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 .
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 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.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's amendment to the claims, filed on May 20th, 2026, is acknowledged. Entry of amendment is accepted and made of record.
Response to Arguments/Remarks
Applicant's response filed on May 20th, 2026 is acknowledged and isanswered as follows.
Applicant's remarks, see pg. 6, with respect to the rejections of claims under formalities, have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the objections of these claims have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments, see pg. 7, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-9 under 35 U.S.C 102 (a)(1) and/or 35 U.S.C 103(a) have been considered but are persuasive. Therefore, the rejections of these claims have been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments, see pgs. 7-8, with respect to the rejections of claims 11-15 and 23-27 under 35 U.S.C 102 (a)(1) and/or 35 U.S.C 103(a) have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Election/Restrictions
Claims 1-9 are allowable. The restriction requirement among Species, as set forth in the Office action mailed on May 30th, 2025, has been reconsidered in view of the allowability of claims to the elected invention pursuant to MPEP § 821.04(a). The restriction requirement is hereby withdrawn as to any claim that requires all the limitations of an allowable claim. Specifically, the restriction requirement of May 30th, 2025 is partially withdrawn. Claim 10, directed to non-elected Species is no longer withdrawn from consideration because the claim(s) requires all the limitations of an allowable claim.
In view of the above noted withdrawal of the restriction requirement, applicant is 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 a 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 Objections
Claim 14 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 14 recites the first openings in line 4 referring back “the plurality of first openings” in line 2 of claim 13 and should be amended to “the plurality of first openings” for being consistent. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 11-13 and 23-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cheng et al. (Pub. No.: US 2016/0322259 A1), hereinafter as Cheng.
Regarding claim 11, Cheng discloses a method in Figs. 1-7, comprising: forming a first layer (control layer 16) on a first surface of a semiconductor layer (top surface of substrate 10) (see Fig. 1 and [0019]); forming a second layer (photoresist layer for creating pattern masks 18P) on the first layer, the second layer having a first surface (bottom surface of photoresist) on the first layer and a second surface (top surface of photoresist/pattern masks 18P) opposite the first layer (see Fig. 2 and [0031-0034]); forming a block copolymer (block copolymer structure 20R) including a plurality of first phases (first phases 22R) and a plurality of second phases (second phases 24R), in a first gap (right opening 19) in the second layer, the block copolymer having a first surface (bottom surface of block copolymer structure 20R) on the first layer and coplanar with the first surface of the second layer (bottom surface of photoresist/pattern masks 18P) (see Figs. 2-3 and [0035-0043]), and a second surface (top surface of block copolymer structure 20R) opposite the first layer and coplanar with the second surface of the second layer (top surface of photoresist/pattern masks 18P) (see Fig. 3); removing the plurality of first phases (remove first phases 22R) (see Figs. 4-5 and [0045]); and forming a plurality of first openings (plurality of openings between semiconductor fins 10F) in the semiconductor layer through spaces between the plurality of second phases (spaces between second phases 24R) (see Figs. 5-6 and [0045-0051]).
Regarding claim 12, Cheng discloses the method of claim 11, wherein the first opening has a first dimension in a first direction (plurality of openings between semiconductor fins 10F in lateral direction), the first dimension corresponds to the spaces between the plurality of second phases (corresponding to spaces between second phases 24R) (see Figs. 4-6).
Regarding claim 13, Cheng discloses the method of claim 11, wherein forming the plurality of first openings (plurality of pitches P2) includes performing a first etch step, a pitch of the plurality of first openings being, smaller than 100 nm (see Figs. 6-7 and [0052-0053]).
