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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention of Group I, Claims 1-18, in the reply filed on 01/26/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 19-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 01/26/2026.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8-9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fan et al. (US 2020/0381296).
Fan et al. discloses, as shown in Figures 9 and 14-16, an integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:
a substrate (102); and
a first metal line (130) and a second metal line (130) extending, along an axis (Y), over the substrate, wherein:
the first metal line (130) has a first end and a second end along the axis,
a portion of the first metal line (not shown, a thin metal liner, a barrier, or an adhesion layer, [0042]) at the first end comprises a first electrically conductive material,
another portion of the first metal line (130, [0042]) comprises a second electrically conductive material,
the second metal line (130) has a first end and a second end along the axis,
the first end of the second metal line is closer to the first end of the first metal line than the second end of the second metal line,
a portion of the second metal line (not shown, a thin metal liner, a barrier, or an adhesion layer, [0042]) at the first end of the second metal line includes the first electrically conductive material, and
another portion of the second metal line (130, [0042]) includes the second electrically conductive material, and
the second electrically conductive material (Cu, Al, W, Ir, Co, or their alloy, [0042]) is different from the first electrically conductive material (TiN, TaN, Ru, etc, [0042]).
Regarding claim 2, Fan et al. discloses the second electrically conductive material comprises copper [0042].
Regarding claim 3, Fan et al. discloses the first electrically conductive material is a material [0042] compatible with direct etch processes.
Note that the term “compatible with direct etch processes” is method recitation in a device claimed. “[E]ven though product-by-process claims are limited by and defined by the process, determination of patentability is based on the product itself. The patentability of a product does not depend on its method of production. If the product in the product-by-process claim is the same as or obvious from a product of the prior art, the claim is unpatentable even though the prior product was made by a different process.” In re Thorpe, 777 F.2d 695, 698, 227 USPQ 964, 966 (Fed. Cir. 1985).
Regarding claim 4, Fan et al. discloses the first electrically conductive material comprises tungsten, molybdenum or ruthenium [0042].
Regarding claim 5, Fan et al. discloses the another portion of the first metal line is a portion of the first metal line at the second end (Figures 14-16).
Regarding claim 6, Fan et al. discloses
the axis is a first axis (Y),
the IC device further comprises:
a plurality of metal lines (130) extending, along the first axis, over the substrate and spaced apart from each other along a second axis (X) by an insulator material (104,108), and
the first metal line is one of the plurality of metal lines (130, see Figures 14-16).
Regarding claim 8, Fan et al. discloses a distance between the first end of the first metal line and the first end of the second metal line in a first plane parallel to the substrate is greater than a distance between the first end of the first metal line and the first end of the second metal line in a second plane parallel to the substrate, the second plane being closer to the substrate than the first plane (Figures 14-16, taper sidewall, [0043]).
Regarding claim 9, Fan et al. discloses the first end of the first metal line and the first end of the second metal line are spaced apart from each other by an insulator material (128, [0040]) (Figures 14-16).
Regarding claim 12, Fan et al. discloses, as shown in Figures 9-20, an integrated circuit (IC) device comprising:
a support structure (102);
a metal line (130) over the support structure, the metal line extending along an axis (Y); and
an opening (126) extending through the metal line, the opening comprising an insulator material (128, [0040]) and separating the metal line into a first segment (130) and a second segment (130),
wherein the first segment and the second segment (Figures 14-16) extend along the axis on opposite sides of the opening, and wherein the opening tapers down (see Figure 9, [0043]) towards the support structure
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(s) 7 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan et al. (US 2020/0381296).
Regarding claims 7 and 13, Fan et al. discloses the plurality of metal lines are located next to each other and the width of the opening is very small. Han et al. does not disclose exact the pitch and the width of the opening. However, the selection of these parameters such as energy, concentration, temperature, time, speed, molar fraction, depth, thickness, pitch, width, etc., would have been obvious and involve routine optimization which has been held to be within the level of ordinary skill in the art. "Normally, it is to be expected that a change in energy, concentration, temperature, time, molar fraction, depth, thickness, pitch, width, etc., or in combination of the parameters would be an unpatentable modification. Under some circumstances, however, changes such as these may impart patentability to a process if the particular ranges claimed produce a new and unexpected result which is different in kind and not merely degree from the results of the prior art... such ranges are termed "critical ranges and the applicant has the burden of proving such criticality.... More particularly, where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Alter 105 USPQ233, 255 (CCPA 1955). See also In re Waite 77 USPQ 586 (CCPA 1948); In re Scherl 70 USPQ 204 (CCPA 1946); In re Irmscher 66 USPQ 314 (CCPA 1945); In re Norman 66 USPQ 308 (CCPA 1945); In re Swenson 56 USPQ 372 (CCPA 1942); In re Sola 25 USPQ 433 (CCPA 1935); In re Dreyfus 24 USPQ 52 (CCPA 1934).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan et al. (US 2020/0381296) in view of Mizushima (PN 5,164,334).
