Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/334,802

INTERCONNECT LAYER AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jun 14, 2023
Examiner
PHAM, THANHHA S
Art Unit
2812
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
85%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 5m
To Grant
90%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 85% — above average
85%
Career Allow Rate
742 granted / 872 resolved
+17.1% vs TC avg
Minimal +5% lift
Without
With
+4.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
22 currently pending
Career history
894
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§103
33.6%
-6.4% vs TC avg
§102
35.5%
-4.5% vs TC avg
§112
23.4%
-16.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 872 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
DETAILED ACTION This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s Election dated 10/7/25. Election/Restrictions Claims 6, 9, 14 and 16 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected species . Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 10/7/25. Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-5, 7, 8, 10-13, 15, 17 and 21-23 in the reply filed on 10/7/25 is acknowledged. 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. Claim s 1-3, 11-12 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Peng et al [US 2022/0352073] ► With respect to claim 1, Peng et al (figs 2 with interconnection structure 300 of fig 3K, text [0001] -[ 0046]) discloses the claimed semiconductor device comprising: a substrate (102) a heat dissipation dielectric layer (324, AlO , text [0028]) disposed on the substrate, the heat dissipation dielectric layer having a thermal conductivity greater than 10 W/ mK ; a conductive interconnect structure (346) disposed in the heat dissipation dielectric layer; and a blocking dielectric layer (334, bilayer AlO & AlN , text [0034] ) ) disposed in the heat dissipation dielectric layer to isolate the conductive interconnect structure from the heat dissipation dielectric layer. ► With respect to claim 2, Peng et al discloses wherein the heat dissipation dielectric layer includes a thermal conductive dielectric material including boron arsenide, beryllium oxide, hexagonal boron nitride, diamond, graphene, graphite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, sapphire, zirconium oxide, bismuth oxide, titanium oxide, gallium oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, 0-carbon nitride, indium antimonide, boron carbide, hafnium oxide, or combinations thereof. ► With respect to claim 3, Peng et al discloses the blocking dielectric layer includes a blocking dielectric material including boron arsenide, beryllium oxide, hexagonal boron nitride, diamond, graphene, graphite, silicon nitride, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, aluminum nitride, magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, sapphire, zirconium oxide, bismuth oxide, titanium oxide, gallium oxide, gallium arsenide, gallium nitride, p-carbon nitride, indium antimonide, boron carbide, hafnium oxide, silicon carbonitride, aluminum oxynitride, or combinations thereof. ► With respect to claim 11, Peng et al (figs 2 with interconnection structure 300 of fig 3K, text [0001] -[ 0046]) discloses the claimed semiconductor device comprising: a substrate( 102); an etch stop layer( 320) disposed on the substrate; a heat dissipation dielectric layer (324, AlO , text [0028]) disposed on the etch stop layer opposite to the substrate, the heat dissipation dielectric layer having a thermal conductivity greater than 10 W/ mK ; a conductive interconnect structure (346) disposed in the heat dissipation dielectric layer; and a blocking dielectric layer (334, bilayer AlO & AlN , text [0034] ) ) disposed in the heat dissipation dielectric layer to isolate the conductive interconnect structure from the heat dissipation dielectric layer. ► With respect to claim 12, Peng et al discloses wherein the heat dissipation dielectric layer includes a thermal conductive dielectric material ; he blocking dielectric layer includes a blocking dielectric material which includes elements the same as elements of the thermal conductive dielectric material, contents of the elements included in the blocking dielectric material being different from contents of the elements included in the thermal conductive dielectric material ► With respect to claim 21 , Peng et al (figs 2 with interconnection structure 300 of fig 3K, text [0001] -[ 0046]) discloses the claimed semiconductor device comprising: a substrate (102); an etch stop layer (320) disposed on the substrate; a heat dissipation dielectric layer (324, AlO , text [0028]) disposed on the etch stop layer opposite to the substrate, the heat dissipation dielectric layer having a thermal conductivity greater than 10 W/ mK ; a conductive interconnect structure( 346) disposed in the heat dissipation dielectric layer and extending into the etch stop layer; and a blocking dielectric layer (334, bilayer AlO & AlN , text [0034] ) ) disposed in the heat dissipation dielectric layer to isolate the conductive interconnect structure from the heat dissipation dielectric layer. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4-5, 7-8, 10, 13, 15, 17 and 22-23 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. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FILLIN "Examiner name" \* MERGEFORMAT THANHHA S PHAM whose telephone number is FILLIN "Phone number" \* MERGEFORMAT (571)272-1696 . The examiner can normally be reached FILLIN "Work Schedule?" \* MERGEFORMAT Monday-Friday . 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, FILLIN "SPE Name?" \* MERGEFORMAT William Partridge can be reached at FILLIN "SPE Phone?" \* MERGEFORMAT 571-270-1402 . 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. /THANHHA S PHAM/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 14, 2023
Application Filed
Dec 14, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
85%
Grant Probability
90%
With Interview (+4.9%)
2y 5m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 872 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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