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 application
Acknowledgment has been made to the amendment received on 02/23/2026. Claims 1-5, 7-21 pending in this application. Claim 6 is canceled.
Drawings
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 ”metal plate“ claims 8-9 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 § 103
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 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 1-4, 10, 12-14 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (US20190267449A1) in view of Zhang et al (US 20220302296A1).
Re claim 1-4 Chen teaches a structure (fig 1H) comprising:
a semiconductor substrate (100, fig 1H) [0030];
a channel layer (102/118/120, fig 1H) [0030] above the semiconductor substrate (100);
a trench (106, fig 1H) [0031] within the channel layer (102/118/120) [0030];
a moisture barrier layer (108b, fig 1H)[0086] lining sidewalls (109, fig 1H) [0085] and a bottom (bottom of 106) surface of the trench (106, fig 1H) , and a gate material (126, fig 1H) [0087] in the trench (106, fig 1H),
wherein the gate material (126, fig 1H) [0030] contacts the channel layer (102/118/120,fig 1H)[0030] and extends through the moisture barrier layer (108b, fig 1H) within an active region (AA) outside of the trench (106, fig 1H).
Chen do not teach the trench extending to the semiconductor substrate.
Zhang teaches the trench (103, fig 1B)[0053]extending to the semiconductor substrate (102, fig 1B)[0053].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Zhang into the structure of Chen to include the trench extending to the semiconductor substrate as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang based on the teaching of Chen in the above manner for the purpose of reducing the leakage current [0036].
Re claim 2 Chen in view of Zhang teach the structure of claim 1, wherein the channel layer (102/118/120, fig 1H) [Chen, 0030] comprises a stack of material (102/118/120, fig 1H)
Chen do not teach Channel layer comprising at least GaN, and a bottom surface of the gate material directly contacts a top surface of a gate stack.
Zhang teaches Channel layer comprising at least GaN (110, fig 1B) [0030], and a bottom surface of the gate material (146, fig 1B) directly contacts a top surface of a gate stack (142/114, fig 1B) [0030].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Zhang into the structure of Chen to include Channel layer comprising at least GaN, and a bottom surface of the gate material directly contacts a top surface of a gate stack as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen based on the teaching of Zhang in the above manner for the purpose of reducing the leakage current [0036].
Re claim 3 Chen in view Zhang teach the structure of claim 1, the structure of claim 2, wherein the trench (103, fig 1B) [Zhang, 0053] is at an edge of the active region (104, fog 1B) [Zhang 0051], and the gate stack (142, 114, fig 1B) [Zhang 0053] comprises a patterned conductive material (left right 142) directly on top of a p-doped GaN material (110, fig 1B) [Zhang, 0053].
Re claim 4 Chen in view Zhang teach the structure of claim 1, wherein the gate material (126/127,fig 1H) [Chen, 0046] is separated from the moisture barrier layer (106, fig 1B) [Chen, 0046].
Re claim 10 Chen in view of Zhang teach, the structure of claim 1, further comprising a metal material (142, fig 1) [Zhang, 0046] extending through the moisture barrier layer (148, fig 1) [Zhang0051] within the active region (outside of trench) and contacting the channel layer (110/112, fig 1) [Zhang, 0030, 0033].
Re claim 12 Chen in view of Zhang teach the structure of claim 1, further comprising a gate stack (118/120, fig 1B) [Zhang, 0065] at an outer edge of the trench (224, fig 1B) [Zhang, 0075], the moisture barrier layer (148, fig 1B) [0082] over the gate stack (118/120, fig 1B) at the outer edge (outer edge of 224, fig 1B), and the gate material (150, fig 1B) contacting the moisture barrier layer (148, fig 1B) [Zhang 0082] over the gate stack (118/120, fig 1B) at the outer edge [Zhang, 0075].
Re claim 13 Chen teaches a structure comprising:
a first semiconductor substrate (substrate 100 fig 1H) [0030];
a second semiconductor substrate (substrate 102/119/120 fig 1H) [0030] having a bandgap different than the first semiconductor substrate (substrate 100, fig 1B);
a trench (106, fig 1H) [0031] in the second semiconductor substrate (substrate 102/118/120, fig 1H) [0030] at an edge of an active region (region outside of the trench, fig 1H).
a moisture barrier layer (108b, fig 1H) [0032] lining sidewalls (109, fig 1H)[0085] and a bottom surface of the trench (bottom of 106); and
a gate material (126, fig 1H) [0045] within the trench (106, fig 1H) and extending outside of the trench (outside of 106), at least above the moisture barrier layer (above 108b),
wherein the gate material (126, fig 1H) contacts (indirectly) a channel layer (118, fig 1B) [0040] and the gate material (126, fig1H) extends through the moisture barrier layer (108b, fig 1H) within an active region outside of the trench (see fig 1H).
Chen do not teach the trench extending to the semiconductor substrate.
