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 IDS filed on November 08th, 2023 has been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Semiconductor devices comprising lower electrodes and a dielectric layer covering the lower electrodes and including a halogen element.
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7, 12, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by An et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0125993).
In re claim 1, An discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a substrate 100 (see paragraph [0030] and figs. 1-6); a plurality of lower electrodes (200, portions of lower upper electrode 260 surrounded by the capacitor dielectric layer 250) disposed on the substrate 100 (see paragraphs [0029] and fig. 1); a dielectric layer 250 covering the lower electrodes and including a halogen element (doped fluorine (F)) (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 1-6); and an upper electrode (portion of upper electrode 260 that conformally covering the dielectric layer 250) covering the dielectric layer 250 (see paragraphs [0029], [0078] and figs. 1-6), wherein each of the plurality of lower electrodes comprises: a first electrode layer (portion of electrode 260 surrounded by portion of dielectric layer 250); an insertion layer (portion of dielectric layer 250 surrounded portion of electrode 260) disposed on the first electrode layer; and a second electrode layer 200 disposed on the first electrode layer and the insertion layer (see paragraphs [0042], [0046], [0052] and figs. 1-6), wherein the insertion layer includes an insertion material including a halogen element (fluorine) (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 1-6).
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In re claim 2, as applied to claim 1 above, An discloses wherein the halogen element of the dielectric layer and the halogen element of the insertion layer are fluorine (F) (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 1-6).
In re claim 3, as applied to claim 2 above, An discloses wherein the insertion material of the insertion layer further comprises at least one of a conductive material and a dielectric material, wherein the conductive material of the insertion layer includes at least one of W, Ta, Sn, WN, TaN and SnN, and wherein the dielectric material of the insertion layer comprises silicon oxide (see paragraph [0059]).
In re claim 4, as applied to claim 2 above, An discloses wherein the first electrode layer includes at least one of polycrystalline silicon (Si), TiN, NbN, WN, VN, MoN, TaN, TiSiN, and TiCN, and wherein the second electrode layer includes at least one of polycrystalline silicon (Si), TiN, NbN, WN, VN, MoN, TaN, TiSiN, and TiCN (see paragraphs [0040], [0080]).
In re claim 5, as applied to claim 1 above, An discloses wherein the insertion layer is surrounded by the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer (see paragraphs [0029], [0056] and fig. 1).
In re claim 7, as applied to claim 1 above, An discloses wherein an outer side surface of the second electrode layer includes a portion vertically aligned with an outer side surface of the first electrode layer (see paragraphs [0042], [0079] and fig. 1).
In re claim 12, as applied to claim 1 above, An discloses wherein the insertion layer is spaced apart from the dielectric layer by the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer (see paragraphs [0056], [0078], [0079] and fig. 1).
In re claim 13, as applied to claim 1 above, An discloses wherein the semiconductor device further comprising a support structure in contact with the plurality of lower electrodes, wherein the support structure includes an uppermost support layer 150 and a next higher support layer 140 on a level lower than the uppermost support layer 150, and wherein an upper end of the first electrode layer and an upper end of the insertion layer are located on a level between a lower surface of the uppermost support layer 150 and an upper surface of the next higher support layer 140 (see paragraphs [0047], [0048], [0049], [0050] and fig. 1).
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(s) 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over An et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0125993).
In re claim 15, An discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a substrate 100 (see paragraph [0030] and figs. 1-6); a plurality of lower electrodes (200, portions of lower upper electrode 260 surrounded by the capacitor dielectric layer 250) disposed on the substrate 100 (see paragraph [0029] and fig. 1); a dielectric layer 250 covering the lower electrodes (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 1-6); and an upper electrode (portion of upper electrode 260 that conformally covering the dielectric layer 250) covering the dielectric layer 250 (see paragraphs [0029], [0078] and figs. 1-6), wherein each of the plurality of lower electrodes comprises: a first electrode layer (portion of electrode 260 surrounded by portion of dielectric layer 250) including a halogen element in a first concentration (see paragraph [0091] and figs. 1-6); a second electrode layer 200 disposed on the first electrode layer (see paragraphs [0029], [0045], [0056] and figs. 1-6); and an insertion layer (portion of dielectric layer 250 surrounded by portion of electrode 260) disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer and surrounded by the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and including a halogen element of a second concentration (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 1-6).
Although, An is silent to wherein the second concentration is higher than the first concentration.
However, since An discloses that the first electrode layer includes a halogen element (fluorine) having a first predetermined concentration (see paragraph [0091] and figs. 3-6) and the insertion layer includes a second predetermined concentration (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 3-6), it is respectfully submitted that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to be motivated to optimize the first concentration of halogen element in the first electrode layer and the second concentration of halogen element in the insertion layer during routine experimentation so that the second concentration is higher than the first concentration because where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. See in re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). Thus, the optimization of the claimed first concentration of halogen element in the first electrode layer and the claimed second concentration of the halogen element in the insertion layer would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
In re claim 16, as applied to claim 15 above, An discloses wherein the dielectric layer includes a halogen element (fluorine) at a third predetermined concentration (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 3-6) but is silent to wherein the third concentration is higher than the first concentration.
However, since An discloses that the first electrode layer includes a halogen element (fluorine) having a first predetermined concentration (see paragraph [0091] and figs. 3-6) and the dielectric layer includes a third predetermined concentration (see paragraph [0102] and figs. 3-6), it is respectfully submitted that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing of the claimed invention to be motivated to optimize the first concentration of halogen element in the first electrode layer and the third concentration of halogen element in the dielectric layer during routine experimentation so that the third concentration is higher than the first concentration because where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. See in re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233 (CCPA 1955). Thus, the optimization of the claimed first concentration of halogen element in the first electrode layer and the claimed third concentration of the halogen element in the dielectric layer would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
In re claim 17, as applied to claim 16 above, An discloses wherein the halogen element of the first electrode layer, the halogen element of the insertion layer, and the halogen element of the dielectric layer are fluorine (F) (see paragraphs [0091], [0102] and figs. 3-6).
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over An et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0125993).
In re claim 14, as applied to claim 1 above, An discloses wherein a material of the first electrode layer can be titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, niobium nitride, or tungsten nitride, for example (see paragraph [0080]) and a material of the second electrode layer can be titanium nitride, tantalum nitride, niobium nitride, or tungsten nitride, for example (see paragraph [0046]). Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to select a material for the first electrode layer to be different from a material for the second electrode layer since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of it suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 8-11, and 18 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.
Claims 19-20 are allowed over prior art of record.
Reasons For Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
It is determined that the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of independent claim 19 as a whole taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “an insertion layer buried in the first electrode layer and including fluorine (F); and a second electrode layer on an upper surface of the insertion layer, and covering an upper surface of the first electrode layer and the upper surface of the insertion layer", as recited in independent claim 19.
Claim 20 also allowed as being directly or indirectly dependent of the allowed independent base claim.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ueda U.S. Patent 8,637,364 January 28, 2014.
Kwon et al. U.S. Pub. 2013/0175667 July 11, 2013.
Kang et al. U.S. Pub. 2012/0112317 May 10, 2012.
Nakamura et al. U.S. Pub. 2007/0057306 March 15, 2007.
Iijima U.S. Pub. 2006/0234510 October 19th, 2006.
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/KHIEM D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892