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 .
Response to Arguments
Regarding the objections to the specification in the Office Action filed 23 December 2025, Applicant’s amendments in the reply filed 23 March 2026 are acknowledged and overcome the associated objections. As such, the associated objections are withdrawn.
Regarding the rejections to the claims under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) in the Office Action filed 23 December 2025, Applicant’s amendments in the reply filed 23 March 2026 are acknowledged and overcome the associated rejections. As such, the associated rejections are withdrawn.
Regarding the rejections to the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103 in the Office Action filed 23 December 2025, Applicant’s amendments in the reply filed 23 March 2026 are acknowledged and have been fully considered but are not found persuasive.
On page 10 of the aforementioned reply, Applicant argues:
PARK fails to disclose the features of "a charge storage layer provided on a first side of the first insulator facing the second direction," and "a side face of the first insulator on a side of the upper electrode layer has a convex shape protruding toward the upper electrode layer, the side face of the first insulator being provided on a second side of the first insulator, the second side of the first insulator being opposite to the first side of the first insulator" (emphasis added) as recited in amended Claim 1.
To support this argument, Applicant provides non-limiting examples of an interpretation of the above claim language, for which Applicant asserts “PARK fails to disclose” the above claim language. Without admitting to the propriety of said non-limiting examples, the Examiner asserts, as presently written, the language of Claim 1 does not preclude other interpretations, including but not limited to:
“a charge storage layer” (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: TL) “provided on a first side” (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: right side of BK, including portions of the right side of BK facing D1 and portions of the right side of BK not facing D1 such as portions of the right side of BK facing downward right in said figure) “of the first insulator facing the second direction;”
By the above, PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows TL provided on the right side of BK, where potions of the right side of BK face D1.
“a side face” (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: S1) “of the first insulator on a side of the upper electrode layer has a convex shape protruding toward the upper electrode layer”
By the above, PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows S1 of BK on the downward right facing side of the upper left GM/BM has a convex shape protruding toward the upper left GM/BM in an upward left facing direction.
“the side face of the first insulator being provided on a second side” (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: left side of BK, including portions of the left side of BK facing opposite D1 and portions of the left side of BK not facing opposite D1 such as portions of the left side of BK facing upward left in said figure, which include S1) “of the first insulator, the second side of the first insulator being opposite to the first side of the first insulator,”
By the above, PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: shows S1 of BK being provided on the left side of BK, the left side of BK being opposite to the right side of BK.
As this interpretation satisfies the above cited limitations of this claim, amending Claim 1 to require “a charge storage layer provided on a first side of the first insulator facing the second direction," and "a side face of the first insulator on a side of the upper electrode layer has a convex shape protruding toward the upper electrode layer, the side face of the first insulator being provided on a second side of the first insulator, the second side of the first insulator being opposite to the first side of the first insulator” is not deemed to patentably distinguish Applicant’s claimed device from the known device of PARK in view of KANG.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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Claims 1 – 7 & 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over PARK (US 20200303390 A1) in view of KANG (US 20220262950 A1).
Regarding Independent Claim 1,
PARK discloses:
A semiconductor storage device (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A) comprising:
a lower electrode layer (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: bottom left GM/BM);
a lower insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: middle left IL1) provided on a of the lower electrode layer facing a first direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows the middle left IL1 provided on the top side of the bottom left GM/BM facing D3.);
an upper electrode layer (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: upper left GM/BM) provided on a side of the lower insulator facing the first direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows the upper left GM/BM provided on the top side of the middle left IL1 facing D3.);
an upper insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: upper left IL1) provided on a side of the upper electrode layer facing the first direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows the upper left IL1 provided on the top side of the upper left GM/BM facing D3.);
a first insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: BK and the portion of GI within B1) provided on a side of the upper electrode layer facing a second direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: D1), the second direction intersecting with the first direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows BK and the portion of GI within B1 provided on the right side of the upper left GM/BM facing D1, D1 intersecting with D3 at 90 degrees.);
a second insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: GI outside of B1 where GI is a dielectric, PARK ¶ [0050].) provided between the lower insulator and the upper electrode layer, between the upper electrode layer and the upper insulator, and between the upper electrode layer and the first insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows GI outside of B1 provided between the middle left IL1 and the upper left GM/BM, between the upper left GM/BM and the upper left IL1, and between the upper left GM/BM and BK.);
a charge storage layer (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: TL) provided on a first side (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: right side of BK, including portions of the right side of BK facing D1 and portions of the right side of BK not facing D1 such as portions of the right side of BK facing downward right in said figure) of the first insulator facing the second direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows TL provided on the right side of BK, where potions of the right side of BK face D1.);
a third insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: TN) provided on a side of the charge storage layer facing the second direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows TN provided on the right side of TL facing D1.);
and a semiconductor layer (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: USP) provided on a side of the third insulator facing the second direction (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows USP provided on the right side of TN facing D1.),
wherein
a side face (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: S1) of the first insulator on a side of the upper electrode layer has a convex shape protruding toward the upper electrode layer (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows S1 of BK on the downward right facing side of the upper left GM/BM has a convex shape protruding toward the upper electrode layer in an upward left facing direction.),
the side face of the first insulator being provided on a second side (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: left side of BK, including portions of the left side of BK facing opposite D1 and portions of the left side of BK not facing opposite D1 such as portions of the left side of BK facing upward left in said figure, which include S1) of the first insulator, the second side of the first insulator being opposite to the first side of the first insulator,
(PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: shows S1 of BK being provided on the left side of BK, the left side of BK being opposite to the right side of BK.)