Zhang teaches the trench (103, fig 1B)[ 0053] extending to the semiconductor substrate (102, fig 1B) [0053].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Zhang into the structure of Chen to include the trench extending to the semiconductor substrate as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang based on the teaching of Chen in the above manner for the purpose of reducing the leakage current [0036].
Re claim 14 Chen in view of Zhang teach the structure of claim 1, wherein the second semiconductor substrate (102/118/120, fig 1H) (Chen, 0030] comprises a stack of material (102/118/120, fig 1H).
Chen do not teach the second semiconductor comprising at least GaN, and a bottom surface of the gate material directly contacts a top surface of a gate stack.
Zhang teaches the second semiconductor (110, 112, fig 1B) comprising at least GaN (110, fig 1B) [0030], and a bottom surface of the gate material (146, fig 1B) directly contacts a top surface of a gate stack (142/114, fig 1B) [0030].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Zhang into the structure of Chen to include the second semiconductor substrate comprising at least GaN, and a bottom surface of the gate material directly contacts a top surface of a gate stack as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen based on the teaching of Zhang in the above manner for the purpose of reducing the leakage current [0036].
Re claim 20 Chen teaches a method comprising (fig 1 ):
forming a channel layer (102/118/120, fig 1H) [0030] above a semiconductor substrate (100, fig 1H) [0030];
forming a trench (106, fig 1H) [0030] within the channel layer (102/118/120, fig 1H),
forming a moisture barrier layer (108b, fig 1H) [0031] lining sidewalls (109, fig 1H) and a bottom surface of the trench (bottom of 106, fig 1H); and
forming a gate material (126, fig 1H) [0046] in the trench (106, fig 1H), wherein the gate material (126 , fig 1H) contacts (indirectly) the channel layer (102/118/120, fig 1H) and the gate material (126, fig 1H) [0045] extends through the moisture barrier layer (122, fig 1H) [0042] within an active region (area outside 106, fig 1H) outside of the trench (106, fig 1H) [0031] .
Chen do not teach the trench extending to the semiconductor substrate.
Zhang teaches the trench (103, fig 1B) [0053] extending to the semiconductor substrate (102,fig 1B) [0053].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Zhang into the structure of Chen to include the trench extending to the semiconductor substrate as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang based on the teaching of Chen in the above manner for the purpose of reducing the leakage current [0036].
Claims 5, 15-16 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen modified by Zhang as applied to claims 1, 4 and 13 and further in view of Lin et al (US US20190245031A1).
Re claim 5 Chen in view of Zhang teach the structure of claim 4,
Chen and Zhang do not teach an airgap in the insulator material above the gate material.
Lin comprising an airgap (113, fig 2D) [0034] in the insulator material (110, fig 2D) [0033] above the gate material (106, fig 2D) [0037].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lin into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include an airgap in the insulator material above the gate material as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Lin in the above manner for decreasing warpage and cracking of the IC die [0053].
Re claim 15 Chen in view of Zhang teach the structure of claim 14, the gate stack (142/114/, fig 1B) [Zhang, 0035] right directly on top of a p-doped material (116, fig 1B) [ Zhang, 0036].
Chen and Zhang do not teach an airgap in the insulator material above the gate material.
Lin comprising an airgap (113, fig 2D) [0034] in the insulator material (110, fig 2D) [0033] above the gate material (106, fig 2D) [0037].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lin into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include an airgap in the insulator material above the gate material as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Lin in the above manner for the purpose of decreasing warpage and cracking of the IC die [0053].
Re claim 16 Chen and Zhang teach the structure of claim 13,
the gate material (150, fig 1B) [0083] contacts the moisture barrier layer (148, fig 1B) at an edge (edge of 224, fig 1B) of the trench (224, fig 1B) [0075] outside of the active region (outside of the trench, fig 1B) [0075].
Chen and Zhang do not teach an airgap with a top surface which is planar with a top surface of the gate material.
Lin teaches an airgap (113, fig 2D) [0034] with a top surface (top of 113) which is planar with a top surface of the gate material (106, fig 2D).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lin into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include an airgap with a top surface which is planar with a top surface of the gate material as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Lin in the above manner for the purpose of for decreasing warpage and cracking of the IC die [0053].
Re claim 21 Chen and Zhang teach the structure of claim 1,
Chen and Zhang do not teach an airgap with a top surface which is planar with a top surface of the gate material.
Lin teaches an airgap (113, fig 2D) [0034] with a top surface (top of 113) which is planar with a top surface of the gate material (106, fig 2D) [0031].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Lin into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include an airgap with a top surface which is planar with a top surface of the gate material as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Lin in the above manner for the purpose of decreasing warpage and cracking of the IC die [0053].
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen modified by Zhang as applied to claims 1 and 4 and further in view of MacElwee et al (US 20180012770A1).
Re claim 7 Chen in view of Zhang teaches the structure of claim 4,
Chen and Zhang do not teach a guard ring at an outer edge of the trench, extending from the gate material.
