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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendment of claims 1, 7, 16 and 20 to overcome the rejections under 35 USC §§ 112(a)/(b) is acknowledged. The amendment overcomes the reasons for 112(a) and 112(b) rejections noted in the non-final OA. However, the claims, as amended, introduces new ambiguity, thus further rejected under 35 U.S.C 112(b).
In view of claim amendments incorporating allowable subject matter and applicant's arguments filed on 12/01/2025, with respect to claims 1 and 16 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Accordingly, prior art rejections of independent claim 1 and claim 16 has been withdrawn.
Claims 1 and 16 would 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.
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 1-7, 16-28 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation “…first conductive layers and first dielectric layers alternatingly stacked; a channel hole structure extending through the conductor/insulator stack; a dielectric stack including the first dielectric layers and second dielectric layers alternatingly stacked, wherein along a lateral direction, a second dielectric layer extends along a corresponding first conductive layer; second conductive layers having a second conductive layer formed through the second dielectric layer in the dielectric stack… having an SCT that includes a conductive structure extending through a second conductive layer in the dielectric stack and electrically connected to the first conductive layer”. It is unclear whether the first dielectric layer(s) is singular or plural; second dielectric layer(s) is singular or plural and conductive layer(s) is singular or plural. For the purpose to examination, “a first dielectric layer” is interpreted as “one of the first dielectric layers” and “a second dielectric layer” is interpreted as “one of the second dielectric layers”. Similarly, “a first conductive layer” is interpreted as “one of the first conductive layers” “a second conductive layer” is interpreted as “one of the second conductive layers”.
Further, in claim 1 limitation: “…having an SCT that includes a conductive structure extending through a second conductive layer…” it is unclear whether “a second conductive layer” is the same second conductive layer recited earlier in the claim or different. For the purpose to examination this limitation is interpreted as “…having an SCT that includes a conductive structure extending through the second conductive layer…”.
Claim 16 has same lack of clarity issues as claim 1 explained above.
Claims 2-7 and 17-28 inherit all limitations of claim 1 and claim 16 respectively, thus rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7, 16-28 would 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art to the present invention is Cui (US 20210366808 A1).
Cui discloses a similar three-dimensional memory device comprising a conductor/dielectric stack and an extended/continued dielectric/dielectric stack.
Regarding independent claims 1 and 16, there is no teaching or suggestion in the prior art of record to provide the specific limitation recited in the claims of the instant invention, e.g., staircase (CTs) having an SCT that includes a conductive structure extending through a second conductive layer in the dielectric stack and electrically connected to the first conductive layer.
Claims 2-7 and 17-28 would be allowable by virtue or their dependence on claim 1 and claim 16 respectively if claims 1 and 16 are rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BIPANA ADHIKARI DAWADI whose telephone number is (571)272-4149. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11:30am-7:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Manno can be reached at (571) 272-2339. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BIPANA ADHIKARI DAWADI/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898