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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1-30 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “a TMR element” which should be replaced with “a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element”.
Claim 16 recites “a TMR element” which should be replaced with “a tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) element”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 28 recites limitation “the coupling layer” that lacks antecedent basis in the claims 16 and 28 (claims 16 and 28 do not recite “a coupling layer”).
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.
Claims 1, 9-12, 14, 16, 24-27, and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2023023685 A to Sumito.
With respect to claim 1, Sumito discloses a device (e.g., magnetic vortex spin torque oscillator, see the annotated Fig. 1 below) (Sumito, Fig. 1, Abstract, pp. 1-4), comprising:
a TMR element (e.g., tunneling magnetoresistance element 10) comprising a free layer (14/16/18, FeB/Cu/(Co/Ni)) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4), a spacer layer (15, MgO), and a reference layer (13, CoFe/Ru/CoFeB), wherein the free layer (14/16/18) comprises:
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a vortex layer (14, FeB) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4) configured to provide a magnetic vortex; and
a perpendicular layer (18, Co/Ni) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 3-4) having a magnetic field orientation that is perpendicular to a plane of the vortex layer.
Regarding claim 9, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 1. Further, Sumito discloses the device, wherein the free layer (14/16/18, FeB/Cu/(Co/Ni)) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4) comprises, in order of increasing distance from the spacer layer (15):
the vortex layer (14, FeB) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4);
a coupling layer (16, non-magnetic layer Cu); and
the perpendicular layer (18, Co/Ni) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 3-4).
Regarding claim 10, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 9. Further, Sumito discloses the device, wherein the spacer layer (15) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2, 4) comprises MgO.
Regarding claim 11, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 9. Further, Sumito discloses the device, wherein the perpendicular layer (18, Co/Pt multilayer film) comprises CoPt (Sumito, Fig. 1, p. 3).
Regarding claim 12, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 9. Further, Sumito discloses the device, wherein the perpendicular layer (18) comprises one (e.g., Co/Pt multilayer film) or more of Co/Pt, Co/Pd, CoFe/Pd, CoPt, FePt and/or CoFeB/MgO.
Regarding claim 14, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 9. Further, Sumito discloses the device, wherein the vortex layer comprises one (e.g., FeB/Co) (Sumito, Fig. 1, p. 4) or more of CoFeB and/or NiFe.
With respect to claim 16, Sumito discloses a method (e.g., forming a magnetic vortex spin torque oscillator, see the annotated Fig. 1 above) (Sumito, Fig. 1, Abstract, pp. 1-4), comprising:
forming a TMR element (e.g., tunneling magnetoresistance element 10) comprising a free layer (14/16/18, FeB/Cu/(Co/Ni)) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4), a spacer layer (15, MgO), and a reference layer (13, CoFe/Ru/CoFeB), wherein forming the free layer (14/16/18) comprises:
forming a vortex layer (14, FeB) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4) to provide a forming magnetic vortex; and
forming a perpendicular layer (18, Co/Ni) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 3-4) having a magnetic field orientation that is perpendicular to a plane of the vortex layer.
Regarding claim 24, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 1. Further, Sumito discloses the method, wherein the free layer (14/16/18, FeB/Cu/(Co/Ni)) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4) comprises, in order of increasing distance from the spacer layer (15):
the vortex layer (14, FeB) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2-4);
a coupling layer (16, non-magnetic layer Cu); and
the perpendicular layer (18, Co/Ni) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 3-4).
Regarding claim 25, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Sumito discloses the method, wherein the spacer layer (15) (Sumito, Fig. 1, pp. 2, 4) comprises MgO.
Regarding claim 26, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Sumito discloses the method, wherein the perpendicular layer (18, Co/Pt multilayer film) comprises CoPt (Sumito, Fig. 1, p. 3).
Regarding claim 27, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Sumito discloses the method, wherein the perpendicular layer (18) comprises one (e.g., Co/Pt multilayer film) or more of Co/Pt, Co/Pd, CoFe/Pd, CoPt, FePt and/or CoFeB/MgO.
Regarding claim 29, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Sumito discloses the method, wherein the vortex layer comprises one (e.g., FeB/Co) (Sumito, Fig. 1, p. 4) or more of CoFeB and/or NiFe.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 16-19, and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2023/194346 A1 to Palomino et al. (hereinafter Palomino).
With respect to claim 1, Palomino discloses a device (e.g., magnetoresistive vortex sensor, see the annotated Fig. 5 below) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 6-28), comprising:
a TMR element (e.g., magnetoresistive vortex sensor) comprising a free layer (106, FeCoB/NiFe) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 14-17), a spacer layer (105, MgO), and a reference layer (104/103/102, FeCoB/Ta/Co/Pt), wherein the free layer (106) comprises:
a vortex layer (106, NiFe) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) configured to provide a magnetic vortex; and
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a perpendicular layer (106, CoFeB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) having a magnetic field orientation that is perpendicular to a plane of the vortex layer.
