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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/17/2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 and 15 objected to because of the following informalities: the claim appears to have a typographical error, "M is an electrode selected from". For the purpose of examination, the examiner will interpret the above limitation as "M is an element selected from " .Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 2 and 4 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 2 depends on claim 1 with the limitation of “wherein M is an element selected from calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), titanium (Ti), Zirconium (Zr), boron (B), gallium (Ga), indium (In), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), ytterbium (Yb), and lutetium (Lu)”. Claim 2 of the present application does not narrow the scope of claim 1 because claim 2 with the limitation of “wherein M is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Zr, B, manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)” conflict with the limitation of claim 1.
Claim 4 depends on claim 1 with the limitation of “wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, B, Ga, In, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Yb, and Lu”. Claim 4 of the present application does not narrow the scope of claim 1 because claim 4 with the limitation of “wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Zr, manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn)” conflict with the limitation of claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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) 1-5, 7-13 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song et al. US 2021/0265458, Kim US 2020/0020780 and Park et al. US 2009/0127611.
Re claim 1, Song teaches a semiconductor device (fig5), comprising:
a first electrode (100 or 400, fig5, [81]);
a second electrode (400 or 100, fig5, [81]) spaced apart from the first electrode;
a dielectric layer (200 and 300, fig5, [81]) between the first electrode and the second electrode, the dielectric layer including a metal oxide represented by MaOb (200, fig5, [87]),
wherein M is an element selected from calcium (Ca) ([87]), strontium (Sr) ([87]), barium (Ba) ([87]), scandium (Sc) ([87]), yttrium (Y) ([87]), lanthanum (La) ([87]), titanium (Ti) ([87]), Zirconium (Zr) ([87]), boron (B), gallium (Ga), indium (In), hafnium (Hf) ([87]), niobium (Nb) ([87]), tantalum (Ta) ([87]), cerium (Ce) ([87]), praseodymium (Pr) ([87]), neodymium (Nd) ([87]), gadolinium (Gd) ([87]), dysprosium (Dy) ([87]), ytterbium (Yb) ([87]), and lutetium (Lu) ([87]), and
a and b are each independently a rational number (200 as ZrO2, fig5, [87]); and
a leakage current reducing layer (300, fig5, [88]) on the dielectric layer between the first electrode (100 or 400, fig5, [81]) and the second electrode (400 or 100, fig5, [81]),
Song does not explicitly show the leakage current reducing layer including an inorganic compound represented by Alx1Lx2Oy1Xy2, X is an element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), and x1, x2, y1, and y2 are each independently a rational number.
Song teaches forming doped Al2O3 film 300 doped with Zr ([88]).
Kim teaches forming ALD leakage blocking layer (13, fig18E, [237, 239]) intermix with ALD ZrO2 layer (12, fig18E, [236, 239]).
Park teaches ALD process of aluminum precursors ([52]) and zirconium precursors (ZrCl4, [52]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Song, Kim and Park to use the precursors of Park and form a stack as in Kim fig18E. The motivation to do so is to improve the electrical characteristics in terms of breakdown voltage and leakage current and EOT (Kim, [233]) by accurately control the thickness of each layer and amount of Al and Zr used (Park, [51, 52, 532]).
The outcome of the combination teaches the leakage current reducing layer including an inorganic compound represented by Alx1Lx2Oy1Xy2 (AlZrO and residual Cl from ZrCl4, see teaching reference Merisalu et al. “Structure and Electrical Properties of Zirconium-Aluminum-Oxide Films Engineered by Atomic Layer Deposition” Coatings 2022, 12(4), 431, page 4 table 1 and 2), wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr (Song, doped Al2O3 300 intermixed with ZrO2 in 200, fig5), B, Ga, In, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Yb, and Lu, X is an element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl) (residual Cl in ZrO2 from Zr precursor ZrCl4), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), and x1, x2, y1, and y2 are each independently a rational number.
Re claim 2, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein M is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Zr (Song, 200 as ZrO2, fig5, [87]), B, manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).
Re claim 3, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a is an integer from 1 to 3, and b is an integer from 1 to 5 (Song, 200 as ZrO2 a=1, b=2, fig5, [87]).
Re claim 4, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, B, Zr (Song, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 300 intermixed with ZrO2 in 200 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig5), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).
Re claim 5, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein X is an element selected from F, Cl (Song, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 300 intermixed with ZrO2 in 200 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig5), Br, and I.
