Appeal No. 2001-1697 Page 2
Application No. 09/059,718
An understanding of the invention can be derived from a reading
of exemplary claim 41, which is reproduced below.
41. A process for forming a dielectric film containing
silicon dioxide and silicon nitride on an exposed surface of
a layer containing silicon, said process comprising the
steps of:
providing a chamber;
determining the desired thickness of a layer of said
dielectric film containing silicon dioxide and silicon
nitride on said exposed surface of said layer containing
silicon;
heating said exposed surface of said layer containing
silicon to a temperature in the range of at least 600°C and
to 1100°C;
providing a gaseous mixture including nitrous oxide
exhibiting a partial pressure, ozone exhibiting a partial
pressure, at least one compound containing a halogen
selected from the group consisting of Cl2, Br2, HC1 and HBr,
and steam, the partial pressure of the ozone being at least
one tenth the partial pressure of the nitros oxide in the
gaeous mixture, the gaseous mixture being substantially free
of fluorine-containing gases; and
subjecting said exposed surface of a layer containing
silicon to the gaseous mixture including at least nitrous
oxide, ozone, at least one compound containing a halogen
selected from the group consisting of Cl2, Br2, HC1 and HBr,
and steam for a period sufficient to form the dielectric
film to the desired thickness.
The prior art references of record relied upon by the
examiner in rejecting the appealed claims are:
Fujishiro et al. (Fujishiro) 5,294,571 Mar. 15, 1994
Yamasaki et al. (Yamasaki)1 8-78693 Mar. 22, 1996
1 The examiner refers to this reference as JP ‘693 and lists
the first named inventor’s surname as “Yamazaki,” which spelling
corresponds to the spelling of the first named inventor’s surname
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