PARK does not disclose:
the charge storage layer includes a first portion having a first thickness in the second direction, and a second portion having a second thickness in the second direction, the second thickness being less than the first thickness, and the first portion is in contact with the first insulator.
However, for a similar device, KANG discloses:
the charge storage layer (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A: 16) includes a first portion (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A: all of a given 16) having a first thickness in the second direction (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A: T1), and a second portion (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A: the portion of a given 16 between the dashed line LD and 17) having a second thickness in the second direction (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A: T2), the second thickness being less than the first thickness (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A shows T2 less than T1.),
and the first portion is in contact with the first insulator (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A shows 16 is in contact with the first insulator 14 where 14 is a block insulator, KANG ¶ [0028], similar to BK of PARK.).
Further, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the charge storage layer of PARK with that of KANG, as these inventions are from the same field of endeavor, and the design of KANG provides “improved characteristics” for the device in general, KANG ¶ [0026], a significant component of which being the details of the design of the charge storage layer, KANG ¶ [0031].
Regarding Claim 2, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 1, upon which this claim depends.
PARK further discloses:
further comprising a fourth insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A: FM) between the lower insulator and the third insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows FM between the middle left IL1 and TN.),
wherein the lower insulator and the fourth insulator include silicon and oxygen (PARK ¶ [0041] and [0052] teach IL1 and FM, respectively, may include silicon oxide.),
and the second portion is in contact with the fourth insulator (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows all of TL, regardless of portion, is either in direct contact with FM or indirect contact with FM via an intermediate material.).
Regarding Claim 3, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 1, upon which this claim depends.
PARK does not disclose:
wherein a contact area between the charge storage layer and the first insulator is smaller than a contact area between the charge storage layer and the third insulator.
However, for a similar device, KANG discloses:
wherein a contact area between the charge storage layer and the first insulator is smaller than a contact area between the charge storage layer and the third insulator (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A shows the contact area associated with L2 between the charge storage layer 16 and the first insulator 14 is smaller than the contact area associated with L3 between the charge storage layer 16 and the third insulator 17 where 17 is a tunnel insulator, KANG ¶ [0028], similar to TN of PARK.).
Regarding Claim 4, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 1, upon which this claim depends.
PARK does not disclose:
wherein the charge storage layer is a semiconductor layer.
However, for a similar device, KANG discloses:
wherein the charge storage layer is a semiconductor layer (KANG ¶ [0031] teaches 16 may be poly-silicon.).
Regarding Claim 5, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 4, upon which this claim depends.
PARK does not disclose:
wherein the charge storage layer includes phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), boron (B), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt (Co), tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo).
However, for a similar device, KANG discloses:
wherein the charge storage layer includes phosphorus (P), arsenic (As), boron (B), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), titanium (Ti), nickel (Ni), ruthenium (Ru), cobalt (Co), tungsten (W) or molybdenum (Mo) (KANG ¶ [0031] teaches 16 may also include a nitride.).
Regarding Claim 6, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 1, upon which this claim depends.
PARK does not disclose:
wherein a length of the lower insulator in the first direction is equal to or longer than twice a length of the second portion in the first direction.
However, for a similar device, KANG discloses:
wherein a length of the lower insulator in the first direction (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A: L1 of the middle left 12 in the first direction D3) is equal to or longer than twice a length (L33, not shown) of the second portion in the first direction (KANG Annotated Fig. 1A shows a length L3 of the second portion of 16 in the first direction D3, where L33 is some portion of L3 such that L33 is less than half of L1.).
Regarding Claim 7, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 1, upon which this claim depends.
Neither PARK nor KANG disclose:
wherein a maximum value of a thickness of the charge storage layer in the second direction is equal to or less than 5 nm.
However, both PARK and KANG teach the general condition that a maximum value of a thickness of the charge storage layer in the second direction is that of a thin film based on the general design of such semiconductor storage devices.
Further, PARK in view of KANG discloses the claimed invention except for said maximum thickness being equal to or less than 5 nm. Regardless, PARK in view of KANG does teach the general condition of this claim, as stated, and the instant disclosure teaches no criticality of the associated claimed range of thicknesses relative to the teachings of PARK in view of KANG. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to tune said maximum thickness of the charge storage layer to be equal to or less than 5 nm, since it has been held that "where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation".
Regarding Claim 9, PARK in view of KANG discloses all of the limitations of Claim 1, upon which this claim depends.
PARK further discloses:
wherein the first insulator includes a fifth insulator having a permittivity higher than a permittivity of a silicon nitride film (PARK Annotated Fig. 5A shows the first insulator—BK and the portion of GI within B1—includes a fifth insulator—the portion of GI within B1—which may be hafnium oxide, PARK ¶ [0050]—which has a permittivity higher than a permittivity of a silicon nitride film).
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 Kenneth S. Stephenson whose telephone number is (571)272-6686. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Friday, 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. (EST)..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone and video conferencing, preferably at 4:30 P.M. for a given week day, 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, Julio Maldonado can be reached at (571) 272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K.S.S./Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JULIO J MALDONADO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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