throbber

`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`_________________________
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`_________________________
`
`CIRRUS LOGIC, INC. and
`OMNIVISION TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
`Petitioners,
`
`v.
`
`GREENTHREAD, LLC,
`Patent Owner.
`_________________________
`
`Case IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent 9,190,502
`_________________________
`
`DECLARATION OF ALEXANDER D. GLEW
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 1 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 
`BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS ................................................. 3 
`SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT AND MATERIALS
`CONSIDERED ................................................................................................ 6 
`LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ............................................. 8 
`RELEVANT LEGAL PRINCIPLES .............................................................. 9 
`A.
`Claim Construction ............................................................................... 9 
`B.
`Anticipation ......................................................................................... 11 
`C.
`Obviousness ......................................................................................... 11
`THE CHALLENGED PATENT ................................................................... 13 
`A.
`Background Technology Regarding Dopants ..................................... 13 
`B.
`Overview of Challenged Patent ........................................................... 13 
`OVERVIEW OF ALLEGED PRIOR ART .................................................. 18 
`A.
`Payne (Ex. 1005) ................................................................................. 18 
`B.
`Onoda (Ex. 1042) ................................................................................ 21 
`CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 25 
`THE CITED REFERENCES DO NOT DISCLOSE OR
`SUGGEST ALL THE FEATURES OF THE
`CHALLENGED CLAIMS ............................................................................ 26 
`Dr. Banerjee’s Payne-based analysis is incorrect
`A.
`regarding the “aid the movement of minority
`carriers” limitations (Elements [7.5]/[7.6]). ........................................ 26 
`
`i
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 2 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`B.
`
`Dr. Banerjee’s Onoda-based analysis is incorrect
`regarding the “aid the movement of minority
`carriers” limitations (Elements [7.5]/[7.6]). ........................................ 30 
`CONCLUSION .............................................................................................. 32 
`
`ii
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 3 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`
`I, Alexander D. Glew, declare as follows:
`
`
`
`INTRODUCTION
` My name is Alexander D. Glew. I have been retained on behalf of
`
`Greenthread, LLC (“Greenthread”), and its counsel, McKool Smith, P.C., as an
`
`expert with regard to this matter. I understand Cirrus Logic, Inc. (“Cirrus”),
`
`OmniVision Technologies, Inc. (“OmniVision”), and ams Sensors USA, Inc.
`
`(“ams”) (collectively, “Petitioner”) filed a Petition (Paper No. 1) for inter partes
`
`review (IPR) of U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502 (“the ’502 patent” or “the Challenged
`
`Patent”) (Ex. 1001).
`
`
`
`I have been asked to consider, and provide my independent analysis and
`
`opinions regarding, whether the alleged prior art references cited in this proceeding
`
`disclose or suggest the features recited in claims 7-12 (“the Challenged Claims”) of
`
`the Challenged Patent, which I understand Petitioner has challenged in this IPR. In
`
`my view, the alleged prior art references do neither. My opinions and conclusions
`
`are fully discussed in later sections of this declaration. This declaration is based on
`
`the information currently available to me.
`
`
`
`I am an independent consultant, and I am not, and have never been, an
`
`employee of Greenthread or Petitioner. I am being compensated at my consulting
`
`rate of $700 per hour for my work related to this matter. I received no compensation
`
`1
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 4 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`for this declaration beyond my normal hourly compensation based on my time
`
`actually spent analyzing the Challenged Patent, the prosecution history of the
`
`Challenged Patent and related applications, the alleged prior art publications relied
`
`upon by Petitioner, the declaration of Petitioner’s expert Dr. Sanjay Banerjee, and
`
`other related materials (discussed below in Section III). My compensation is not
`
`dependent on the outcome of this IPR or the testimony or opinions that I give.
`
`
`
`I understand a copy of my curriculum vitae is submitted as Ex. 2061,
`
`and it sets forth my educational experience, employment history, and publications.
