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 .
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.
Claims 1, 3-6, 8-11 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (US 2020/0176448).
Regarding claim 1, Huang discloses a semiconductor structure comprising:
a well (110 or 115) [Fig. 8];
a first fin (one of the two adjacent fins 120A or fins 120B) and a second fin (the remaining fin from the two adjacent fins 120A or fins 120B, respectively) extending above the well (110 or 115, respectively) [Fig. 8];
a power rail partially (150A or 150B) located within the well (110 or 115, respectively) and extending above the well (110 or 115, respectively), the power rail (150A or 150B) laterally between the first fin (one of the two adjacent fins 120A or fins 120B) and the second fin (the remaining fin from the two adjacent fins 120A or fins 120B, respectively) [Fig. 8]; and
a silicide layer (145A or 145B) laterally between the power rail (150A or 150B, respectively) and the well (110 or 115, respectively) and vertically between the power rail (150A or 150B) and the well (110 or 115) [Fig. 8 and paragraph 0024].
Regarding claim 3, Huang discloses wherein the silicide layer (145A or 145B) is a continuous metallic layer (conformal layer) [paragraph 0024].
Regarding claim 4, Huang discloses wherein the well (110 or 115) is a selected one of. an n-well or a p-well [paragraph 0018].
Regarding claim 5, Huang discloses wherein the well (110 or 115) includes silicon (105) [paragraph 0018].
Regarding claim 6, Huang discloses wherein the silicide layer (145A or 145B) includes at least one of titanium (Ti), cobalt (Co), or nickel (Ni) [paragraph 0024: refractory metal, e.g. Ni and Co. Please note that titanium is a commonly known refractory metal].
Regarding claim 8, Huang discloses an electrical connector (205A or 205B) electrically coupled with the power rail (150A or 150B, respectively) [Fig. 9 and paragraph 0030].
Regarding claim 9, Huang discloses wherein the electrical connector (205A or 205B) is electrically coupled with a side (top) of the power rail (150A or 150B, respectively) opposite a side (bottom) of the power rail located within the well (110 or 115, respectively) [Fig. 9 and paragraph 0030].
Regarding claim 10, Huang discloses wherein the electrical connector (210A or 210B) is electrically coupled with a side of the power rail (150A or 150B, respectively) within the well (110 or 115) [Fig. 10 and paragraph 0031].
Regarding claim 11, Huang discloses wherein the electrical connector (205A/210A or 205B/210B) is coupled with a power source [Figs. 9-10 and paragraph 0032].
Regarding claim 18, Huang discloses a package comprising:
a circuit structure [Figs. 9-10] comprising:
a well (110 or 115) [Figs. 9-10];
a power rail (150A or 150B) partially located within the well (110 or 115, respectively) and extending above the well (110 or 115) [Figs. 9-10];
a silicide layer (145A or 145B) laterally between the power rail and the well and vertically between the power rail and the well [Figs. 9-10 and paragraph 0024]; and
a first fin (one of the two adjacent fins 120A or fins 120B) and a second fin (the remaining fin from the two adjacent fins 120A or fins 120B, respectively) substantially parallel with the first fin [Figs. 9-10], the first fin and the second fin extending from the well (110 or 115), wherein the power rail (150A or 150B) is at least partially disposed laterally between the first fin and the second fin [Figs. 9-10]; and
an electrical connector (205A/210A or 205B/210B) electrically coupled with the power rail of the circuit structure [Figs. 9-10], the electrical connector electrically coupled with a power source [paragraph 0032].
Regarding claim 19, Huang discloses wherein the power source is selected one of: a Vdd or a VSS [Figs. 9-10 and paragraph 0032].
Regarding claim 20, Huang discloses wherein the electrical connector (210A or 210B) is electrically coupled with a portion of the power rail (150A or 150B) within the well (110 or 115) [Fig. 10].
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 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang et al. (US 2020/0176448) in view of Lindsay et al. (US 2009/0050972)
Regarding claim 2, Huang is silent with respect to the thickness of the silicide layer.
However, Lindsay teaches wherein the silicide layer (55/57) has a thickness between 2nm and 10nm [paragraph 0046 and Figure 2H]. in addition, the court has held that in the case where the claimed ranges “overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art” a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541F.2d 257,191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have been motivated to modify Huang by including a silicide layer having a thickness between 2nm and 10nm as taught by Lindsay because it helps to improve device performance [paragraph 0001 and 0002].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-6, 8-11 and 18-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSE R DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1727. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Benitez can be reached at 571-270-1435. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Jose R Diaz/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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