Appeal 2007-1884
Application 10/329,205
heating the susceptor to about 450°C; and
supplying molecular fluorine gas to the chamber interior while sealing
the chamber interior to prevent any gas other than said molecular fluorine
gas from entering the chamber interior;
wherein the molecular fluorine gas is not excited to a plasma state.
The Examiner relies upon the following references as evidence of
obviousness:
Takenaka US 6,077,451 Jun. 20, 2000
J.A. Mucha et al., “Chemiluminescence and the Reaction of Molecular
Fluorine with Silicon,” 85 J. Phys. Chem. no. 23, 3529-32 (1981)
I.A. Badmaeva et al., “Reaction Velocity Constants of Ge and Si Interaction
with Atomic and Molecular Fluoride and Xenon Diflioride,” Poverhnost’,
Fizika, Khimiya, Mekanika no. 8, 92-97 (1989)
Masayuki Hiroi and Toru Tatsumi (hereafter “Hiroi”), “Temperature
Dependence of Etching with Molecular Fluorine on Si(111) Surface,”
33 Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. no. 4B, 2244-47 (1994)
Appellants’ claimed invention is directed to a process for selectively
etching silicon from a workpiece. The process entails holding the workpiece
on a susceptor and heating the susceptor to about 450°C within the interior
of a chamber, and supplying molecular fluorine gas to the chamber. The
molecular fluorine gas is not excited to a plasma state.
Appealed claims 8 and 10-12 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a)
as being unpatentable over Mucha, Badmaeva, and Hiroi in view of
Takenaka.
2
Page: Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next
Last modified: September 9, 2013