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 .
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)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 17 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al, US Patent Application Publication 2022/0085144 (as cited by Applicant)
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) 1-11 and 13-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al, US Patent Application Publication 2022/0085144 (as cited by Applicant) in view of Ramdani et al, US Patent 6,709,989 (newly submitted)
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches a semiconductor processing method comprising:
providing a first precursor (NbCl5) to a semiconductor processing chamber, wherein a substrate is disposed within a processing region of the semiconductor processing chamber [0027], and wherein the first precursor comprises one or more of hafnium, lanthanum, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium (NbCl5 in figure 11 and [00118,0121]);
contacting the substrate with the first precursor, wherein the contacting forms a first portion of a metal oxide material 101 (figure 7) on the substrate;
providing a second precursor (H2O and H2S) to the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the second precursor comprises oxygen; and
contacting the first portion of a metal oxide material with the second precursor, wherein the contacting forms a metal oxide material on the substrate, wherein the metal oxide material comprises one or more of hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, strontium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide (figures 7 and 11 and [0094]).
Lee fails to teach the second precursor excludes water/stream (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
However, Ramdani teaches that pure oxygen is a generally-known material that is used to oxidize a metal layer in a deposition process (see column 5, lines 15-16)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ramdani with that of Lee because pure oxygen is a generally-known material that is used to oxidize a metal layer in a deposition process
Regarding claim 2, Lee teaches the metal oxide material is characterized by a dielectric constant of greater than or about 20 [0068].
Regarding claim3, Lee teaches the first precursor comprises a metal halide, a metal ethoxide, a metal sulfide, a metal cyclopentadienyl, a metal amide, a metal phosphine, a metal amine, a metal hydride, a metal carboxylate, a metal hydrazide, or a metal azide [0115,0121].
Regarding claim 4, both Lee and Ramdani teach the second precursor comprises an alcohol, an alkoxide, a hydroxide, an acetylacetonate, an acetate, a formate, a nitrate, a sulfate, a phosphate, a phosphide, a carbonate, an oxide, an oxynitride, a perchlorate, an oxyhalide, a peroxide, an oxalate, or a phenolate (Lee, [0094] and Ramdani, column 5, lines 15-16).
Regarding claim 5, Lee teaches the substrate comprises a first electrode 101 (figure 7), wherein the first electrode comprises titanium nitride; and the metal oxide material 103 is formed on the first electrode (figures 7 and 11).
Regarding claim 6, Lee teaches the substrate comprises a second electrode 102, wherein the second electrode comprises titanium nitride [0094]; and the second electrode is disposed above the metal oxide material (figure 7)
Regarding claim 7, Lee teaches halting a flow of the first precursor while providing the second precursor (figure 11).
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches the metal oxide material comprises a first metal oxide material, the method further comprising:
subsequent to forming the first metal oxide material to a first thickness [0124], providing a third precursor to the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the third precursor comprises one or more of hafnium, lanthanum, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium [0094,0125];
contacting the first metal oxide material with the third precursor (Sr(iPrCp)2), wherein the contacting forms a first portion of a second metal oxide material on the first metal oxide material [0125];
providing a fourth precursor to the semiconductor processing chamber, wherein the fourth precursor comprises oxygen (H2O) [0125]; and
contacting the first portion of the second metal oxide material with the fourth precursor, wherein the contacting forms a second metal oxide material on the first metal oxide material, wherein the second metal oxide material comprises one or more of hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, strontium oxide, tantalum oxide,titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide [0094,0125].
Regarding claim 9, Lee teaches the fourth precursor comprises water, steam, ozone, molecular oxygen, oxygen-containing plasma, or hydrogen peroxide [0125].
Regarding claim 10, Lee teaches a semiconductor processing method comprising:
i) flowing a first precursor (NbCl5 in figure 11 and [00118,0121]), wherein the first precursor comprises one or more of hafnium, lanthanum, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium;
ii) forming a first portion of a metal oxide material on a first electrode;
iii) flowing a second precursor (H2O and H2S); and
iv) contacting the first portion of a metal oxide material with the second precursor, wherein the first precursor, the second precursor, or both further comprise oxygen, and wherein the contacting forms a metal oxide material, wherein the metal oxide material comprises one or more of hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, strontium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide (figure 7, 11, and [0094]).
Lee fails to teach the second precursor excludes water/stream (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
However, Ramdani teaches that pure oxygen is a generally-known material that is used to oxidize a metal layer in a deposition process (see column 5, lines 15-16)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ramdani with that of Lee because pure oxygen is a generally-known material that is used to oxidize a metal layer in a deposition process
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches operations i) through iv) are repeated for at least 2 cycles [0124].
