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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/28/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 10-12 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US PG Pub 2023/0180451 to Lin et al (hereinafter Lin).
Regarding Claim 1, Lin discloses an integrated circuit device comprising:
a first transistor (NW1, Fig. 5o-1) comprising a first conductivity type, the first transistor comprising a first fin-type active region on a first area of a substrate, a first channel region (109b) on the first fin-type active region, and a first source/drain region (130) that is on the first fin-type active region and contacts the first channel region;
a second transistor (PW1) comprising a second conductivity type, the second transistor comprising a second fin-type active region on a second area of the substrate, a second channel region (109a) on the second fin-type active region, and a second source/drain region (130) on the second fin- type active region and that contacts the second channel region;
a first contact structure (178b) that contacts the first source/drain region and comprises a first length in a vertical direction, wherein the first contact structure extends from above the first source/drain region and beyond an uppermost surface of the first channel region by a first vertical distance (Fig. 5o-1); and
a second contact structure (178a) that contacts the second source/drain region and comprises a second length in the vertical direction, wherein the second contact structure extends from above the second source/drain region and beyond an uppermost surface of the second channel region by a second vertical distance (Fig. 5o-1),
wherein the second vertical distance is greater than the first vertical distance (Fig. 5o-1, see also Fig. 5m-3), and
wherein the second length of the second contact structure is greater than the first length of the first contact structure (Fig. 5o-1).
Regarding Claim 2, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein a difference between the first length of the first contact structure and the second length of the second contact structure is at least 10 nm [0151]-[0152].
Regarding Claim 3, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the first contact structure comprises a first contact portion that contacts the first source/drain region, the second contact structure comprises a second contact portion that contacts the second source/drain region (Fig. 5o-1), and,
in the vertical direction a length of the second contact portion is greater than a length of the first contact portion by at least 10 nm [0151]-[0152].
Regarding Claim 4, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the second channel region comprises a plurality of nanosheets (109a) spaced apart from the second fin-type active region in the vertical direction and spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction,
the second transistor further comprises a gate line (146) that at least partially surrounds the plurality of nanosheets, and
the second source/drain region comprises a plurality of protrusions that are convex toward the gate line (Fig. 5o-1).
Regarding Claim 5, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the first contact structure comprises a first conductive plug (178b) that is spaced apart from the first source/drain region and a first metal silicide film (172) that contacts the first source/drain region and is between the first conductive plug and the first source/drain region,
the second contact structure (178a) comprises a second conductive plug that is spaced apart from the second source/drain region and a second metal silicide film (172) that contacts the second source/drain region and is between the second conductive plug and the second source/drain region, and
a length of the second metal silicide film in the vertical direction is greater than a length of the first metal silicide film in the vertical direction (Fig. 5o-1).
Regarding Claim 10, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the first channel region and the first fin-type active region are monolithic (Fig. 5o-1),
the second channel region and the second fin-type active region are monolithic (Fig. 5o-1),
the first contact structure (178b) comprises a first conductive plug (174) that is spaced apart from the first source/drain region and a first metal silicide film (134) that contacts the first source/drain region and is between the first conductive plug and the first source/drain region (Fig. 5o-1),
the second contact structure (178a) comprises a second conductive plug (174) that is spaced apart from the second source/drain region and a second metal silicide film (134) that contacts the second source/drain region and is between the second conductive plug and the second source/drain region (Fig. 5o-1), and
a length of the second metal silicide film in the vertical direction is greater than a length of the first metal silicide film in the vertical direction (Fig. 5o-1).
Regarding Claim 11, Lin discloses an integrated circuit device comprising:
a first fin-type active region (NW1, Fig. 5o-1) on a first area of a substrate;
a first channel region (109b) on the first fin-type active region;
a first source/drain region (130) that is on the first fin-type active region and contacts the first channel region;
a first gate line (146) on the first channel region;
a first insulating structure (132) on the first source/drain region;
a first contact structure (178b) that extends through the first insulating structure and contacts the first source/drain region, wherein the first contact structure comprises a first length in a vertical direction (Fig. 5o-1; see also Fig. 5m-3);
a second fin-type active region (PW1) on a second area of the substrate;
a second channel region (109a) on the second fin-type active region;
a second source/drain region (130) that is on the second fin-type active region and contacts the second channel region;
a second gate line (146) on the second channel region;
a second insulating structure (132) on the second source/drain region; and
a second contact structure (178a) that extends through the second insulating structure and contacts the second source/drain region, the second contact structure comprising a second length in the vertical direction, wherein the second length is greater than the first length of the first contact structure (Fig. 5o-1; see also Fig. 5m-3),
wherein the first contact structure extends toward the substrate and beyond an uppermost surface of the first channel region by a first vertical distance (Fig. 5m-3), and
the second contact structure extends toward the substrate and beyond an uppermost surface of the second channel region by a second vertical distance, wherein the second vertical distance is greater than the first vertical distance (Fig. 5m-3).
