) ............................................................. 23
`1.
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`Aoyama (U.S. Patent No. 5,592,024) ........................................................ 28
`2.
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`Wetzel (U.S. Patent No. 5,920,790) .......................................................... 29
`3.
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`The Grill-Wetzel Combination Renders Claim 10 Obvious ..................................30
`1.
`A POSITA would have found it obvious to combine teachings of
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`Grill and Wetzel ........................................................................................ 31
`The combination of Grill and Wetzel renders claim 10 obvious .............. 31
`2.
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`The Combination of Grill, Aoyama, and Wetzel Renders Claims 10 and 12
`Obvious ..................................................................................................................45
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`IV.
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`V.
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`2.
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`3.
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`4.
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`B.
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`C.
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`i
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`1.
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`2.
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`3.
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`VI.
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`A POSITA would have found it obvious to combine teachings of
`Grill, Aoyama, and Wetzel ........................................................................ 45
`Claim 10 is obvious in view of the Grill-Aoyama-Wetzel
`combination............................................................................................... 49
`Claim 12 is obvious in view of the Grill-Aoyama-Wetzel
`combination............................................................................................... 62
` Mandatory Notices Under 37 C.F.R. §42.8 ....................................................................65
`A.
`Real Parties-In-Interest ..........................................................................................65
`B.
`Related Matters ......................................................................................................65
`C.
`Lead and Back-Up Counsel ...................................................................................67
`D.
`Service Information ...............................................................................................68
` Certification Under 37 C.F.R. §42.24(d) ........................................................................68 VII.
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` Payment of Fees................................................................................................................68
`VIII.
`Time for Filing Petition ...................................................................................................68
`IX.
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`Grounds for Standing ......................................................................................................68
`X.
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`XI.
` Conclusion ........................................................................................................................68
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`ii
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`Table of Authorities
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`Cases
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`Ariosa Diagnostics, Inc. v. Illumina, Inc., IPR2014-01093, Paper 69 (Jan. 7, 2016)....................23
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`Core Survival, Inc. v. S&S Precision, LLC, PGR2015-00022, Paper 8 (Feb. 19,
`2016) ........................................................................................................................................15
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`Dynamic Drinkware, LLC v. Nat’l Graphics, Inc., 800 F.3d 1375 (Fed. Cir. 2015) .....................23
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`Fiers v. Revel, 984 F.2d 1164 (Fed. Cir. 1993) .............................................................................15
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`In re Ziegler, 992 F.2d 1197 (Fed. Cir. 1993) ...............................................................................16
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`KSR Int’l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007).......................................................................47
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`Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005) (en banc) ...............................................22
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`Federal Statutes and Regulations
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`35 U.S.C. ........................................................................................................................................22
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`35 U.S.C. § 103 ........................................................................................................................22, 65
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`35 U.S.C. §§ 311–319 ......................................................................................................................1
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`35 U.S.C. § 311(c) .........................................................................................................................67
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`IPR2016-01376, IPR2016-01377 ............................................................................................64, 65
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`Legislative Materials
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`Other Authorities
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.8 .......................................................................................................................64, 66
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.24 ...........................................................................................................................66
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.24(d) ......................................................................................................................66
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.100(b) ....................................................................................................................23
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.100 et seq. ................................................................................................................1
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.101(b) ....................................................................................................................67
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.102(a).....................................................................................................................67
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`iii
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`37 C.F.R. §§ 42.103(a) and 42.15(a) .............................................................................................66
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.104(a).....................................................................................................................67
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`37 C.F.R. § 42.108 .........................................................................................................................15
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`Additionally, Grill..........................................................................................................................34
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`Although Grill ................................................................................................................................24
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`Attn: Gerald J. Ferguson, Jr. SIXBEY, FRIEDMAN, LEEDOM & FERGUSON ......................................1
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`Because Grill .................................................................................................................................30
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`C. Akrout et al., “A 480-MHz Microprocessor in a 0.12µm Leff CMOS
`Technology with Copper Interconnects,” ..................................................................................6
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`Grill’s Figures 5E and 5F ..............................................................................................................38
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`Grill’s Figures 5G and 5H .............................................................................................................40
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`Grill’s Figures 5H and 1J ...............................................................................................................42
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`J.N. Burghartz et al., “Monolithic Spiral Inductors Fabricated Using a VLSI Cu-
`Damascene Interconnect Technology and Low-Loss Substrates,” ............................................6
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`Petition, Grill .................................................................................................................................65
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`U.S. Patent No. 3,617,824............................................................................................................6, 1
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`U.S. Patent No. 3,838,442................................................................................................................6
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,592,024..........................................................................................................6, 27
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,635,423................................................................................................................6
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,741,626................................................................................................................6
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,920,790..........................................................................................................6, 29
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,100,184................................................................................................................6
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,103,616................................................................................................................6
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,140,226..........................................................................................................6, 23
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,197,696...................................................................................................... passim
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`Wetzel’s Figure 3 ......................................................................................................................29, 31
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`LIST OF EXHIBITS
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`Petition Exhibit 1001:
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,197,696 to Aoi et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1002:
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`Expert Declaration of Dr. Bruce W. Smith, Ph.D.
