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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 05/28/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed on 05/28/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments "Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment" with the
"Amendment/Req. Reconsideration-After Non-Final Reject" filed on 05/28/2026, have been fully considered, the arguments related to the Applicant’s amendment of claims 1 and 11: “wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail conductor and the rail barrier layer” are not persuasive and some of them are moot because do not apply to new ground of rejections with a new reference, US 20230178433 A1 to Xie, being used in the current rejection.
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.
Claim(s) 1,5-9,11 is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin et al. (US 20220157957 A1, hereinafter Jin, of the record) in view of Xie et al. (US 20230154783 A1, hereinafter Xie) and further in view of (US 20230178433 A1, hereinafter Xie-8433).
Re: Independent Claim 1, Jin discloses an integrated circuit device comprising:
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a lower insulating structure (115 an isolation structure in [0031], Fig. 4);
a transistor (140-130 source/drain 130 as part of gate 130 in [0026], Figs. 3,4) on the lower insulating structure (115), the transistor comprising a source/drain region (140, Fig. 3,4);
a power rail structure (120-125 a power rail line including an insulation layer 125 in [0026, 0044], Figs. 3,4) in (Fig. 4) the lower insulating structure (115), the power rail structure (120-125) comprising a rail conductor (120) that is electrically conductive ([0036]); and a rail barrier layer (125 comprising of SiN as a barrier layer in [0028], Figs. 3,4) extending around the rail conductor (120); and
a power contact structure (200 a power rail contact plug in [0026], Figs. 3,4) that is on the power rail structure (120-125) and electrically connects the source/drain region (140) to the power rail structure (120-125),
wherein the power contact structure (200) comprises a lower portion (200-L a lower portion of 200 in [0026], Fig. 4-Annotated) that is in the power rail structure (120-125).
Jin does not expressly disclose wherein a lower end of the lower portion of the power contact structure is closer than an upper surface of the rail conductor to a lower surface of the power rail structure and wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail conductor and the rail barrier layer.
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Jin’s Figure 12-Annotated.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Xie discloses a lower end (Fig.12-Annotated) of the lower portion (lower-142a,b a lower portion of contact 142b in [0037], Fig.12-Annotated) of the power contact structure (142a,b) is closer than an upper surface (upper-158 Fig.12-Annotated) of the rail conductor (158 a BPR in [0041], Fig.12) to a lower surface (Fig.12-Annotated) of the power rail structure (158-166 a BPR 158 and metal adhesion liner 166 made of TiN as a barrier layer in [0041], Fig.12) and wherein a side surface of the lower portion (lower-142a,b) of the power contact structure (142a,b) is in direct contact with the rail barrier layer (166 a metal adhesion liner 166 made of TiN as a barrier layer in [0041], Fig.12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the Jin’s power rail structure to have a lower end of the lower portion of the power contact structure is closer than an upper surface of the rail conductor to a lower surface of the power rail structure and wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail barrier layer as disclosed by Xie’s device to provide significantly lower resistance through the power rail without driving any negative impact to either via resistance or capacitance in the BEOL ([0003], Xie).
Jin modified by Xie does not expressly disclose wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail conductor.
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Xie-8433’s Figure 14-Annotated.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Xie-8433 discloses wherein a side surface of the lower portion (70 a top section of the BPR 48 in [0071], Fig.13,14-Annotated) of the power contact structure (48 first BPR as a power contact of the BPR 74 in [0074], Fig.13,14) is in direct contact with the rail conductor (74 a BPR in [0073], Fig.13,14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the combination of Jin and Xie having a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure in direct contact with the rail conductor as disclosed by Xie-8433’s device to form a device having higher speed, greater bandwidth, lower power consumption, and lower latency ([0004], Xie-8433).
The combination of Jin, Xie and Xie-8433 results in a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure (the combination of Jin and Xie) is in direct contact (Xie-8433’s 70 applied to the combination of Jin and Xie) with the rail conductor (Xie’s 158, Fig.12) and the rail barrier layer (Xie’s 166, Fig.12).
Re: Claim 5, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the lower portion (200-L, Jin) of the power contact structure (200, Jin) has a convex surface (Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin).
Re: Claim 6, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, further comprising a first active region (110-1 a channel structure in [0026], Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin) and a second active region (110-2 a channel structure in [0026], Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin) in the lower insulating structure (115, Jin), wherein the source/drain region (140, Jin) is on the first active region (110-1, Jin), a portion of the lower insulating structure (Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin) separates the first active region (110-1, Jin) from the second active region (110-2, Jin), and the power contact structure (200, Jin) extends through the portion of the lower insulating structure (115, Jin).
