Appeal No. 2002-1992
Application 09/206,170
open dielectric field on a surface of the wafer by a damascene
technique in a silicon oxide layer, wherein the open dielectric
field comprises silicon oxide (claim 26), and immersing
(claim 27) the wafer in a solution containing at least about
90 wt% acetic acid and up to about 10 wt% ammonium fluoride
(claim 28) to remove silicon oxide from the open dielectric field
and from between the lines of the dense array. Because these
method steps are essentially the same as those recited in the
appellants’ claim 11, it reasonably appears that the method in
claim 28 of Schonauer ‘727, line that claimed in the appellants’
claim 11, prevents or substantially reduces formation and/or
growth of Cu or Cu alloy dendrites from the lines into the open
dielectric field.
Claim 12: Claim 9 of Schonauer ‘727, which includes the
subject matter of claims 1-3, recites forming trenches in the
silicon oxide layer, depositing a barrier layer lining the
trenches and on the silicon oxide layer, depositing a Cu or
Cu alloy layer on the barrier layer filling the trenches,
chemical mechanical polishing the Cu or Cu alloy stopping
substantially at the barrier layer, chemical mechanical polishing
to substantially remove the barrier layer, immersing the wafer in
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