CTNF 18/781,361 CTNF 97480 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Tang et al. (US10002933B1, hereinafter Tang ) . Regarding claim 8 , Tang discloses a semiconductor structure comprising: a metal gate that includes a gate electrode and a gate dielectric layer which surrounds the gate electrode from a bottom side and two lateral sides of the gate electrode (Fig. 2E gate structure 126 includes gate electrode 124 and gate dielectric 122 which surrounding the gate electrode on at least a bottom side and two lateral sides); a gate spacer that is formed on a sidewall of the gate dielectric layer (Fig. 2E spacer layers 116 formed on sidewall of gate structure 126); a contact etch stop layer (CESL) that is formed on a sidewall of the gate spacer (Fig. 2E etch stop layer 134 formed on sidewall of spacer layers 116); a self-aligned contact (SAC) layer that is disposed on the gate electrode and is formed with a seam extending from a top surface of the SAC layer into the SAC layer (Fig. 2E cap layer 150 is disposed at the top of gate structure 126 and has a seam 137, see fig. 1G, at the top of surface first cap layer 136); and a filler that is formed in the seam (Fig. 2E gap filling material 138 within seam 137 and second gap portion 146 seams the seam) and has a top surface flush with the top surface of the SAC layer, a top surface of the gate spacer and a top surface of the CESL (Fig. 2E second gap portion 146 has a top surface flush with the top of cap layer 150, etch stop layer 134, and spacer layers 116). Regarding claim 13 , Tang discloses the semiconductor structure of claim 8, wherein the SAC layer includes one of silicon nitride, silicon carbon nitride, silicon oxycarbide, silicon oxycarbonitride and any combination thereof (Xi “[i]n some embodiments, the second cap portion 146 is made of amorphous silicon, silicon nitride (SixNy), silicon oxynitride (SiON), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon carbon nitride (SiCN), another similar material, another suitable material, or a combination thereof”) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1, 5, 14, 16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang et al. (US10002933B1) . Regarding claim 1 , Tang teaches a semiconductor structure comprising: a gate (Fig. 2E gate structure 126); a self-aligned contact (SAC) layer that is disposed on the gate and that has a seam at a top surface of the SAC layer (Fig. 2E cap layer 150 is disposed at the top of gate structure 126 and has a seam 137, see fig. 1G, at the top of surface first cap layer 136); a gate spacer that is formed on a sidewall of the gate (Fig. 2E spacer layers 116 formed on sidewall of gate structure 126); and a metal contact that is disposed adjacent to the gate spacer and that is spaced apart from the gate by the gate spacer (Fig. 2E conductive material 156 disposed adjacent to spacer layers 116 and conductive material 156 is spaced apart from gate electrode 124 by spacer layers 116); wherein the SAC layer includes a filler that seals the seam in the SAC layer (Fig. 2E gap filling material 138 within seam 137 and second gap portion 146 seams the seam), and a top surface of the filler is coplanar with a top surface of the gate spacer and a top surface of the metal contact (Fig. 2E top surface of second cap portion 146 is coplanar with a top surface of spacer layers 116. While the top surface of conductive material 156 is not coplanar with second cap portion 146 and spacers 116, the primary function of conductive material 156 is to provide gate contact externally. A rearrangement of a conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146 and spacers 116 would not provide any new or unexpected results as the primary function of providing external gate contact is maintained. Additionally, as nothing within the disclosure indicates the presence of new or unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the claims were effectively filed to therefore rearrange conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146 and spacers 116, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)). Regarding claim 5 , Tang teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the filler includes a dielectric material (Tang “the gap filling material 138 is made of silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, another suitable material or a combination thereof” which include dielectric materials). Regarding claim 14 , Tang teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 8, further comprising a metal contact that is disposed adjacent to the CESL (Fig. 2E conductive material 156 disposed adjacent to etch stop layer 134) and that has a top surface flush with the top surface of the filler (Fig. 2E while the top surface of conductive material 156 is not coplanar with second cap portion 146, the primary function of conductive material 156 is to provide gate contact externally. A rearrangement of a conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146 would not provide any new or unexpected results as the primary function of providing external gate contact is maintained. Additionally, as nothing within the disclosure indicates the presence of new or unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the claims were effectively filed to therefore rearrange conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)). Regarding claim 16 , Tang teaches a semiconductor structure comprising: a substrate unit including source/drain regions (Fig. 2E substrate 102 has source/drain regions 104); metal contacts formed on the source/drain regions, respectively (Fig. 2E conductive material 156); a metal gate formed on the substrate unit and disposed between the metal contacts (Fig. 2E gate