Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-03-21)

CLAIMS:
IN THE CLAIMS

1\. (Currently Amended) A method of performing a selective oxidation process on non-metal surfaces, comprising:forming a first mixture of a carrier gas and a liquid in a mixer having a mixing block coupled to one or more control valves that are fluidly coupled with a mixing line disposed in the mixing block , wherein the mixing block includes a first inlet for a first liquid line that provides the liquid into the mixing line, a second inlet for a first carrier gas line that provides the carrier gas into the mixing line, and an outlet for the first mixture that extends from the mixing line to an outer sidewall of the mixing block;
flowing the first mixture from the mixer to a vaporizer to vaporize the first mixture outside of an RTP chamber; and
delivering the vaporized first mixture to the RTP chamber via a gas delivery line to expose a substrate disposed in the RTP chamber with the vaporized first mixture to perform the \[\[a\]\] selective oxidation process on the substrate at a temperature of about 500 to about 1100 degrees Celsius.

2\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier gas is one or more of hydrogen, nitrogen, argon, or deuterium.

3\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the gas delivery line to about 60 to about 120 degrees Celsius.

4\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the selective oxidation process is performed in the RTP chamber at a pressure of about 100 to about 550 torr.

5\. (Currently Amended) The method of claim 1, further comprising:mixing a second carrier gas with a second liquid in a second mixer to form a second mixture, wherein the second mixture is different than the first mixture;
flowing the second mixture to a second vaporizer to vaporize the second mixture outside of the RTP chamber; and

delivering the vaporized second mixture to the RTP chamber via a second gas delivery line to perform the selective oxidation process on the substrate.

6\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the selective oxidation process selectively oxidizes silicon or densifies aluminum oxide.

7\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the first mixture is continuously heated from the mixer to the RTP chamber.

8\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid may be provided at about 1 to about 5 gallons per minute.

9\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the carrier gas may be provided at about 10 to about 30 liters per minute.

10\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer is coupled to the mixer and configured to receive the first mixture in a hollow internal volume.

11\. (Original) The method of claim 1, further comprising a first mass flow controller disposed along a first liquid line extending between a water supply and the mixer.

12\. (Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the liquid is water, and wherein the vaporized first mixture comprises steam and the vaporized carrier gas.

