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
1. Acknowledgement is made of the amendment received on 11/25/2025. Claims 1-9 are pending in this application. Claims 10-20 are canceled.
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.
2. Claims 1-4 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chudzik et al. (US 2004/0063277).
Re claim 1, Chudzik teaches, under BRI, Figs. 4-7, [0007, 0010, 0013], a semiconductor structure, comprising:
-a semiconductor substrate (102);
-an isolation structure (400) located on the semiconductor substrate (102), wherein the isolation structure (400) has a first top surface (indicated), a second top surface (indicated) lower than the first top surface, and a lateral surface (indicated) adjoining the first top surface and the second top surface; and
-a conductive structure (conductor 710) having a trench (indicated) extending to the second top surface (indicated) and the lateral surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (400), wherein the conductive structure (710) surrounds the isolation structured (400) is in contact with the first top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (400), and forms an interface with the first top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (400), and a sidewall of a lower portion (above indicated second top surface) of the conductive structure (710) is in contact with the isolation structure (400) and extends beyond the second top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (400).
Note: in contact # physical contact.
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Re claim 2, Chudzik teaches, Fig. 7, the conductive structure (710) further comprises an upper portion (above indicated first top surface) located on the lower portion of the conductive structure (710) and the first top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (400).
Re claim 3, Chudzik teaches, Fig. 7, a distance between the lateral surface of the isolation structure (400) and the sidewall of the lower portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710) is less than a width of the trench surrounded by the upper portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710).
Re claim 4, Chudzik teaches, Fig. 7, a sidewall of the upper portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710) has a bottom concave surface (at V shape) adjoining the sidewall of the lower portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710).
Re claim 9, Chudzik teaches, indicated in Fig. 7, the first top surface, the lateral surface, and the second top surface of the isolation structure (400) define a stepped surface.
3. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tung et al. (US 2021/0399092).
Re claim 1, Tung teaches, under BRI, Figs. 3b-c, [0014-0015, 0040], a semiconductor structure, comprising:
-a semiconductor substrate (100 of semiconductor structure);
-an isolation structure (200) located on the semiconductor substrate (100), wherein the isolation structure (200) has a first top surface (indicated), a second top surface (indicated) lower than the first top surface, and a lateral surface (between first & second top surfaces) adjoining the first top surface and the second top surface; and
-a conductive structure (310a, b) having a trench (indicated) extending to the second top surface (indicated) and the lateral surface of the isolation structure (200), wherein the conductive structure (310a, b) surrounds the isolation structured (200) is in contact with the first top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (200), and forms an interface with the first top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (200), and a sidewall of a lower portion of the conductive structure (310a, b) is in contact with the isolation structure (200) and extends beyond the second top surface (indicated) of the isolation structure (200).
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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.
4. Claims 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chudzik in view of Wei et al. (US 6,271,079).
The teachings of Chudzik have been discussed above.
Re claim 5, Chudzik teaches, Fig. 7, a sidewall of the upper portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710) has a bottom concave surface (at V shape).
Chudzik does not explicitly teaches the bottom concave surface extending to the lateral surface of the isolation structure.
Wei teaches, Figs. 4-5, the bottom concave surface (under 205) extending to the lateral surface (vertical portion of 208 parallel with 205) of the isolation structure (208).
As taught by Wei, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain the bottom concave surface extending to the lateral surface of the isolation structure as claimed, because it aids achieving desired shape of the conductive structure. Further, a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Wei in combination with Chudzik due to above reason.
Re claim 6, Chudzik teaches, Figs. 1 & 7, 0007], a hard mask (SiN 110) on (a side) the upper portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710).
Re claim 7, Chudzik teaches, under BRI, Fig. 7, the sidewall of the upper portion of the conductive structure (710) further has a top concave surface (inside V shape facing layer 110) adjoining a top surface of the upper portion (indicated) of the conductive structure (710) (see also Wei’s Fig. 6, concave above 205 before forming 211).
Re claim 8, Chudzik teaches, under BRI, Figs. 1 & 7, a hard mask layer (110) located on (a side) of the upper portion of the conductive structure (710), wherein the top concave surface (inside V shape facing 110) of the sidewall of the upper portion of the conductive structure (710) extends to a sidewall of the hard mask layer (110).
5. Claim 8 is, alternatively, rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chudzik as modified by Wei as applied to claims 1, 2, 5 & 7 above, and further in view of Furukawa et al. (US 2007/0170543).
The teachings of Chudzik/Wie have been discussed above.
Re claim 8, Chudzik teaches, Figs. 1 & 7, a hard mask layer (110) located on (a side) of the upper portion of the conductive structure (710).
Chudzik/Wei does not explicitly teach wherein the top concave surface of the sidewall of the upper portion of the conductive structure extends to a sidewall of the hard mask layer.
Furukawa teaches, Fig. 12, [00024], the top concave surface (at 50 & 52) of the sidewall of the upper portion of the conductive structure *40) extends to a sidewall of the hard mask layer (42).
As taught by Furukawa, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize & modify the above teaching to obtain the top concave surface of the sidewall of the upper portion of the conductive structure extends to a sidewall of the hard mask layer as claimed, because a change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Furukawa in combination with Chudzik/Wei due to above reason.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant's arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. Response to arguments on newly added limitations are responded to in the above rejection.
Conclusion
7. 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 DUY T.V. NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7431. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7AM-4PM, alternative Friday off.
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/DUY T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 1/20/26