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 .
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.
Claims 1 – 3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sato (US 2009/0008676).
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(Claim 1) Sato teaches a bidirectional power transistor, comprising:
an AlGaN/GaN structure (10/3, paragraphs 48, 43);
a first gate structure (28a); and
a second gate structure (28b);
a first p-doped region (18’a under 28a, paragraph 120); and
a second p-doped region (18’a under 28b, paragraph 120);
wherein a surface of the AlGaN/GaN structure has a depression having a first slanting sidewall (16a) and a second slanting sidewall (17a),
the depression having a width that is greater than a height of the depression (fig. 13, at theta equals 60 degrees the height = √3a, and width = 2a, paragraph 54);
wherein the first gate structure (28a) is situated on top of the first p-doped region (18’a) and the second gate structure (28b) is situated on top of the second p-doped region (18’a),
wherein the first p-doped region is situated on top of the first slanting sidewall such that the first p-doped region is situated between the first gate structure and the first slanting sidewall, and
wherein the second p-doped region is situated on top of the second slanting sidewall such that the second p-doped region is situated between the second gate structure and the second slanting sidewall.
(Claim 2) Sato teaches wherein an angle of the first slanting sidewall and an angle of the second slanting sidewall each has a value ranging from 30 degrees to 60 degrees to a transverse direction (paragraph 54).
(Claim 3) Sato teaches wherein the angle of the first slanting sidewall and the angle of the second slanting sidewall are equal in terms of their absolute value.
(Claim 6) Sato teaches a method for producing a bidirectional power transistor, the method comprising the following steps:
producing, along a transverse direction, a depression on an undoped GaN layer (10, paragraph 48), the depression having a first slanting sidewall (16) and a second slanting sidewall (7) on an undoped GaN layer and having a width that is greater than a height of the depression (fig. 13, at theta equals 60 degrees the height = √3a, and width = 2a, paragraph 54);
applying an undoped AlGaN layer (18, paragraph 55) to the undoped GaN layer using epitaxy, thereby forming an AlGaN/GaN structure with a surface that has the depression; and
applying a first p-doped region (18’a under 28a, paragraph 120) onto the first slanting sidewall;
applying a second p-doped region (18’a under 28b, paragraph 120) onto the second slanting sidewall;
applying a first gate structure (28a) onto the first p-doped region (18’a) such that the first p-doped region (18’a) is situated between the first slanting sidewall (16) and the first gate structure (28a); and
applying a second gate structure (28b) onto the second p-doped region (18’a) such that the second p- doped region is situated between the second slanting sidewall (17) and the second gate structure (28b).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 22, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues:
Sato fails to disclose the above-recited features of amended claim 1, including "wherein the first p-doped region is situated on top of the first slanting sidewall such that the first p-doped region is situated between the first gate structure and the first slanting sidewall."
Reply:
Sato teaches the "wherein the first p-doped region (18, paragraph 120) is situated on top of the first slanting sidewall (16) such that the first p-doped region (18) is situated between the first gate structure (28a) and the first slanting sidewall (16)."
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
Contact Information
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/IGWE U ANYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
October 3, 2026
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