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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 3/25/2026 has been entered.
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, 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.
Claims 16-18, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US Publication No. 2015/0287829) in view of Chi et al (US Publication No. 2022/0093774) and Huang et al (US Publication No. 2021/0066294).
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses a method, comprising: forming a channel structure Fig 1B, FP1a on a substrate Fig 1A-1D, 100; forming a first isolation layer Fig 4B, 110 on the substrate and surrounding a first portion of the channel structure Fig 4B, wherein the first portion has a first width Fig 4B; trimming the channel structure above the first isolation layer Fig 5B; forming a second isolation layer on the first isolation layer, wherein the second isolation Fig 6A layer surrounds a second portion of the channel structure and the second portion has a second width less than the first width Fig 7A; and forming a gate structure on the second isolation layer and surrounding a third portion of the channel structure Fig 8A, wherein the third portion has a third width less than the second width Fig 8A. Kim discloses all the limitations but silent on the specific shape of the channel structure. Whereas Chi discloses wherein the channel structure has a sloped sidewall surface from a top end to a bottom end Fig 10 and a sloped second portion and a vertical third portion Fig 10. Kim and Chi are analogous art because they are directed to semiconductor devices having fin channel and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Kim because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the shape of the channel structure and incorporate the teachings of Chi since such a modification would have involved a mere change in the shape of a component. A change in shape is generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art. In reDailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966). Kim and Chi discloses all the limitations but silent on the directional etching. Whereas Huang discloses a method, comprising: forming a channel structure on a substrate Fig 1A, wherein the channel structure has a sloped sidewall surface from a top end to a bottom end Fig 1A; trimming, with a directional etching process ¶0020. Kim and Huang are analogous art because they are directed to semiconductor devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Kim because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the etching process and incorporate the teachings of Huang as an alternative etching process known in the art to provide an improved manufacturing step.
Regarding claim 17, Kim discloses wherein trimming the channel structure above the first isolation layer comprises forming the second portion of the channel structure with sloped sidewall surfaces Fig 5B ¶0086 and 0098 and forming the third portion of the channel structure with substantially vertical sidewall surfaces Fig 8A.
Regarding claim 18, Kim discloses forming a source/drain structure on the second portion of the channel structure and above the second isolation layer Fig 1A-1D¶0090-0093.
Regarding claim 20, Kim discloses wherein forming the gate structure comprises forming substantially vertical sidewall surfaces for the gate structure Fig 8A.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al (US Publication No. 2015/0287829) and Chi et al (US Publication No. 2022/0093774) and Huang et al (US Publication No. 2021/0066294) and in further view of More et al (US Publication No. 2021/0408229).
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses all the limitations except for the deposition method. Whereas More discloses wherein forming the isolation layer comprises depositing a dielectric material using a flowable chemical vapor deposition method ¶0036. Kim and More are analogous art because they are directed to semiconductor devices having fin channel and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Kim because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of forming the isolation layer and incorporate the teachings of More as an alternative method known in the art in forming STI layer.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 are allowed over the prior art of record.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: After further search and consideration of Applicant’s response, it is determined that the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach or suggest the specific channel arrangement and orientation relative to the isolation layers, as recited in independent claims 1 and 8.
Claims 2-7, 9-15 are also allowed as being directly or indirectly dependent of the allowed independent base claims.
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.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINE A ENAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7891. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7:30 am -4:30 pm.
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/CHRISTINE A ENAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811
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