Re: Claim 7, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 6, wherein the first (110-1, Jin) and second (110-2, Jin) active regions are spaced apart from each other in a first direction (x-direction, Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin), and the power rail structure (120-125, Jin) extends in a second direction (y-direction, Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin) that is perpendicular to the first direction (x-direction, Jin).
Re: Claim 8, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 6, wherein the source/drain region (140, Jin) comprises a lower surface facing the first active region (110-1, Jin) and an upper surface opposite the lower surface, and the integrated circuit device further comprises a source/drain contact (210 a source/drain contact layer in [0026], Figs. 3,4, Jin) that contacts (Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin) the upper surface of the source/drain region (140, Jin) and the power contact structure (200, Jin).
Re: Claim 9, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the source/drain region (140, Jin) comprises a lower surface facing the lower insulating structure (115, Jin) and an upper surface opposite the lower surface (Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin), and the power contact structure (200, Jin) contacts (200 electrically contact 140, Fig. 4-Annotated, Jin) the lower surface of the source/drain region (140, Jin).
Re: Independent Claim 11, Jin discloses an integrated circuit device comprising:
a power rail structure (120-125 a power rail line including a barrier layer 125 in [0026, 0044], Figs. 3,4); comprising a rail conductor (120) that is electrically conductive ([0036]) and a rail barrier layer (125 comprising of SiN as a barrier layer in [0028], Figs. 3,4) extending around the rail conductor (120); and
a transistor (140-130 source/drain 130 as part of gate 130 in [0026], Figs. 3,4) and a power contact structure (200 a power rail contact plug in [0026], Figs. 3,4) on the power rail structure (120-125),
wherein the transistor (140-130) comprises a source/drain region (140, Fig. 3,4), the power contact structure (200) electrically connects the power rail structure (120-125) to the source/drain region (140), and
an interface (interface, Fig. 4-Annotated) between the power contact structure (200) and the power rail structure (120-125) is curved (the end of the 200 is curved toward 120-125, Fig. 4-Annotated) toward the power rail structure (120-125).
Jin does not expressly disclose wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail conductor and the rail barrier layer.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Xie discloses a side surface of the lower portion (lower-142a, b a lower portion of contact 142b in [0037], Fig.12-Annotated) of the power contact structure (142a, b) is in direct contact (Fig.12) with the rail barrier layer (166 a metal adhesion liner 166 made of TiN as a barrier layer in [0041], Fig.12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the Jin’s power contact structure to have wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail barrier layer as disclosed by Xie’s device to provide significantly lower resistance through the power rail without driving any negative impact to either via resistance or capacitance in the BEOL ([0003], Xie).
Jin modified by Xie does not expressly disclose wherein a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure is in direct contact with the rail conductor.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Xie-8433 discloses wherein a side surface of the lower portion (70 a top section of the BPR 48 in [0071], Fig.13,14-Annotated) of the power contact structure (48 first BPR as a power contact of the BPR 74 in [0074], Fig.13,14) is in direct contact with the rail conductor (74 a BPR in [0073], Fig.13,14).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make the combination of Jin and Xie having a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure in direct contact with the rail conductor as disclosed by Xie-8433’s device to form a device having higher speed, greater bandwidth, lower power consumption, and lower latency ([0004], Xie-8433).
The combination of Jin, Xie and Xie-8433 results in a side surface of the lower portion of the power contact structure (the combination of Jin and Xie) is in direct contact (Xie-8433’s 70 applied to the combination of Jin and Xie) with the rail conductor (Xie’s 158, Fig.12) and the rail barrier layer (Xie’s 166, Fig.12).
Claim(s) 2-4 and 12-13 is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin in view of Xie, in view of Xie-8433 and further in view of Smith et al. (US 20240047342 A1, hereinafter Smith, of the record).
Re: Claim 2, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1, wherein the power contact structure comprises a contact conductor (200 made of conductive materials in [0064], Jin)
Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 does not expressly disclose a contact barrier layer on an outer surface of the contact conductor, and the lower portion of the power contact structure is devoid of the contact barrier layer.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Smith discloses a contact barrier layer (215b barrier film made of titanium nitride in [0031,0039], Fig. 2) on an outer surface of the contact conductor (211 via structure in [0045], Fig. 2), and the lower portion of the power contact structure (215b-211) is devoid of the contact barrier layer (the barrier film 215b can cover or not cover the interface between the via structure 211 and the embedded power rail 210 in [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the Smith’s feature of a contact barrier layer on an outer surface of the contact conductor, and the lower portion of the power contact structure is devoid of the contact barrier layer to the combination of Jin, Xie and Xie-8433 to include a selectivity of the deposition process of the barrier layer ([0045], Smith).