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`Petition Exhibit 1003:
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`U.S. Patent No. 3,617,824 to Shinoda et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1004:
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`U.S. Patent No. 3,838,442 to Humphreys.
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`Petition Exhibit 1005:
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,140,226 to Grill et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1006:
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,635,423 to Huang et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1007:
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,741,626 to Jain et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1008:
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`Petition Exhibit 1009:
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`C. Akrout et al., “A 480-MHz Microprocessor in a 0.12µm Leff
`CMOS Technology with Copper Interconnects,” IEEE J. of
`Solid-State Circuits, Vol. 33, no. 11 (November 1998).
`
`J.N. Burghartz et al., “Monolithic Spiral Inductors Fabricated Using
`a VLSI Cu-Damascene Interconnect Technology and Low-Loss
`Substrates,” International Electron Devices Meeting (December
`1996).
`
`Petition Exhibit 1010:
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,100,184 to Zhao et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1011:
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,103,616 to Yu et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1012:
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`File History of U.S. Patent No. 6,197,696 to Aoi et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1013:
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`Japanese Patent Application No. 10-079371 to Aoi.
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`Petition Exhibit 1014:
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`Certified Translation of Japanese Patent Application No. 10-
`079371 to Aoi.
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`Petition Exhibit 1015:
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`Japanese Patent Application No. 11-075519 to Aoi.
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`Petition Exhibit 1016:
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`Certified Translation of Japanese Patent Application No. 11-
`075519 to Aoi.
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`Petition Exhibit 1017:
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`U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/071,628.
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`Petition Exhibit 1018:
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,592,024 to Aoyama et al.
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`Petition Exhibit 1019:
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`U.S. Patent No. 5,920,790 to Wetzel et al.
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`I.
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`Preliminary Statement
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`U.S. Patent No. 6,197,696 (Ex. 1001) is directed to methods for forming integrated
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`circuit “interconnects,” which link components in a microchip. In particular, the ’696 patent is
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`directed to common “dual damascene” processes for forming interconnects.
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`Supported by the Expert Declaration of Bruce Smith, Ph.D., (Ex. 1002), this Petition
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`establishes that challenged claims 10 and 12 are unpatentable. Rather than defining novel or
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`nonobvious subject matter, the challenged claims recite well-known processes for making well-
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`known structures. Petitioner respectfully requests inter partes review under 35 U.S.C. §§311–
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`319 and 37 C.F.R. §42.100 et seq., and cancellation of the challenged claims.
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`II.
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`Technological Background
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`A.
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`Integrated Circuits and Interconnections
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`Integrated circuits contain millions of discrete semiconductor devices electrically
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`connected by “interconnections,” or “interconnects,” to form circuits. U.S. Patent No. 3,617,824
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`to Shinoda et al. (Ex. 1003), which dates to 1965, provides an early example. (Ex. 1003, 4:30–
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`73, Figs. 6, 7 (below with color highlights).)
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`Interconnects typically have “via” portions extending between the planes of adjacent
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`layers to provide electrical connections between those layers. (Ex. 1002, ¶33.) Interconnects also
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`typically have “trench” patterns, which act as wires to define circuits by linking the vias
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`appropriately. These interconnect schemes were common years before the application for the
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`’696 patent was filed. (See, e.g., Ex. 1004, Abstract, 1:54–2:6, 8:19–54, Figs. 6, 6A (below with
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`color highlights), 7, 7A.)
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`Multiple levels of interconnects are typical. (Ex. 1002, ¶34.) Examples of this type of
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`wiring scheme, which was common years before the time the application for the ’696 patent was
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`filed, appear below. (Ex. 1008, 1–4, Fig. 2; Ex. 1009, 1–2, Fig. 2; Ex. 1002, ¶34.)
