The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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.
(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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bao et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0118888, hereinafter referred to as Bao).
As to claim 1, Bao teaches 1. A device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor fin structure that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a first work function metal (WFM) structure disposed over the first semiconductor fin structure, wherein the first WFM structure has a first thickness and has a first number of sub-layers; a second semiconductor fin structure that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; and a second WFM structure disposed over the second semiconductor fin structure, wherein the second WFM structure has a second thickness and has a second number of sub-layers; wherein: the first thickness is different from the second thickness; or the second number of sub-layers is different from the first number of sub-layers. [see Fig. 15 for example; ¶0050~0053]
As to claim 2, Bao teaches 2. The device of claim 1, wherein: the first semiconductor fin structure includes a p-type channel; and the second semiconductor fin structure includes an n-type channel. [see 210 and 240 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 3, Bao teaches 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness. [see 210 and 240 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 4, Bao teaches 4. The device of claim 2, wherein the first number of sub-layers is less than the second number of sub-layers. [see 210 and 240 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 5, Bao teaches 5. The device of claim 4, wherein: the second WFM structure includes a first sub-layer and a second sub-layer; and the first WFM structure includes the first sub-layer but not the second sub-layer. [see 210 and 240 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 6, Bao teaches 6. The device of claim 5, wherein: the first sub-layer is a p-type WFM sub-layer; and the second sub-layer is an n-type WFM sub-layer. [see 210 and 240 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 7, Bao teaches 7. The device of claim 1, further comprising: a third semiconductor fin structure that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; and a third work WFM structure disposed over the third semiconductor fin structure, wherein: the third WFM structure has a third thickness and has a third number of sub-layers; the third thickness is different from the second thickness and the first thickness; or the third number of sub-layers is different from the second number of sub-layers and the second number of sub-layers. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 8, Bao teaches 8. The device of claim 7, wherein the third thickness is greater than the second thickness and the first thickness. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 9, Bao teaches 9. The device of claim 7, wherein the third number of sub-layers is greater than the second number of sub-layers and the first number of sub-layers. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 10, Bao teaches 10. The device of claim 7, wherein: the first WFM structure, the second WFM structure, and the third WFM structure each contains a first p-type WFM sub-layer; the third WFM structure and the second WFM structure, but not the first WFM structure, each contains an n-type WFM sub-layer; and the third WFM structure, but not the first WFM structure or the second WFM structure, contains a second p-type WFM sub-layer different from the first p-type WFM sub-layer. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 11, Bao teaches 11. The device of claim 7, wherein the third semiconductor fin structure has a same type of conductivity as the second semiconductor fin structure but a different type of conductivity than the first semiconductor fin structure. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 12, Bao teaches 12. The device of claim 1, further comprising a fill metal structure disposed over both the first WFM structure and the second WFM structure. [see 1402A in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 13, Bao teaches 13. A device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first channel that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a first work function metal (WFM) structure disposed over the first channel, wherein the first WFM structure includes a p-type WFM layer; a second channel that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a second WFM structure disposed over the second channel, wherein the second channel includes the p-type WFM layer and an n-type WFM layer, and wherein no portion of the n-type WFM layer is located in the first WFM structure; and a fill metal structure disposed over both the first WFM structure and the second WFM structure. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 14, Bao teaches 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the p-type WFM layer is a first p-type WFM layer, and wherein the device further comprises: a third channel that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a third WFM structure disposed over the third channel, wherein the third channel includes the first p-type WFM layer, the n-type WFM layer, and a second p-type WFM layer different from the first p-type WFM layer, and wherein no portion of the second p-type WFM layer is located in the first WFM structure or in the second WFM structure. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 15, Bao teaches 15. The device of claim 14, wherein: the first channel is a p-type channel; and the second channel and the third channel are n-type channels. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 16, Bao teaches 16. The device of claim 14, wherein the third channel is located between the first channel and the second channel in a cross-sectional side view. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 17, Bao teaches 17. The device of claim 13, wherein: the fill metal structure is in direct contact with the p-type WFM layer; and the n-type WFM layer is disposed below the p-type WFM layer. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 18, Bao teaches 18. A device, comprising: a semiconductor substrate; a first semiconductor fin structure that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a first work function metal (WFM) structure disposed over the first semiconductor fin structure, wherein the first WFM structure has a first thickness and has a first number of sub-layers; a second semiconductor fin structure that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a second WFM structure disposed over the second semiconductor fin structure, wherein the second WFM structure has a second thickness and has a second number of sub-layers; a third semiconductor fin structure that protrudes vertically out of the substrate; a third WFM structure disposed over the second semiconductor fin structure, wherein the third WFM structure has a third thickness and has a third number of sub-layers; wherein: the third thickness is greater than the second thickness; the second thickness is greater than the first thickness; the third number of sub-layers is greater than the second number of sub-layers; and the second number of sub-layers is greater than the first number of sub-layers. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 19, Bao teaches 19. The device of claim 18, wherein an n-type WFM layer is implemented in the second WFM structure and the third WFM structure, but not in the first WFM structure. [see 220, 230, 250 and 260 in Fig. 15 for example]
As to claim 20, Bao teaches 20. The device of claim 18, wherein a glue metal layer is implemented as a topmost one of the sub-layers in each of the first WFM structure, the second WFM structure, and the third WFM structure. [see 1402A in Fig. 15 for example]
Conclusion
Claims 1-20 are rejected as explained above.
The prior art made of record in the PTO-892 form 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 JAEHWAN OH whose telephone number is (571) 270-5800. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 9:00 AM-5:00PM.
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/JAEHWAN OH/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2899