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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 05/07/2026 has been entered.
Status of the Application
Claims 1-20 remain pending in this application. Acknowledgement is made of the amendment received 05/07/2026. Claims 1 and 17 are amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 13, the claim recites “wherein the first precursor comprises at least one alcohol group.” Claim 1, from which claim 13 depends, requires the first precursor to selected from a closed group of chemical structures. However, no structure in the closed group, at any of the permitted selection of X, Cl, R, M, or n, appears to contain an alcohol group. The claim therefore does not adequately define the metes and bounds of the claim, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For example, it is unclear if the claim is intended to require an unlisted derivative of one of the recited structures within the closed group, requires a separate alcohol component different than the first precursor, attempts to define an empty set, or some other limitation. Applicant’s specification generally lists “compounds with CO/OH functional groups”, but does not link an alcohol group to any structure of the closed group recited in claim 1 (spec ¶0044-0046), and therefore fails to resolve the ambiguity. Appropriate correction is required.
Regarding claim 14, the claim recites “wherein the first precursor comprises at least one ketone group.” Claim 1, from which claim 14 depends, requires the first precursor to selected from a closed group of chemical structures. However, no structure in the closed group, at any of the permitted selection of X, Cl, R, M, or n, appears to contain a ketone group. The claim therefore does not adequately define the metes and bounds of the claim, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For example, it is unclear if the claim is intended to require an unlisted derivative of one of the recited structures within the closed group, requires a separate ketone component different than the first precursor, attempts to define an empty set, or some other limitation. Applicant’s specification generally lists “compounds with CO/OH functional groups”, but does not link a ketone group to any structure of the closed group recited in claim 1 (spec ¶0044-0046), and therefore fails to resolve the ambiguity. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-3, 5, 9, 12, and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al (US 20200350204 A1, hereafter Yu, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) in view of Gracias et al (US 6905958 B2, hereafter Gracias, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) and Lee et al (US 20210082814 A1, hereafter Lee).
Regarding claim 1, Yu, in at least one embodiment, teaches: A method of forming a semiconductor structure (Yu 200, fig 2, ¶0049), the method comprising:
selectively depositing a blocking layer (Yu 230, ¶0050) on a first surface (Yu 222) of a substrate (Yu 205) by exposing the substrate to a first precursor (Yu R′≡R″, “unsaturated hydrocarbon”, ¶0050, under a broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), and wherein the applicant discloses a precursor is: “a substance with a species capable of reacting with the substrate surface or material on the substrate surface in a surface reaction”, spec ¶0016, R′≡R″ is used in a surface reaction to form blocking layer 230)(Yu 260, fig 2), wherein the substrate has at least one feature (Yu 206) comprising a bottom (Yu 209, ¶0049, fig 2) comprising the first surface (Yu 222, ¶0052) and sidewalls (Yu 207, 208, ¶0049) comprising a second surface (Yu 207, 208)(Yu fig 2);
selectively depositing a liner (Yu 240, under a BRI of a “liner”, Yu 240 at least lines a portion of 206, further, applicant discloses that suitable materials for a liner include “TaN” and “the liner 260 has the same properties as the barrier layer 215”, spec ¶0054, and similar to Yu 140 ¶0044, “140 comprises … tantalum nitride”) on the second surface (Yu fig 2) by exposing the substrate to a second precursor (Yu ¶0051, “metal precursor”)(Yu 270, fig 2); and
removing the blocking layer (Yu 280, fig 2, ¶0052),
wherein the first surface (Yu 222) comprises a metal (Yu 220, “metallic material”, ¶0028-0029, 0022), and the second surface comprises a dielectric material (Yu 210, “non-metallic material” and “dielectric material” are interchangeable, ¶0022, 0031).
Yu does not explicitly teach: a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), removing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM).
Gracias, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, and in at least one embodiment, teaches: a method of forming a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Gracias 410)(Gracias fig 4a, 4b); and removing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Gracias 605, fig 6a, 6b, Col 4, Lines 25-33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the blocking layer of Yu to comprise a SAM, as taught by Gracias, in order to prevent formation of the blocking layer on the second surface (Gracias Col 3, Lines 28-37), thereby allowing further treatment of the second surface without requiring a removal step (Gracias Col 3, Lines 28-37), and/or in order to protect the first surface during subsequent processing (Gracias Col 4, Lines 53-65).