`
`
`
`
`
`2
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 5 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS
`
`I earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1985 and a M.S.
`
`degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1987 from the University of California,
`
`Berkeley.
`
`
`
`I earned a M.S. degree in Materials Science and Engineering in 1995
`
`and a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering in 2003 from Stanford University.
`
`
`
`I am the Founder and President of Glew Engineering Consulting, Inc.,
`
`based in Mountain View, California. I have been President of Glew Engineering
`
`Consulting, Inc. since I started the company in 1997. In my role as President, I have
`
`provided consulting services to clients in the field of semiconductor manufacturing
`
`and materials, as well as to clients in other fields. I have reviewed and analyzed
`
`semiconductor technologies and products. My consulting work has involved
`
`semiconductor process equipment, thin film deposition and characterization, process
`
`development, project turnaround/rescue, gas flow and vacuum metrology, design of
`
`experiments, corrosive gas applications, finite element analysis, and related market
`
`analysis.
`
`
`
`I have over 30 years of experience in semiconductor manufacturing and
`
`materials, including in semiconductor equipment and processing. I have
`
`implemented numerous manufacturing processes
`
`for
`
`the
`
`formation of
`
`semiconductors, including chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”), plasma enhanced
`
`3
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 6 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`chemical vapor deposition (“PECVD”), high density plasma chemical vapor
`
`deposition (“HDPCVD”), etch processing (including dry plasma and wet
`
`processing), reactive-ion etching (“RIE”), chemical-mechanical planarization
`
`(“CMP”), spin-on dielectrics (“SOD”), epitaxy (“EPI”), molecular beam epitaxy
`
`(“MBE”), rapid thermal processing (“RTP”), and others.
`
`
`
`In 1987, before receiving my Ph.D., I worked at Applied Materials, Inc.
`
`in Santa Clara, California. At Applied Materials, Inc., I served in a number of roles,
`
`including Engineering Manager, Core-Technologist Project Manager, CVD Supplier
`
`Quality Engineering Manager, Core Technologist, CVD Engineering Manager, and
`
`Systems Engineer. In these roles, I provided engineering services and supervised
`
`other employees on projects related to technologies used to manufacture
`
`semiconductors, including CVD, epitaxy, physical vapor deposition (“PVD”), rapid
`
`thermal processing (“RTP”), etch, and thermal. I oversaw gas, vacuum, and
`
`chemical component evaluation, testing, and supplier quality management. I
`
`successfully proposed and executed a project to develop industry methods to
`
`determine the effects of trace chemicals on semiconductor processing and equipment
`
`reliability. I worked on the development and release of the Precision 5000 CVD
`
`product, the first cluster tool for semiconductor manufacturing.
`
`
`
`I have used alpha particles to perform hydrogen forward scattering
`
`(HFS) and Rutherford Back Scattering (RBS) in materials analysis of thin films on
`
`4
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 7 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`silicon wafers. I am generally familiar with the effects of alpha particles fired at
`
`silicon wafers.
`
`
`
`I am a licensed professional mechanical engineer in the state of
`
`California.
`
`
`
`I have published articles and presented on topics related to
`
`semiconductor manufacturing. My curriculum vitae includes a list of selected
`
`publications.
`
`
`
`I am a co-inventor of five U.S. patents: (a) U.S. Patent No. 6,204,174,
`
`directed to a method and apparatus to control the deposition rate of material in a
`
`semiconductor fabrication process; (b) U.S. Patent No. 9,224,626 and 10,395,593,
`
`directed to a method of forming a heater assembly for use in semiconductor
`
`processing; and (c) U.S. Patent Nos. 6,679,476 and 7,118,090, both directed to
`
`control valves for use in ultra pure applications such as semiconductor processing.
`
`I have another patent application pending.
`
`
`
`I am a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
`
`(“ASME”), International Microelectronics and Packaging Society (“IMAPS”),
`
`Materials Research Society (“MRS”), Institute of Electrical and Electronics
`
`Engineers (“IEEE”), and Semiconductor Equipment and Materials International
`
`(“SEMI”).
`
`5
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 8 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`
`
`
`I am qualified to render an opinion regarding the design and
`
`development of semiconductor manufacturing devices and semiconductor materials
`
`based on my experience. Based on my expertise and qualifications, I am qualified to
`
`provide an opinion as to what a person of ordinary skill in the art would have
`
`understood, known, or concluded as of 2004.
`
` SCOPE OF ASSIGNMENT AND MATERIALS CONSIDERED
