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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: GATE ALL AROUND CMOSFET INCLUDING METALLIC NANOSHEET STACKS PROTRUDING FROM A PILLAR.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-7 and 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding independent claims 2 and 9,
Claims 2 and 9 recite the phrase: “wherein the gate pillar has a gate pillar work function, the first gate stack has a first gate stack work function; the second gate stack has a second gate stack work function, and the gate pillar work function lies in a region defined by the first gate stack work function, the second gate stack work function, and a region between the first gate stack work function and the second gate stack work function.”
The term “region” appears to refer to a range of values of which corresponding work functions are chosen from, therefore making the phrase “the gate pillar work function lies in a region defined by the first gate stack work function, the second gate stack work function, and a region between the first gate stack work function and the second gate stack work function” essentially mean/read as the gate pillar work function value is between the first gate stack work function value and the second gate stack work function value.
The use of the term “region” appears to render the claim indefinite, as the term “region” could also be interpreted as a physical region within the device from various perspective views, i.e. top-down view, cross-sectional view(s), bottom-up view…etc. which would thereby not read on the originally filed drawings. The nanosheet stacks only surround the gate pillar on two sides, as can be seen in Fig. 2. One side of each nanosheet stack directly contacts the gate pillar, therefore the corresponding gate pillar work function could not be fully defined by a physical region because a cross-sectional view in/out of Fig. 2 would not show the nanosheets / gate stacks, which therefore renders the claim indefinite.
As best understood by the examiner under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the term “region” as recited in claims 2 and 9 refers to a region of work function values and will be interpreted and examined as such.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 8 are allowed. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: See allowability notice filed 04/14/2026.
Claims 2 and 9 and subsequent dependent claims 2-7 and 10-14would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action. See reasons for allowance in allowability notice filed 04/14/2026.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Andrew V. Prostor whose telephone number is (571) 272-2686. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00a-4:30p.
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 S 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.
/ANDREW VICTOR PROSTOR/Examiner, Art Unit 2812 /CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
Prosecution Insights