Regarding Claim 12, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 11, wherein the second vertical distance is greater than the first vertical distance by at least 10 nm [0151]-[0152].
Regarding Claim 15, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 11, wherein the second insulating structure comprises an insulating liner (132) on the second source/drain region, and an inter-gate dielectric (118) spaced apart from the second source/drain region and on a sidewall of the second gate line,
wherein the insulating liner is between the second source/drain region and the inter-gate dielectric (Fig. 5o-1), and
a density of the insulating liner is less than a density of the inter-gate dielectric [0069] & [0087].
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.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of US PG Pub 2022/0181250 to Yu et al (hereinafter Yu).
Regarding Claim 7, Lin discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein each of the first channel region and the second channel region comprises a plurality of nanosheets that are spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction (Fig. 5o-1).
Lin does not show a depth for the contact structures deep enough to face multiple nanosheets.
Yu discloses a contact structure for a nanosheet structure wherein one contact structure (180, Fig. 15) faces multiple nanosheets as compared to another contact structure (72).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to have modified the contact structures of Lin such that the first contact structure faces, in a horizontal direction, m nanosheets selected from the plurality of nanosheets of the first channel region, wherein m is a natural number that is greater than or equal to 1, and the second contact structure faces, in the horizontal direction, n nanosheets selected from the plurality of nanosheets of the second channel region, wherein n is a natural number that is greater than m. Having the contact structures at depths such that they face the nanosheets would have provided obvious benefits such as quicker switching times for the transistor. Furthermore, having one contact structure be in proximity to more nanosheets than another contact structure would have had similar, obvious effects on switching speeds for the device with regards to how many channels face the contact structure.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
Claims 6, 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 17 recites an integrated circuit device comprising:
a first fin-type active region on a substrate;
a first channel region on the first fin-type active region;
a first gate line on the first channel region;
a first source/drain region on the first fin-type active region and that contacts the first channel region;
a first contact structure that contacts the first source/drain region and comprises a first length in a vertical direction, wherein the first contact structure extends from above the first source/drain region and beyond an uppermost surface of the first channel region by a first vertical distance;
a second fin-type active region on the substrate;
a second channel region on the second fin-type active region and comprising a plurality of nanosheets spaced apart from each other in the vertical direction;
a second gate line on the plurality of nanosheets;
a second source/drain region that is on the second fin-type active region and contacts the plurality of nanosheets, the second source/drain region comprising a plurality of protrusions that are convex toward the second gate line; and
a second contact structure that contacts the second source/drain region and comprising a second length in the vertical direction, wherein the second contact structure extends from above the second source/drain region and beyond an uppermost surface of the second channel region by a second vertical distance,
wherein the second length is greater than the first length,
wherein the second vertical distance is greater than the first vertical distance, and
wherein the second contact structure comprises a non-linear shaped portion that faces the second channel region and comprises a plurality of local protrusions that extend outwardly in a horizontal direction.
The references of record do not disclose, or suggest, a contact structure having lengths and vertical distances as claimed by Applicant relative to other contact structures, and additionally requiring local protrusions extending outwardly in a horizontal direction. US PG Pub 2016/0284697 (“Yoon”) and US PG Pub 2022/0130961 (“Wu”) are cited as being examples of other, relevant references in the art but do not disclose Applicant’s invention. Claims 18-20 depend on Claim 17 and are allowable for at least the reasons above.
Claim 6 requires a semiconductor capping layer that contacts an upper surface of the second source/drain region and at least partially surrounds a sidewall of the second conductive plug, wherein a density of the semiconductor capping layer is less than a density of the second source/drain region. While capping structures are found in the art, it is not apparent that the contact structure would benefit from or operate equally well with a semiconductive capping layer that is less dense than the source/drain region
Claims 8, 9, 13, 14 and 16 require the second contact structure to include local protrusions extending outward in a horizontal direction as seen in Fig. 5A of Applicant’s drawings. The references of record do not disclose, or suggest, the contact structure having protrusions extending outward for only the second contact structure.
Conclusion
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/DAVID C SPALLA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893