Fan et al. discloses the claimed invention including the IC device as explained in the above rejection. Fan et al. further discloses the insulator material is a first insulator material. Fan et al. does not disclose the IC device further comprises a second insulator material between the substrate and the first metal line, and the first insulator material extends into a portion of the second insulator material. However, Mizushima discloses an IC comprises a second insulator material (2) between the substrate (1) and the first metal line (3), and a first insulator material (8) extends into a portion of the second insulator material (2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention was made to form the IC device of Fan et al. having a second insulator material between the substrate and the first metal line, and the first insulator material extends into a portion of the second insulator material, such as taught by Mizushima in order to further reduce the wiring parasitic capacitance between metal lines.
Claim(s) 11, 14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan et al. (US 2020/0381296) in view of Harada (PN 6,400,031).
Regarding claim 11, Fan et al. discloses the claimed invention including the IC device as explained in the above rejection. Fan et al. further discloses a first metallization layer including the first metal line and the second metal line. Fan et al. does not disclose a second metallization layer including a third metal line, and a via extending between the third metal line and the first end of the first metal line, wherein the via comprises the first electrically conductive material. However, Harada disclose an IC having a second metallization layer (18) including a third metal line (19), and a via (50) extending between the third metal line (19) and the first end of the first metal line (29), wherein the via comprises the first electrically conductive material (29). Note Figures 4C-7 of Harada. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention was made to form the IC device of Fan et al. having a second metallization layer including a third metal line, and a via extending between the third metal line and the first end of the first metal line, wherein the via comprises the first electrically conductive material, such as taught by Harada, in order to provide the connection between the metal lines and to further prevent void formation between interconnections.
Regarding claim 14, Fan et al. discloses the claimed invention including the IC device as explained in the above rejection. Fan et al. further discloses the insulator material is a first insulator material. Fan et al. does not disclose a second insulator material between the support structure and the metal line, and the opening extends into a portion of the second insulator material. However, Harada discloses an IC device having a second insulator material (12) between a support structure (10) and a metal line (29), and an opening (50) extends into a portion of the second insulator material. Note Figures 4C-7 of Harada. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention was made to form the IC device of Fan et al. having a second insulator material between the support structure and the metal line, and the opening extends into a portion of the second insulator material, such as taught by Harada, in order to provide the connection between the metal lines and to further prevent void formation between interconnections.
Regarding claim 16, Fan et al. and Harada disclose the first segment has a first end and a second end along the axis (Y),
a portion of the first segment (not shown, a thin metal liner, a barrier, or an adhesion layer, [0042]) at the first end comprises a first electrically conductive material in contact with the first insulator material (TiN, TaN, Ru, etc, [0042]),
another portion of the first segment (130, [0042]) comprises a second electrically conductive material (Cu, Al, W, Ir, Co, or their alloy, [0042]), and
the second electrically conductive material is different from the first electrically conductive material.
Regarding claim 17, Fan et al. and Harada disclose the second electrically conductive material comprises copper [0042], and the first electrically conductive material comprises tungsten, molybdenum or ruthenium [0042].
Regarding claim 18, Fan et al. and Harada disclose the second segment (130) has a first end and a second end along the axis, a portion of the second segment (not shown, a thin metal liner, a barrier, or an adhesion layer, [0042]) at the first end of the second segment comprises the first electrically conductive material in contact with the first insulator material, and another portion of the second segment (130, [0042]) comprises the second electrically conductive material.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fan et al. (US 2020/0381296) in view of Harada (PN 6,400,031) and further in view of Mizushima (PN 5,164,334).
Fan et al. and Harada disclose the claimed invention including the IC device as explained in the above rejection. Fan et al. and Harada do not disclose the first insulator material at least particularly fills the portion of the second insulator material. However, Mizushima discloses an IC comprises a first insulator material (8) at least particularly fills the portion of the second insulator material (2). Note Figures 2C-4 of Mizushima. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art at the time the invention was made to form the IC device of Fan et al. and Harada having the first insulator material at least particularly fills the portion of the second insulator material, such as taught by Mizushima in order to further reduce the wiring parasitic capacitance between metal lines.
Conclusion
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/HUNG K VU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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