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 Amendment
This Office Action is in response to Applicant's amendments filed March 30, 2026. Claims 1, 6-7, 12, and 21 have been amended. Claim 26 has been added. Claim 5 has been canceled. Currently, claims 1-4, 6-15, and 21-26 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 12, and 21 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-4, and 6-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heiss et al. (US 20220407004 A1) herein after “Heiss”.
Regarding claim 1, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses a device (Fig. 3, PCM switching device 100, ¶ [0032]), comprising:
a material layer (Fig. 3, substrate 102, ¶ [0032]);
a first conductive component (Fig. 3, first RF terminal 106, ¶ [0034]) and a second conductive component (Fig. 3, second RF terminal108, ¶ [0034]) each disposed over the material layer (102) in a cross-sectional side view (shown in Fig. 3);
a heater component (Fig. 3, heating element 116, ¶ [0037]) disposed over the material layer (102) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein a segment of the heater component (116) is disposed between the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view and in a planar top view, and wherein an upper surface of the heater component (116) is less elevated vertically than an upper surface of the first conductive component (106) or the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view (lower surface in Fig. 3);
a phase change material (PCM) (Fig. 3, phase change material 114, ¶ [0035]) disposed over the segment of the heater component (116) and at least partially over the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein a resistivity of the PCM (114) changes in response to an application of heat (“strip of phase change material 114 may comprise a material that changes from an amorphous state to a crystalline state based upon the application of heat to the phase change material”, ¶ [0035]), wherein the heat is produced by the heater component (“The heating element 116 is arranged and configured to apply heat to the strip of phase change material 114”, ¶ [0037]);
insulating materials (Fig. 3, portion of insulating material 104 between 106, 116, and 108, ¶ [0033]) disposed between the heater component (116) and the first conductive component (106) and between the heater component (116) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view; and
a dielectric layer (Fig. 3, insulating liner 118, ¶ [0037]) disposed between the heater component (116) and the PCM (114) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein the dielectric layer (118) is separated from the first conductive component (106) by a portion of the insulating materials (104).
Regarding claim 2, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Figs. 4A-4D of Heiss further disclose wherein an entire bottom surface of the PCM (114) is substantially flat (Figs. 4A-4D show the process steps for forming the PCM switching device 100 of Fig. 3, ¶ [0049]. These figures show the upper surface of 114 as substantially flat).
Regarding claim 3, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses wherein an entire top surface of the PCM (114) is substantially flat (lower surface in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 4, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses wherein the PCM (114) is in direct contact with the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108).
Regarding claim 6, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Figs. 4A-4D of Heiss further disclose wherein side surfaces of the dielectric layer (118) are in direct contact with the insulating materials (104), but not with the PCM (114), in the cross-sectional side view (Figs. 4A-4D show the process steps for forming the PCM switching device 100 of Fig. 3, ¶ [0049]. These figures show dielectric layer 118 formed on top of PCM 114 such that the side surfaces of 118 are not in contact with 114).
Regarding claim 7, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses wherein:
a first portion of a bottom surface of the PCM (114) is in direct contact with an upper surface of the dielectric layer (central portion of 114 in Fig. 3);
a second portion of a bottom surface of the PCM (114) is in direct contact with an upper surface of the first conductive component (106) or the second conductive component (108) (left and right edges of 114 in Fig. 3); and
the first portion of the bottom surface is substantially co-planar with a second portion of the bottom surface of the PCM (114).
Regarding claim 8, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses further comprising a capping layer (portion of 104 surrounding the lower surface and sides of 114 in Fig. 3) disposed over the PCM (114) in the cross-sectional side view.
Regarding claim 9, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 8 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses wherein:
a bottom surface of the capping layer (portion of 104 surrounding the lower surface and sides of 114 in Fig. 3) and an upper surface of the PCM (114) form an interface; and
an entirety of the interface is substantially flat (shown in Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 10, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Heiss further discloses wherein the device is an electrical switch in a radio-frequency (RF) circuit (“The PCM switching device comprises a strip of phase change material connected between first and second RF terminals”, ¶ [0031]).
Regarding claim 11, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses the device of claim 1 as applied above, and Heiss further discloses wherein:
the material layer (102) contains a dielectric material (“the substrate 102 is a so-called SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate 102, which includes a buried layer of insulating material”, ¶ [0032]);
the first conductive component (106), the second conductive component (108), and the heater component (116) each contains tungsten (“the first metal layer 128 can comprise any metal or metal alloy with sufficient material properties to perform the function of the heating element 116 as described above. Examples of these metals include tungsten”, ¶ [0044]); and
the PCM (114) contains germanium telluride (“these phase change materials include… germanium-tellurium”, ¶ [0035]).