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`In a dual damascene process, such the ones as described by the ’696 patent, the via and
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`trench structures are formed during the same process. (See Ex. 1009, 1; Ex. 1002, ¶35.) The via
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`and trench patterns are etched into insulating material and then filled with metal and polished
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`flat. (Ex. 1002, ¶35.) Like other interconnect structures, dual damascene processes result in vias
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`that vertically link metallization levels and trenches that link the vias together horizontally to
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`form circuits. (Ex. 1005, 1:45–48, 3:33–36; Ex. 1006, Abstract, 2:61–3:2, 3:54–57; Ex. 1007,
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`2:15– 20.) Examples appear below with annotations. (Ex. 1005, Fig. 1L; Ex. 1006, Figs. 6(c), 9;
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`Ex. 1007, Fig. 5.)
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`B.
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`Semiconductor Etching and Photolithography
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`Two processing technologies that can create patterns in a semiconductor wafer are
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`photolithography and etching. In photolithography, a chemical called a photoresist uniformly
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`coats the surface of the semiconductor wafer. (Ex. 1002, ¶37.) Photoresist is sensitive to light
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`and changes its molecular structure when illuminated under certain conditions. (Id.) A
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`photomask, transparent in some regions and opaque in others, contains a pattern that can be
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`transferred to the photoresist on the surface of the wafer. (Id., ¶38.) After the photomask is
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`aligned, the photoresist is illuminated through the photomask. (Id.) The exposed photoresist is
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`altered by the light, and any photoresist not part of the pattern can be removed with a chemical
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`called a “developer.” (Id., ¶39.)
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`The processed wafer retains the patterned photoresist layer, which can be used to pattern
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`material underneath. (Id., ¶39.) Schematic representations of photolithography appear below.
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`(Id., ¶40.)
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`A patterned photoresist layer can serve as a mask during an “etch” process. In etching,
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`the surface of the processed wafer (semiconductor substrate and/or overlying layers) is exposed
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`to corrosive chemicals to remove certain portions of the wafer. (Id., 142.) After etching, the
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`photoresist may then be “stripped” (removed) from the wafer by another chemical treatment.
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`(Id., 143.) In some cases, the etching process itself may even remove the photoresist. A
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`representation of photolithography and etching appears below.
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`(Id.)
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`An etch that attacks all exposed materials is called a non-selective etch, whereas an etch
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`that attacks certain material compositions more than others is called a selective etch. (Id., 144.)
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`An etch that attacks a material in all directions is called isotropic, whereas an etch that attacks in
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`a preferred direction (often perpendicular to the surface of the wafer) is called anisotropic.
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`(Id., 145.) An etch that uses a liquid etching agent is called a “wet” etch, whereas an etch that
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`does not use a liquid etching agent (typically using ionized gas, called a “plasma”) is called a
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`“dry” etch. (Id., ¶46.) Dual damascene processes typically use selective, anisotropic, dry
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`etching. (Id., ¶47; see also, e.g., Ex. 1006, 2:61–63; Ex. 1010, 2:44–48; Ex. 1011, 4:9–12.)
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` The ’696 Patent
`III.
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`A.
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`Description of the Challenged Claims
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`This Petition challenges the patentability of claims 10 and 12 of the ’696 patent.
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`Independent claim 10 recites “[a] method for forming an interconnection structure,” and claim 12
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`depends from claim 10. (Ex. 1001, 34:1–57.) As explained further below, claim 10 reads on the
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`sixth embodiment, including the modified sixth embodiment,1 of the ’696 patent. (Ex. 1002,
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`¶¶48–127; see also Ex. 1001, 27:63–29:60, Figs. 30(a)–35(c).) Claim 10 is described below with
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`reference to the sixth embodiment. Dr. Smith’s declaration also describes the challenged claims
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`and the embodiments of the ’696 patent. (See Ex. 1002, ¶¶48– 133.)
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`1.
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`step a) of Claim 10
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`Step a) of claim 10 recites “forming a first insulating film [602] over lower-level metal
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`1 The modified sixth embodiment differs in that the width of the contact hole in the
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`second resist pattern is larger than the width of the wiring grooves. (See Ex. 1001, 30:51–56,
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`34(b).)
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`interconnects [601].”