Yu in view of Gracias does not teach: the first precursor selected from the group consisting of:
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(hereafter chemical structures I-XIII) wherein each X is independently selected from carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, each Cl is representative of any halogen atom, each R is independently selected from H, C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C18 alkenyl, C3-C18 cycloalkyl, or C1-C18 aryl,
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(hereafter chemical structures XIV and XV respectively) wherein M is molybdenum (Mo) or tungsten (W), and n is in a range of from 1 to 3.
Lee, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: selectively depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Lee 128, fig 1C, ¶0042) on a first surface (Lee 126S, ¶0038-0039) of a substrate (Lee 102, ¶0014) by exposing the substrate to a first precursor (Lee 130, ¶0043-0045)(Lee ¶0046), wherein the substrate has at least one feature (Lee 137, ¶0052, fig 1E) comprising a bottom (Lee 126S, fig 1E) comprising the first surface (Lee fig 1E, ¶0051)(Lee 1050, fig 1C-1E);
wherein the first precursor is selected from a group comprising purine (Lee ¶0045,
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Yu in view of Gracias to select purine as the first precursor, as taught by Lee, and such that “the first precursor selected from the group consisting of: [chemical structures I-XIII above] wherein each X is independently selected from carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, each Cl is representative of any halogen atom, each R is independently selected from H, C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C18 alkenyl, C3-C18 cycloalkyl, or C1-C18 aryl, [chemical structures XIV and XV above] wherein M is molybdenum (Mo) or tungsten (W), and n is in a range of from 1 to 3”, in order to form a SAM that stops depositing once the available metal-surface active sites are occupied (Lee ¶0047), thereby avoiding excess deposition.
Regarding claim 2, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein selectively depositing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Yu 230 as modified by Gracias 410 and Lee 130) comprises forming the SAM on the first surface (Yu 222) and not on the second surface (Yu 207, 208)(Yu 260, fig 2, ¶0050, similar to Gracias fig 4b, Col 3, Lines 28-37, and Lee ¶0042).
Regarding claim 3, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein selectively depositing the liner (Yu 240) comprises forming the liner on the second surface (Yu 207, 208) and not on the first surface (Yu 222)(Yu 270, fig 2, ¶0051).
Regarding claim 5, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the first surface (Yu 222) comprises one or more of copper (Cu), cobalt (Co), ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W), and molybdenum (Mo)(Yu ¶0028-0029, “… copper, … cobalt, tungsten, ruthenium, molybdenum …”).
Regarding claim 9, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one feature (Yu 206) comprises one or more of a trench and a via (Yu ¶0049, “circular via … a trench”).
Regarding claim 12, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the first precursor (Yu R′≡R″ as modified by Gracias 410 and Lee) comprises at least one unsaturated group (Lee ¶0045, purine, under a BRI of an “unsaturated group”, comprises carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen double bonds, each of which is an unsaturated group, similar to Yu, “unsaturated hydrocarbon”, ¶0050).
Regarding claim 16, Yu in view of Gracias teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the first precursor (Yu R′≡R″ as modified by Gracias 410 and Lee 130) comprises at least one amine group (Lee ¶0045, purine, under a BRI of an “amine group”, comprises a secondary amine, with at least one ring nitrogen bonded to two carbon atoms and one hydrogen atom, similar to Gracias Col 3, Lines 28-37, “amines”).
