Appeal No. 2005-2014 Παγε 6
Application No. 09/792,737
art from using that component along with its disadvantageous property. In the present
case, a person of ordinary skill could use a barrier layer comprising Ta if he was willing
to accept the oxide forming on the Ta. As to the thickness of the layer and the method
of its application, the Examiner did not cite this reference for teaching these aspects of
the claimed invention. The Examiner relies on Nogami for teaching the use of
electroplating for applying copper to a via comprising a barrier layer to form an
interconnect structure. Appellants have not challenged this position by the Examiner in
their Brief.
Appellants’ arguments regarding the Hong reference, Brief page 4, have been
considered. However, the Examiner did not cite the reference for teaching the argued
limitations. As stated above, the Examiner cited Hong for teaching the recognized
property of the thickness of barrier layers.
Appellants argue that “Lim's TaN layer is not described as a barrier layer, as
required for Simon or Hong and as claimed, but is described at col. 3, line 15, as an
adhesion layer 50 to an overlying metal layer 60 of either a noble metal of Pt, Ru, or Ir
or a conductive perovskite oxide (col. 4, ll. 41-43). These conductive materials listed by
Lim present substantially different problems than the copper of Simon or the copper
overlay of the claims.” (Brief, p. 4).
These arguments are not persuasive. The Examiner cited Lim for disclosing
known techniques for applying a TaN layer. Thus, the various methods of applying a
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