Regarding claim 2, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 1. Further, Palomino discloses the device, wherein the free layer (106, FeCoB/NiFe) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 14-17) comprises, in order of increasing distance from the spacer layer (105):
the perpendicular layer (106, FeCoB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16);
a coupling spacer (e.g., non-magnetic Ta layer); and
the vortex layer (106, NiFe layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16).
Regarding claim 3, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 2. Further, Palomino discloses the device, wherein the spacer layer (105) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 14-15) comprises MgO.
Regarding claim 4, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 2. Further, Palomino discloses the device, wherein the perpendicular layer (106, FeCoB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) comprises CoFeB.
Regarding claim 6, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 2. Further, Palomino discloses the device, wherein the vortex layer (106, NiFe layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) comprises NiFe.
Regarding claim 7, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 2. Further, Palomino discloses the device, wherein the magnetic coupling of the vortex layer and the perpendicular layer is configured to maintain the magnetic vortex and to increase a core size of the magnetic vortex (e.g., the vortex core is increased due to vortex confinement) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 12, 14-16).
Regarding claim 8, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 2. Further, Palomino discloses the device, wherein the perpendicular layer (106, FeCoB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) comprises a material having anisotropy that is perpendicular to the vortex layer.
With respect to claim 16, Palomino discloses a method (e.g., forming magnetoresistive vortex sensor, see the annotated Fig. 5 above) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 6-28), comprising:
forming a TMR element (e.g., magnetoresistive vortex sensor) comprising a free layer (106, FeCoB/NiFe) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 14-17), a spacer layer (105, MgO), and a reference layer (104/103/102, FeCoB/Ta/Co/Pt), wherein forming the free layer (106) comprises:
forming a vortex layer (106, NiFe) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) to provide a forming magnetic vortex; and
forming a perpendicular layer (106, CoFeB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) having a magnetic field orientation that is perpendicular to a plane of the vortex layer.
Regarding claim 17, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Palomino discloses the method, wherein the free layer (106, FeCoB/NiFe) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 14-17) comprises, in order of increasing distance from the spacer layer (105):
the perpendicular layer (106, FeCoB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16);
a coupling spacer (e.g., non-magnetic Ta layer); and
the vortex layer (106, NiFe layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16).
Regarding claim 18, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 17. Further, Palomino discloses the method, wherein the spacer layer (105) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 14-15) comprises MgO.
Regarding claim 19, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 17. Further, Palomino discloses the method, wherein the perpendicular layer (106, FeCoB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) comprises CoFeB.
Regarding claim 21, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 17. Further, Palomino discloses the method, wherein the vortex layer (106, NiFe layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) comprises NiFe.
Regarding claim 22, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 17. Further, Palomino discloses the method, wherein magnetic coupling of the vortex layer (NiFe) and the perpendicular layer (FeCoB) is configured to maintain the magnetic vortex and to increase a core size of the magnetic vortex (e.g., the vortex core is increased due to vortex confinement in the sensing layer 106) (Palomino, Figs. 4-5, pp. 12, 14-16).
Regarding claim 23, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 17. Further, Palomino discloses the method, wherein the perpendicular layer (106, FeCoB, the interfacial perpendicular anisotropy induced between the MgO spacer layer and the FeCoB layer) (Palomino, Fig. 5, pp. 15-16) comprises a material (e.g., FeCoB) having anisotropy that is perpendicular to the vortex layer.
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 5 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2023/194346 A1 to Palomino in view of Satoshi et al. (WO 2013180277, hereinafter Satoshi).
Regarding claim 5, Palomino discloses the device according to claim 2. Further, Palomino does not specifically disclose that the coupling spacer comprises Ru.
However, Satoshi teaches forming an oscillator (Satoshi, Figs. 1-2, 4-5, Abstract, pp.1-5) comprising a free layer (13) (Satoshi, Figs. 4-5, pp. 4-5) having a magnetic-vortex structure including a first free layer (13a), a second free layer (13c), and a coupling spacer layer (13b) between the first free layer (13a) and the second free layer (13c), wherein the coupling spacer layer (13b) comprises non-magnetic material including Ru and a specific thickness to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Palomino by forming the coupling spacer of the magnetic-vortex structure having a specific non-magnetic material and a specific thickness as taught by Satoshi to have the device, wherein the coupling spacer comprises Ru, in order to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability (Satoshi, Abstract, 4-5).
Regarding claim 20, Palomino discloses the method according to claim 17. Further, Palomino does not specifically disclose that the coupling spacer comprises Ru.
