CTNF 18/214,662 CTNF 88919 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. Continued Examination under 37 CFR 1.114 07-42-04 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 04/29/2026 has been entered. An action on the RCE follows. Response to Arguments Applicant’s reply filed on 04/29/2026 has been entered and considered. Applicant’s amendments necessitated the shift in grounds of rejection detailed below. The shift in grounds of rejection renders Applicant’s arguments moot. Claim Rejection- 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al (US 2018/0309074 A1; hereafter Mao) in view of FUJIMORI et al (US 2026/0103381 A1; hereafter FUJIMORI) . PNG media_image1.png 411 749 media_image1.png Greyscale Regarding 8. Mao discloses a semiconductor device (Fig 1) manufacturing method comprising: forming a gate electrode (Fig 1, gate electrode G, Para [ 0045]) in a substrate (base substrate BS, Para [ 0031]); forming a gate dielectric layer (Fig 1, gate insulating layer GI, Para [ 0045]) over the gate electrode (gate electrode G, Para [ 0045]); forming at least one boron-carbon-nitrogen single-walled nanotube (BCN-SWNT) (Fig 1, polymer carbon nanotubes, active layer AL, Para [ 0030-0032, 0035]) on the gate dielectric layer (Fig 1, gate insulating layer GI, Para [ 0045]), wherein the BCN-SWNT comprises carbon, boron and nitrogen atoms in sp2 hybridization (“Para [ 0035] discloses “carbon nanotubes material is a single-walled carbon nanotubes material. Optionally, the carbon nanotubes material is a heteroatom-doped carbon nanotubes material. Examples of heteroatom-doped carbon nanotubes materials include, but are not limited to, a boron-doped carbon nanotubes material, a nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes material, an oxygen-doped carbon nanotubes material, a hydrogen-doped carbon nanotubes material, and any combination thereof” . Based on the combination, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) can have carbon, boron and nitrogen atoms in sp2 hybridization. Furthermore, it is evidence by Chakravarthi et al US 2013/0108826 A1, Para [0116] discloses “the dipole moment is generated due to the sp.sup.2 hybridization of the carbon-carbon bonding found in the SWNT structure”); and forming at least two source/drain regions (Fig 1, SCR/DCR region, Para [ 0031]) in contact with the BCN-SWNT (Fig 1, polymer carbon nanotubes, active layer AL, Para [ 0030-0032, 0035]). Mao further discloses carbon nanotubes material is a single-walled carbon nanotubes material . Optionally, the carbon nanotubes material is a double-walled carbon nanotubes material. Optionally, the carbon nanotubes material is a multi-walled carbon nanotubes material. Optionally, the carbon nanotubes material is a heteroatom-doped carbon nanotubes material. Examples of heteroatom-doped carbon nanotubes materials include, but are not limited to, a boron-doped carbon nanotubes material, a nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes material, an oxygen-doped carbon nanotubes material, a hydrogen-doped carbon nanotubes material, and any combination thereof (Para [0035]). But Mao does not disclose explicitly wherein the SWNT comprises 3 wt% to 5 wt% nitrogen atoms. In a similar field of endeavor, FUJIMORI discloses wherein the SWNT comprises 3 wt% to 5 wt% nitrogen atoms (Para [0055] discloses “ a plurality of nitrogen-doped single-walled carbon nanotubes , a content ratio of nitrogen in the carbon nanotube assembled wire is 0.5 atomic % or more and 6 atomic % or less). In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976); In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 16 USPQ2d 1934 (Fed. Cir. 1990). "[A] prior art reference that discloses a range encompassing a somewhat narrower claimed range is sufficient to establish a prima facie case of obviousness." In re Peterson, 315 F.3d 1325, 1330, 65 USPQ2d 1379, 1382-83 (Fed. Cir. 2003). >See also In re Harris, 409 F.3d 1339, 74 USPQ2d 1951 (Fed. Cir. 2005). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Mao in light of FUJIMORI teaching “wherein the BCN-SWNT comprises 3 wt% to 5 wt% boron atoms and 3 wt% to 5 wt% nitrogen atoms ( Para [0014] discloses “ carbon fiber is made predominantly (e.g., at least 90, 95, 98, 99 or 100%/o) of elemental carbon, but minor amounts of some non-carbon species (e.g., nitrogen, phosphorus, boron, or silicon) may be present, generally in amounts up to or less than 10, 5, 2, or 1 wt %.Thus, canbon nanotube can have 3 wt% to 5 wt% boron atoms and 3 wt% to 5 wt% nitrogen atoms)” for further advantage such as to control the stability of nanotubes and improve device performance. Generally, differences in concentration or temperature will not support the patentability of subject matter encompassed by the prior art unless there is evidence indicating such concentration or temperature is critical. "[W]here the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955) . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al (US 2018/0309074 A1; hereafter Mao) in view of FUJIMORI et al (US 2026/0103381 A1; hereafter FUJIMORI) as applied claims above and further in view of Copel et al (US 2018/0198071 A1; hereafter Copel) . Regarding 14. Mao and FUJIMORI disclose the method of claim 8, But, Mao and FUJIMORI do not disclose explicitly wherein the gate dielectric layer comprises hafnium dioxide. In a similar field of endeavor, Copel discloses wherein the gate dielectric layer comprises hafnium dioxide (Para [ 0031, 0035]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Mao and FUJIMORI in light of Copel teaching “wherein the gate dielectric layer comprises hafnium dioxide (Para [ 0031, 0035])” for further advantage such as reliable formation of carbon nanotubes semiconductor device . 07-21-aia AIA Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mao et al (US 2018/0309074 A1; hereafter Mao) in view of FUJIMORI et al (US 2026/0103381 A1; hereafter FUJIMORI) as applied claims above and further in view of Hashim et al (US 2012/0238021 A1; hereafter Hashim) . Regarding 15. Mao and FUJIMORI disclose the method of claim 8, But, Mao and FUJIMORI do not disclose explicitly wherein the BCN-SWNT is synthesized by chemical vapor deposition or laser ablation. In a similar field of endeavor, Hashim discloses wherein the BCN-SWNT is synthesized by chemical vapor deposition or laser ablation (Para [ 0014, 0123]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to combine Mao and FUJIMORI in light of Hashim teaching “wherein the BCN-SWNT is synthesized by chemical vapor deposition or laser ablation (Para [ 0014, 0123])” for further advantage such as reliable synthesizing carbon nanotube materials. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOIN M RAHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5002. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-5:00pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julio Maldonado can be reached at 571-272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MOIN M RAHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 2 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 3 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 4 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 5 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 6 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 7 Art Unit: 2898 Application/Control Number: 18/214,662 Page 8 Art Unit: 2898
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