Regarding claim 17, Yu teaches: A method of forming a semiconductor structure (Yu 200, fig 2, ¶0049), the method comprising:
selectively depositing a blocking layer (Yu 230, ¶0050) on a first surface (Yu 222) of a substrate (Yu 205) by exposing the substrate to a first precursor (Yu R′≡R″, “unsaturated hydrocarbon”, ¶0050, under a broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI), and wherein the applicant discloses a precursor is: “a substance with a species capable of reacting with the substrate surface or material on the substrate surface in a surface reaction”, spec ¶0016, R′≡R″ is used in a surface reaction to form blocking layer 230)(Yu 260, fig 2), wherein the substrate has at least one feature (Yu 206) comprising a bottom (Yu 209, ¶0049, fig 2) comprising the first surface (Yu 222, ¶0052) and sidewalls (Yu 207, 208, ¶0049) comprising a second surface (Yu 207, 208)(Yu fig 2);
selectively depositing a liner (Yu 240, under a BRI of a “liner”, Yu 240 at least lines a portion of 206, further, applicant discloses that suitable materials for a liner include “TaN” and “the liner 260 has the same properties as the barrier layer 215”, spec ¶0054, and similar to Yu 140 ¶0044, “140 comprises … tantalum nitride”) on the second surface (Yu fig 2) by exposing the substrate to a second precursor (Yu ¶0051, “metal precursor”)(Yu 270, fig 2); and
removing the blocking layer (Yu 280, fig 2, ¶0052),
wherein the first surface (Yu 222) comprises one or more of copper, cobalt, ruthenium, tungsten or molybdenum (Yu 220, ¶0029, “copper, … cobalt, tungsten, ruthenium, molybdenum …”), and the second surface comprises a dielectric material (Yu 210, “non-metallic material” and “dielectric material” are interchangeable, ¶0022, 0031).
Yu does not explicitly teach: a self-assembled monolayer (SAM), removing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM).
Gracias, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, and in at least one embodiment, teaches: a method of forming a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Gracias 410)(Gracias fig 4a, 4b); and removing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Gracias 605, fig 6a, 6b, Col 4, Lines 25-33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the blocking layer of Yu to comprise a SAM, as taught by Gracias, in order to prevent formation of the blocking layer on the second surface (Gracias Col 3, Lines 28-37), thereby allowing further treatment of the second surface without requiring a removal step (Gracias Col 3, Lines 28-37), and/or in order to protect the first surface during subsequent processing (Gracias Col 4, Lines 53-65).
Yu in view of Gracias does not teach: the first precursor selected from the group consisting of:
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(hereafter chemical structures I-XIII) wherein each X is independently selected from carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, each Cl is representative of any halogen atom, each R is independently selected from H, C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C18 alkenyl, C3-C18 cycloalkyl, or C1-C18 aryl,
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(hereafter chemical structures XIV and XV respectively) wherein M is molybdenum (Mo) or tungsten (W), and n is in a range of from 1 to 3.
Lee, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: selectively depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Lee 128, fig 1C, ¶0042) on a first surface (Lee 126S, ¶0038-0039) of a substrate (Lee 102, ¶0014) by exposing the substrate to a first precursor (Lee 130, ¶0043-0045)(Lee ¶0046), wherein the substrate has at least one feature (Lee 137, ¶0052, fig 1E) comprising a bottom (Lee 126S, fig 1E) comprising the first surface (Lee fig 1E, ¶0051)(Lee 1050, fig 1C-1E);
wherein the first precursor is selected from a group comprising purine (Lee ¶0045,
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It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Yu in view of Gracias to select purine as the first precursor, as taught by Lee, and such that “the first precursor selected from the group consisting of: [chemical structures I-XIII above] wherein each X is independently selected from carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, each Cl is representative of any halogen atom, each R is independently selected from H, C1-C8 alkyl, C2-C18 alkenyl, C3-C18 cycloalkyl, or C1-C18 aryl, [chemical structures XIV and XV above] wherein M is molybdenum (Mo) or tungsten (W), and n is in a range of from 1 to 3”, in order to form a SAM that stops depositing once the available metal-surface active sites are occupied (Lee ¶0047), thereby avoiding excess deposition.
Regarding claim 18, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 17, wherein selectively depositing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Yu 230 as modified by Gracias 410 and Lee 130) comprises forming the SAM on the first surface (Yu 222) and not on the second surface (Yu 207, 208)(Yu 260, fig 2, ¶0050, similar to Gracias fig 4b, Col 3, Lines 28-37, and Lee ¶0042).
Regarding claim 19, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 17, wherein selectively depositing the liner (Yu 240) comprises forming the liner on the second surface (Yu 207, 208) and not on the first surface (Yu 222)(Yu 270, fig 2, ¶0051).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al (US 20200350204 A1, hereafter Yu, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) in view of Gracias et al (US 6905958 B2, hereafter Gracias, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) and Lee et al (US 20210082814 A1, hereafter Lee), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Clark et al (US 20190295903 A1, hereafter Clark).
Regarding claim 4, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1.
Yu in view of Gracias and Lee does not explicitly teach: cleaning the substrate before depositing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) to form a substrate surface substantially free of oxide.
