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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 12-20) in the reply filed on 2/9/2026 is acknowledged.
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.
(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 12-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Rabkin et al (US 2020/0295039).
With respect to Claim 12, Rabkin et al discloses a three – dimensional (3D) memory device (Figures 12A and 12B) comprising: a blocking layer (Figure 12B, 44); and a wordline (Figure 12B, 46) comprising molybdenum (paragraph 96) disposed on the blocking layer, wherein the blocking layer comprises a high-k dielectric material (paragraph 116) . Even though Rabkin et al does not explicitly disclose the high k dielectric is “resistant to damage by an atomic layer deposition (ALD) chemistry use to form the molybdenum of the wordline ”, this limitation is inherent as the same materials and process is used. See Figures 12A-12B and corresponding text, especially paragraphs 91-116.
With respect to Claim 13, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the blocking layer comprises a high k dielectric material having a dielectric constant of greater than about 7.8. See paragraph 116 of Rabkin et al.
With respect to Claim 14, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the blocking layer comprises a high k dielectric material having a dielectric constant of greater than or equal to about 10. See paragraph 116 of Rabkin et al.
With respect to Claim 15, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the blocking layer comprises at least one of a zirconium oxide, a lanthanum oxide, a yttrium oxide or a doped aluminum oxide. See paragraphs 89-91 and 101.
With respect to Claim 16, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the blocking layer comprises at least one of zirconium dioxide, aluminum-zirconium dioxide, or doped zirconium dioxide. See paragraph 91.
With respect to Claim 17, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the blocking layer comprises lanthanum aluminate. See paragraphs 91, 101 and 115.
With respect to Claim 18, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the blocking layer comprises doped lanthanum oxide. See paragraph 41 and 101.
With respect to Claim 19, Rabkin et al discloses further comprising a nucleation layer or a seed layer disposed between the blocking layer and the wordline. See paragraphs 96-97.
With respect to Claim 20, Rabkin et al discloses wherein the nucleation layer or the seed layer comprises at least one of molybdenum silicide or titanium nitride. See paragraphs 96-97.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXANDER G GHYKA whose telephone number is (571)272-1669. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9-6.
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AGG
March 7, 2026
/ALEXANDER G GHYKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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