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.
Claims 12-13, 15, and 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heiss (US 20220407004 A1) in view of Kobayashi et al. (US 20220415832 A1) herein after “Kobayashi”.
Regarding claim 12, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses a device (100), comprising:
a first conductive component (106), a second conductive component (108), and a heater component (116), wherein a segment of the heater component (116) is located between the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in a cross-sectional side view and in a planar top view;
a first dielectric layer (118) located over the heater component (116) and between the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein the first dielectric layer (118), the first conductive component (106), and the second conductive component (108) have substantially co-planar upper surfaces in the cross-sectional side view;
a phase change material (PCM) (114) located over the first dielectric layer (118) and at least partially over the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein the PCM (114) is in a conductive state or a non-conductive state based on heat generated by the heater component (116); and
a capping layer (104) located over the PCM (114).
Heiss fails to disclose a second dielectric layer located over a first portion of the first conductive component,
wherein the second dielectric layer is separated from the first dielectric layer by at least a second portion of the first conductive component.
In the similar field of endeavor of phase change switches, Fig. 1 of Kobayashi discloses a second dielectric layer (Fig. 1, second dielectric layer 32, ¶ [0032]) located over a first portion of the first conductive component (Fig. 1, outside portion of first metal layer section 24, ¶ [0031]),
wherein the second dielectric layer (32) is separated from the first dielectric layer (Fig. 1, first dielectric layer 22, ¶ [0029]) by at least a second portion of the first conductive component (inside portion of first metal layer section 24).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filling date of the invention to modify the device of Heiss with the second dielectric layer as disclosed by Kobayashi, to provide further isolation to the conductive components (see Kobayashi, ¶ [0032]).
Regarding claim 13, Heiss and Kobayashi together disclose the device of claim 12 as applied above, and Figs. 3, and 4A-4D of Heiss further disclose wherein:
an entirety of a top surface the PCM (114) is flat (lower surface of 114 in Fig. 3); and
an entirety of a bottom surface the PCM (114) is flat (Figs. 4A-4D show the process steps for forming the PCM switching device 100 of Fig. 3, ¶ [0049]. These figures show the upper surface of 114 as flat).
Regarding claim 15, Heiss and Kobayashi together disclose the device of claim 12 as applied above, and Heiss further discloses wherein:
the PCM (114) contains germanium telluride (“these phase change materials include… germanium-tellurium”, ¶ [0035]);
the PCM (114) reaches a crystal phase when the heat generated by the heater component (116) heats the PCM (114) to a first temperature; and
the PCM (114) reaches an amorphous phase when the heat generated by the heater component (116) heats the PCM (114) to a second temperature different from the first temperature (“strip of phase change material 114 may comprise a material that changes from an amorphous state to a crystalline state based upon the application of heat to the phase change material”, ¶ [0035]).
Regarding claim 26, Heiss and Kobayashi together disclose the device of claim 12 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses wherein a bottom surface of the capping layer (portion of 104 surrounding the lower surface and sides of 114 in Fig. 3) extends to a top surface and side surfaces of the PCM (114) in the cross-sectional side view.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heiss (US 20220407004 A1) and Kobayashi (US 20220415832 A1) in further view of El-Hinnawy et al. (US 20200058848 A1) herein after “El-Hinnawy”.
Regarding claim 14, Heiss and Kobayashi together disclose the device of claim 12 as applied above, but Heiss and Kobayashi fail to explicitly disclose wherein:
the segment of the heater component is a middle segment;
the heater component further includes a first end segment and a second end segment;
the PCM spans over the middle segment of the heater component and partially over the first conductive component and the second conductive component in a first horizontal direction in a top view; and
the PCM is located between the first end segment and the second end segment of the heater component in a second horizontal direction in the top view.
In the similar field of endeavor of radio frequency switches, Fig. 2C of El-Hinnawy discloses wherein:
the segment of the heater component (Fig. 2C, heating element 206, ¶ [0039]) is a middle segment (portion of 206 that overlaps PCM 212 in Fig. 2C);
the heater component (206) further includes a first end segment and a second end segment (upper and lower portions of 206 in Fig. 2C);
the PCM (Fig. 2C, PCM 212, ¶ [0039]) spans over the middle segment of the heater component (206) and partially over the first conductive component (Fig. 2C, interconnects 220, ¶ [0039]) and the second conductive component (220) in a first horizontal direction in a top view (shown in Fig. 2C); and
the PCM (212) is located between the first end segment and the second end segment of the heater component (206) in a second horizontal direction in the top view (shown in Fig. 2C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filling date of the invention to modify the device of Heiss with the arrangement as disclosed by El-Hinnawy, to obtain desired capacitance properties (see El-Hinnawy, ¶ [0042]).