structure 126); a self-aligned contact (SAC) layer disposed on and covering the metal gate, the SAC layer being formed with a seam (Fig. 2E cap layer 150 is disposed at the top of gate structure 126 and has a seam 137, see fig. 1G, at the top of surface first cap layer 136) and having a top surface coplanar with top surfaces of the metal contacts, the seam being at the top surface of the SAC layer (Fig. 2E while the top surface of conductive material 156 is not coplanar with second cap portion 146, the primary function of conductive material 156 is to provide gate contact externally. A rearrangement of a conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146 would not provide any new or unexpected results as the primary function of providing external gate contact is maintained. Additionally, as nothing within the disclosure indicates the presence of new or unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the claims were effectively filed to therefore rearrange conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)); and a dielectric filler formed in the seam to seal the seam (Fig. 2E gap filling material 138), and having a top surface that is flush with the top surface of the SAC layer and the top surfaces of the metal contacts (Fig. 2E while the top surface of conductive material 156 is not coplanar with second cap portion 146, the primary function of conductive material 156 is to provide gate contact externally. A rearrangement of a conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146 would not provide any new or unexpected results as the primary function of providing external gate contact is maintained. Additionally, as nothing within the disclosure indicates the presence of new or unexpected results, it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art at the time the claims were effectively filed to therefore rearrange conductive material 156 to be coplanar with second cap portion 146, see MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)). Regarding claim 20 , Tang teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 16, further comprising gate spacers each of which is disposed between the metal gate and a respective one of the metal contacts (Fig. 2E spacer layers 116 disposed between gate structure 126 and conductive material 156), each of the gate spacers having a top surface that is flush with the top surface of the dielectric filler (Fig. 2E spacer layers 116 have a top surface flush with second cap portion 146) . 07-22-aia AIA Claim s 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang (US10002933B1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Xi et al. (US6211065B1, hereinafter Xi ) . Regarding claim 6 , Tang teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 5. Tang does not appear to teach wherein the dielectric material of the filler includes a polymer. Xi teaches wherein the dielectric material of the filler includes a polymer (Xi col. 4“The present invention provides an improved method of depositing an amorphous fluorocarbon (α-FC) film on a substrate or other workpiece using high density plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques”). Being in analogous arts, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because the gap fill method as taught by Xi provides “good gap fill performance and improved adhesion to metals” (Xi col. 4). Regarding claim 7 , the combination of Tang and Xi teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 6, wherein the dielectric material of the filler includes a fluorocarbon-based polymer (Xi col. 4 [t]he present invention provides an improved method of depositing an amorphous fluorocarbon (α-FC) film on a substrate or other workpiece using high density plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques”) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tang (US10002933B1) in view of Xi (US6211065B1) . Regarding claim 12 , Tang teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 8. Tang does not appear to teach wherein the filler includes a fluorocarbon-based polymer. Xi teaches wherein the filler includes a fluorocarbon-based polymer (Xi col. 4 “[t]he present invention provides an improved method of depositing an amorphous fluorocarbon (α-FC) film on a substrate or other workpiece using high density plasma chemical vapor deposition techniques”). Being in analogous arts, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention because the gap fill methods and materials as taught by Xi provides “good gap fill performance and improved adhesion to metals” (Xi col. 4) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-4, 9-11, 15, and 17-19 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. Regarding claim 2 and its dependent claims . The closest prior art (US10002933B1, US6211065B1, US20130084696A1) teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 1, wherein the filler is deposited using a hydrofluorocarbon or fluorocarbon plasma and an oxygen plasma (Xi col. 4 teaches that “[i]n one embodiment, an amorphous fluorocarbon film is deposited from methane (CH4) and octafluorocyclobutane (C4F8) using a HDP-CVD reactor” and Xi col. 6 teaches “two MFCs 35B and 35B′ may be used to control the flow of oxygen to both top vent 46 and oxidizer gas nozzles 40 from a single source of oxygen, such as source 34B”). However, the closest prior art does not teach in combination with the other claimed elements when depositing the filler, a carbon to fluorine ratio of the hydrofluorocarbon or fluorocarbon plasma is increased by decreasing the amount of oxygen, so that the filler is formed through polymerization on a surface of the SAC layer to seal the seam. Additionally, the closest prior art does not teach the above