Regarding claim 13, Lee teaches: annealing the metal oxide material, wherein the annealing causes amorphous metal oxide to crystallize [0089]
Regarding claim 14, Lee teaches the metal oxide material is a first metal oxide material [0124], the method further comprising:
v) flowing a third precursor, wherein the third precursor comprises one or more of hafnium, lanthanum, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium, and wherein the third precursor comprises a different metal than the first precursor (NbCl5 in figure 11 and [00118,0121]);
vi) forming a first portion of a second metal oxide material on the first metal oxide material [0125];
vii) flowing a fourth precursor [0125]; and
viii) contacting the first portion of the second metal oxide material with the fourth precursor, wherein the third precursor, the fourth precursor, or both further comprise oxygen, wherein the contacting forms a second metal oxide material, and wherein the second metal oxide material comprises one or more of hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, strontium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide [0094,0125]. .
Regarding claim 15, Lee teaches the first metal oxide material and the second metal oxide material comprise different metal oxides [0124,0125].
Regarding claim 16, both Lee and Ramdani teach the fourth precursor comprises an alcohol, an alkoxide, a hydroxide, an acetylacetonate, an acetate, a formate, a nitrate, a sulfate, a phosphate, a phosphide, a carbonate, an oxide, an oxynitride, a perchlorate, an oxyhalide, a peroxide, an oxalate, or a phenolate (Lee, [0094] and Ramdani, column 5, lines 15-16).
Claim(s) 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ahn et al, US Patent 7,601,649 (as cited in previous Office Action) view of Ramdani et al, US Patent 6,709,989 (newly submitted)
Regarding claim 10, Ahn teaches a semiconductor processing method comprising:
i) flowing a first precursor (tantalum) wherein the first precursor comprises one or more of hafnium, lanthanum, niobium, strontium, tantalum, titanium, or zirconium (step 310);
ii) forming a first portion of a metal oxide material on a first electrode (step 310);
iii) flowing a second precursor (oxygen, step 320); and
iv) contacting the first portion of a metal oxide material with the second precursor, wherein the first precursor, the second precursor, or both further comprise oxygen, and wherein the contacting forms a metal oxide material, wherein the metal oxide material comprises one or more of hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, strontium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide (figure 3).
Ahn fails to teach the second precursor excludes water/stream (H2O) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2).
However, Ramdani teaches that pure oxygen is a generally-known material that is used to oxidize a metal layer in a deposition process (see column 5, lines 15-16)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Ramdani with that of Ahn because pure oxygen is a generally-known material that is used to oxidize a metal layer in a deposition process
Regarding claim 11, Ahn teaches operations i) through iv) are repeated for at least 2 cycles (column 9, lines 24-26)
Regarding claim 12, Ahn the metal oxide material is doped with one or more of aluminum, barium, calcium, hafnium, potassium, tantalum, titanium, sodium, strontium, zinc, or zirconium (step 340, figure 3).
Regarding claim 17, Lee teaches a semiconductor structure comprising:
a substrate [0027];
a first electrode 101 overlying the substrate, wherein the first electrode comprises titanium nitride [0094];
one or more metal oxide materials 103 overlying the first electrode, wherein the one or more metal oxide materials comprise one or more of hafnium oxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, strontium oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, or zirconium oxide (as shown in figure 11 and [0068]); and
a second electrode 102 overlying the one or more metal oxide materials, wherein the second electrode comprises titanium nitride, and wherein no interfacial layer is formed between the first electrode and the one or more metal oxide materials ([0094] and figures 7 and 11).
Regarding claim 19, Lee teaches each of the one or more metal oxide materials are characterized by a dielectric constant of greater than or about 3 [0068]
Regarding claim 20, Lee teaches the one or more metal oxide materials comprise three metal oxide materials, wherein a first metal oxide material 1 overlies the first electrode, wherein a second metal oxide material 1 overlies the first metal oxide material, and wherein a third metal oxide material 1, upper is disposed between the second metal oxide material and the second electrode (as shown in figure 6)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 and 10 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.
Applicant's arguments filed 17 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to Applicant’s argument that the reference of Lee fails to teach the limitation of “no interfacial layer is formed between the first electrode and the one or more metal oxide materials” because Lee teaches the use of H2O, it is noted that the reference of Lee doesn’t teach the formation of an interfacial layer between the first electrode and the one or more metal oxide. Therefore, since no interfacial layer has been mentioned in Lee, it would stand that Lee meets the limitation of this claim. Applicant has also stated that this interfacial layer is formed when using water/stream or hydrogen peroxide. Examiner then takes the position that using the pure oxygen precursor taught in Ramdani with the process of Lee would result in no interfacial layer being formed between the first electrode and the one or more metal oxide.
Therefore, the rejection of claim 17 and 19-20 under 35USC 102 as being anticipated by Lee is maintained.
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 QUOVAUNDA JEFFERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5051. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM-4PM.
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/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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