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 .
The amendment filed on 11/05/25 has been acknowledged and entered. By this amendment, claims 1-11 are pending in the application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 7 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka (2020/0303304) as previously cited.
Regarding claim 1, Tanaka (Fig. 2) discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a first interlayer insulating film 14 ([0058]); a second interlayer insulating film 22; a first wiring 41 ([0118]); a second wiring 61 ([0142]); and a resistor film 10 ([0052]), wherein the first wiring 41 is disposed on the first interlayer insulating film 14, wherein the second interlayer insulating film 22 includes a first layer 15 and a second layer 16 ([0058]), wherein the first layer 15 is disposed on the first interlayer insulating film 14 so as to cover the first wiring 41, wherein the resistor film 10 is disposed on the first layer 15, wherein the resistor film 10 contains at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon chromium, silicon chromium into which carbon is introduced, nickel chromium, titanium nitride and tantalum nitride ([0103]), wherein the second layer 16 is disposed on the first layer 15 so as to cover the resistor film 10, wherein the second wiring 61 is disposed on the second layer 16 ([0141]), and wherein the resistor film 10 is electrically connected to the first wiring 41 and is located between a center of the second interlayer insulating film 22 and the first wiring 41 in a thickness direction of the second interlayer insulating film 22 (Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 2, Tanaka (Fig. 2) discloses comprising a third wiring 62 disposed on the second layer 16, wherein the third wiring 62 is arranged adjacent to the second wiring 61, wherein a gap is provided between the second wiring 61 and the third wiring 62, and wherein the gap overlaps at least a part of the resistor film 10 in plan view.
Regarding claim 3, Tanaka (Fig. 8Q) discloses comprising a third wiring 62 disposed on the second layer 16, wherein the third wiring 62 is arranged adjacent to the second wiring 61, wherein a gap is provided between the second wiring 61 and the third wiring 62, wherein a trench is formed on an upper surface of the second layer 16 exposed from the gap (Fig. 8Q), wherein the gap overlaps at least a part of the resistor film 10 in plan view, and wherein the resistor film 10 is closer to the first wiring 41 than to a bottom of the trench in the thickness direction of the second interlayer insulating film 16.
Regarding claim 7, Tanaka (Fig. 2) discloses wherein each of the first wiring 44 and the second wiring 64 is formed of aluminum or an aluminum alloy ([0130] and [0158]).
Regarding claim 10, Tanaka (Fig. 2) discloses wherein a thickness TL2 of the second wiring 61 is larger than a thickness TL1 of the first wiring 41 ([0121] and [0148]).
Regarding claim 11, Tanaka (Fig. 2) discloses comprising a via plug, wherein a via hole 23 is formed in the first layer 15, the via hole 23 penetrating the first layer 15 along the thickness direction, and exposing a part of the first wiring 41, and wherein the via plug 23 is embedded in the via hole, and electrically connects the resistor film 10 and the first wiring 41 to each other ([0067]).
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.
Claim(s) 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka (2020/0303304) in view of Matsumura (2011/0180901) as previously cited.
Regarding claims 4-5, Tanaka (Fig. 2) discloses comprising an insulator 40, wherein the insulator 40 is disposed on the resistor film 10, and wherein the second layer 16 is disposed on the first layer 15 so as to cover the resistor film 10 and the insulator 40 ([0115]).
Tanaka discloses all the claimed limitations except for the insulator serve as an etching stopper film.
However, Matsumura (Figs. 40-41) discloses the insulator serve as an etching stopper (silicon oxynitride) film SON22 in order to protect the resistance layer ([0174]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to modify the method of Tanaka by forming the insulator serve as an etching stopper film in order to protect the resistance layer, as taught by Matsumura (Figs. 40-41, [0174]).
Regarding claim 6, as discussed, the combination above, Tanaka (Figs. 8I-8J) discloses wherein the etching stopper film 40 is a mask for patterning the resistor film 10 ([0248]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art of record fails to disclose all the limitations recited in claim 8. Specifically, the prior art of record fails to disclose wherein a first wiring trench is formed on an upper surface of the first interlayer insulating film, wherein the first wiring is embedded in the first wiring trench, wherein a second wiring trench is formed on an upper surface of the second layer, wherein the second wiring is embedded in the second wiring trench, and wherein each of the first wiring and the second wiring is formed of copper or a copper alloy.
The dependent claim being further limiting and definite is also allowable.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, filed 11/05/25, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-11 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that “Tanaka fails to identically disclose or even suggest the features of wherein the resistor film is electrically connected to the first wiring and is located between a center of the second interlayer insulating film and the first wiring in a thickness direction of the second interlayer insulating film, as recited in amended independent claim 1”.
This argument is not persuasive because Tanaka in Fig. 2 discloses wherein the resistor film 10 is electrically connected to the first wiring 41 and is located between a center of the second interlayer insulating film 22 and the first wiring 41 in a thickness direction of the second interlayer insulating film 22.
Therefore, Tanaka clearly teaches all the limitations of claim 1.
The rest of applicant's arguments have been addressed to the claims are considered in the rejections shown above.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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.
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/THERESA T DOAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2814