DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Status of the Claims
After-final amendment filed 3 November 2025 is acknowledged. Claims 1 and 14 have been amended. Claims 1, 3-14, and 16-20 are pending. Claims 1 and 3-13 remain withdrawn from consideration.
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that action is withdrawn. The purpose of this additional action is to clarify with annotated drawings the elements corresponding to the claimed trench in order to simplify matters for appeal. This action is made final in view of the amendments filed 12 June 2025 narrowing the scope of the original claims.
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 14, 16-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jang et al. (US Patent Application Publication 2009/0218616, hereinafter Jang ‘616) of record.
With respect to claim 14, Jang ‘616 teaches (FIG. 5J) a semiconductor structure as claimed, comprising:
a base (51C), wherein the base comprises a Word Line (WL) trench (etched out of element 51A shown in FIG. 5B and comprising portions removed from regions C and S; see annotated FIG. 5J below) with a stepped side wall (see annotated FIG. 5J below), and a width of a top of the WL trench is greater than a width of a bottom of the WL trench ([0045-0047]); and
an insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) formed on the side wall and a bottom wall of the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J below), and a WL structure (60A and 62A) surrounded by the insulating structure ([0045-0047, 0050]);
wherein the WL structure (60A and 62A) is located in the top of the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J below) and the bottom of the WL trench ([0045, 0047, 0050]); and
wherein a thickness of the insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) at a top of the side wall is greater than a thickness of the insulating structure at a bottom of the side wall ([0045-0047]).
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With respect to claim 16, Jang ‘616 teaches wherein the insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) comprises a first insulating layer (54A and 57B) and a second insulating layer (57B and 59), wherein the first insulating layer at least covers the side wall of the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) above a stepped surface of the WL trench, the second insulating layer covers a surface of the first insulating layer and a surface of the WL trench not covered by the first insulating layer ([0045-0047]).
With respect to claim 17, Jang ‘616 teaches wherein a thickness of the first insulating layer (54A and 57B) is greater than a thickness of the second insulating layer (57B and 59) ([0045-0047]).
With respect to claim 18, Jang ‘616 teaches wherein the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) comprises a first trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) and a second trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) which are stacked onto one another in a depth direction of the WL trench, wherein a width of the first trench is greater than a width of the second trench, and an interface between the first trench and the second trench is the stepped surface of the WL trench, wherein the first insulating layer (54A and 57B) covers a side wall of the first trench, and the second insulating layer (57B and 59) covers the first insulating layer and a surface of the second trench ([0045-0047, 0050]).
With respect to claim 20, Jang ‘616 teaches wherein the WL structure (60A and 62A) comprises a WL conductive layer (62A) and a WL insulating layer (60A) ([0047, 0050]).
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 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jang ‘616 as applied to claim 18 above, and further in view of Lin et al. (US Patent 10,217,750, hereinafter Lin ‘750) of record.
With respect to claim 19, Jang ‘616 teaches the device as described in claim 18 above with the exception of the additional limitation wherein a depth of the first trench is 1/3 of a depth of the WL trench.
However, Lin ‘750 teaches (FIG. 11) a buried word line, wherein a depth of a first trench (64) is approximately 1/3 of a depth of the WL trench (64 and 74) (col. 4, ln. 20-57) in an arrangement that aids in reducing gate-induced drain leakage (col. 1, ln. 8-11).
Further, such a modification represents a mere change in size or proportion. A mere change in size or proportion has been held to be obvious. In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955). See MPEP 2144.04 IV. A.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have formed a depth of the first trench of Jang ‘616 1/3 of a depth of the WL trench as taught by Lin ‘750 in an arrangement that aids in reducing gate-induced drain leakage, and because such a modification represents a mere, obvious change in size or proportion.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to claim 14 are sufficient to overcome the objection to claim 14 made in the final rejection filed 5 September 2025. The objection to claim 14 has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed 3 November 2025 with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claim 14 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues (remarks, p. 7) that the insulating layer (54A, 57B, and 59) of Jang ‘616 is not formed on the sidewall and a bottom wall of the WL trench (T1 and T2), thus Jang ‘616 does not disclose, “an insulating structure formed on the side wall and a bottom wall of the WL trench,” as claimed. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Jang ‘616 teaches (FIG. 5J) an insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) formed on the side wall and a bottom wall of the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) ([0045-0047, 0050]). All components (54A, 57B, and 59) of the insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) are formed on the side wall of the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above). Component (59) of the insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) is formed on a bottom wall of the WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above).
Applicant argues (remarks, p. 8) that Jang ‘616 dose not disclose, “a Word Line (WL) trench with a stepped side wall, and a width of a top of the WL trench is greater than a width of a bottom of the WL trench,” and, “a thickness of the insulating structure at a top of the side wall is greater than a thickness of the insulating structure at a bottom of the side wall,” as claimed. Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Jang ‘616 teaches (FIG. 5J) a Word Line (WL) trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) with a stepped side wall (see annotated FIG. 5J above), and a width of a top of the WL trench is greater than a width of a bottom of the WL trench ([0045-0047]); [and] a thickness of the insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) at a top of the side wall is greater than a thickness of the insulating structure at a bottom of the side wall ([0045-0047]). The Word Line (WL) trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) has a stepped side wall with the step defined at where the trench widens. The WL trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) is wider at its top than at its bottom. Finally, the bilayer thickness (54A and 57B) of the insulating structure (54A, 57B, and 59) at a top of the side wall of the trench (see annotated FIG. 5J above) is thicker than the single layer (59) thickness of the insulating structure at a bottom of the side wall of the trench.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment filed 12 June 2025 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christopher M. Roland whose telephone number is (571)270-1271. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10:00AM-7:00PM Eastern.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yara Green can be reached at (571)270-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.M.R./Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893