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 invention I, claims 1-13, in the reply filed on 12/16/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 14-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 12/16/2025.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sarkar (US 2020/0287129) in view of Pellizzer (US 2014/0021439).
Regarding claim 1, Sarkar discloses, in FIG. 1A and in related text, a phase change memory device, comprising:
one or more phase change memory cells (102), each comprising a phase change material (114) between a bottom electrode (120) and a top electrode (122) (see Sarkar, [0021], [0024], [0027]); and
a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer (silicon nitride layer as first dielectric 126 in FIG. 1A or 326 in FIG. 3E; boron oxide layer as second dielectric 128 in FIG. 1A or 328 in FIG. 3E) on sidewalls of the phase change material to protect the phase change material (see Sarkar, FIGS. 1A and 3E, [0028], [0047]-[0048], [0053]).
Sarkar does not explicit disclose to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Pellizzer teaches silicon nitride as a material to protect phase change material from exposure to oxygen (see Pellizzer, [0054], [0061], [0074]). Thus Pellizzer together with Sarkar teaches to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Sarkar and Pellizzer are analogous art because they both are directed to phase change memory devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Sarkar with the features of Pellizzer because they are from the same field of endeavor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Sarkar to include to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen, to alleviate or prevent oxygen-induced degradation (see Pellizzer, [0054]).
.
Regarding claim 4, Sarkar in view of Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 1.
Sarkar discloses wherein the phase change material (114) is selected from the group consisting of: Sb2Te3, GeTe, Ge2Sb2Te5, GaSb, Ge-Sb, and combinations thereof (see Sarkar, [0024]).
Claims 1 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gong (US 2021/0225441) in view of Sarkar (US 2020/0287129) and Pellizzer (US 2014/0021439).
Regarding claim 1, Gong discloses, in FIG. 2 and in related text, a phase change memory device, comprising:
one or more phase change memory cells (100), each comprising a phase change material (110) between a bottom electrode (102) and a top electrode (114) (see Gong, [0006], [0029[).
Gong does not explicitly disclose a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer on sidewalls of the phase change material to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Sarkar teaches a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer (silicon nitride layer as first dielectric 126 in FIG. 1A or 326 in FIG. 3E; boron oxide layer as second dielectric 128 in FIG. 1A or 328 in FIG. 3E) on sidewalls of the phase change material (114) to protect the phase change material (see Sarkar, FIGS. 1A and 3E, [0028], [0047]-[0048], [0053]).
Sarkar does not explicit teach to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Pellizzer teaches silicon nitride as a material to protect phase change material from exposure to oxygen (see Pellizzer, [0054], [0061], [0074]). Thus Pellizzer together with Sarkar teaches to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Gong, Sarkar and Pellizzer are analogous art because they both are directed to phase change memory devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Gong with the features of Sarkar and Pellizzer because they are from the same field of endeavor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Gong to include a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer on sidewalls of the phase change material to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen, as taught by Sarkar and Pellizzer, to provide adhesion and etch selectivity and protect the stack from subsequent depositions (see Sarkar, [0013]), and to alleviate or prevent oxygen-induced degradation (see Pellizzer, [0054]).
Regarding claim 5, Gong in view of Sarkar and Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 1.
Gong discloses wherein the phase change memory cells (100) are arranged in a cross-point array (see Gong, FIGS. 2-3, [0029], [0035]).
Claims 6 and 9-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng (US 2020/0295083) in view of Sarkar (US 2020/0287129) and Pellizzer (US 2014/0021439).
Regarding claim 6, Cheng discloses, in FIG. 3 and in related text, a phase change memory device, comprising:
one or more phase change memory cells, each comprising a phase change material (105) between a bottom electrode (101) and a top electrode (120);
an ovonic threshold switch (103), between the bottom electrode and the top electrode, that is in series with the phase change material (see Cheng, [0004], [0031]-[0032], [0034], [0036]-[0037]).
