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
Newly submitted claim 21 directed to an invention that is independent or distinct from the invention originally claimed for the following reasons:
This application contains claims directed to the following patentably distinct species:
Species 1: the channel, the first contact pattern, and the second contact pattern comprise substantially the same transition metal (original claims 4, 14, and 20).
Species 2: the channel comprises a different transition metal than the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern (new claim 21).
The species are independent or distinct because the claims to the different species recite the mutually exclusive characteristics of such species. In addition, these species are not obvious variants of each other based on the current record.
Since applicant has received an action on the merits for the originally presented invention, this invention has been constructively elected by original presentation for prosecution on the merits. Accordingly, claim 21 is withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. See 37 CFR 1.142(b) and MPEP § 821.03.
To preserve a right to petition, the reply to this action must distinctly and specifically point out supposed errors in the restriction requirement. Otherwise, the election shall be treated as a final election without traverse. Traversal must be timely. Failure to timely traverse the requirement will result in the loss of right to petition under 37 CFR 1.144. If claims are subsequently added, applicant must indicate which of the subsequently added claims are readable upon the elected invention.
Should applicant traverse on the ground that the inventions are not patentably distinct, applicant should submit evidence or identify such evidence now of record showing the inventions to be obvious variants or clearly admit on the record that this is the case. In either instance, if the examiner finds one of the inventions unpatentable over the prior art, the evidence or admission may be used in a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 103 or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) of the other invention.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5, 14, and 20 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.
Claims 5, 14, and 20 recites the limitation "the same transitional metal.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim and therefore this limitaiton renders the claim indefinite.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6-11, 13, 15-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US 2020/0006541) in view of Hantanasirisakul (Hantanasirisakul et al., “Electronic and Optical Properties of 2D Transition MetalCarbides and Nitrides (MXenes),” Adv. Mater. 2018, 30, 1804779).
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses a semiconductor device, comprising: a channel (Fig.2H, numerals 222) on a substrate (210), the channel comprising a two-dimensional (2D) material ([0037]); a gate insulating layer (252) on a portion of the channel (222); a gate electrode (254) on the gate insulating layer (252); a first contact pattern (230)(1) on a first portion of the channel (222) and a second contact pattern (230)(2) on a second portion of the channel (222); and a first source/drain electrode (240)(1) on the first contact pattern (230)(1) and a second source/drain electrode (230)(2) on the second contact pattern (230)(2), the first source/drain electrode and the second source/drain electrode comprising a metal ([0048]).
Lin does not disclose the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern comprising a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises at least one from among molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re), technetium (Tc), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta).
Lin however discloses that the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern are formed to reduce contact resistance ([0017]). And Hantanasirisakul discloses reducing contact resistance by forming a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises molybdenum (Mo) (page 17, section 9, paragraph 1; page 18, column 2, paragraph 2).
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Lin with Hantanasirisakul to have the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern comprising a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises molybdenum (Mo) as an alternative method for reducing contact resistance (Hantanasirisakul, page 18, column 2, paragraph 3).
Regarding claim 10, Lin discloses a semiconductor device, comprising: a channel (Fig.2H, numeral 222) on a substrate (210), the channel (222) comprising a two-dimensional (2D) material; a gate insulating layer (252) on a portion of the channel (222); a gate electrode (254) on the gate insulating layer (252); a first contact pattern (230)-(1) on a first portion of the channel (222) and a second contact pattern (230)-(2) on a second portion of the channel (222) and a first source/drain electrode (240)(1) on the first contact pattern (230)(1) and a second source/drain electrode (240)(2) on the second contact pattern (230)(2), the first source/drain electrode (240)(1) and the second source/drain electrode (240)(2) comprising a metal ([0048]).
Lin does not disclose the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern comprising a carbide of a transition metal, a nitride of a transition metal or a carbonitride of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises at least one from among molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re), technetium (Tc), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta).
Lin however discloses that the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern are formed to reduce contact resistance ([0017]). And Hantanasirisakul discloses reducing contact resistance by forming a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises molybdenum (Mo) (page 17, section 9, paragraph 1; page 18, column 2, paragraph 2).
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Lin with Hantanasirisakul to have the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern comprising a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises molybdenum (Mo) as an alternative method for reducing contact resistance (Hantanasirisakul, page 18, column 2, paragraph 3).
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Lin discloses wherein the channel comprises a transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) ([0036]).
Regarding claims 6 and 15, Lin discloses a first contact plug (Fig. 2H, numeral 270) on the gate electrode (254); a second contact plug (270) on the first source/drain electrode (230)-(1); and a third contact plug (270) on the second source/drain electrode (230)-(2).