in combination with the further limitations of dependent claims. Examiner notes that while there are embodiments within the prior art, see Tang figs. 2A-2D, that teach depositing a filler within a seam, examiner's search of the prior art did not find an embodiment nor any motivation to combine embodiments such that when depositing the filler, a carbon to fluorine ratio of the hydrofluorocarbon or fluorocarbon plasma is increased by decreasing the amount of oxygen, so that the filler is formed through polymerization on a surface of the SAC layer to seal the seam in addition with the other limitations of the independent claim. Regarding claim 9 and its dependent claims . The closest prior art (US10002933B1, US6211065B1, US20130084696A1) teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 8, wherein the filler is formed using a fluorocarbon plasma and an oxygen plasma (Xi col. 4 teaches that “[i]n one embodiment, an amorphous fluorocarbon film is deposited from methane (CH4) and octafluorocyclobutane (C4F8) using a HDP-CVD reactor” and Xi col. 6 teaches “two MFCs 35B and 35B′ may be used to control the flow of oxygen to both top vent 46 and oxidizer gas nozzles 40 from a single source of oxygen, such as source 34B”). However, the closest prior art does not teach in combination with the other claimed elements when forming the filler, a carbon to fluorine ratio of the fluorocarbon plasma is increased by decreasing the amount of oxygen, so that the filler is formed through polymerization on a surface of the SAC layer to seal the seam. Additionally, the closest prior art does not teach the above in combination with the further limitations of dependent claims. Examiner notes that while there are embodiments within the prior art, see Tang figs. 2A-2D, that teach depositing a filler within a seam, examiner's search of the prior art did not find an embodiment nor any motivation to combine embodiments such that when forming the filler, a carbon to fluorine ratio of the fluorocarbon plasma is increased by decreasing the amount of oxygen, so that the filler is formed through polymerization on a surface of the SAC layer to seal the seam in addition with the other limitations of the independent claim. Regarding claim 15 . The closest prior art (US10002933B1, US6211065B1, US20130084696A1) teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 14, further comprising an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer that is disposed between the CESL and the metal contact (Tang fig. 2E protection layer 132 disposed between etch stop layer 134 and conductive material 156). However, the closest prior art does not teach in combination with the other claimed elements a material of the filler has a deposition rate on the surface of the SAC layer higher than that on a surface of the ILD layer. Additionally, the closest prior art does not teach the above in combination with the further limitations of dependent claims. Regarding claim 17 and its dependent claims . The closest prior art (US10002933B1, US6211065B1, US20130084696A1) teaches the semiconductor structure of claim 16, wherein the dielectric filler is formed using a fluorocarbon plasma and an oxygen plasma (Xi col. 4 teaches that “[i]n one embodiment, an amorphous fluorocarbon film is deposited from methane (CH4) and octafluorocyclobutane (C4F8) using a HDP-CVD reactor” and Xi col. 6 teaches “two MFCs 35B and 35B′ may be used to control the flow of oxygen to both top vent 46 and oxidizer gas nozzles 40 from a single source of oxygen, such as source 34B”). However, the closest prior art does not teach in combination with the other claimed elements when forming the dielectric filler, a carbon to fluorine ratio of the fluorocarbon plasma is increased by decreasing the amount of oxygen, so that the dielectric filler is formed through polymerization on a surface of the SAC layer to seal the seam. Additionally, the closest prior art does not teach the above in combination with the further limitations of dependent claims. Examiner notes that while there are embodiments within the prior art, see Tang figs. 2A-2D, that teach depositing a filler within a seam, examiner's search of the prior art did not find an embodiment nor any motivation to combine embodiments such that when forming the dielectric filler, a carbon to fluorine ratio of the fluorocarbon plasma is increased by decreasing the amount of oxygen, so that the dielectric filler is formed through polymerization on a surface of the SAC layer to seal the seam in addition with the other limitations of the independent claim. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COLE LEON LINDSEY whose telephone number is (571)272-4028. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.. 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, Christine Kim can be reached at (571)272-8458. 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. /COLE LEON LINDSEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2812 /CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 2 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 3 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 4 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 5 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 6 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 7 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 8 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 9 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 10 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 11 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 12 Art Unit: 2812 Application/Control Number: 18/781,361 Page 13 Art Unit: 2812
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