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 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mehandru et al. (US 2020/0303509).
Regarding claim 21, Mehandru discloses a semiconductor structure, comprising:
a transistor structure (1300/1200) comprising a source/drain (S/D) region (961) [Figs. 12A-13 and paragraphs 0074-0076];
a front side metal line (M1,1333/1320,1075) above the S/D region [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated below) and paragraphs 0074-0076];
a front side metal via (V1, 1333/1320,1071) in contact with a front surface of the S/D region and with the front side metal line (1333/1320,1075) [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated below) and paragraphs 0074-0076];
a back side metal line (M2,1334/1321) below the S/D region (961) [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated below) and paragraphs 0074-0076]; and
a back side metal via (V2,1334/1321,1281) in contact with a back surface of the S/D region and with the back side metal line [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated below) and paragraphs 0074-0076].
[AltContent: textbox (M4)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (M2)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (V4)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (V3)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (V2)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (M1)][AltContent: arrow][AltContent: textbox (V1)][AltContent: arrow]
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Regarding claim 22, Mehandru discloses another transistor (1300/1200) comprising another S/D region (another region 961); and another back side metal via (V4) in contact with a back surface of the other S/D region [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated above) and paragraphs 0074-0076].
Regarding claim 23, Mehandru discloses another back side metal line (M4) below and in contact with the other back side metal via (V4), wherein the other back side metal line (M4) is at a same metallization level as the back side metal line (M2) [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated above) and paragraphs 0074-0076].
Regarding claim 24, Mehandru discloses another front side metal via (V3) electrically connected to the other S/D region (another region 961), wherein the front side metal via (V1) and the other front side metal via (V3) are electrically connected to the front side metal line (M1) [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated above) and paragraphs 0074-0076].
Regarding claim 25, Mehandru discloses another front side metal via (V3) in contact with the front side metal line (M1), wherein the [an]other front side metal via (V3) is at a same metallization level as the front side metal via (V1) [Figs. 12A-12B, 13 (annotated above) and paragraphs 0074-0076].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 are allowed.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 21-25 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