` The opinions contained in this declaration are based on the documents
`
`that I reviewed, my professional judgment, as well as my education, experience, and
`
`knowledge regarding technologies related to the Challenged Patent. In preparing this
`
`Declaration, I am relying on my own knowledge and expertise as well as the
`
`following documents:
`
` The Challenged Patent (Ex. 1001);
`
` Other patents that I understand are in the same family as the Challenged
`
`Patent, including:
`o U.S. Patent No. 8,421,195 to Dr. G.R. Mohan Rao (“the ’195
`
`patent) (Ex. 2062);
`o U.S. Patent No. 10,510,842 to Dr. G.R. Mohan Rao (“the ’842
`
`patent”) (Ex. 2063);
`o U.S. Patent No. 11,121,222 to Dr. G.R. Mohan Rao (“the ’222
`
`patent”) (Ex. 2064);
`
`6
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 9 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`o U.S. Patent No. 10,734,481 to Dr. G.R. Mohan Rao (“the ’481
`
`patent”) (Ex. 2065);
`o U.S. Patent No. 11,316,014 to Dr. G.R. Mohan Rao (“the ’014
`
`patent”) (Ex. 2066);
`
` Prosecution histories for the Challenged Patent and the other patents in
`
`the same family (listed above), which I understand constitute the
`
`exchange of correspondence between the Patent Office and the
`
`applicant (Ex. 1002; Exs. 2067-2071);
`
` Petitioner’s IPR petitions in Nos. IPR2024-00001 (regarding the ’481
`
`patent), IPR2024-00016 (regarding the ’842 patent), IPR2024-00017
`
`(regarding the ’195 patent), IPR2024-00018 (regarding the ’502
`
`patent), IPR2024-00019 (regarding the ’014 patent), and IPR2024-
`
`00020 and -00021 (regarding the ’222 patent);
`
` Declaration of Dr. Sanjay Banerjee (Ex. 1003), who I understand is
`
`Petitioner’s expert in this IPR and the other IPR proceedings listed
`
`above (his declaration is Ex. 1003 in each of those IPR proceedings);
`
` Petitioner’s exhibits 1001-1018, 1020-1023, 1025-1028, 1030, 1032-
`
`1033, 1036-1040, 1042-1043, and 1046-1054 in this IPR; and
`
` Any other references/documents cited within this Declaration.
`
`7
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 10 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART
` Based on my review of the Challenged Patent, the types of problems
`
`encountered in the art at and prior to the time of the alleged invention, prior solutions
`
`to those problems, the pace with which innovations were made during the relevant
`
`time period, the sophistication of the technology, and the educational level of active
`
`professionals in the field, I believe that a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA),
`
`at the time of the alleged invention, would have had at least a Bachelor’s of Science
`
`degree in electrical or computer engineering, materials science, chemical
`
`engineering, applied physics, or a related field, with emphasis on semiconductor
`
`manufacturing, or an equivalent degree, and at least four years of experience in
`
`semiconductor design and manufacturing. Additional education in a relevant field or
`
`industry experience may compensate for a deficit in one of the other aspects of the
`
`requirements stated above.
`
` All of my opinions in this declaration are from the perspective of a
`
`POSITA, as I have defined it above and during the relevant time frame (e.g., late
`
`2004, including the period up to September 3, 2004, which I understand is the earliest
`
`claimed priority date of the Challenged Patent). During this time frame, I possessed
`
`at least the qualifications of a POSITA, as defined above.
`
`
`
`
`
`8
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 11 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` RELEVANT LEGAL PRINCIPLES
` For the purposes of this Declaration, I have been informed about certain
`
`aspects of the law that are relevant to my analysis and opinions. I have applied these
`
`legal principles in rendering my opinions below.
`
`A. Claim Construction
`
`I understand that the ordinary and customary meaning of a claim term
`
`is the meaning that the term would have to a POSITA at the time of the effective
`
`filing date of the patent application that matured into the patent-at-issue. For the
`
`Challenged Patent, this is September 3, 2004. In the absence of an express intent on
`
`the part of the inventor to give a special meaning to the claim terms, the words are
`
`presumed to take on the ordinary and customary meanings attributed to them by a
`
`POSITA.
`
`
`
`I understand that it is the use of the words in the context of the written
`
`description, and as customarily used by those skilled in the relevant art, that
`
`accurately reflects both the ordinary and the customary meaning of the terms in the
`
`claims.
`
`
`
`I understand that the basis for a term’s ordinary and customary meaning
`
`may be derived from a variety of sources, including the words of the claims
`
`themselves, the remainder of the specification, the prosecution history, and extrinsic
`
`9
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 12 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`evidence concerning relevant scientific principles, the meaning of technical terms,
