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 .
Applicant's amendment/arguments filed on 1/5/26 as being acknowledged and entered. By this amendment claims 3 and 6 are canceled, claims 21-26 have been added and claims 1-2, 4-5, 7-10 and 20-26 are pending and claims 5 and 9-10 are withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1, 2, 4, 7, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yazawa (US Patent 10,262,936).
Claim 1: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) a three-dimensional (3D) memory device, comprising: a plurality of channel structures (61) in a first region; a plurality of word line pick-up structures (40) in a second region; and a plurality word lines (21) each extending from the first region into at least a portion of the second region, wherein one word line pick-up structure of the plurality of word line pick-up structures comprises multiple sections comprises multiple sections each electrically connected to a single word line, and the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure are separated from each other by a first (42) and second slit structures (Column 5 lines 30-36) that are perpendicular to each other, the first and second slit structures extending in a depth direction of the one word line pick-up structure.
Claim 2: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) a multiple sections of the at least one word line pick-up structure are electrically insulated (42) from each other.
Claim 4: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) one of the first and second slit structures (70) (Column 5 lines 30-36) extends from the second region into the first region.
Claim 7: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the one word line pick-up structure is a first word line pick-up structure of the plurality of word line pick-up structures: the plurality of word line pick-up structures comprises a second word line pick-up structure; and the multiple sections of the second word line pick-up structure are separated from each other by third and fourth slit structures comprise first and second slit structures that are parallel to each other.
Claim 8: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure comprises first and second sections electrically connected to first and second word lines, respectively, the first and second word lines being separated from each other by a dielectric layer.
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.
Claims 20-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yazawa (US Patent 10,262,936).
Claim 20: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) (See claim 1)system, comprising: a three-dimensional (3D) memory device configured to store data, the 3D memory device comprising: a plurality of channel structures in a first region; a plurality of word line pick-up structures in a second region; and a plurality of word lines each extending from the first region into at least a portion of the second region, wherein at least one word line pick-up structure of the plurality of word line pick- up structures comprises multiple sections each electrically connected to a single word line, and the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure are separated from each other by first and second slit structures that are perpendicular to each other, the first and second slit structures extending in a depth direction of the one word line pick-up structure; and a memory controller electrically connected to the 3D memory device and configured to operate the channel structures through the word lines. Memory controllers are well known in the art for use in conjunction with the memory devices.
Claim 21: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure are electrically connected to different word lines.
Claim 22: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure are electrically insulated from each other.
Claim 23: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) one of the first and second slit structures extends from the second region into the first region.
Claim 24: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the one word line pick-up structure is a first word line pick-up structure of the plurality of word line pick-up structures; the plurality of word line pick-up structures includes a second word line pick-up structure; and the multiple sections of the second word line pick-up structure are separated from each other by third and fourth slit structures that are parallel to each other.
Claim 25: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure comprises first and second sections electrically connected to first and second word lines, respectively, the first and second word lines being separated from each other by a dielectric layer.
Claim 26: Yazawa teaches (Fig. 1B, 14, 16) the multiple sections of the one word line pick-up structure are electrically connected to different word lines.
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 SARAH KATE SALERNO whose telephone number is (571)270-1266. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30am-2:30pm.
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/SARAH K SALERNO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2814