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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed on July 31, 2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 7, 2023 is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Three-Dimensional Semiconductor Memory Device With Dummy PAD for Short Circuit Prevention and Electronic System Including the Same
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of device embodiment 1 (Fig. 6A, claims 1-12 and 19-20) in the reply filed on March 2, 2026 is acknowledged.
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 1-12 are 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 1 recites the limitation "the pad portions of the gate electrodes" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For purposes of examination this will be interpreted as “the pad portion of each of the gate electrodes”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 would be allowed if rewritten to overcome the 112 rejection above.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art of record, Kang (US 2017/0358590), Yun (US Pat. No. 9,343,452), fail to disclose (by themselves or in combination) the following limitations in combination with the rest of the claim:
Regarding Claim 1 (from which claims 2-12 depend), the first pad portion and the second pad portion are spaced apart from the dummy pad, one of the interlayer insulating layers is interposed between the first pad portion and the dummy pad…
Claims 19-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the closest prior art of record, Kang (US 2017/0358590), Yun (US Pat. No. 9,343,452), fail to disclose (by themselves or in combination) the following limitations in combination with the rest of the claim:
Regarding Claim 19 (from which claim 20 depends), one of the interlayer insulating layers is interposed between the dummy pad and the first gate electrode
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kang (US 2017/0358590) discloses (Fig. 2N) a support insulating layer 300 dividing a gate electrode GL6 into two pad portions. However, Kang does not disclose the interlayer insulating layer interposed a pad portion and a dummy pad portion.
Yun (US Pat. No. 9,343,452) discloses (Fig. 3) pads 120 with a gap between two portions. However, Yun does not disclose the interlayer insulating layer interposed a pad portion and a dummy pad portion.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUSTAVO G RAMALLO whose telephone number is (571)272-9227. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10am - 6pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Partridge can be reached at (571) 270-1402. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/G.G.R/Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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