Notice of 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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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 1-3, 5-7 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jumbunathan et al. (PG Pub. No. US 2018/0358436 A1) in view of Chanemougame et al. (Patent No. US 10,510,620 B1) and Dube et al. (US 2016/0300715 A1).
Regarding independent claim 1: Jambunathan teaches (e.g., Figs. 1-12) a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
forming a multi-material layer ([0028] and [0032]: 104/106) on a substrate ([0032]: 102) positioned in a processing region ([0022]-[0023], [0029] and [0031-34]),
wherein the multi-material layer includes a plurality of crystalline first layers ([0018], [0023], [0028] and [0032]: 106) and a plurality of second layers ([0028] and [0032]: 104) arranged in an alternating pattern (Fig. 4); and
selectively forming a source region ([0031]-[0032]: 124) and a drain region ([0031]-[0032]: 124) on the crystalline first layers of the substrate ([0018], [0023], [0028] and [0032]),
wherein the formed source region and drain region contain an n-type dopant precursor concentration of greater than about 1x
10
21
atoms/
c
m
3
([0031]: 1x
10
21
atoms/
c
m
3
, included),
the forming the source region and the drain region ([0031]-[0032]: 124) further comprising:
flowing a first chlorosilane precursor gas selected from dichlorosilane and trichlorosilane ([0031]: dichlorosilane);
co-flowing an n-type dopant precursor gas ([0031]: doping during process correspond to co-flowing dopant, which n-type) with the first chlorosilane precursor gas and the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas ([0031]: doping during process correspond to co-flowing dopant, which n-type); and
heating the substrate to a temperature of about
800
o
C or less ([0031]).
There is an overlapping range with
550
o
C or less.
Applicant is reminded that a prima facie case of obviousness typically exists when the ranges of a claimed composition overlap the ranges disclosed in the prior art or when the ranges of a claimed composition do not overlap but are close enough such that one skilled in the art would have expected them to have the same properties. In re Peterson, 65 USPQ2d 1379 (CA FC 2003);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill at the time of the effective filing date to enable the teachings of Jambunathan, and adjust the process temperature to meet the desired deposition conditions for the current layers.
Jambunathan does not expressly teach
forming a plurality of non-crystalline second layers;
the forming the source region and the drain region further comprising:
co-flowing a higher order chlorosilane precursor gas having a formula ClySixH(2x+2-y), wherein y is 3 or more and x is one or more and the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas is different from the first chlorosilane precursor gas;
Chanemougame teaches (e.g., Figs. 1-17) a method comprising:
forming a plurality of non-crystalline second layers (Col. 11, Lines 9-19: sacrificial layer 124 is amorphous silicon);
a plurality of crystalline first layers (Col. 7, Lines 55-58: substrate is a single crystal wafer; the source drain layer is formed epitaxially on the substrate and active nanostructure; Col. 10, Lines 30-42 and 48-53: the active nanostructure corresponds to the channel, thus channel layer 126 is crystalline).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to include in the method of Jambunathan, the method of forming a plurality of non-crystalline second layers, as taught by Chanemougame, for the benefits of controlling the etching process needed to form the final gate structures by providing layers having a greater etch selectivity with the neighboring layers.
Dube teaches (e.g., Figs. 1-2) a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
co-flowing a higher order chlorosilane precursor gas having a formula ClySixH(2x+2-y), wherein y is 3 or more and x is one or more and the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas ([0020]-[0023] and [0026]: co-flow TCS (trichlorosilane) and DCS (dichlorosilane) and dopants; [0032]; claim 1) is different from the first chlorosilane precursor gas (TCS (trichlorosilane) is different from the first chlorosilane DCS (dichlorosilane).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to include in the method of Jambunathan as modified by Chanemougame, the method of co-flowing a higher order chlorosilane precursor gas having a formula ClySixH(2x+2-y), wherein y is 3 or more and x is one or more and the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas ([0020]-[0023] and [0026]: co-flow TCS (trichlorosilane) and DCS (dichlorosilane) and dopants; [0032]; claim 1) is different from the first chlorosilane precursor gas (TCS (trichlorosilane) is different from the first chlorosilane DCS (dichlorosilane), for the benefits of controlling the epitaxial deposition process and obtaining the desired material characteristics.
