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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 09/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
Amendment dated 09/18/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 19 & 20 are amended. Claims 3 & 11 were previously canceled. No new claims are added. Claims 9-10, 12-18 were previously withdrawn by applicant. Claims 1-2,4-10,12-20 remain pending in application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s argument dated 08/18/2026 has been acknowledged and is persuasive. Claims 1-2, 4-10, 12-18 & 20 are allowed in current office action. However, argument regarding amendment to claim 19 overcoming 112(b) issue, set forth in previous office action, is not persuasive as claim 19 is still subject to 112(b) issue and therefore, 112(b) rejection of claim 19 is maintained (see Claim rejections- 35 USC § 112 section below).
Election/Restrictions
Claim 1 directed to an allowable product. Pursuant to the procedures set forth in MPEP § 821.04(B), claims 9-10, 12-18 , directed to the process of making or using an allowable product, previously withdrawn from consideration as a result of a restriction requirement, Claims 9-10, 12-18 hereby rejoined and fully examined for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104.
Because all claims previously withdrawn from consideration under 37 CFR 1.142 have been rejoined, the restriction requirement as set forth in the Office action mailed on 09 /23/2025 is hereby withdrawn. In view of the withdrawal of the restriction requirement as to the rejoined inventions, applicant(s) are advised that if any claim presented in a continuation or divisional application is anticipated by, or includes all the limitations of, a claim that is allowable in the present application, such claim may be subject to provisional statutory and/or nonstatutory double patenting rejections over the claims of the instant application. Once the restriction requirement is withdrawn, the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 121 are no longer applicable. See In re Ziegler, 443 F.2d 1211, 1215, 170 USPQ 129, 131-32 (CCPA 1971). See also MPEP § 804.01.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 19 recites “wherein a thickness of the barrier layer is greater than a depth of a part of the contact hole extending into the active area below the at least one of the source area or the drain area” which is still not clearly understood from Fig. 9 of disclosure. Firstly, it is not clear from which surface “a depth” dimension should be measured and which direction “a thickness” dimension should be measured”(e.g. in “depth” direction or “lateral” direction). Secondly, considering “a depth” is measured from top surface of 120, Fig. 9 and “a thickness of barrier layer” is measured in terms of the depth direction, a thickness of barrier layer (200) in depth direction is not greater than the depth of the contact hole (100a, Fig. 8) and thirdly, the contact hole 100a, Fig. 7 does not extend into active area below the source/drain area 1111/1112 rather the barrier layer 200, Fig. 9 extend into active area below 1111/1112 instead. For examination purpose, examiner is interpreting the limitation as “wherein a [[thickness]] depth of the barrier layer (200) [[is greater than a depth of a part of the contact hole]] extending into the active area below the at least one of the source area or the drain area (1111/1112) is greater than a depth of a part of the contact hole (100a), wherein each of the depth of the barrier layer and the depth of the part of the contact hole is measured from a top surface of the base (100, Fig. 2)”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-2, 4-10, 12-18 & 20 are allowed.
With respect to claims 1 & 9, the prior art made of record does not teach or suggest either alone or in combination “wherein the barrier layer is arranged on a bottom surface of the conductive contact structure, being an insulating dielectric layer, conforming to a bottom portion of the contact hole and having a concave shape” in further combination with the additionally claimed limitations, as they are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 1, LEE (US 2012/0313151 A1) teaches,
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A semiconductor structure (as seen in FIG. 10 above), comprising a base (including 110 & 120, para [0034]), a contact hole (including hole of 800 & 830, para [0061]), a barrier layer (insulating layer region 830, para [0061]), and a conductive contact structure (including contact structure 800 & metal silicide 812, para [0061], [0063],
wherein the base comprises an active area (active area of 110), and a drain area (impurity region 300 on right, para [0034]) and a source area (impurity region 300 on left) are formed in the active area;
wherein the contact hole extends from a surface (top surface of 120) of the base to at least one of the source area or the drain area (300);
wherein the barrier layer is arranged on a bottom surface of the conductive contact structure (as seen) , being an insulating dielectric layer (830 is an insulating layer, para [0061]), conforming to a bottom portion of the contact hole (830 conforms to bottom portion of contact hole of 800 & 830)………; and wherein the contact hole is filled with the conductive contact structure (as seen above, the contact hole is partially filled with 800), and the conductive contact structure comprises a contact layer (metal silicide layer 812, para [0063]), wherein the contact layer (812) is in contact with the at least one of the source area or the drain area (300) (as seen)
But LEE fails to teach,
……and having a concave shape
The other cited arts, either alone or in combination, fails to cure deficiencies of LEE.
Claims 2, 4-8 & 20 are allowed being dependent on claim 1.
Regarding claim 9, LEE (US 2012/0313151 A1) teaches,
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor structure (see FIG. 10 above), comprising:
providing a base (including 110 & 120, para [0034]), wherein the base comprises an active area (active area of 110), and a drain area (impurity region 300 on right, para [0034]) and a source area (impurity region 300 on left) are formed in the active area;
forming a contact hole (including holes of 800 & 830, para [0061]) in the base, wherein the contact hole extends from a surface of the base (top surface of 120) to at least one of the source area or the drain area (300);
forming a barrier layer (insulating layer region 830, para [0061]);
and forming a conductive contact structure (including contact structure 800 & metal silicide 812, para [0061], [0063]),
wherein the barrier layer is arranged on a bottom surface of the conductive contact structure (as seen), being an insulating dielectric layer (830 is an insulating layer, para [0061]), conforming to a bottom portion of the contact hole (830 conforms to bottom portion of contact hole of 800 & 830) ……..
the contact hole is filled with the conductive contact structure (as seen above, the contact hole is partially filled with 800), and the conductive contact structure comprises a contact layer (metal silicide layer 812, para [0063]),
wherein the contact layer is in contact with the at least one of the source area or the drain area (300) (as seen).
But LEE fails to teach,
……..and having a concave shape
The other cited arts, either alone or in combination, fails to cure deficiencies of
Claims 10, 12-18 are allowed being dependent on claim 9.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHATIB A RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0494. The examiner can normally be reached on MON-FRI 8:00 am- 5:00 pm (Arizona).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Steven Loke, can be reached on (571) 272-1657. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K.A.R/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/STEVEN H LOKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
