Appeal No. 2003-2079
Application No. 09/207,972
According to appellants, the invention is directed to a
semiconductor device with a graded-K gate dielectric, including a
low-trap-density nitrogen-containing oxide layer, with a gate
conductor above the dielectric material, to yield favorable
interface properties between the dielectric and the semiconductor
substrate (Brief, page 3). Illustrative independent claim 16 is
reproduced below:
16. A semiconductor device, comprising:
a low-trap-density nitrogen-containing oxide arranged upon an
upper surface of a semiconductor substrate;
a high-K dielectric having a dielectric constant greater than
about 5 arranged upon the nitrogen-containing oxide; and
a gate conductor arranged above the high-K dielectric.
The examiner relies upon the following references as evidence
of obviousness:
Wu 5,880,508 Mar. 09, 1999
Chou 5,994,734 Nov. 30, 1999
Kizilyalli et al. 6,320,238 B1 Nov. 20, 2001
(Kizilyalli ‘238, filed Jun. 25, 1999; continuation-in-part of
application No. 08/995,435 (Kizilyalli ‘435 application), filed on
Dec. 22, 1997; provisional application No. 60/033,839, filed on
Dec. 23, 1996)
Claims 16-19, 21, 23, 30 and 31 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as unpatentable over Kizilyalli ‘238 in view
of Wu (Answer, page 4). Claim 20 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C.
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