DETAILED ACTION
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 thru 4, 6 thru 12, 14, and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuratomi et al US 2020/0211852 A1. Kuratomi discloses (see, for example, FIG 2) a thermal CVD method (see, for example, paragraph [0033], and FIG. 1) comprising: forming a semiconductor substrate 190, and a process chamber 100. In paragraph [0039], Kuratomi discloses a method comprising titanium tetrachloride (i.e. titanium precursor), silane (i.e. silicon precursor), and hydrogen to form a titanium silicide layer.
Regarding claim 2, see, for example, paragraph [0034] wherein Kuratomi discloses the
semiconductor substrate includes crystalline silicon, etc.
Regarding claim 3, see, for example, paragraph [0051], and FIG. 5A wherein Kuratomi
discloses pre-treating (i.e. pre-cleaning) a silicon surface to form an exposed silicon surface, and also states a silicon oxide layer 510 being removed.
Regarding claim 4, see, for example, paragraph [0046] wherein Kuratomi discloses titanium tetrachloride (i.e. titanium-containing precursor), silane (i.e. silicon-containing precursor), and hydrogen (i.e. H2) being flowed with argon.
Regarding claim 6, see, for example, paragraph [0046] wherein Kuratomi discloses silicon-containing precursor (i.e. silane) being purged while titanium-containing precursor reacts with argon.
Regarding claim 7, see, for example, the abstract wherein Kuratomi discloses titanium tetrachloride.
Regarding claim 8, see, for example, paragraph [0030] wherein Kuratomi discloses titanium tetrachloride at about 1 to about 25 sccm.
Regarding claim 9, see, for example, paragraph [0030] wherein Kuratomi discloses silane.
Regarding claim 10, see, for example, paragraph [0037] wherein Kuratomi discloses silane at about 500 sccm to 3000 sccm.
Regarding claim 11, see, for example, paragraph [0030] wherein Kuratomi discloses hydrogen at about 50 sccm to 10000 sccm.
Regarding claim 12, see, for example, paragraph [0021] wherein Kuratomi discloses the process temperature range of 200 to 800 C.
Regarding claim 14, see, for example, paragraph [0030] wherein Kuratomi discloses the TiSix refers to titanium silicide, wherein x is a number between 0.4 and 2.2
Regarding claim 16, see, for example, paragraph [0051], and FIG. 5A wherein Kuratomi
discloses pre-treating (i.e. pre-cleaning) a silicon surface to form an exposed silicon surface, and also states a silicon oxide layer 510 being removed. In paragraph [0046], Kuratomi discloses titanium tetrachloride in the process chamber, and then adding silane, hydrogen, and argon to form titanium silicide. The silane is also purged.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4 thru 7, 9, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al US 2003/0143841 A1. Yang discloses (see, for example, Fig. 5, and paragraph [0051]-[0052]) a thermal CVD method comprising forming a semiconductor substrate (i.e. substrate structure), and a process chamber. In paragraph [0051], Yang discloses a method comprising a titanium precursor, and hydrogen gas, and in paragraph [0052], further discloses a silicon precursor to form a titanium silicide layer.
Regarding claim 2, see, for example, Fig. 6 and paragraph [0059] wherein Yang discloses
the semiconductor substrate 852 includes silicon, etc. and doped silicon 856.
Regarding claim 4, see, for example, paragraph [0029] wherein Yang discloses using argon as a carrier gas.
Regarding claim 5, see, for example, paragraph [0051] wherein Yang discloses titanium tetrachloride includes cyclical deposition (i.e. pulsed and purged), and in paragraph [0052], discloses silicon-containing precursor and hydrogen are continuously flowed with argon as a carrier gas.
Regarding claim 6, see, for example, paragraph [0042] wherein Yang discloses TiSix includes cyclical deposition, chemical vapor deposition, and a combined mode of cyclical deposition and chemical vapor deposition.
Regarding claim 7, see, for example, paragraph [0051] wherein Yang discloses titanium tetrachloride.
Regarding claim 9, see, for example, paragraph [0052] wherein Yang discloses silane.