`
`and the state of the art at the time of the invention.
`
`
`
`I have been instructed that dictionary definitions or definitions from
`
`technical references can be used to inform or confirm the ordinary and customary
`
`meaning of words found in a claim, but that in construing claim terms, the general
`
`meanings gleaned from reference sources, such as dictionaries, must always be
`
`compared against the use of the terms in the context of the claim itself, and the
`
`intrinsic record must always be consulted to identify which of the different possible
`
`dictionary meanings is most consistent with the use of the words by the inventor.
`
`
`
`I understand that a patent applicant is entitled to be his or her own
`
`lexicographer (in other words, provide his or her own meaning to a word or phrase)
`
`and may rebut the presumption that claim terms are to be given their plain and
`
`ordinary meaning. To do so, the applicant must clearly set forth a definition of the
`
`term that is different from its ordinary and customary meaning.
`
` Where the applicant provides an explicit definition for a term, that
`
`definition will control interpretation of the term as it is used in the claim in which it
`
`appears. I understand that the specification can also be relied on for more than just
`
`explicit lexicography to determine the meaning of a claim term. For example, I
`
`understand that the meaning of a particular claim term may also be determined by
`
`10
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 13 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`implication, that is, according to the usage of the term in the context of the
`
`specification.
`
`B. Anticipation
`
`I understand that under U.S. Patent Law, 35 U.S.C. § 102, a claim is
`
`invalid as anticipated if a single prior art reference discloses each and every
`
`limitation of the claimed invention.
`
`
`
`I am informed that a reference is anticipatory if it contains the claim
`
`elements in the same order as claimed, regardless of whether the prior art and the
`
`claimed invention are directed to achieving the same purpose.
`
`
`
`I understand that a prior art reference may anticipate a claim without
`
`expressly disclosing a feature of the claimed invention if that missing feature is
`
`necessarily present, or inherent, in the single anticipating reference.
`
`
`
`I am informed that inherency requires more than a probability or
`
`possibility that a claimed feature is present in the prior art, but rather that the feature
`
`or characteristic is a necessary part of the prior art. I also am informed that
`
`recognition of the inherency by a POSITA— at the time— is not required.
`
`C. Obviousness
`
`I understand that under U.S. Patent Law, 35 U.S.C. § 103, a claim is
`
`invalid as obvious if the differences sought to be patented and the prior art are such
`
`11
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 14 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention
`
`was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter
`
`pertains.
`
`
`
`I am informed that an obviousness analysis requires an assessment of
`
`the scope and content of the prior art, the differences between the art and the claims
`
`at issue, and the level of ordinary skill in the art. I am told that it is against this
`
`backdrop that obviousness is assessed.
`
`
`
`I am informed that a person of ordinary skill in the art (POSITA) is a
`
`hypothetical person who is presumed to be aware of all the pertinent prior art. I am
`
`also informed that an obviousness analysis may take account of the inferences and
`
`creative steps that a POSITA would employ.
`
`
`
`
`
`12
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 15 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` THE CHALLENGED PATENT
`A. Background Technology Regarding Dopants
` Silicon is an example of a semiconductor. In its pure form, it is
`
`typically an insulator, but it can become an electrical conductor when impurities
`
`called “dopants” are added into the silicon crystal. These dopants are often
`
`phosphorous or boron atoms that have one more or one less valence electron than a
`
`silicon atom. If the dopant has one less valence electron, then it creates what is
`
`called a “hole” where there was an electron, which can be thought of as a positive
`
`unit of charge. The extra electrons or holes disturb the local charge equilibrium in
`
`the silicon and can become mobile in response to electric fields. Thus, the electrons
`
`and holes are called “charge carriers.” These dopants can also change the local net
`
`electrical charge distribution in the surrounding silicon, influencing the motion of
`
`other charge carriers passing by. When the dopant concentration is graded in a
`
`particular direction, other charge carriers will move in the gradient direction (or
`
`opposite direction) depending on the charge carrier’s polarity. This phenomenon is
`
`called “carrier drift.”
`
`B. Overview of Challenged Patent
` At the time of invention of the Challenged Patent, most semiconductor
`