Regarding claim 2: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 1, on which this claim depends,
wherein the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas comprises trichlorosilane (Cl3SiH), hexachlorodisilane (Si2Cl6), tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4), pentachlorodisilane (C15Si2H), octachlorotrisilane (Cl8Si3), or a combination thereof (Dube: [0020]-[0023] and [0026]: tetrachlorosilane (SiCl4)).
Regarding claim 3: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 1, on which this claim depends,
wherein a flow rate of the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas to a flow rate of the first chlorosilane precursor gas is 3:1 or greater (Dube: [0023]).
Regarding claim 5: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 3, on which this claim depends,
wherein the forming the source region and the drain region further comprises maintaining the temperature within the processing region in a range from about 450 degrees Celsius to about 500 degrees Celsius (Jambunathan: [0031] range rendered obvious), and
a pressure within the processing region is maintained in a range from about 10 Torr to about 600 Torr (Dube: [0007]).
Regarding claim 6: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 1, on which this claim depends,
wherein the n-type dopant precursor is a phosphorous containing precursor, an antimony precursor, or a combination thereof (Jambunathan: [0031]: antimony).
Regarding claim 7: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 1, on which this claim depends,
wherein the n-type dopant precursor is an antimony-containing precursor and the n-type dopant precursor concentration is an antimony concentration within the source region and the drain region that is greater than about
2
x
10
21
atoms/
c
m
3
(Dube: Abstract, [0014] and [0036]; phosphorus is an example of negative dopants and teaches the concentration of dopants).
Regarding independent claim 14: Jambunathan teaches (e.g., Figs. 1-12) a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
forming a multi-material layer ([0028] and [0032]: 104/106) on a substrate ([0032]: 102) positioned in a processing region ([0022]-[0023], [0029] and [0031-34]),
wherein the multi-material layer includes a plurality of crystalline first layers ([0018], [0023], [0028] and [0032]: 106) and a plurality of second layers ([0028] and [0032]: 104) arranged in an alternating pattern (Fig. 4); and
selectively forming a source region ([0031]-[0032]: 124) and a drain region ([0031]-[0032]: 124) on the crystalline first layers of the substrate ([0018], [0023], [0028] and [0032]),
wherein the formed source region and drain region contain an n-type dopant precursor concentration of greater than about 2x
10
21
atoms/
c
m
3
([0031]),
the forming the source region and the drain region further comprising:
flowing dichlorosilane ([0031]: dichlorosilane);
co-flowing a phosphorous-containing precursor gas ([0031]) with the dichlorosilane;
heating the substrate to a temperature of about
800
o
C or less ([0031]).
It is noted that there is an overlapping range with
550
o
C or less.
Applicant is reminded that a prima facie case of obviousness typically exists when the ranges of a claimed composition overlap the ranges disclosed in the prior art or when the ranges of a claimed composition do not overlap but are close enough such that one skilled in the art would have expected them to have the same properties. In re Peterson, 65 USPQ2d 1379 (CA FC 2003);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to enable the teachings of Jambunathan, and adjust the process temperature to meet the desired deposition conditions for the current material layers.
Jambunathan does not expressly teach
forming a plurality of non-crystalline second layers;
co-flowing trichlorosilane;
co-flowing a phosphorous-containing precursor gas with the trichlorosilane; and
wherein a ratio of a flow rate of TCS to DCS is in a range from about 3:1 to about 7:1.