Regarding claim 14, see, for example, abstract wherein Yang discloses titanium silicide, which TiSi.
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) 10, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al US 2003/0143841 A1 as applied to claims 1, 2, 4-7, 9, and 14. Yang discloses (see, for example, paragraph [0057]) the silane being flowed in a range of from 5 sccm to 500 sccm; however, Yang does not disclose the silane being flowed in a range of from 100 sccm to 3000 sccm. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have the silane being flowed in a range of from 100 sccm to 3000 sccm in order to provide an adequate supply of silicon for forming a high-quality titanium silicide layer, and since it has been held that discovering the optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F. 2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Regarding claim 13, Yang discloses (see, for example, paragraph [0057]) the semiconductor processing chamber being maintained at a pressure in a range of .1 torr to about 50 torr; however, Yang does not disclose the semiconductor processing chamber being maintained at a pressure in a range of from 50 Torr to 100 Torr. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have the semiconductor processing chamber being maintained at a pressure in arrange of from 50 Torr to 100 Torr in order to have stable precursor flow and uniform reaction rates for forming the titanium silicide film, and since it has been held that discovering the optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F. 2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al US 2003/0143841 A1 as applied to claims 1, 2, 4-7, 9, 14, and 16, and further in view of Khaderbad et al. US 2020/0091011 A1. Yang does not disclose an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, a first opening over the n-type transistor, and a second opening over the p-type transistor. However, Khaderbad discloses (see, for example, Fig. 14) a semiconductor structure comprising an n-type structure 200A, and p-type structure 200B, first opening 710, and second opening. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, a first opening over the n-type transistor, and a second opening over the p-type transistor in order to form the titanium silicide layer in different types of semiconductor devices, and improve the contact resistance therein.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al US 2003/0143841 A1 as applied to claims 1, 2, 4-7, 9, 14, and 16, and further in view of Kuratomi et al. US 2020/0211852 A1. Yang discloses (see, for example, Fig. 5, and paragraph [0051]-[0052]) a thermal CVD method comprising forming a semiconductor substrate (i.e. substrate structure), and a process chamber. Yang further discloses (see, for example, paragraph [0051]) titanium tetrachloride includes cyclical deposition (i.e. pulsed and purged), and in paragraph [0052], discloses silicon-containing precursor and hydrogen are continuously flowed with argon as a carrier gas. Yang does not disclose pre-cleaning a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing chamber to remove native oxides and form a cleaned semiconductor substrate. However, Kuratomi discloses (see, for example, paragraph [0051]) pre-treating (i.e. pre-cleaning) a silicon surface to form an exposed silicon surface, and further states a silicon oxide layer 510 being removed. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to pre-clean a semiconductor substrate in a semiconductor processing chamber to remove native oxides and form a cleaned semiconductor substrate in order to improve adhesion and make a more uniform titanium silicide layer.
Claim(s) 17 thru 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. US 2003/0143841 A1 in view of Kuratomi et al. US 2020/0211852 A1 as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Khaderbad et al. US 2020/0091011 A1. Yang in view of Kuratomi does not disclose an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, a first opening over the n-type transistor, and a second opening over the p-type transistor. However, Khaderbad discloses (see, for example, Fig. 14) a semiconductor structure comprising an n-type structure 200A, and p-type structure 200B, first opening 710, and second opening. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have an n-type transistor and a p-type transistor, a first opening over the n-type transistor, and a second opening over the p-type transistor in order to form the titanium silicide layer in different types of semiconductor devices, and improve the contact resistance therein.
Regarding claim 17, see, for example, Fig. 14 wherein Khaderbad discloses an n-type
structure 200A, and p-type structure 200B, first opening 710, and second opening.
Regarding claim 18, see, for example, Fig. 17 wherein Khaderbad discloses a source/drain material 220.
Regarding claim 19, see, for example, Fig. 17 wherein Khaderbad discloses a capping layer 790.
Regarding claim 20, see, for example, Fig. 17 wherein Khaderbad discloses a gap fill material 850.
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Eugene Lee
February 2, 2026
/EUGENE LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815