Appeal No. 97-3530
Application No. 08/418,122
after the temperature raising step, continuing to deposit
an aluminum layer on the integrated circuit to a first
thickness, at a temperature between approximately 400°C and
approximately 500°C; and
during said first thickness depositing step, controlling
the rate at which aluminum is deposited to allow deposited
aluminum to migrate into the opening so as to provide a
substantially complete fill thereof.
The examiner relies on the following references:
Armstrong et al. (Armstrong) 4,994,162 Feb. 19,
1991
Wolf et al. (Wolf), “Aluminum Thin Films and Physical Vapor
Deposition in VLSI,” Silicon Processing for the VLSI Era,
Volume 1, California (1986) pp. 332-334 and 367-374.
In addition, the examiner relies on admitted prior art
[APA].
Claims 15 through 25, 27 through 39, 41 through 53, 55
and 56 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as unpatentable over
the combination of Armstrong, APA and Wolf.
All of the claims also stand rejected under the doctrine
of obviousness-type double patenting over claims 11 through 19
of U.S. Patent No. 5,108,951.
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