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Lin discloses wherein the gate insulating layer (252) is provided on a lower surface of the gate electrode (254) and a sidewall of the gate electrode (254) (Fig. 7).
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Lin discloses wherein the gate insulating layer (252) is provided on a sidewall of each of the first contact pattern (230)-(1) and the second contact pattern (230)-(2), and wherein the gate insulating layer (252) is provided on a sidewall and an upper surface of each of the first source/drain electrode (240)-(1) and the second source/drain electrode (240)-(2).
Regarding claims 9 and 18, Lin discloses an insulating layer (212) between the substrate (210) and the channel (222) (Fig. 2H).
Regarding claim 19, Lin discloses a semiconductor device, comprising: an insulating layer (Fig.2H, numeral 212) on a substrate (210); a channel (222) on the insulating layer (212), the channel (222) comprising a two-dimensional (2D) material ([0036]); a first contact pattern (230)(1) on a first edge portion of the channel (222) and a second contact pattern (230)(2) on a second edge portion of the channel (222), the first contact pattern (230)(1) and the second contact pattern (230)(2), a first source/drain electrode (240)(1) on the first contact pattern (230)(1) and a second source/drain electrode (240)(2) on the second contact pattern (230)(2), the first source/drain electrode (240)(1) and the second source/drain electrode (240)(2) comprising a metal ([0048]); a gate insulating layer (252) on a central upper surface of the channel (222), on sidewalls of each of the first contact pattern (230)(1) and the second contact pattern (230)(2), on sidewalls of each of the first source/drain electrode (240)(1) and the second source/drain electrode (240)(2), and on an upper surface of each of the first source/drain electrode (2400(1) and the second source/drain electrode (240)(2); a gate electrode (254) on a portion of the gate insulating layer(252) that is on the central upper surface of the channel (222), wherein the gate insulating layer (252) is provided on a lower surface and a sidewall of the gate electrode (254); a first contact plug (270) contacting an upper surface of the gate electrode (254); a second contact plug (270) extending through the gate insulating layer (252) and contacting an upper surface of the first source/drain electrode (240)(1); and a third contact plug (170) extending through the gate insulating layer (252) and contacting an upper surface of the second source/drain electrode (240)(2).
Lin does not disclose the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern comprising a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises at least one from among molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), rhenium (Re), technetium (Tc), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta).
Lin however discloses that the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern are formed to reduce contact resistance ([0017]). And Hantanasirisakul discloses reducing contact resistance by forming a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises molybdenum (Mo) (page 17, section 9, paragraph 1; page 18, column 2, paragraph 2).
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Lin with Hantanasirisakul to have the first contact pattern and the second contact pattern comprising a carbide of a transition metal, wherein the transition metal comprises molybdenum (Mo) as an alternative method for reducing contact resistance (Hantanasirisakul, page 18, column 2, paragraph 3).
Regarding claims 5, 14, and 20, Lin in view of Hantanasirisakul disclose wherein the transition metal comprise tantalum (Ta) (Table 2) and the channel, the first contact pattern, and the second contact pattern comprise substantially the same transition metal (Lin, [0036]; Hantanasirisakul, page 18, column 2, paragraph 3; note: Mo).
Claim(s) 3 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Hantanasirisakul as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Siriwardane (Siriwardane et al., “Electronic and mechanical properties of stiff rhenium carbide monolayers: A first-principles investigation,” Applied Surface Science
Volume 458, 15 November 2018, Pages 762-768).
Regarding claims 3 and 12, Lin in view of Hantanasirisakul does not disclose wherein the carbide of the transition metal comprises rhenium carbide.
Hantanasirisakul however discloses that carbide of the various transitional metals used as electrodes (Hantanasirisakul, page 18, column 2, paragraph 3; page 19, column 2, paragraph 3). And because rhenium is a transitional metal, the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supported a prima facie obviousness determination in Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 325 U.S. 327, 65 USPQ 297 (1945) (see MPEP 2144.07). Moreover, Siriwardane discloses that rhenium carbide exhibits metallic properties, i.e. it suitable in forming contacts (page 767, Section 3.3).
It would have been therefore obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use rhenium as a transition metal in forming carbide of a transitional metal for the purpose of forming ohmic contacts.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 3-10, 12-20 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
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JULIA SLUTSKER whose telephone number is (571)270-3849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9 am-6 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Landau can be reached at 571-272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JULIA SLUTSKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
Prosecution Insights