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`In the sixth embodiment the claimed first insulating film is “silicon nitride film
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`602[/652]” located over lower-level interconnects 601 [or 651]. (Ex. 1001, 28:1–9, 30:1–11,
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`Figs. 30(a), 33(a).) An example of step a) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in
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`the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 28:1–36, Fig. 30(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶50–55.)
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`2.
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`step b) of Claim 10
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`Step b) of claim 10 recites “forming a second insulating film [603], having a different
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`composition than that of the first insulating film, over the first insulating film [602].”
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`In the sixth embodiment the claimed second insulating film is “first organic film
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`603[/653],” an “insulating film” with a composition that differs from that of the first insulating
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`film (silicon nitride film 602 [or 652]). (Ex. 1001, 28:1–9, 30:1–9, Figs. 30(a), 33(a); Ex. 1002,
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`¶¶59–60.) An example of step b) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the
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`Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 28:1– 36, Fig. 30(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶56–61.)
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`3.
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`step c) of Claim 10
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`Step c) of claim 10 recites “forming a third insulating film [604], having a different
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`composition than that of the second insulating film, over the second insulating film [603].”
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`In the sixth embodiment the claimed third insulating film is “silicon dioxide film
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`604[/654],” having a composition that differs from that of the second insulating film (first
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`organic film 603 [or 653]). (Ex. 1001, 28: 6–11, 30:6–11, Figs. 30(a), 33(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶65–66.)
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`An example of step c) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the Figure below.
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`(Ex. 1001, 28:1–36, Fig. 30(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶62–67.)
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`4.
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`step d) of Claim 10
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`Step d) of claim 10 recites “forming a fourth insulating film [605], having a different
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`composition than that of the third insulating film, over the third insulating film [604].”
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`In the sixth embodiment the claimed fourth insulating film is “second organic film
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`605[/655],” which is an “insulating film” having a composition that differs from that of the third
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`insulating film (silicon dioxide film 604 [or 654]). (Ex. 1001, 28: 9–14, 30:9–14, Figs. 30(a),
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`33(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶71–72.) An example of step d) from the ’696 patent is shown with color
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`highlights in the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 28:1–36, Fig. 30(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶68–73.)
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`5.
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`step e) of Claim 10
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`Step e) of claim 10 recites “forming a thin film [606] over the fourth insulating film
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`[605].”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “a titanium nitride film 606[/656] (thin film) is deposited to be
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`50 nm thick.” (Ex. 1001, 28:14–16, 30:14–16, Figs. 30(a), 33(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶77–78.) An
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`example of step e) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex.
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`1001, 28:1–36, Fig. 30(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶74–79.)
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`6.
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`step f) of Claim 10
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`Step f) of claim 10 recites “forming a first resist pattern [607] on the thin film [606], the
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`first resist pattern having openings for forming wiring grooves.”
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`In the sixth embodiment “a first resist pattern 607[/657], having openings for forming
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`wiring grooves, is formed by lithography on the titanium nitride film 606[/656].” (Ex. 1001,
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`28:37–39, 30:37–39, Figs. 30(b), 33(b); Ex. 1002, 83–84.) An example of step f) from the ’696
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`patent is shown with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 28:37–43, Fig. 30(b);
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`Ex. 1002, ¶¶80–85.)
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`7.
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`step g) of Claim 10
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`Step g) of claim 10 recites “etching the thin film [606] using the first resist pattern [607]
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`as a mask, thereby forming a mask pattern [608] out of the thin film to have the openings for
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`forming wiring grooves.”
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`In the sixth embodiment “the titanium nitride film 606[/656] is dry-etched using the first
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`resist pattern 607[/657] as a mask, thereby forming a mask pattern 608[/658], having openings
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`for forming wiring grooves, out of the titanium nitride film 606[/656].” (Ex. 1001, 28:39–43,
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`30:39–43, Figs. 30(c), 33(c); Ex. 1002, ¶¶89–90.) An example of step g) from the ’696 patent is
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`shown with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 28:37–43, Fig. 30(c); Ex. 1002,
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`¶¶86-91.)
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`8.
