DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 5/12/2025 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 21-30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Muller (US 2023/0371268 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Muller discloses a semiconductor device (memory device 200a, Fig. 2B, ¶ 0090), comprising:
a memory structure (bottom row of cells 202a in Fig. 2B) comprising a plurality of first memory cells (bottom cells 202a); and
a test structure (middle row of cells 202a in Fig. 2B, this structure is considered a test structure as one having ordinary skill in the art may test this structure by applying current to the electrodes and measuring the resulting electrical characteristics) disposed next to the memory structure and comprising a first monitor pattern (middle row of cells 202a in Fig. 2B);
wherein the plurality of first memory cells, arranged along a first lateral direction, that have a plurality of first channel films (210a in Fig. 2B) extending along a vertical direction, respectively, and share a first ferroelectric film (spontaneously-polarizable portion 204 in the memory structure, ¶ 0091, which Muller discloses comprises ferroelectric material (¶ 0002); the combination of all portions 204 in the first memory cells being considered the first ferroelectric film) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction (see Fig. 2B);and
wherein the first monitor pattern includes: a second channel film (224b) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and a second ferroelectric film (204 within the first monitor pattern) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction.
Regarding claim 2, Muller further discloses wherein the plurality of first memory cells share a first word line (WL) structure that extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the plurality of first channel films through the shared first ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 3, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern includes a second WL structure that extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the second channel film through the second ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 4, Muller further discloses wherein the memory structure further comprises a plurality of second memory cells (although figure 2B shows only two memory cells in within a row, Muller discloses an array of memory cells within a row; two memory cells in the same row and adjacent to the first memory cells being considered the second memory cells); and
the test structure further comprises a second monitor pattern (the memory cells immediately above the second memory cells);
wherein the plurality of second memory cells, arranged along the first lateral direction, that have a plurality of third channel films extending along the vertical direction (210a in the second memory cells), respectively, and share a third ferroelectric film (spontaneously-polarizable portion 204 in the second memory cells, ¶ 0091, which Muller discloses comprises ferroelectric material (¶ 0002); the combination of all portions 204 in the second memory cells being considered the first ferroelectric film) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and
wherein the second monitor pattern includes: (a) a fourth channel film (224b) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and (b) a fourth ferroelectric film (204 within the second monitor pattern) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction.
Regarding claim 5, Muller further discloses wherein the first WL structure extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the plurality of third channel films through the shared third ferroelectric film, and wherein the second WL structure is in electrical contact with the fourth channel film through the fourth ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 6, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern of the test structure is configured to monitor a polarization-voltage curve associated with the first ferroelectric film of the memory structure (Muller discloses that the hysteresis of the polarization-voltage curve is measureable (¶ 0067) and as the structure of the first monitor pattern is identical to that of the first memory cells, the polarization-voltage curve of the test structure is considered as “associated” with the first ferroelectric film of the memory structure).
Regarding claim 7, Muller further discloses wherein the plurality of first memory cells each include a respective pair of a first bit line (BL) structure and a first source line (SL) structure that are in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the first channel films, the first BL structure and the first SL structure extending along the vertical direction (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 8, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern includes one or more pairs of a second BL structure and a second SL structure that are in electrical contact with the second channel film, the second BL structure and the second SL structure extending along the vertical direction (¶¶ 0086 and 0199, the first and second structures being the portions of the bit line and source line within the various rows of the device).
Regarding claim 9, Muller further discloses wherein the one or more pairs of the second BL structure and the second SL structure are electrically coupled to one another (Applicant has not claimed directly coupled).
Regarding claim 10, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern includes a merged BL/SL structure that is in electrical contact with the second channel film, the merged BL/SL structure extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 21, Muller discloses a semiconductor device (memory device 200a, Fig. 2B, ¶ 0090), comprising:
comprising a plurality of first memory cells (bottom cells 202a in Fig. 2B); and
a first monitor pattern (middle row of cells 202a in Fig. 2B);
wherein the plurality of first memory cells, arranged along a first lateral direction, that have a plurality of first channel films (210a in Fig. 2B) extending along a vertical direction, respectively, and share a first ferroelectric film (spontaneously-polarizable portion 204 in the memory structure, ¶ 0091, which Muller discloses comprises ferroelectric material (¶ 0002); the combination of all portions 204 in the first memory cells being considered the first ferroelectric film) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction (see Fig. 2B);and
wherein the first monitor pattern includes: a second channel film (224b) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and a second ferroelectric film (204 within the first monitor pattern) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction.
