DETAILED ACTION
General Remarks
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 Amendment
The Amendment filed on 07/21/2026 has been entered. Applicant's amendment to the Claims
1-5 and 10 have overcome the 112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action dated on 04/21/2026.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments "Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment" with the
"Amendment/Req. Reconsideration-After Non-Final Reject" filed on 07/21/2026, have been fully considered, the Applicant’s arguments describe “…Chiu as disclosing the source/drain contact 120 as having a maximum lateral width greater than a maximum lateral width of the silicide layer 118N along a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction…". However, the Applicant’s arguments are not persuasive because the Chiu (US 20220406909 A1) describes a source/drain contact 120/118N having an upper portion 120 and a lower portion 118N (a silicide layer including titanium as part of the source/drain contact). Chiu describes the source/drain contact 120 having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the silicide layer 118N along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction but it is not described along to an orthogonal direction to a source to drain direction.
However, the instant Application does not show the limitation of “the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction”. In Figure 1H from the Application is showed a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction but it is NOT showed a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction. See below 112a and 102 rejections.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of
the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitations “…the conductive contact structure having an upper portion on the lower portion, the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction… in claims 1,6 and the limitation …a silicide layer between the epitaxial source or drain structure and the conductive contact structure” in claim 3, must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claim 1-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first
paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The specification as filed, fails to adequately describe the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction. The disclosure shows in fig. 1H (annotated by clarification) the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction or the upper portion having a maximum lateral width greater than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction. This creates a lack of a written description issue in claims 1 and 6.
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For the examination purpose, the limitation “…the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction orthogonal to a source to drain direction” would be interpreted as “…the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction”.
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.
Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as (30A; Fig 2B; [0128]) = (element 30A; Figure No. 2B; Paragraph No. [0128]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document.
Claims 1-4 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2), as best understood, as being anticipated by Chiu et al. (US 20220406909 A1, hereinafter Chiu, of the record).
Re: Independent Claim 1, Chiu teaches an integrated circuit structure, comprising:
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Chiu’s Figure 1A-Annotated.
a plurality of vertically stacked horizontal nanowires (22A-22C stacked nanowires in [0017], Fig. 1A);
a gate structure (200, [0013], Fig. 1A) over the plurality of vertically stacked horizontal nanowires (22A-22C, [0017], Fig. 1A);
an epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A) at an end of the plurality of vertically stacked horizontal nanowires (22A-22C, [0017], Fig. 1A); and
a conductive contact structure (120,118N, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) vertically over the epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A), the conductive contact structure having a lower portion (118N, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) extending over the top and along upper portions of sides (Fig. 1A) of the epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A), and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion (120, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) on the lower portion (118N), the upper portion (120) having a maximum lateral width less (Fig. 1A-Annotated) than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion (118N) along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction (X-direction, Fig. 1A).
Re: Claim 2, Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein the lower (118N) portion of the conductive contact structure (120,118N) has curved laterally outermost surfaces (Fig. 1A).
Re: Claim 3, Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 1, further comprising: a silicide layer (118P1 a silicide layer, [0030], Fig. 1A) between the epitaxial source or drain structure (82) and the conductive contact structure (120,118N).
Re: Claim 4, Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 1, wherein the conductive contact structure (120,118N) comprises a tungsten-containing layer on a titanium-containing layer (120 containing tungsten and 118N containing titanium in [0029,0030], Fig. 1A).
Re: Independent Claim 6, Chiu teaches an integrated circuit structure, comprising:
a fin (32, [0013], Fig. 1A);
a gate structure (200, [0013], Fig. 1A) over the fin (32);
an epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A) at an end of the fin (32); and
a conductive contact structure (120,118N, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) vertically over the epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A), the conductive contact structure having a lower portion (118N, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) extending over the top and along upper portions of sides (Fig. 1A) of the epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A), and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion (120, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) on the lower portion (118N), the upper portion (120) having a maximum lateral width less (Fig. 1A-Annotated) than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion (118N) along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction (X-direction, Fig. 1A).
Re: Claim 7, Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 6, wherein the lower (118N) portion of the conductive contact structure (120,118N) has curved laterally outermost surfaces (Fig. 1A).
Re: Claim 8, Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 6, further comprising: a silicide layer (118P1 a silicide layer, [0030], Fig. 1A) between the epitaxial source or drain structure (82) and the conductive contact structure (120,118N).