Chanemougame teaches (e.g., Figs. 1-17) a method comprising:
forming a plurality of non-crystalline second layers (Col. 11, Lines 9-19: sacrificial layer 124 is amorphous silicon);
a plurality of crystalline first layers (Col. 7, Lines 55-58: substrate is a single crystal wafer; the source drain layer is formed epitaxially on the substrate and active nanostructure; Col. 10, Lines 30-42 and 48-53: the active nanostructure corresponds to the channel, thus channel layer 126 is crystalline).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to include in the method of Jambunathan, the method of forming a plurality of crystalline first layers and a plurality of non-crystalline second layers, as taught by Chanemougame, for the benefits of controlling the etching process needed to form the final gate structures by providing layers having a greater etch selectivity with the neighboring layers.
Dube teaches (e.g., Figs. 1-2) a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
co-flowing trichlorosilane ([0020]-[0023], [0026] and [0032]; claim 1: co-flow TCS (trichlorosilane) and DCS (dichlorosilane));
co-flowing a phosphorous-containing precursor gas ([0020]-[0023] and [0026]: co-flow TCS (trichlorosilane) and DCS (dichlorosilane) and dopants; [0032]; claim 1) with the trichlorosilane (([0020]-[0023] and [0026] and [0032]; claim 1: co-flow TCS (trichlorosilane) and DCS (dichlorosilane));
wherein a ratio of a flow rate of TCS to DCS is in a range from about 3:1 to about 7:1 ([0020]-[0023], [0026] and [0032]: e.g., flow rate of 4:1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to include in the method of Jambunathan as modified by Chanemougame, the method of co-flowing trichlorosilane; co-flowing a phosphorous-containing precursor gas with the trichlorosilane; wherein a ratio of a flow rate of TCS to DCS is in a range from about 3:1 to about 7:1, as taught by Dube, for the benefits of controlling the epitaxial deposition to obtain the desired material characteristics.
Claims 8 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jumbunathan et al. (PG Pub. No. US 2018/0358436 A1) in view of Chanemougame et al. (Patent No. US 10,510,620 B1) and Dube et al. (US 2016/0300715 A1) as applied above and further in view of Sanchez et al. (US 2020/0399784 A1).
Regarding claim 8: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 7, on which this claim depends.
Jambunathan as modified by Chamougame and Dube does not expressly teach that the antimony-containing precursor is one or a combination of stibine, antimony trichloride, antimony tetrachloride, antimony pentachloride, triphenylantimony, antimony trihydride, antimonytrioxide, antimony pentoxide, antimony trifluoride, antimony tribromide, antimonytriiodide, antimony pentafluoride, triethyl antimony, and trimethyl antimony.
Sanchez teaches that an antimony-containing precursor is one or a combination of stibine, antimony trichloride, antimony tetrachloride, antimony pentachloride, triphenylantimony, antimony trihydride, antimonytrioxide, antimony pentoxide, antimony trifluoride, antimony tribromide, antimonytriiodide, antimony pentafluoride, triethyl antimony, and trimethyl antimony ([0023]: antimony pentachloride).
antimony pentachloride is art recognize as a suitable precursor material for an n-type dopant.
Applicant is reminded that 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) (Claims to a printing ink comprising a solvent having the vapor pressure characteristics of butyl carbitol so that the ink would not dry at room temperature but would dry quickly upon heating were held invalid over a reference teaching a printing ink made with a different solvent that was nonvolatile at room temperature but highly volatile when heated in view of an article which taught the desired boiling point and vapor pressure characteristics of a solvent for printing inks and a catalog teaching the boiling point and vapor pressure characteristics of butyl carbitol.
"Reading a list and selecting a known compound to meet known requirements is no more ingenious than selecting the last piece to put in the last opening in a jig-saw puzzle." 325 U.S. at 335, 65 USPQ at 301.). MPEP 2144.07.
it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to in the method of Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube, the antimony-containing precursor being one of antimony pentachloride, as taught by Sanchez, for the benefits of increasing the carrier density and improve device functionality.
Regarding claim 15: Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube teach the claim limitation of the method of claim 14, on which this claim depends,
Jambunathan as modified by Chamougame and Dube does not expressly teach that the phosphorous-containing precursor gas is selected from phosphine, trimethylphosphine, dimethylphosphine, triethylphosphine, diethylphosphine, tert-butylphosphine, or a combination thereof.