Regarding claim 22, Muller further discloses wherein the plurality of first memory cells share a first word line (WL) structure that extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the plurality of first channel films through the shared first ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 23, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern includes a second WL structure that extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the second channel film through the second ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 24, Muller further discloses a plurality of second memory cells (although figure 2B shows only two memory cells in within a row, Muller discloses an array of memory cells within a row; two memory cells in the same row and adjacent to the first memory cells being considered the second memory cells); and
a second monitor pattern (the memory cells immediately above the second memory cells);
wherein the plurality of second memory cells, arranged along the first lateral direction, that have a plurality of third channel films extending along the vertical direction (210a in the second memory cells), respectively, and share a third ferroelectric film (spontaneously-polarizable portion 204 in the second memory cells, ¶ 0091, which Muller discloses comprises ferroelectric material (¶ 0002); the combination of all portions 204 in the second memory cells being considered the first ferroelectric film) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and
wherein the second monitor pattern includes: (a) a fourth channel film (224b) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and (b) a fourth ferroelectric film (204 within the second monitor pattern) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction.
Regarding claim 25, Muller further discloses wherein the first WL structure extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the plurality of third channel films through the shared third ferroelectric film, and wherein the second WL structure is in electrical contact with the fourth channel film through the fourth ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 26, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern is configured to monitor a polarization-voltage curve associated with the first ferroelectric film (Muller discloses that the hysteresis of the polarization-voltage curve is measureable (¶ 0067) and as the structure of the first monitor pattern is identical to that of the first memory cells, the polarization-voltage curve of the first monitor pattern is considered as “associated” with the first ferroelectric film).
Regarding claim 27, Muller further discloses wherein the plurality of first memory cells each include a respective pair of a first bit line (BL) structure and a first source line (SL) structure that are in electrical contact with a corresponding one of the first channel films, the first BL structure and the first SL structure extending along the vertical direction (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Regarding claim 28, Muller further discloses wherein the first monitor pattern includes one or more pairs of a second BL structure and a second SL structure that are in electrical contact with the second channel film, the second BL structure and the second SL structure extending along the vertical direction (¶¶ 0086 and 0199, the first and second structures being the portions of the bit line and source line within the various rows of the device).
Regarding claim 29, Muller discloses a semiconductor device (memory device 200a, Fig. 2B, ¶ 0090), comprising:
comprising a plurality of first memory cells (bottom cells 202a in Fig. 2B);
a plurality of second memory cells (although figure 2B shows only two memory cells in within a row, Muller discloses an array of memory cells within a row; two memory cells in the same row and adjacent to the first memory cells being considered the second memory cells);
a first monitor pattern (middle row of cells 202a in Fig. 2B) disposed next to the plurality of first memory cells; and
a second monitor pattern (the memory cells immediately above the second memory cells);
wherein the plurality of first memory cells, arranged along a first lateral direction, that have a plurality of first channel films (210a in Fig. 2B) extending along a vertical direction, respectively, and share a first ferroelectric film (spontaneously-polarizable portion 204 in the memory structure, ¶ 0091, which Muller discloses comprises ferroelectric material (¶ 0002); the combination of all portions 204 in the first memory cells being considered the first ferroelectric film) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction (see Fig. 2B);and
wherein the first monitor pattern includes: a second channel film (224b) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and a second ferroelectric film (204 within the first monitor pattern) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction.
wherein the plurality of second memory cells, arranged along the first lateral direction, that have a plurality of third channel films extending along the vertical direction (210a in the second memory cells), respectively, and share a third ferroelectric film (spontaneously-polarizable portion 204 in the second memory cells, ¶ 0091, which Muller discloses comprises ferroelectric material (¶ 0002); the combination of all portions 204 in the second memory cells being considered the first ferroelectric film) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and
wherein the second monitor pattern includes: (a) a fourth channel film (224b) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction; and (b) a fourth ferroelectric film (204 within the second monitor pattern) extending along the vertical direction and the first lateral direction.
Regarding claim 30, Muller further discloses wherein the plurality of first memory cells share a first word line (WL) structure that extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the plurality of first channel films through the shared first ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199) and
wherein the first monitor pattern includes a second WL structure that extends along the first lateral direction and is in electrical contact with the second channel film through the second ferroelectric film (¶¶ 0086 and 0199).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER A CULBERT whose telephone number is (571)272-4893. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/CHRISTOPHER A CULBERT/ Examiner, Art Unit 2815