Re claim 7, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a first dielectric layer (Kim, 15, 14, fig18E, [240]) and a second dielectric layer (Kim, 12, fig18E, [239]), and the leakage current reducing layer (Kim, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 intermixed with ZrO2 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig18E, [239]) is between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
Re claim 8, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the leakage current reducing layer (Kim, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 intermixed with ZrO2 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig18E, [239]) is between the first electrode (Kim, 16 or 11, fig18E, [235, 242]) and the dielectric layer (Kim, 15, 14 and 12, fig18E, [239, 240]).
Re claim 9, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the leakage current reducing layer (Kim, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 intermixed with ZrO2 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig18E, [239]) is between the second electrode (Kim, 11 or 16, fig18E, [235, 242]) and the dielectric layer (Kim, 15, 14 and 12, fig18E, [239, 240]).
Re claim 10, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the leakage current reducing layer is greater than or equal to 0.1 Å and less than or equal to 4.5 Å (Kim, 13~1-2A, fig18E, [237]).
Re claim 11, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein a total thickness of the dielectric layer and the leakage current reducing layer is less than or equal to 50 Å (Song, 200 less than 5nm and 300 formed as in Kim ~1-2 A, fig5, [87, 88]; Kim, ZAZATA layer TiO~3-10A, 13~1-2A, 202~1-2A , fig17, [65, 69, 144, 240]).
Re claim 12, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the dielectric layer has a single-film structure or a multi-layer structure in which different materials are stacked (Kim, fig18E).
Re claim 13, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each include at least one selected from tungsten (W), TaN, TiN (Kim, 16, 11, fig18E, [235, 241]), RuOx, TiN, NbN, Sc, aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), MON, palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), tin (Sn), La, and ruthenium (Ru).
Re claim 15, Song teaches a semiconductor apparatus (fig5), comprising:
a field effect transistor (FET with gate 1300, fig5, [113]); and
a capacitor (2, fig5, [114]) electrically connected to the field effect transistor,
wherein the capacitor includes a first electrode (100, fig5, [81]);
a second electrode (400, fig5, [81]) spaced apart from the first electrode;
a dielectric layer (300, 200, fig5, [87, 88]) between the first electrode and the second electrode,
the dielectric layer including a metal oxide represented by MaOb (200, fig5, [87]), wherein M is an electrode selected from calcium (Ca) ([87]), strontium (Sr) ([87]), barium (Ba) ([87]), scandium (Sc) ([87]), yttrium (Y) ([87]), lanthanum (La) ([87]), titanium (Ti) ([87]), Zirconium (Zr) ([87]), boron (B), gallium (Ga), indium (In), hafnium (Hf) ([87]), niobium (Nb) ([87]), tantalum (Ta) ([87]), cerium (Ce) ([87]), praseodymium (Pr) ([87]), neodymium (Nd) ([87]), gadolinium (Gd) ([87]), dysprosium (Dy) ([87]), ytterbium (Yb) ([87]), and lutetium (Lu) ([87]), and
a and b are each independently a rational number (200 as ZrO2, fig6, [87]); and
a leakage current reducing layer (300, fig5, [88]) on the dielectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode,
Song does not explicitly show the leakage current reducing layer including an inorganic compound represented by Alx1Lx2Oy1Xy2, wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, B, Ga, In, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Yb, and Lu, and X is an element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), and x1, x2, y1, and y2 are each independently a rational number.
Kim teaches forming ALD leakage blocking layer (13, fig18E, [237, 239]) intermix with ALD ZrO2 layer (12, fig18E, [236, 239]).
Park teaches ALD process of aluminum precursors ([52]) and zirconium precursors (ZrCl4, [52]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Song, Kim and Park to use the precursors of Park and form a stack as in Kim fig18E. The motivation to do so is to improve the electrical characteristics in terms of breakdown voltage and leakage current and EOT (Kim, [233]) by accurately control the thickness of each layer and amount of Al and Zr used (Park, [51, 52, 532]).
