Appeal No. 2005-0155
Application No. 09/760,884
The examiner finds (Answer, page 4) that Chen
discloses a method for fabricating electronic structures
wherein a barrier layer 10 is formed on the bottom and side
walls trenches 5 or vias of an insulating layer 8 (fig. 2A;
page 12 to page 13). The electronic structure may include
a semiconductor (substrate) covered with the insulating
material (page 2). Copper is electroplated directly onto
the barrier layer 10 (page 12, line 5). In an example
depicting the enhancement of a thin seed layer, Figures 2B
and 2C illustrate copper 18 being electroplated directly on
the barrier layer 10 on the bottom and side walls in
discontinuities present within a thin seed layer 15 (see
fig. 2B and 2C). The electroplating bath is comprised of
copper sulfate, as a source of cupric ions, and a
completing agent and may also contain other additives
(page 16). The bath is maintained at a pH of at least
9.0 and can have a pH of 5-13 (page 17). The current
density used for electroplating “can be 1 to 5
milliamps/cm2", which contains the endpoint of the
claimed range (page 18).
The examiner acknowledges that Chen is silent as to how the
trenches or vias are formed on its insulating material coated
substrate and that Chen does not mention an electroplating bath
containing cyanide ions and a stabilizing agent. See the Answer,
page 5.
To remedy the above deficiencies, the examiner relies on the
disclosures of Landau and Ting. See the Answer, pages 6-7. The
examiner correctly finds that Landau teaches advantages of
employing lithographic techniques for making trenches or vias on
an insulating layer of the substrate of the type described in
Chen in a similar method. See the Answer, page 6. The examiner
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