However, Satoshi teaches forming an oscillator (Satoshi, Figs. 1-2, 4-5, Abstract, pp.1-5) comprising a free layer (13) (Satoshi, Figs. 4-5, pp. 4-5) having a magnetic-vortex structure including a first free layer (13a), a second free layer (13c), and a coupling spacer layer (13b) between the first free layer (13a) and the second free layer (13c), wherein the coupling spacer layer (13b) comprises non-magnetic material including Ru and a specific thickness to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Palomino by forming the coupling spacer of the magnetic-vortex structure having a specific non-magnetic material and a specific thickness as taught by Satoshi to have the method, wherein the coupling spacer comprises Ru, in order to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability (Satoshi, Abstract, 4-5).
Claims 13 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2023023685 A to Sumito in view of Satoshi (WO 2013180277).
Regarding claim 13, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 9. Further, Sumito does not specifically disclose that the coupling layer comprises Ru.
However, Satoshi teaches forming an oscillator (Satoshi, Figs. 1-2, 4-5, Abstract, pp.1-5) comprising a free layer (13) (Satoshi, Figs. 4-5, pp. 4-5) having a magnetic-vortex structure including a first free layer (13a), a second free layer (13c), and a coupling spacer layer (13b) between the first free layer (13a) and the second free layer (13c), wherein the coupling spacer layer (13b) comprises non-magnetic material including Ru and a specific thickness to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Sumito by forming the coupling layer of the magnetic-vortex structure having a specific non-magnetic material and a specific thickness as taught by Satoshi to have the device, wherein the coupling layer comprises Ru, in order to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability (Satoshi, Abstract, 4-5).
Regarding claim 28, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Sumito does not specifically disclose that the coupling spacer comprises Ru.
However, Satoshi teaches forming an oscillator (Satoshi, Figs. 1-2, 4-5, Abstract, pp.1-5) comprising a free layer (13) (Satoshi, Figs. 4-5, pp. 4-5) having a magnetic-vortex structure including a first free layer (13a), a second free layer (13c), and a coupling spacer layer (13b) between the first free layer (13a) and the second free layer (13c), wherein the coupling spacer layer (13b) comprises non-magnetic material including Ru and a specific thickness to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Sumito by forming the coupling layer of the magnetic-vortex structure having a specific non-magnetic material and a specific thickness as taught by Satoshi to have the method, wherein the coupling layer comprises Ru, in order to increase coupling strength and to improve the thermal stability (Satoshi, Abstract, 4-5).
Claims 15 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 2023023685 A to Sumito in view of Satz et al. (US 2024/0151786, hereinafter Satz).
Regarding claim 15, Sumito discloses the device according to claim 9. Further, Sumito does not specifically disclose the device, wherein the device is configured for in-plane sensing.
However, Satz teaches forming a magnetoresistive sensor (Satz, Figs. 6-7, ¶0002, ¶0022-¶0030, ¶0042, ¶0089-¶0090, ¶0100-¶0106) configured as in-plane sensor which measures at least one magnetic field component in the chip plane, for example, the magnetic field component By oriented in the y-direction (Satz, Figs. 6-7, ¶0042, ¶0090), wherein the reference layer is oriented parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic field component By to be measured, to provide improved magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor with improved sensitivity (Satz, ¶0002, ¶0022, ¶0039, ¶0042, ¶0090). The magnetoresistive sensor can be implemented with a vortex magnetizations structure in the free layer (14) (Satz, Fig. 7, ¶0100-¶0106) arranged above the reference layer (11).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Sumito by configuring the magnetoresistive sensor as in-plane sensor as taught by Satz to have the device, wherein the device is configured for in-plane sensing, in order to provide improved magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor with improved sensitivity (Satz, ¶0002, ¶0022, ¶0039, ¶0042, ¶0090, ¶0100-¶0106).
Regarding claim 30, Sumito discloses the method according to claim 16. Further, Sumito does not specifically disclose the method, wherein the device is configured for in-plane sensing.
However, Satz teaches forming a magnetoresistive sensor (Satz, Figs. 6-7, ¶0002, ¶0022-¶0030, ¶0042, ¶0089-¶0090, ¶0100-¶0106) configured as in-plane sensor which measures at least one magnetic field component in the chip plane, for example, the magnetic field component By oriented in the y-direction (Satz, Figs. 6-7, ¶0042, ¶0090), wherein the reference layer is oriented parallel or antiparallel to the magnetic field component By to be measured, to provide improved magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor with improved sensitivity (Satz, ¶0002, ¶0022, ¶0039, ¶0042, ¶0090). The magnetoresistive sensor can be implemented with a vortex magnetizations structure in the free layer (14) (Satz, Fig. 7, ¶0100-¶0106) arranged above the reference layer (11).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Sumito by configuring the magnetoresistive sensor as in-plane sensor as taught by Satz to have the method, wherein the device is configured for in-plane sensing, in order to provide improved magnetoresistive magnetic field sensor with improved sensitivity (Satz, ¶0002, ¶0022, ¶0039, ¶0042, ¶0090, ¶0100-¶0106).
Conclusion
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/NATALIA A GONDARENKO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891