`
`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