`devices relied on spatially uniform concentrations of dopants. Ex. 1001 (Challenged
`
`Patent), Abstract, 1:40-55. Dr. Rao (the inventor named on the Challenged Patent)
`
`13
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 16 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`recognized, however, that graded concentrations of dopants can be used to improve
`
`certain aspects of the performance of transistors and other semiconductor devices.
`
`Id., Abstract, 3:7-14, 3:42-44. The claimed invention is clearly disclosed in, e.g.,
`
`Figs. 5B-5C of the Challenged Patent, and the corresponding parts of the
`
`specification.
`
` A surface-channel MOSFET is a common type of transistor capable of
`
`controlling current flow at or along the surface of the semiconductor substrate. Ex.
`
`2059 (Chen textbook), 27 (“carriers propagate at the semiconductor surface”).
`
`Figure 5B shows an NMOS1 transistor that is formed in a p-type surface layer. The
`
`transistor comprises (1) a gate; (2) a thin oxide separating the gate from the surface
`
`layer; and (3) two doped regions called the source and drain (shaded red). Ex. 1001,
`
`3:14-16 (“electrons can be swept from source to drain”), 3:50-52 (“accelerate
`
`majority carriers towards the drain”). In Fig. 5B, which is annotated below, the N+
`
`means these regions are heavily doped with an n-type dopant that creates a surplus
`
`
`1 MOS stands for “metal oxide semiconductor.”
`
`14
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 17 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`of negative carriers (i.e., electrons).2 The specification explains that the NMOS
`
`transistor in Fig. 5B can be a surface-channel MOSFET.
`
`
`
`Id., Fig. 5B (annotated); see also id., 3:50-52. Meanwhile, the p-type silicon
`
`between the source and drain (shaded blue) has an abundance of positively charged
`
`holes (green circles). When the holes separate the source’s electrons from the drain’s
`
`electrons, current cannot flow through the transistor, and the transistor is in an “off”
`
`state.
`
` When a positive voltage is applied to the gate, an electric field forms in
`
`the oxide. This positive electric field repels the “positive” holes downwards, while
`
`
`2 An “N” region or layer has more electrons, and thus a “negative charge.” A “P”
`
`layer has more holes, and a “positive charge.” A “+” or “-” means heavily or lightly
`
`doped.
`
`15
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 18 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`the negative electrons (red circles) are attracted to move into the blue surface layer.
`
`When enough electrons have accumulated in the surface layer below the oxide, they
`
`form a conductive channel (as annotated in Figure 5B below) of electrons between
`
`the source and the drain, and current can begin to flow through the transistor.
`
`
`
`Ex. 1001, FIG. 5B (annotated). 3 In order to turn the transistor “off,” the positive
`
`voltage is removed from the gate and the channel disappears as the holes return to
`
`the surface layer.
`
` Dr. Rao (the inventor named on the Challenged Patent) recognized that
`
`by using graded concentrations of dopants in the well region and a drift layer (shaded
`
`pink), it is possible to “pull” carriers from the silicon’s surface. Ex. 1001, Fig. 5B
`
`
`3 Because the channel is formed by electrons with a negative charge, the MOSFET
`
`is referred to as an n-channel MOSFET, and the “minority carriers” are holes.
`
`16
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 19 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`(annotated above). In this example, pulling the holes from the surface layer when a
`
`positive voltage is applied to the gate, allows the transistor to turn “on” more quickly.
`
`This improves the speed and performance of the transistor. Ex. 1001, 3:12-17.
`
`
`
`
`
`17
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 20 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` OVERVIEW OF ALLEGED PRIOR ART
` Dr. Banerjee’s declaration relies on the Payne (Ex. 1005) reference for
`
`single-reference obviousness in Ground I, obviousness over Payne in view of
`
`Parrillo (Ex. 1025) in Ground IV, obviousness over Payne in view of Wolf (Exs.
`
`1008A-1008D) in Ground, V, obviousness over Payne in view of Silverbrook (Ex.
`
`1047) in Ground VII, anticipation by Onoda (Ex. 1042 is an English-language
`
`translation of the Japanese patent application Ex. 1043) in Ground II, obviousness
`
`over Onoda in view of Wolf (Exs. 1008A-1008D) in Ground III, obviousness over
`
`Onoda in view of Wolf in Ground VI, and obviousness over Onoda in view of
`
`Silverbrook in Ground VIII. Ex. 1003, ¶¶32-38. Below, I provide overviews of
`
`relevant portions of Payne and Onoda.
`
`A.
`
`Payne (Ex. 1005)
` The Petition’s first ground is single-reference obviousness over Payne
`
`(Ex. 1005), and Payne is the primary reference in obviousness combinations in the
`
`fifth and seventh grounds. Pet., 6. Below is an overview of pertinent portions of
`
`Payne relevant to the present dispute.
`
` Payne is a patent that “relates to complementary field effect transistors