Clark, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: cleaning (Clark ¶0049, 0058) a substrate (Clark 210, 304)(Clark fig 2A, 2B) before depositing a self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Clark 240) to form a substrate surface (Clark 230) substantially free of oxide (Clark ¶0049, 0050, 0058, “oxide-free metal surface”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of Yu in view of Gracias and Lee to include a cleaning step before depositing the SAM, such that a surface is substantially free of oxide, in order to improve surface selectivity of the SAM (Clark ¶0049).
Claims 6 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al (US 20200350204 A1, hereafter Yu, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) in view of Gracias et al (US 6905958 B2, hereafter Gracias, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) and Lee et al (US 20210082814 A1, hereafter Lee), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang et al (US 20150325467 A1, hereafter Zhang).
Regarding claim 6, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1.
Yu in view of Gracias and Lee does not teach: further comprising densifying the liner.
Zhang, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: densifying a liner (Zhang 45, ¶0021, under a BRI of a “liner”, comprising “TaN”, similar to Yu 240, 140).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of Yu in view of Gracias and Lee to include densifying the liner, as taught by Zhang, in order to reduce susceptibility to damage during subsequent processing (Zhang ¶0021).
Regarding claim 7, Yu in view of Gracias, Lee, and Zhang teaches: The method of claim 6, wherein densifying the liner (Yu 240 as modified by Zhang 45) comprises physical vapor deposition (PVD)(Zhang ¶0021).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al (US 20200350204 A1, hereafter Yu, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) in view of Gracias et al (US 6905958 B2, hereafter Gracias, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) and Lee et al (US 20210082814 A1, hereafter Lee), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Suzuki et al (US 20060110530 A1, hereafter Suzuki) and Whelan et al (US 20060128142 A1, hereafter Whelan).
Regarding claim 8, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1.
Yu in view of Gracias and Lee does not teach: depositing an adhesion layer on the first surface and on the liner after removing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM).
Yu, in at least one embodiment, further teaches: a first conductive fill (Yu 220); and forming a second conductive fill (Yu 250) on a first surface (Yu 222) and on a liner (Yu 240) after removing a barrier layer (Yu 230)(Yu fig 2).
Suzuki, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: depositing an adhesion layer (Suzuki 460, ¶0055, “Ru metal”, ¶0005, “good adhesion between the Cu and the Ru layers”, under a BRI of “an adhesion layer”, 460 is at least capable of providing adhesion between 450 and 470) on a liner (Suzuki 450, ¶0055, under a BRI of a “liner”, comprising “TaN”, similar to Yu 240)(Suzuki fig 4B, ¶0055).
Whelan, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: depositing a seed layer (Whelan 7) on a first surface (Whelan 4) and on a second self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Whelan 8) after removing a first SAM (Whelan 13)(Whelan fig 3D, ¶0056).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of Yu in view of Gracias and Lee, such that an adhesion layer is deposited on the first surface and on the liner after removing the self-assembled monolayer (SAM), in order to improve adhesion between the liner and a second conductive fill (Suzuki ¶0005), while preventing increased electrical resistance between the first and second conductive fills (Whelan ¶0010, 0050).
Claims 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al (US 20200350204 A1, hereafter Yu, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) in view of Gracias et al (US 6905958 B2, hereafter Gracias, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) and Lee et al (US 20210082814 A1, hereafter Lee), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tsai et al (US 20200006230 A1, hereafter Tsai).
Regarding claim 10, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 1, further comprising depositing a conductive material (Yu 250) in the at least one feature (Yu 206).
Yu in view of Gracias and Lee does not explicitly teach: by exposing the substrate to a third precursor, the third precursor comprising a metal.
Yu, in at least one embodiment, further teaches: depositing a conductive material (Yu 355) in an at least one feature (Yu 306) by chemical vapor deposition (CVD)(Yu ¶0062).
Tsai, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: depositing a conductive material (Tsai 132, ¶0032, 0019) in the at least one feature (Tsai 122)(Tsai fig 3B, 3C) by exposing a substrate (Tsai 10, 12) to a third precursor, the third precursor comprising a metal (Tsai ¶0032, “deposition precursors (for example, metal precursors and/or reactants)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the deposition step of Yu in view of Gracias and Lee to include a third precursor, and for the third precursor to comprise a metal, in order to selectively deposit the conductive material within the at least one feature, thereby preventing growth on dielectric surfaces (Tsai ¶0032).