Regarding claim 23, Cheng discloses a method in Figs. 1-7, comprising: forming a first layer (photoresist layer for creating pattern masks 18P) on a substrate (substrate 10), the first layer having a first surface (top surface of photoresist/pattern masks 18P) opposite a second surface (bottom surface of photoresist/pattern masks 18P) along a first direction (vertical direction) (see Fig. 2 and [0019], [0031-0034]); forming a cavity (right opening 19) in the first layer extending from the first surface to the second surface (see Figs. 2-3 and [0031]); forming a block copolymer (block copolymer structure 20R) in the cavity, the block copolymer including a plurality of first phases (first phases 22R) and a plurality of second phases (second phases 24R), the first surface of the first layer being exposed during the forming the block copolymer (top surface of photoresist/pattern masks 18P) (see Figs. 2-3 and [0035-0043]); removing the plurality of first phases (remove first phases 22R) (see Figs. 4-5 and [0045]); and forming a plurality of surface structures (forming plurality of fins 10F) in the substrate by etching through openings (openings between second phases 24R) between respective second phases of the plurality of second phases (see Figs. 6-7 and [0048-0053]).
Regarding claim 24, Cheng discloses the method of claim 23, comprising forming a hard mask layer (coating layer 14) on the substrate, the hard mask layer being between the substrate and the first layer (see Fig. 3 and [0029]).
Regarding claim 25, Cheng discloses the method of claim 23, wherein each of the plurality of first phases and the plurality of second phases extends entirely through the first layer along the first direction from the first surface to the second surface (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 26, Cheng discloses the method of claim 23, wherein the plurality of first phases and the plurality of second phases of the block copolymer are alternating (see Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 27, Cheng discloses the method of claim 24, wherein the removing the plurality of first phases includes exposing the substrate by removing portions of the hard mask layer (removing portions of coating layer 14 to expose substrate 10) aligned with each of the plurality of first phases along the first direction (see Figs. 5-6).
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
a. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
b. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
c. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
d. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cheng et al. (Pub. No.: US 2016/0322259 A1), hereinafter as Cheng, as applied to claim 11 above, and in view of Wang et al. (Pub. No.: US 2013/0273330 A1), hereinafter as Wang.
Regarding claim 15, Cheng discloses the method according to claim 11, but fails to disclose wherein the first openings are in random pattern of fingerprint type.
Wang discloses a method of forming a directed self-assembly of block copolymer having random pattern of fingerprint type (see Figs. 5-8 and [0065-0069]).
Modifying the block copolymer of Cheng (block copolymer structures 20L and 20R) for having random pattern of fingerprint type as same as the block copolymer of Wang for transferring the random pattern of fingerprint type to form the plurality of first openings as recited in claim 15.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the method of using random pattern of fingerprint type of block of copolymer of Wang into the method of Cheng for having the first openings are in random pattern of fingerprint type because the modified method would provide an improved method for patterning micro structures on the substrate with lower manufacturing cost.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 14 is 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 following is an examiner's statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The cited art, whether taken singularly or in combination, especially when all limitations are considered within the claimed specific combination, fails to disclose or suggest the claimed invention having: a reverse conducting type device with a shorted collector layer arranged at the second surface between the collector electrode and the buffer layer, wherein the shorted collector layer is formed by a pattern of first and second conductivity type regions as in claim 15; and wherein: a first edge of the second base layer is aligned in the second dimension with the first edge of the source region; a channel is formable on the lateral walls of the trench regions because of the highly doped second base region that prevents a vertical channel from forming between the emitter electrode, the source region, the first base layer, and the drift layer as recited in claim 18. Claims 5-10 depend on claim 2, and therefore also include said claimed limitation.
Claims 1-10 is allowed over prior art of record.
The following is an examiner' s statement of reason for allowance: the prior art made of record does not teach or fairly suggest the following: forming a block copolymer in each cavity, each block copolymer including a plurality of first phases alternating with a plurality of second phases, the first surface of the first layer being exposed during the forming the block copolymer,; and forming, by a first etch step, at least one first structure on the first surface of the photodetector of an array of photodetectors of a light sensor, the forming including using a mask that is a directed self-assembly of a-the block copolymer. Claims 2-10 depend on claim 1, and therefore also include said claimed limitation.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.
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 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CUONG B NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1509 (Email: CuongB.Nguyen@uspto.gov). The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30 AM-5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven H. 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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/CUONG B NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818
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