`
`formed by ion implantation, and in particular to a structure and method of fabrication
`
`which permit high packing density.” Ex. 1005, 1:5-8. Much of the Petition’s
`
`18
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 21 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`discussion focuses on Figures 10 and 11 of Payne. Payne describes a CMOS device
`
`shown in Figure 10 (shown below):
`
`The oxide layer can then be stripped off, for example, with a
`solution of dilute HF, and fabrication may proceed in accordance
`with standard techniques to produce the CMOS device depicted
`in FIG. 10. The p-channel device includes source and drain
`regions, 21 and 22, respectively, of P+ conductivity type formed
`with the N surface region, 18. Similarly, the n-channel device
`includes source and drain regions, 23 and 24, of N + conductivity
`type formed within the P surface region 20.
`Id., 5:18-27.
`
`
`Id., FIG. 10. Figure 10 shows an N- tub 15 and a P- tub 17. Id., 3:35-39 (describing
`
`N- tub 15), 4:12-14, 5:3-5 (describing P- tub 17). Payne discloses that after a heating
`
`step, “[t]he resulting impurity profile in both tubs thereby has the general shape
`
`illustrated in FIG. 11, where the abscissa is depth and the ordinate is impurity
`
`concentration.” Id., 5:14-17.
`
`19
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 22 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`
`
`Id., FIG. 11; see also id., 2:38-41 (“FIG. 11 is an illustration of the approximate
`
`concentration of implanted impurities as a function of depth in the semiconductor
`
`for a device in accordance with one embodiment of [Payne].”).
`
`
`
`
`
`20
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 23 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`
`B. Onoda (Ex. 1042)
`
` The Petition’s second ground relies on Onoda (Ex. 1042) for
`
`anticipation, and the third, sixth, and eighth grounds rely on Onoda as the primary
`
`reference for an obviousness combination. Pet., 6. Below is an overview of pertinent
`
`portions of Onoda relevant to the present dispute.
`
` Onoda discloses a nonvolatile semiconductor storage device with a
`
`cross-section as shown below in Figure 2.
`
`Ex. 1042, FIG. 2.
`
` Onoda discloses that:
`
`
`
`A lightly-doped P-type epitaxial layer 102a is formed on the
`surface of a first semiconductor layer 101 that is made from a
`heavily-doped P-type silicon substrate. Boron [B] is implanted
`into the surface of this epitaxial layer 102a and a heat treatment
`is carried out to produce a lightly-doped P-type second
`semiconductor layer 102. Regions other than a desire region are
`masked, phosphorus is implanted, and a heat treatment is carried
`
`21
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 24 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`
`out to form an N-type first well region 103. Regions other than
`the desired region are masked, boron [B] is implanted, and the
`boron implantation layer is then masked and phosphorus is
`implanted, and a heat treatment is carried out to form P-type
`second well regions 104a and 104b, P-type third well regions
`105a through 105c, and N-type fourth well regions 106a through
`106c.
`Id., Abstract.
`
` Onoda discloses performing carrying out a heat treatment to thermally
`
`diffuse the boron and phosphorus of the boron implantation layers 104A, 104B,
`
`105A, 105B, and 105C to form, as illustrated below in FIG. 8, P-type second well
`
`regions 104a and 140b and P-type third well regions 106a through 106c, and N-type
`
`fourth well regions 106a through 106c, in the surface of the second semiconductor
`
`layer 102. The dopant concentration due to the boron at this time is depicted by the
`
`dotted line D shown in FIG. 9 (below). Id., ¶[0050].
`
`
`
`22
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 25 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`Ex. 1042, FIG. 8.
`
`Ex. 1042, FIG. 9.
`
` Onoda discloses that the dopant profile appearing in the B-B' cross-
`
`section in FIG. 8 is shown in FIG. 11 (below). Id., ¶[0052].
`
`
`
`23
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 26 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
`
`Ex. 1042, FIG. 11.
`
`
`
`
`
`
`
`24
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 27 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` CLAIM CONSTRUCTION
`
`I understand that claim terms are typically given their ordinary and
`
`customary meaning, as would have been understood by a person of ordinary skill in
`
`the art at the time of the alleged invention. In considering the meaning of the claims,
`
`I also understand that one must consider the claim language, specification,
`
`prosecution history, and the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art at the
`
`relevant time. I understand that Patent Owner is not proposing any claim terms for
`
`claim construction. I agree with Patent Owner that none of the terms require
`
`construction. I applied the above understanding in my analysis.
`
`
`
`
`
`25
`
`
`Greenthread Ex. 2057, p. 28 of 35
`Cirrus Logic, et al. v. Greenthread
`IPR2024-00018
`
`