The outcome of the combination teaches the leakage current reducing layer including an inorganic compound represented by Alx1Lx2Oy1Xy2 (AlZrO and residual Cl from ZrCl4, see teaching reference Merisalu et al. “Structure and Electrical Properties of Zirconium-Aluminum-Oxide Films Engineered by Atomic Layer Deposition” Coatings 2022, 12(4), 431, page 4 table 1 and 2), wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr (Song, doped Al2O3 300 intermixed with ZrO2 in 200, fig5), B, Ga, In, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Yb, and Lu, X is an element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl) (residual Cl in ZrO2 from Zr precursor ZrCl4), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), and x1, x2, y1, and y2 are each independently a rational number.
Re claim 16, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the field effect transistor comprises: a semiconductor layer (Song, 1100, fig5, [104]) comprising a source (Song, 1210, fig5, [105]) and a drain (Song, 1220, fig5, [105]); a separate dielectric layer (Song, 1320, fig5, [106]) on the semiconductor layer; and a gate electrode (Song, 1310, fig5, [106]) on the separate dielectric layer.
Re claim 17, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the dielectric layer comprises a first dielectric layer (Kim, 15, 14, fig18E, [240]) and a second dielectric layer (Kim, 12, fig18E, [239]), and the leakage current reducing layer (Kim, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 intermixed with ZrO2 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig18E, [239]) is between the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer.
Re claim 18, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the leakage current reducing layer (Kim, AlZrO-Cl formed by Al2O3 intermixed with ZrO2 with Cl residual from Zr precursor ZrCl4, fig18E, [239]) is between the first electrode (Kim, 16 or 11, fig18E, [235, 242]) and the dielectric layer (Kim, 15, 14 and 12, fig18E, [239, 240]), or between the second electrode and the dielectric layer.
Re claim 19, Song modified above teaches the semiconductor apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each comprise at least one selected from tungsten (W), TaN, TiN, RuOx, TiN (Kim, 16, 11, fig18E, [235, 241]), NbN, Sc, aluminum (Al), molybdenum (Mo), MON, palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), tin (Sn), La, and ruthenium (Ru).
Re claim 20, Song modified above teaches an electronic apparatus comprising the semiconductor apparatus of claim 15 (Song, fig12).
Claim(s) 1 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Park et al. US 2009/0127611 and Kim US 2020/0020780.
Re claim 1, Park teaches a semiconductor device (fig1), comprising:
a first electrode (50, fig1, [41]);
a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode (30, fig1, [45]);
Park does not explicitly show a dielectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the dielectric layer including a metal oxide represented by MaOb, wherein M is an electrode selected from calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), titanium (Ti), Zirconium (Zr), boron (B), gallium (Ga), indium (In), hafnium (Hf), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), gadolinium (Gd), dysprosium (Dy), ytterbium (Yb), and lutetium (Lu), and a and b are each independently a rational number; and a leakage current reducing layer on the dielectric layer between the first electrode and the second electrode, the leakage current reducing layer including an inorganic compound represented by Alx1Lx2Oy1Xy2, wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr, B, Ga, In, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Yb, and Lu, X is an element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), and x1, x2, y1, and y2 are each independently a rational number.
Park teaches ALD process of aluminum precursors ([52]) and zirconium precursors (ZrCl4, [52]).
Kim teaches forming ALD leakage blocking layer (13, fig. 18E, [237, 239]) intermix with ALD ZrO2 layer (12, fig18E, [236, 239]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Park and Kim form a stack as in Kim fig18E between FG and CG of Park. The motivation to do so is to improve the electrical characteristics in terms of breakdown voltage and leakage current and EOT (Kim, [233]).
The outcome of the combination teaches the leakage current reducing layer including an inorganic compound represented by Alx1Lx2Oy1Xy2 (AlZrO and residual Cl from ZrCl4, see teaching reference), wherein L is an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Sc, Y, La, Ti, Zr (Kim, doped Al2O3 intermixed with ZrO2, fig18E), B, Ga, In, Hf, Nb, Ta, Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Dy, Yb, and Lu, X is an element selected from sulfur (S), selenium (Se), tellurium (Te), fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl) (residual Cl in ZrO2 from Zr precursor ZrCl4), bromine (Br), and iodine (I), and x1, x2, y1, and y2 are each independently a rational number.
Re claim 14, Park in view of Kim teaches the semiconductor device of claim 1, wherein one of the first electrode or the second electrode comprises a semiconductor material (Park, 30 as poly Si, fig1, [45]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 is 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.
Specifically, the limitations are material to the inventive concept of the application in hand to reduce leakage current and improve capacitance.
Conclusion
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/XIAOMING LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2812