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 in the reply filed on 7/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The office cannot fully consider the TW office action or TW202301653 A reference. The office action is not translated and only the abstract of TW 202301653 A is translated however the search report clearly indicates paragraphs 16-77 are the relevant sections thus. The office can consider the portions that are provided with English translations but the relevant portions cited in the TW office action cannot be.
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 –
Claim(s) 1-3,5-6, and 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a1 as being anticipated by Rabkin 20200051993 cited on ids.
Rabkin teaches A semiconductor structure comprising: a substrate (figure 9c item 10); a first layer of silicon-and-oxygen-containing material overlying the substrate (first of item 32 closest to item 10 paragraph 41); a second layer of silicon-and-oxygen-containing material ( the 32 above the bottom 32); a first layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material between the first layer of silicon-and-oxygen-containing material and the second layer of silicon-and-oxygen-containing material (44a), wherein the first layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material comprises a first metal (paragraph 89); a second layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material disposed within the first layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material (44b), wherein the second layer of metal-and-oxygen- containing material comprises a second metal (paragraph 90); and a gate disposed within the second layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material (item 46 gate is intended use without other structure).
b. As to claim 2, Rabkin teaches at least lanthanum oxide (paragraph 89).
c. As to claim 3, Rabkin teaches wherein the first layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material is characterized by a thickness of less than or about 20 A paragraph 89 specifically 1 to 3 nm which is 10 to 30 angstroms 30 angstroms is less than about 20 angstroms since there is no fixed definition of “about” provided in the disclosure).
d. As to claim 5, Rabkin teaches wherein the second layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material comprises aluminum oxide (paragraph 90).
e. As to claim 6, Rabkin teaches wherein the second layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material is characterized by a thickness of less than or about 100 A (paragraph 90 10 to 60 angstroms is less than about 100 angstroms).
f. As to claim 8, Rabkin teaches Lanthanum which has a work function of 3.5 eV for the first layer and Aluminum which has a work function of 4.08 to 4.2 eV so Rabkin teaches wherein: the first metal is characterized by a first work function; and the second metal is characterized by a second work function higher than the first work function.
g. As to claims 9-10, Rabkin teaches wherein the gate comprises a titanium-containing material and wherein the titanium- containing material comprises a titanium-and-nitrogen-containing material , a tungsten-containing material, or a molybdenum- containing material (abstract it is noted that the claim 10 does not require the gate to be titanium and the titanium is titanium nitride it only limits the Markush group limitation and thus since Rabkin teaches Mo it teaches claims 9-10).
g. As to claim 11, Rabkin teaches the device further comprising a vertical channel and associated structure to function as a 3D NAND (background section).
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) 4, 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rabkin in view of Akiyama 20100148241 cited on ids.
As to claim 4 Rabkin does not teach wherein the first layer of metal-and-oxygen-containing material comprises yttrium oxide (Y203).
Akiyama teaches using a Y2O3 layer in place of zirconium of lanthanum (paragraph 37).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form first blocking layer to provide known materials with expected outcome of desired blocking function.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rabkin in view of Nakabayashi 20100148241 cited on ids.
Rabkin does not teach HfO2 however Nakabayashi teaches providing the second blocking layer as HfO2 (paragraphs 22, 36 and 49).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the second a HfO2 to use know material to provide the expected outcome of the desired blocking.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WO 2020251625 paragraph 130 teaches titanuum nitride was known to be cheaper than expensive molybdenum. Yang et al. 20220384469 appears to be a us equivalent of the TW202301653A
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW L REAMES whose telephone number is (571)272-2408. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:00 am-4:00 pm EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William F. Kraig can be reached at 571-272-8660. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MATTHEW L. REAMES/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2896
/MATTHEW L REAMES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896
Prosecution Insights