`

`
`IPR2024-00018
`U.S. Patent No. 9,190,502
`
` THE CITED REFERENCES DO NOT DISCLOSE OR SUGGEST ALL
`THE FEATURES OF THE CHALLENGED CLAIMS
`
`In my opinion, the prior art references relied upon in the Petition and
`
`Dr. Banerjee’s declaration (Ex. 1003) do not disclose or suggest all the features of
`
`the Challenged Claims, as I explain below.
`
`A. Dr. Banerjee’s Payne-based analysis is incorrect regarding the “aid
`the movement of minority carriers”
`limitations (Elements
`[7.5]/[7.6]).
` Dr. Banerjee stated in his declaration that “Payne renders claim 7
`
`obvious.” Ex. 1003, ¶72. I disagree. For elements [7.5] and [7.6], Dr. Banerjee
`
`stated in his declaration that “Payne discloses or, at a minimum, renders obvious this
`
`element.” Ex. 1003, ¶¶89, 109. I disagree. He did not identify any portion of Payne
`
`that actually discloses the “aid the movement of minority carriers…” feature of these
`
`claim elements. The “aid the movement of minority carriers” feature appears in the
`
`Challenged Claims as follows. Element [7.5]: “said drift layer having a graded
`
`concentration of dopants generating a first static unidirectional electric drift field to
`
`aid the movement of minority carriers from said surface layer to said substrate”; and
`
`Element [7.6]: “at least one well regio

This document is available on Docket Alarm but you must sign up to view it.


Or .

Accessing this document will incur an additional charge of $.

After purchase, you can access this document again without charge.

Accept $ Charge
throbber

Still Working On It

This document is taking longer than usual to download. This can happen if we need to contact the court directly to obtain the document and their servers are running slowly.

Give it another minute or two to complete, and then try the refresh button.

throbber

A few More Minutes ... Still Working

It can take up to 5 minutes for us to download a document if the court servers are running slowly.

Thank you for your continued patience.

This document could not be displayed.

We could not find this document within its docket. Please go back to the docket page and check the link. If that does not work, go back to the docket and refresh it to pull the newest information.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

You need a Paid Account to view this document. Click here to change your account type.

Your account does not support viewing this document.

Set your membership status to view this document.

With a Docket Alarm membership, you'll get a whole lot more, including:

  • Up-to-date information for this case.
  • Email alerts whenever there is an update.
  • Full text search for other cases.
  • Get email alerts whenever a new case matches your search.

Become a Member

One Moment Please

The filing “” is large (MB) and is being downloaded.

Please refresh this page in a few minutes to see if the filing has been downloaded. The filing will also be emailed to you when the download completes.

Your document is on its way!

If you do not receive the document in five minutes, contact support at support@docketalarm.com.

Sealed Document

We are unable to display this document, it may be under a court ordered seal.

If you have proper credentials to access the file, you may proceed directly to the court's system using your government issued username and password.


Access Government Site

We are redirecting you
to a mobile optimized page.





Document Unreadable or Corrupt

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket

We are unable to display this document.

Refresh this Document
Go to the Docket