Appeal No. 2004-0681
Application No. 09/899,743
Office action mailed February 6, 2003). These are all of the
claims remaining in the application.
The subject matter on appeal relates to an integrated
circuit dielectric method which comprises forming an opening in a
porous dielectric layer which has hydrophobic pore surfaces,
using a hydrogen-containing plasma to convert pore surfaces
exposed in the opening from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, and
forming a conductive liner layer on the surfaces which have been
converted to hydrophilic. This appealed subject matter is
adequately illustrated by independent claim 6 which reads as
follows:
6. An integrated circuit dielectric method, comprising:
(a) forming an opening in a porous dielectric layer, said
porous dielectric with hydrophobic pore surfaces;
(b) using a hydrogen-containing plasma to convert pore
surfaces exposed in said opening from hydrophobic to hydrophilic;
(c) after step (b) forming a conductive liner layer on said
surfaces converted to hydrophilic.
The reference set forth below has been relied upon by the
examiner in the section 102 rejection before us:
Dixit et al. (Dixit) 5,849,367 Dec. 15, 1998
(filed Dec. 11, 1996)
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