13\. (New) The method of claim 1, wherein the gas delivery line extends to a first sidewall of the RTP chamber, and wherein the RTP chamber includes a second sidewall orthogonal to the first sidewall and having an exhaust port and a third sidewall opposite the second sidewall and having a slit valve for transferring the substrate.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA  or AIA  Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-13 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The present Claims are allowed in view of Applicants’ amendments and arguments. The closest prior art known to the Examiner is listed on the PTO 892 and IDS forms of record.
With respect to Claims 1-13, the cited prior art does not anticipate or make obvious inter alia “ forming a first mixture of a carrier gas and a liquid in a mixer having a mixing block coupled to one or more control valves that are fluidly coupled with a mixing line disposed in the mixing block, wherein the mixing block includes a first inlet for a first gas line that provides the liquid into the mixing line, a second inlet for a first carrier gas line that provides the carrier gas into the mixing line, and an outlet for the first mixture that extends from a mixing line to an outer sidewall of the mixing block”.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
The present response is intended to be fully responsive to the rejections raised in the Office Action and is believed to place the application in condition for allowance. Further, the Applicant does not acquiesce to any portion of the Office Action not particularly addressed. Favorable reconsideration and allowance of the application is respectfully requested.
In the Office Action, the Examiner noted that claims 1-12 are pending, and 1-12 are rejected.
In view of the above amendments and the following discussion, the Applicant submits that the claims now pending in the application are now in condition for allowance.
OBJECTIONS
Objection to Claims 1-12
The Examiner objected to claims 1-12 because of informalities directed to an antecedent basis issue. Claim 1 is being amended to correct the antecedent basis issue identified by the Examiner. As such, the Applicant respectfully requests that the present objection be withdrawn.
REJECTIONS
Response to §103 Rejection of Claims 1-12
The Examiner rejected claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. §103, as being unpatentable over STEC (JP 2003/163168 A) in view of Weimer et al. (US 2002/045358). The Applicant respectfully traverses this rejection.
Independent claim 1 recites limitations not taught, suggested, or otherwise yielded by any permissible combination of the cited art. However, to expedite prosecution, claim 1 is being amended to recite a mixer having a mixing block coupled to one or more control valves that are fluidly coupled with a mixing line disposed in the mixing block..., and an outlet for the first mixture that extends from the mixing line to an outer sidewall of the mixing block. The combination of the cited art fails to teach or suggest these features. For example, the Examiner points to GL conduit line 3 of STEC as the claimed mixing line and main body block 4 of STEC as the claimed mixing block. However, the GL conduit
line 3 is not disposed in the mixing block (see STEC at Figure 3). Further, STEC fails to teach or suggest an outlet that extends from the GL conduit line 3 to an outer sidewall of the main body block 4 (see Id.). Weimer fails to cure these deficiencies of STEC. Therefore, a prima facie case of obviousness has not been established as the combination of the cited references would fail to yield the limitations recited in the claims.
Further, to expedite prosecution, claim 5 is being amended to recite wherein the second mixture is different than the first mixture. For claim 5, the Examiner, citing In re Harza, states that duplication of parts is prima facie obvious in the absence of unobvious results. However, Harza is inapplicable here, since the second mixture is different than the first mixture and serves a different purpose than the first mixture, thus providing a unique advantage. As such, the combination of the cited art fails to teach or suggest mixing a second carrier gas with a second liquid in a second mixer to form a second mixture, wherein the second mixture is different than the first mixture. Therefore, a prima facie case of obviousness further has not been established as the combination of the cited references would fail to yield the limitations recited in the claims.
Further, claim 7 recites wherein the first mixture is continuously heated from the mixer to the RTP chamber. The Examiner points to paragraph [0031] of STEC to allegedly teach these features. However, paragraph [0031] of STEC merely discloses "the vaporizer 2 has a preheating block 24b is provided, and the liquid material LM heading to the nozzle portion 26 via the conduit 3 is preheated... Since the vaporization block 26a is heated and kept at an appropriate temperature by the heater 27, the liquid material LM can be vaporized efficiently." As such, STEC merely teaches the liquid material LM is preheated and the vaporizer 2 is heated. STEC fails to teach or suggest that the GL mixture is continuously heated from the mixing section 1 of STEC to the chamber 50 of Weimer. In fact, STEC fails to even teach the GL mixture continuously heated from the mixing section 1 to the vaporizer 2 of STEC (see STEC at Figures 2-3 showing no heating elements associated with conduit 3). Thus, the combination of the cited art fails to teach or suggest wherein the first mixture is continuously heated from the mixer to the RTP chamber. Therefore, a prima facie case of obviousness further has not been established as the combination of the cited references would fail to yield the limitations recited in the claims.
Accordingly, the Applicant contends that claims 1-12 fully satisfy the requirements of 35 U.S.C. §103 and are patentable thereunder. The Applicant respectfully requests that the present rejection of such claims be withdrawn.
NEW CLAIM
The Applicant has added new claim 13 to the application. Claim 13 is supported by at least  [0036] and Figure 4 of the originally filed application and, therefore, adds no new matter.
Claim 13 depends from claim 1 and is patentable over the cited art for at least the reasons discussed above with respect to claim 1. In addition, claim 13 recites further limitations not taught, suggested, or otherwise yielded by any combination of the cited art. Specifically, claim 13 recites wherein the gas delivery line extends to a first sidewall of the RTP chamber, and wherein the RTP chamber includes a second sidewall orthogonal to the first sidewall and having an exhaust port and a third sidewall opposite the second sidewall and having a slit valve for transferring the substrate. The combination of the cited art fails to teach or suggest these features. For example, Weimer is silent as to an exhaust port and a slit valve.
Thus, the Applicant respectfully requests entry and allowance of the claim.
CONCLUSION


CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US20020172756A1: Claims:
A method of selectively oxidizing a composite film comprising: placing a substrate having a composite film comprising a lower silicon film, a barrier layer and an upper metal film on the barrier layer; flowing an inert gas into said chamber to create an inert ambient in said chamber; raising the temperature of said substrate from the first temperature to a second temperature in said inert ambient; and after raising said temperature of said substrate to said second temperature, exposing said substrate to an ambient which oxidizes said silicon film and not said metal film.
placing a substrate having a composite film comprising a lower silicon film, a barrier layer and an upper metal film on the barrier layer;
flowing an inert gas into said chamber to create an inert ambient in said chamber;
raising the temperature of said substrate from the first temperature to a second temperature in said inert ambient; and
after raising said temperature of said substrate to said second temperature, exposing said substrate to an ambient which oxidizes said silicon film and not said metal film.
The method of claim 1 wherein said oxidizing ambient comprises H 2 O.
The method of claim 2 wherein said H 2 O is formed by reacting and O 2 in said chamber.
The method of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is less than 100° C.
The method of claim 1 wherein said second temperature is greater than 800° C.
The method of claim 1 wherein said inert gas is nitrogen (N 2 ).
A method of selecting oxidizing a composite electrode comprising: placing a substrate into a reaction chamber, said substrate having an electrode comprising a lower polysilicon film, a tungsten nitride barrier layer on the polysilicon film, and a tungsten film on the tungsten nitride barrier layer; providing an inert gas into said chamber to create an inert ambient in said chamber; raising the temperature of said substrate from a first temperature to a second temperature in said inert ambient; and after raising said temperature of said substrate to said second temperature forming an ambient in said chamber which selectively oxidizes said composite electrode.
placing a substrate into a reaction chamber, said substrate having an electrode comprising a lower polysilicon film, a tungsten nitride barrier layer on the polysilicon film, and a tungsten film on the tungsten nitride barrier layer;
providing an inert gas into said chamber to create an inert ambient in said chamber;
raising the temperature of said substrate from a first temperature to a second temperature in said inert ambient; and
after raising said temperature of said substrate to said second temperature forming an ambient in said chamber which selectively oxidizes said composite electrode.
The method of claim 7 wherein said second temperature is greater than or equal 800° C.
The method of claim 8 wherein said second temperature is between 950° C. and 1100° C.
The method of claim 7 wherein said first temperature is less than 100° C.
The method of claim 10 wherein said first temperature is between room temperature and 100° C.
The method of claim 7 wherein said inert gas in nitrogen (N 2 ).
The method of claim 7 wherein said inert gas is argon (Ar).
The method of claim 7 wherein said inert gas is helium (He).
The method of claim 7 wherein said inert gas is Xeon (Xe).
The method of claim 7 wherein said selective oxidation occurs in a H 2 /H 2 O ambient.
The method of claim 16 wherein said H 2 /H 2 O ambient comprises less than or equal to 20% H 2 O during said oxidation.
The method of claim 16 wherein said H 2 /H 2 O ambient is formed by flowing between 2.5-10% molecular percent O 2 and between 97.5-90% H 2 into said chamber and reacting said H 2 and O 2 in said chamber to form said H 2 /H 2 O ambient.
The method of claim 16 wherein said H 2 /O 2 ambient is formed external to said chamber.
A method of selectively oxidizing an electrode comprising: placing a substrate into a reaction chamber, said substrate having an electrode comprising a lower polysilicon film, a tungsten nitride barrier layer on the polysilicon film, and a tungsten film on the tungsten nitride barrier layer; providing nitrogen gas (N 2 ) into said chamber while raising said substrate temperature from a first temperature of less than 100° C. to a second temperature greater than 800 ° C.; after raising said substrate to said second temperature, providing H 2 and O 2 into said chamber and reacting said H 2 and O 2 in said chamber to form an oxidizing ambient comprising H 2 and H 2 O wherein said oxidizing ambient consist of between 5-20% H 2 O and between 95-80% H 2 .
providing nitrogen gas (N 2 ) into said chamber while raising said substrate temperature from a first temperature of less than 100° C. to a second temperature greater than 800 ° C.;
after raising said substrate to said second temperature, providing H 2 and O 2 into said chamber and reacting said H 2 and O 2 in said chamber to form an oxidizing ambient comprising H 2 and H 2 O wherein said oxidizing ambient consist of between 5-20% H 2 O and between 95-80% H 2 .