Re: Claim 3, Jin modified by Xie, Xie-8433 and Smith discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 2, wherein the contact barrier layer (215b, Smith) comprises a metal nitride layer (215b barrier film made of titanium nitride in [0031], Fig. 2, Smith).
Re: Claim 4, Jin modified by Xie, Xie-8433 and Smith discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 2, wherein a portion of the contact conductor (200, Jin) in the power rail structure contacts the power rail structure (120-125, Jin).
Re: Claim 12, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 11, wherein the power contact structure comprises a contact conductor (200 made of conductive materials in [0064], Jin)
Jin does not expressly disclose a contact barrier layer on an outer surface of the contact conductor, and the interface between the power contact structure and the power rail structure is devoid of the contact barrier layer.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Smith discloses a contact barrier layer (215b barrier film made of titanium nitride in [0031,0039], Fig. 2) on an outer surface of the contact conductor (211 via structure in [0045], Fig. 2), and the interface between the power contact structure (215b-211) and the power rail structure (210 power rail in [0045]) is devoid of the contact barrier layer (the barrier film 215b can cover or not cover the interface between the via structure 211 and the embedded power rail 210 in [0045]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the Smith’s feature of a contact barrier layer on an outer surface of the contact conductor, and the interface between the power contact structure and the power rail structure is devoid of the contact barrier layer to Jin’s device to include a selectivity of the deposition process of the barrier layer ([0045], Smith).
Re: Claim 13, Jin modified by Xie, Xie-8433 and Smith discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 12, wherein the contact barrier layer (215b, Smith) comprises a metal nitride layer (215b barrier film made of titanium nitride in [0031], Fig. 2, Smith).
Claim(s) 10 and 14 is/are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jin in view of Xie, in view of Xie-8433 and further in view of Xie et al. (US 20230207553 A1, hereinafter Xie-7553, of the record).
Re: Claim 10, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 1,
Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 does not expressly disclose further comprising a back- end-of-line (BEOL) structure including a conductive wire on the transistor, wherein the transistor is between the BEOL structure and the power rail structure.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Xie-7553 discloses
a back- end-of-line (BEOL) structure (170 BEOL interconnect structure in [0047], Fig. 1A) including a conductive wire (170 having multilevel of wirings in [0047]) on the transistor (120-1,-2,-3,-4 plurality of nanosheet FET devices 120-1, 120-2, 120-3, and 120-4 in [0044], Fig. 1A), wherein the transistor (120-1,-2,-3,-4) is between the BEOL structure (170) and the power rail structure (190 backside power delivery structure in [0049], Fig. 1A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the Xie-7353’s feature of further comprising a back- end-of-line (BEOL) structure including a conductive wire on the transistor, wherein the transistor is between the BEOL structure and the power rail structure to the combination of Jin, Xie and Xie-8433 for using via structures which connect the wiring between different wiring levels ([0047], Xie-7353).
Re: Claim 14, Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 discloses the integrated circuit device of Claim 11,
Jin modified by Xie and Xie-8433 does not expressly disclose further comprising a back- end-of-line (BEOL) structure including a conductive wire on the transistor, wherein the transistor is between the BEOL structure and the power rail structure.
However, in the same semiconductor device field of endeavor, Xie-7553 discloses
a back- end-of-line (BEOL) structure (170 BEOL interconnect structure in [0047], Fig. 1A) including a conductive wire (170 having multilevel of wirings in [0047]) on the transistor (120-1,-2,-3,-4 plurality of nanosheet FET devices 120-1, 120-2, 120-3, and 120-4 in [0044], Fig. 1A), wherein the transistor (120-1,-2,-3,-4) is between the BEOL structure (170) and the power rail structure (190 backside power delivery structure in [0049], Fig. 1A).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the Xie-7553’s feature of further comprising a back- end-of-line (BEOL) structure including a conductive wire on the transistor, wherein the transistor is between the BEOL structure and the power rail structure to the combination of Jin, Xie and Xie-8433 for using via structures which connect the wiring between different wiring levels ([0047], Xie).
Conclusion
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/SANDRA MILENA RODRIGUEZ VILLANUEVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898
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