Sanchez teaches that a phosphorous-containing precursor gas is selected from phosphine, trimethylphosphine, dimethylphosphine, triethylphosphine, diethylphosphine, tert-butylphosphine, or a combination thereof ([0023]: dimethylphosphine).
Dimethylphosphine is art recognize as a suitable precursor material for an n-type dopant.
Applicant is reminded that 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) (Claims to a printing ink comprising a solvent having the vapor pressure characteristics of butyl carbitol so that the ink would not dry at room temperature but would dry quickly upon heating were held invalid over a reference teaching a printing ink made with a different solvent that was nonvolatile at room temperature but highly volatile when heated in view of an article which taught the desired boiling point and vapor pressure characteristics of a solvent for printing inks and a catalog teaching the boiling point and vapor pressure characteristics of butyl carbitol.
"Reading a list and selecting a known compound to meet known requirements is no more ingenious than selecting the last piece to put in the last opening in a jig-saw puzzle." 325 U.S. at 335, 65 USPQ at 301.). MPEP 2144.07.
it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to in the method of Jambunathan, Chamougame and Dube, the phosphorous-containing precursor gas is selected from phosphine, trimethylphosphine, dimethylphosphine, triethylphosphine, diethylphosphine, tert-butylphosphine, or a combination thereof, as taught by Sanchez, for the benefits of increasing the carrier density and improving device functionality.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 9-13 and 16-17 are 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 and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 4: the cited prior art of record, either singly or in proper combination, does not teach or make obvious, along with the other claimed features, a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
“wherein a flow rate of the higher order chlorosilane precursor gas to a flow rate of the first chlorosilane precursor gas is 10:1 or greater”.
Regarding claim 9: the cited prior art of record, either singly or in proper combination, does not teach or make obvious, along with the other claimed features, a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
“wherein the growth rate of the source region and the drain region on the crystalline first layers is greater than about 50 times the growth rate on the non-crystalline second layers”.
Claims 10-13 depend, from claim 9, and therefore, are allowable for the same reason as claim 9.
Regarding claim 16: the cited prior art of record, either singly or in proper combination, does not teach or make obvious, along with the other claimed features, a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
flowing the dichlorosilane at a flow rate in a range from about 700 sccm to about 1000 sccm;
flowing the trichlorosilane at a flow rate in a range from about 2000 sccm to about 7000 sccm; and
flowing phosphine at a flow rate in a range from about 0.1 sccm and 300 sccm.
Claim 17 depends, from claim 16, and therefore, is allowable for the same reason as claim 16.
Claims 18-20 are allowable.
Regarding claim 18: the most relevant prior art references of Jambunathan (e.g., Figs. 1-12 of US 2018/0358436 A1 to Jumbunathan et al.) and e.g., Figs. 1-17 of US 10,510,620 B1 on Chanemougame et al., e.g., Figs. 1-2 of US 2016/0300715 A1 to Dube et al., substantially teach the method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising: 18. forming a multi-material layer on a substrate positioned in a processing region, wherein the multi-material layer includes a plurality of crystalline first layers and a plurality of non-crystalline second layers arranged in an alternating pattern; and selectively forming a source region and a drain region on the crystalline first layers of the substrate, wherein the formed source region and drain region contain an n-type dopant precursor concentration of greater than about 1x102¹ atoms/cm³, the forming the source region and the drain region“.
However, none of the prior art references either singly or in proper combination discloses or fairly suggests, along with the other claimed features, a method of forming a semiconductor device comprising:
“flowing pentachlorodisilane; co-flowing trichlorosilane; co-flowing an antimony-containing precursor gas with the pentachlorodisilane and the trichlorosilane; and heating the substrate to a temperature of about 550°C or less, wherein a ratio of a flow rate of trichlorosilane to pentachlorodisilane is in a range from about 9:1 to about 16:1”.
Claims 19-20 depend, from claim 18, and therefore, are allowed for the same reason as claim 18.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
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/HERVE-LOUIS Y ASSOUMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 2812