Re: Claim 9, Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 6, wherein the conductive contact structure (120,118N) comprises a tungsten-containing layer on a titanium-containing layer (120 containing tungsten and 118N containing titanium in [0029,0030], Fig. 1A).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of AIA 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 of this title, 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.
Second rejection of claims 1 and 6.
Claim(s) 1,5, 6, 10 is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103), as best understood, as being unpatentable over Xie et al. (US 20240136414 A1) in view of Chiu.
Re: Independent Claim 1, Xie discloses an integrated circuit structure, comprising:
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Xie’s Figure 11A-B-Annotated.
a plurality of vertically stacked horizontal nanowires (311 stacked nanowires in [0028], Fig. 11A-B-C);
a gate structure (331, [0028], Fig. 11A-B-C) over the plurality of vertically stacked horizontal nanowires (311);
an epitaxial source or drain structure (321,322,352, [0028], Fig. 11A-B-C) at an end of the plurality of vertically stacked horizontal nanowires (311); and
a conductive contact structure (451,452,462, [0033,0034], Fig. 11A-B-C) vertically over the epitaxial source or drain structure (321,322,352),
Xie does not expressly disclose the conductive contact structure having a lower portion extending over the top and along upper portions of sides of the epitaxial source or drain structure, and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion on the lower portion, the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Chiu discloses the conductive contact structure having a lower portion (118N, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) extending over the top and along upper portions of sides (Fig. 1A) of the epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A), and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion (120, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) on the lower portion (118N), the upper portion (120) having a maximum lateral width less (Fig. 1A-Annotated) than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion (118N) along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction (X-direction, Fig. 1A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, absent unexpected results,
before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the Chiu’s feature of the conductive contact structure having a lower portion extending over the top and along upper portions of sides of the epitaxial source or drain structure, and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion on the lower portion, the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction to Xie’s device in order to have the predictable result of having a better contact resistance that improves speed performance and reduces costs ([0010], Chiu).
Re: Claim 5, Xie modified by Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 1, further comprising: a conductive via (420, [0031], Fig. 11A-B-C, Xie) vertically beneath and extending into the conductive contact structure (451,452,462, [0033,0034], Fig. 11A-B-C, Xie).
Re: Independent Claim 6, Chiu teaches an integrated circuit structure, comprising:
a fin (201, [0043], Fig. 11B);
a gate structure (331, [0028], Fig. 11A-B-C) over the fin (201);
an epitaxial source or drain structure (321,322,352, [0028], Fig. 11A-B-C) at an end of the fin (201); and
a conductive contact structure (451,452,462, [0033,0034], Fig. 11A-B-C) vertically over the epitaxial source or drain structure (321,322,352),
Xie does not expressly disclose the conductive contact structure having a lower portion extending over the top and along upper portions of sides of the epitaxial source or drain structure, and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion on the lower portion, the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Chiu discloses the conductive contact structure having a lower portion (118N, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) extending over the top and along upper portions of sides (Fig. 1A) of the epitaxial source or drain structure (82, [0014], Fig. 1A), and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion (120, [0029,0030], Fig. 1A) on the lower portion (118N), the upper portion (120) having a maximum lateral width less (Fig. 1A-Annotated) than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion (118N) along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction (X-direction, Fig. 1A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, absent unexpected results, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the Chiu’s feature of the conductive contact structure having a lower portion extending over the top and along upper portions of sides of the epitaxial source or drain structure, and the conductive contact structure having an upper portion on the lower portion, the upper portion having a maximum lateral width less than a maximum lateral width of the lower portion along a direction parallel to a source to drain direction to Xie’s device in order to have the predictable result of having a better contact resistance that improves speed performance and reduces costs ([0010], Chiu).
Re: Claim 10, Xie modified by Chiu discloses the integrated circuit structure of claim 6, further comprising: a conductive via (420, [0031], Fig. 11A-B-C, Xie) vertically beneath and extending into the conductive contact structure (451,452,462, [0033,0034], Fig. 11A-B-C, Xie).
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 SANDRA M RODRIGUEZ VILLANUEVA whose telephone number is (571)272-1936. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am-5:00pm (EST).
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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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/SANDRA MILENA RODRIGUEZ VILLANUEVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSE Y MIYOSHI/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