Cheng does not explicitly disclose a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer on sidewalls of the phase change material to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Sarkar teaches a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer (silicon nitride layer as first dielectric 126 in FIG. 1A or 326 in FIG. 3E; boron oxide layer as second dielectric 128 in FIG. 1A or 328 in FIG. 3E) on sidewalls of the phase change material (114) to protect the phase change material (see Sarkar, FIGS. 1A and 3E, [0028], [0047]-[0048], [0053]).
Sarkar does not explicit teach to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Pellizzer teaches silicon nitride as a material to protect phase change material from exposure to oxygen (see Pellizzer, [0054], [0061], [0074]). Thus Pellizzer together with Sarkar teaches to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen.
Cheng, Sarkar and Pellizzer are analogous art because they both are directed to phase change memory devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Cheng with the features of Sarkar and Pellizzer because they are from the same field of endeavor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Cheng to include a boron-containing and nitrogen-containing bilayer on sidewalls of the phase change material to protect the phase change material from exposure to oxygen, as taught by Sarkar and Pellizzer, to provide adhesion and etch selectivity and protect the stack from subsequent depositions (see Sarkar, [0013]), and to alleviate or prevent oxygen-induced degradation (see Pellizzer, [0054]).
Regarding claim 9, Cheng in view of Sarkar and Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 6.
Cheng discloses wherein the phase change material (105) is selected from the group consisting of: Sb2Te3,GeTe, Ge2Sb2Te5, GaSb, Ge-Sb, and combinations thereof (see Cheng, [0036]-[0037]).
Regarding claim 10, Cheng in view of Sarkar and Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 6.
Cheng discloses wherein the ovonic threshold switch (103) comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: AsSeGeSi, AsSeGeSiC, AsSeGeSiN, AsSeGeSiTe, AsSeGeSiTeS, AsTeGeSi, AsTeGeSiN and combinations thereof (see Cheng, [0034]).
Regarding claim 11, Cheng in view of Sarkar and Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 6.
Cheng discloses a first buffer layer (102) below the ovonic threshold switch (103);
a second buffer layer (104) between the ovonic threshold switch (103) and the phase change material (105);
and a third buffer layer (106) above the phase change material (105) (see Cheng, FIG. 3, [0033], [0035], [0038]).
Regarding claim 12, Cheng in view of Sarkar and Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 11.
Cheng discloses wherein the first buffer layer (102), the second buffer layer (104), and the third buffer layer (106) each comprises a material selected from the group consisting of: C, SiC, Si, Ta, TaN, TaC, W, WN, WC, Ti, TiN, TiC and combinations thereof (see Cheng, [0033], [0035], [0038]-[0039]).
Regarding claim 13, Cheng in view of Sarkar and Pellizzer teaches the device of claim 6.
Cheng discloses wherein the phase change memory cells are arranged in a cross-point array (see Cheng, [0045], [0053]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3 and 7-8 are 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 prior art of records, individually or in combination, do not disclose nor teach “wherein the boron-containing and nitrogen- containing bilayer comprises: a BzOm layer disposed on the phase change material, wherein 1 ≤ z ≤ 5 and 1 ≤ m ≤ 5; a BxNy layer disposed on the BzOm layer, wherein 1 ≤ x ≤ 5 and 1 ≤ y ≤ 5” in combination with other limitations as recited in claim 2.
The prior art of records, individually or in combination, do not disclose nor teach “wherein the boron-containing and nitrogen- containing bilayer comprises: a BzOm layer disposed on the phase change material, wherein 1 ≤ z ≤ 5 and 1 ≤ m ≤ 5; a BxNy layer disposed on the BzOm layer, wherein 1 ≤ x ≤ 5 and 1 ≤ y ≤ 5” in combination with other limitations as recited in claim 7.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHIH TSUN A CHOU whose telephone number is (408)918-7583. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-16:00 Arizona Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lynne Gurley can be reached at (571) 272-1670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHIH TSUN A CHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811