MacElwee teaches, a guard ring (480-1, fig 16) [0107] at an outer edge of the trench (488, fig 16) [0097], extending from the gate material (480, fig 16) [0107].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by MacElwee into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include a guard ring at an outer edge of the trench, extending from the gate material as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of MacElwee in the above manner for the purpose to protect edges of the dielectric and metallization layers during dicing and prevent cracking [0013].
Claims 8, 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang modified by Chen as applied to claims 1, 4 and 13 and further in view of Tsau et al (US 20210036123A1).
Re claim 8 Chen in view of Zhang teaches the structure of claim 4,
Chen and Zhang do not teach a metal plate within the trench and between the gate material and the moisture barrier layer, adjacent to sidewalls of the trench.
Tsau teach a metal plate (152, fig 1) [0016] within the trench (128, fig 1) [0013] and between the gate material (150, fig 1) [0015] and the moisture barrier layer (140, fig 1) [0011] adjacent to sidewalls of the trench (128, fig 1)[0013].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Chen and Zhang into the structure of to include a metal plate within the trench and between the gate material and the moisture barrier layer, adjacent to sidewalls of the trench as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Tsau in the above manner for the purpose of improving filling characteristics in the gate trench [0016].
Re claim 9 Chen in view of Zhang and Tsau teach the structure of claim 8, wherein the metal plate (152, fig 1) [Tsau, 0016] is adjacent to a bottom surface of the trench (bottom of 128) [Tsau, 0016].
Re claim 17 Chen in view of Zhang teaches the structure of claim 13,
Chen and Zhang do not teach a metal plate within the trench and between the gate material and the moisture barrier layer.
Tsau teach a metal plate (152, fig 1) [0016] within the trench (128, fig 1) [0013] and between the gate material (150, fig 1) [0015] and the moisture barrier layer (140, fig 1) [0011] adjacent to sidewalls of the trench (128, fig 1)[0013].
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Chen and Zhang into the structure of to include a metal plate within the trench and between the gate material and the moisture barrier layer as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Tsau in the above manner for the purpose of improving filling characteristics in the gate trench [0016].
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen modified by Zhang as applied to claims 1 and 4, further in view of Xu et al (US 20130075826A1).
Re claim 11 Chen in view of Zhang teach the structure of claim 4,
Chen in view of Zhang teach a gate stack at an inner edge of the trench within the active region, the moisture barrier layer over the gate stack, and the gate material contacting the gate stack within the active region.
Xu teaches, a gate stack (350A, fig 7) [0026] at an inner edge of the trench (282, fig 20 [0016] within an active region (top of 230, fig 7), the Moisture barrier layer over the gate stack (260, fig 7) [0013], and the gate material (310, fig 7) [0023] contacting the gate stack (350A, fig 7) [0026] within the active region (top of 230, fig7).
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Xu into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include a gate stack at an inner edge of the trench within an active region, the Moisture barrier layer over the gate stack, and the gate material contacting the gate stack within the active region as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Xu in the above manner for the purpose of improving the performance of the device.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Zhang as applied to claim 13 and further in view of Kume et al (US20150060942A1)
Re claim 18 Chen in view of Zhang teaches the structure of claim 13,
Chen and Zhang do not teach a metal material extending through the moisture barrier layer within the active region and contacting the second semiconductor substrate.
Kume teaches a metal material extending through the moisture barrier layer within the active region and contacting the second semiconductor substrate.
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Kume into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include a metal material extending through the moisture barrier layer within the active region and contacting the second semiconductor substrate as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen and Zhang based on the teaching of Kume in the above manner for the purpose reducing the cross talk of the device
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang Modified by Chen as applied to claim 13 and further in view of Thorup et al (US 20090090966A1).
Re claim 19 Chen and Zhang teach, the structure of claim 13,
Chen and Zhang do not teach a gate stack at an inner edge of the trench within the active region, the Moisture barrier layer over the gate stack, and the gate material contacting the gate stack within the active region.
Thorup does teach a gate stack (505+ 512, fig 5C) [0037] at an inner edge of the trench (504, fig 5C) [0037] within the active region (region between 520, fig 5C) [0038], the Moisture barrier layer (510, fig 5C) [0037] over the gate stack (505+512), and the gate material (508, fig 5C) contacting the gate stack (fig 5C) within the active region.
It would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teaching taught by Thorup into the structure of Chen and Zhang to include a gate stack at an inner edge of the trench within the active region, the Moisture barrier layer over the gate stack, and the gate material contacting the gate stack within the active region as claimed.
The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Zhang and Chen based on the teaching of Thorup in the above manner for the purpose of reducing device capacitive coupling [0025].
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-5 and 7-21 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 PRATIKSHA J LOHAKARE whose telephone number is (571)270-1920. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7.30 am-4.30 pm.
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/PRATIKSHA JAYANT LOHAKARE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/DUY T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 5/6/26
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