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`step h) of Claim 10
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`Step h) of claim 10 recites “removing the first resist pattern [607] and then forming a
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`10
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`second resist pattern [609] on the fourth insulating film [605] and the mask pattern [608], the
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`second resist pattern having openings for forming contact holes.”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “the first resist pattern 607[/657] is removed.” (Ex. 1001,
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`28:44–46, 30:44–46, Figs. 31(a), 34(a).) “Then, as shown in FIG. 31(b)[/FIG. 34(b)], a second
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`resist pattern 609[/659], having openings for forming contact holes, is formed by lithography on
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`the mask pattern 608[/658].” (Id., 28:49–51, 30:49–57, Figs. 31(b), 34(b); Ex. 1002, ¶¶95–96.)
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`An example of step h) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the Figure below.
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`(Ex. 1001, 28:44–51, Figs. 31(a), 31(b); Ex. 1002, ¶¶92–97.)
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`9.
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`step i) of Claim 10
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`Step i) of claim 10 recites “dry-etching the fourth insulating film [605] using the second
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`resist pattern [609] and the mask pattern [608] as a mask, thereby patterning the fourth insulating
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`film [605] to have the openings for forming contact holes.”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “the second organic film 605[/655] is dry-etched using the
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`second resist pattern 609[/659] and the mask pattern 608[/658] as a mask, thereby forming a
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`patterned second organic film 605A[/655A] having openings for forming contact holes.” (Ex.
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`1001, 28:51–55, 30:58–62, Figs. 31(c), 34(c); Ex. 1002, ¶¶101–02.) An example of step i) from
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`the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 28:51–55, Fig.
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`31(c); Ex. 1002, ¶¶98– 103.)
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`11
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`10.
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`step j) of Claim 10
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`Step j) of claim 10 recites “dry-etching the third insulating film [604] using the patterned
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`fourth insulating film [605A] as a mask, thereby patterning the third insulating film [604A] to
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`have the openings for forming contact holes.”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “the silicon dioxide film 604[/654] is dry-etched using the
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`patterned second organic film 605A[/655A] as a mask, thereby forming a patterned silicon
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`dioxide film 604A[/654A] having openings for forming contact holes.” (Ex. 1001, 29:1–5, 31:7–
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`11, Figs. 32(a), 35(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶107–08.) An example of step j) from the ’696 patent is shown
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`with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 29:1–5, Fig. 32(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶104–09.)
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`11.
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`step k) of Claim 10
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`Step k) of claim 10 recites “dry-etching the patterned fourth insulating film [605A] and
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`the second insulating film [603] using the mask pattern [608] and the patterned third insulating
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`film [604A] as respective masks, thereby forming wiring grooves [610] in the patterned fourth
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`insulating film and patterning the second insulating film to have the openings for forming contact
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`12
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`holes [611].”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “the patterned second organic film 605A[/655A] and the first
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`organic film 603[/653] are dry-etched using the mask pattern 608[/658] and the patterned silicon
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`dioxide film 604A[/654A] as respective masks, thereby forming a patterned second organic film
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`605B[/655B] having wiring grooves 610[/660] and a patterned first organic film 603A[/653A]
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`having contact holes 611[/661].” (Ex. 1001, 29:6–12, 31:12–18, Figs. 32(b), 35(b); Ex. 1002,
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`¶¶113–14.) An example of step k) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the
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`Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 29:6–12, Fig. 32(b); Ex. 1002, ¶¶110– 15.)
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`12.
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`step l) of Claim 10
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`Step l) of claim 10 recites “dry-etching the patterned third insulating film [604A] and the
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`first insulating film [602] using the mask pattern [608] and the patterned second insulating film
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`[603A] as respective masks, thereby forming wiring grooves and contact holes in the patterned
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`third insulating film and the first insulating film, respectively.”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “patterned silicon dioxide film 604A[/654A] and the silicon
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`nitride film 602[/652] are dry-etched using the mask pattern 608[/658] and the patterned first
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`organic film 603A[/653A] as respective masks, thereby forming a patterned silicon dioxide film
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`604B[/654B] having wiring grooves (see FIG. 32(c)[/FIG. 35(c)]) and a patterned silicon nitride
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`film 602A[/652A] having the contact holes (see FIG. 32(c)[/FIG. 35(c)]), and exposing the first
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`metal interconnects 601[/651] within the contact holes 611[/661].” (Ex. 1001, 29:13–20, 31:19–
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`13
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`26, Figs. 32(c), 35(c); Ex. 1002, ¶¶119–20.) An example of step l) from the ’696 patent is shown
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`with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex. 1001, 29:13– 20, Fig. 32(c); Ex. 1002, ¶¶116–21.)
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`13.