Regarding claim 11, Yu in view of Gracias, Lee, and Tsai teaches: The method of claim 10, wherein depositing the conductive material (Yu 250, similar to Tsai 132) comprises one or more of a bottom-up gap fill (Tsai ¶0032) and a conformal gap fill.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al (US 20200350204 A1, hereafter Yu, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) in view of Gracias et al (US 6905958 B2, hereafter Gracias, disclosed in IDS dated 01/23/2023) and Lee et al (US 20210082814 A1, hereafter Lee), as applied to claim 17 above, further in view of Zhang et al (US 20150325467 A1, hereafter Zhang), Suzuki et al (US 20060110530 A1, hereafter Suzuki), and Whelan et al (US 20060128142 A1, hereafter Whelan).
Regarding claim 20, Yu in view of Gracias and Lee teaches: The method of claim 17.
Yu in view of Gracias and Lee does not teach: further comprising densifying the liner by physical vapor deposition.
Zhang, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: densifying a liner (Zhang 45, ¶0021, under a BRI of a “liner”, comprising “TaN”, similar to Yu 240, 140) by physical vapor deposition (Zhang ¶0021, “PVD”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of Yu in view of Gracias and Lee to include densifying the liner by PVD, as taught by Zhang, in order to reduce susceptibility to damage during subsequent processing (Zhang ¶0021).
Yu in view of Gracias, Lee, and Zhang does not teach: depositing an adhesion layer on the first surface and on the liner.
Yu, in at least one embodiment, further teaches: a first conductive fill (Yu 220); and forming a second conductive fill (Yu 250) on a first surface (Yu 222) and on a liner (Yu 240) after removing a barrier layer (Yu 230)(Yu fig 2).
Suzuki, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: depositing an adhesion layer (Suzuki 460, ¶0055, “Ru metal”, ¶0005, “good adhesion between the Cu and the Ru layers”, under a BRI of “an adhesion layer”, 460 is at least capable of providing adhesion between 450 and 470) on a liner (Suzuki 450, ¶0055, under a BRI of a “liner”, comprising “TaN”, similar to Yu 240)(Suzuki fig 4B, ¶0055).
Whelan, in the same field of endeavor of semiconductor device manufacturing, teaches: depositing a seed layer (Whelan 7) on a first surface (Whelan 4) and on a second self-assembled monolayer (SAM)(Whelan 8) after removing a first SAM (Whelan 13)(Whelan fig 3D, ¶0056).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of Yu in view of Gracias, Lee, and Zhang, such that an adhesion layer is deposited on the first surface and on the liner, in order to improve adhesion between the liner and a second conductive fill (Suzuki ¶0005), while preventing increased electrical resistance between the first and second conductive fills (Whelan ¶0010, 0050).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 15 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 15, it is allowable primarily because the prior arts of record, singly or in combination, neither anticipates nor render obvious the following limitations when taken in combination with all other limitations:
wherein the first precursor comprises at least one ester group. (Applicant ¶0046,
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Rachmady et al (US 20090272965 A1, hereafter Rachmady) teaches: adjusting hydrophobicity of a layer (Rachmady 471, ¶0031-0033) with a functional group (Rachmady 471, ¶0031-0033, “organo esters”) to prevent dielectric nucleation.
However, neither Rachmady, Yu, Gracias, nor Lee, either alone or in combination, teaches: the first precursor selected from the group as required by claim 1, and wherein the first precursor comprises at least one ester group, as required by claim 15.
Therefore, Yu in view of Gracias, Lee, and Rachmady, in combination disclose some of the features of the claimed invention, but there is no motivation/teaching and do not render obvious to combine and/or modify Yu, Gracias, Lee, Rachmady, or any other prior arts of record so that all of limitations of claim 15 as a whole can be met.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 17 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Marks et al (US 2008224127 A1) is cited as an example of an analogous device further disclosing self-assembled anthracene layers, corresponding to chemical structure VI of claims 1 and 17 above.
Owei et al (US 20140030425 A1) is cited as an example of an analogous device further disclosing a SAM of unsubstituted purine chemisorbed onto a copper surface.
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/NICHOLAS B. MICHAUD/
EXAMINER
Art Unit 2818
/BRIAN TURNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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