Claims 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Heiss (US 20220407004 A1) in view of El-Hinnawy (US 20200058848 A1).
Regarding claim 21, Fig. 3 of Heiss discloses a device (100), comprising:
a material layer (102);
a first conductive component (106) and a second conductive component (108) each disposed over the material layer (102) in a cross-sectional side view defined by a first horizontal direction and a vertical direction;
a heater component (116) disposed over the material layer (102) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein a segment of the heater component (116) is disposed between the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view and in a planar top view defined by the first horizontal direction and a second horizontal direction different from the first horizontal direction, wherein the heater component (116) has a smaller dimension in the vertical direction than the first conductive component (106) or the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view;
a phase change material (PCM) (114) disposed over the segment of the heater component (116) and at least partially over the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein a resistivity of the PCM (114) changes in response to heat generated by the heater component (116); and
a capping layer (portion of 104 surrounding the lower surface and sides of 114 in Fig. 3) disposed on a top surface and side surfaces of the PCM (114) in the cross-sectional side view, wherein a bottom surface of the capping layer (104) and an upper surface of the PCM (114) form a substantially flat interface.
Heiss fails to explicitly disclose wherein the heater component has a greater dimension in the second horizontal direction than the first conductive component or the second conductive component in the planar top view.
In the similar field of endeavor of radio frequency switches, Fig. 2C of El-Hinnawy discloses wherein the heater component (206) has a greater dimension in the second horizontal direction (vertical direction in Fig. 2C) than the first conductive component (220) or the second conductive component (220) in the planar top view.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time of the effective filling date of the invention to modify the device of Heiss with the arrangement as disclosed by El-Hinnawy, to obtain desired capacitance properties (see El-Hinnawy, ¶ [0042]).
Regarding claim 22, Heiss and El-Hinnawy together disclose the device of claim 21 as applied above, and Figs. 4A-4D of Heiss further disclose wherein a bottom surface of the PCM (114) is substantially flat (Figs. 4A-4D show the process steps for forming the PCM switching device 100 of Fig. 3, ¶ [0049]. These figures show the upper surface of 114 as flat) and extends to top surfaces of the first conductive component (106) and the second conductive component (108).
Regarding claim 23, Heiss and El-Hinnawy together disclose the device of claim 21 as applied above, and Heiss further discloses wherein:
the material layer (102) contains a dielectric material (“the substrate 102 is a so-called SOI (Silicon on Insulator) substrate 102, which includes a buried layer of insulating material”, ¶ [0032]);
at least one of the first conductive component (106), the second conductive component (108), and the heater component (116) contains tungsten (“the first metal layer 128 can comprise any metal or metal alloy with sufficient material properties to perform the function of the heating element 116 as described above. Examples of these metals include tungsten”, ¶ [0044]);
the PCM (114) contains germanium telluride (“these phase change materials include… germanium-tellurium”, ¶ [0035]); and
the device is an electrical switch in a radio-frequency (RF) circuit (“The PCM switching device comprises a strip of phase change material connected between first and second RF terminals”, ¶ [0031]).
Regarding claim 24, Heiss and El-Hinnawy together disclose the device of claim 21 as applied above, and Fig. 3 of Heiss further discloses comprising:
insulating materials (104) disposed between the heater component (116) and the first conductive component (106) and between the heater component (116) and the second conductive component (108) in the cross-sectional side view; and
a dielectric layer (118) disposed between the heater component (116) and the PCM (114) in the cross-sectional side view.
Regarding claim 25, Heiss and El-Hinnawy together disclose the device of claim 24 as applied above, and Figs. 3, and 4A-4D of Heiss further disclose wherein:
side surfaces of the dielectric layer (118) extend to the insulating materials (104), but not to the PCM (114), in the cross-sectional side view (Figs. 4A-4D show the process steps for forming the PCM switching device 100 of Fig. 3, ¶ [0049]. These figures show dielectric layer 118 formed on top of PCM 114 such that the side surfaces of 118 are not in contact with 114);
a first portion of a bottom surface of the PCM (114) extends to an upper surface of the dielectric layer (118) (central portion of 114 in Fig. 3);
a second portion of a bottom surface of the PCM (114) extends to an upper surface of the first conductive component (106) or the second conductive component (108) (left and right edges of 114 in Fig. 3); and
the first portion of the bottom surface is aligned with a second portion of the bottom surface of the PCM.
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.
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/C.A.N./Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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