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`step m) of Claim 10
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`Step m) of claim 10 recites “filling in the wiring grooves and the contact holes with a
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`metal film, thereby forming upper-level metal interconnects [612] and contacts [613] connecting
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`the lower- and upper-level metal interconnects together.”
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`In the sixth embodiment, “a metal film is deposited over the entire surface of the
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`substrate to completely fill in the contact holes 611[/661] and the wiring grooves 610[/660].”
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`(Ex. 1001, 29:24–26, 31:30–32, Figs. 32(c), 35(c).) “As a result, second metal interconnects
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`612[/662] and contacts 613[/663], connecting the first and second metal interconnects 601[/651]
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`and 612[/662] together, are formed.” (Ex. 1001, 29:35–38, 31:41–44; Ex. 1002, ¶¶125–26.) An
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`example of step m) from the ’696 patent is shown with color highlights in the Figure below. (Ex.
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`1001, 29:24–39, Fig. 32(c); Ex. 1002, ¶¶122–27.)
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`14
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`14.
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`Dependent Claim 12
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`Claim 12 depends from claim 10 and recites “wherein a size of the openings of the
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`second resist pattern for forming contact holes is larger than a designed size of the contact holes
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`in a direction vertical to a direction in which the upper-level metal interconnects extend.” (See
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`Ex. 1001, 25:42–46, 25:26–65, 26:12–60, Figs. 25(b), 27(b), 36, 37(a); Ex. 1002, ¶¶128–33.)
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`B.
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`Examination of the ’696 Patent
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`The application for the ’696 patent was filed on March 23, 1999, and claims foreign
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`priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 10-079371, filed March 26, 1998.
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`The original application for the ’696 patent included 15 claims. (Ex. 1012, 150–58.) The
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`Examiner issued a first-action Notice of Allowability, accompanied by a statement of reasons for
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`allowance, stating simply, “Prior art lacks the steps of forming an interconnection structure as
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`recited in the claims.” (Id., 352–53.) The ’696 patent issued on March 6, 2001, with all 15
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`original claims.
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`C.
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`The Challenged Claims Are Not Entitled to the Benefit of Foreign Priority
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`The ’696 patent claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 10-079371 (Ex. 1013;
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`Ex. 1014) (“the ’371 application”), filed on March 26, 1998, but the challenged claims are not
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`entitled to such priority. Patent Owner bears the burden of proving entitlement to the benefit of
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`foreign priority, Fiers v. Revel, 984 F.2d 1164, 1169 (Fed. Cir. 1993); Core Survival, Inc. v. S&S
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`Precision, LLC, PGR2015-00022, Paper 8, at 7–10 (Feb. 19, 2016), but Patent Owner cannot
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`meet its burden here. Moreover, “genuine issue[s] of material fact . . . will be viewed in the light
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`most favorable to the petitioner.” 37 C.F.R. §42.108.
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`The challenged claims are directed to the fifth, modified fifth, sixth, and modified sixth
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`embodiments of the ’696 patent (the “new embodiments”). (Ex. 1002, ¶¶28–133.) The ’371
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`15
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`application, however, describes only the first through fourth embodiments of the ’696 patent.
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`(Compare Ex. 1014, ¶¶0028–0062, Figs. 1(a)–8(c), with Ex. 1001, 10:22–14:56, Figs. 1(a)–8(c);
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`compare Ex. 1014 ¶¶0063– 0074, Figs. 9(a)–11(c), with Ex. 1001, 14:58–16:38, Figs. 9(a)-11(c);
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`compare Ex. 1014 ¶¶0075–0088, Figs. 12(a)–14(c), with Ex. 1001, 16:39–18:53, Figs.
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`12(a)-14(c); compare Ex. 1014 ¶¶0089–0102, Figs. 15(a)–17(c), with Ex. 1001, 18:59– 20:49,
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`Figs. 15(a)–17(c); compare Ex. 1014, ¶¶0103–0115, Figs. 18(a)–20(c), with Ex. 1001,
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`20:51-22:44, Figs. 18(a)–20(c).)
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`The ’371 application does not disclose the new embodiments, to which the challenged
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`claims are directed. (Compare generally Ex. 1014, with Ex. 1001, 22:46–32:9, Figs. 21(a)–37(b);
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`see also Ex. 1002, ¶¶135–36.) It also does not include Figures 21(a)–37(b) or claims 10–15,
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`which relate to the new embodiments of the ’696 patent. (Se