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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election, without traverse, of group I, claims 1-13 and 18-20 in ”Response to Election / Restriction Filed -12/04/2025”, is acknowledged.
This office action considers claims 1-20 pending for prosecution, of which claims 13-17 are withdrawn, and claims 1-13 and 18-20 are examined on their merits.
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 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.
Notes: when present, semicolon separated fields within the parenthesis (; ;) represent, for example, as 10; Fig 1A; [0047]) = (element 10; Figure No. 1A; Paragraph No. [0046]). For brevity, the texts “Element”, “Figure No.” and “Paragraph No.” shall be excluded, though; additional clarification notes may be added within each field. The number of fields may be fewer or more than three indicated above. These conventions are used throughout this document.
Claims 1-2, 11-13 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ALTUNKILIC; Fikrel et al. (US 20200066660 A1) hereinafter AlTunkilic, in view of MACELWEE; Thomas et al. (US 20180012770 A1) hereinafter Macelwee.
Regarding Claim 1. AlTunkilic teaches a semiconductor device (10; Fig 1A-1D; [0046]) comprising (see the entire document, Figs 1A-1D, along with subject matter referenced in other figures, specifically, as cited below).
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AlTunkilic Figure 1A
a substrate (2); and
a semiconductor structure located on the substrate (2), and including a device portion that includes a semiconductor element (8, includes a wide variety of transistors and/or other electronic structures, including, for example, pseudomorphic high electron mobility (pHEMT) transistors; [0051]) including a first electrode, and a second electrode (first second electrodes are inherent parts of a transistor see below), and
a seal ring (4; [0051-0052]) portion that surrounds said device portion (8), and that includes a conducting element (8), said conducting element including an enhanced-High-Electron-Mobility-Transistor (eHEMT) ([0051] labelled as pseudomorphic high electron mobility (pHEMT) transistors See below)
The difference between AlTunkilic and claim is that AlTunkilic does not expressly disclose e-mode HEMT i. e., eHMET; and that includes a first gate electrode electrically connected to said first electrode, a first source electrode electrically connected to said second electrode, and a first drain electrode electrically connected to said first electrode.
However, in the analogous art, Macelwee teaches (Fig 1; [0078] a silicon substrate 2 on which is defined a plurality of GaN-on-Si die 10, each comprises an active device area 4, i.e. the hetero-layer structure defining the 2DEG region on which a source electrode 120 and a drain electrode 122. A gate electrode 126 (fig 2) of the GaN HEMT are formed, surrounded by an inactive area 6 which separates the active area from edges of the die 17 that provides a protective structure, such as a seal ring 14, may be provided around the die, in the inactive area 6, near the die edge 17. Paragraph ([0079] further discloses the HMET may be enhanced HEMT; and (Fig 4; [0085]) seal ring (14 /280) being formed over the inactive device area 206 which surrounds the active device area 204. The seal ring structure 280 helps to reduce crack propagating into active areas of the device interconnect layers, and also helps to block electro-migration of contaminant ions.
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Macelwee Figure 4
Therefore, it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate teaching of Macelwee into AlTunkilic’s semiconductor device, thereafter, the combination of (AlTunkilic and Macelwee)’s semiconductor device comprising as claimed since, this inclusion , at least, facilitates anode and cathode electrodes provided thereon, may be used to form a high voltage/high current diode.(Macelwee [0079,0085]).
Regarding Claim 2. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to the semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, further teaches, wherein said conducting element (8, [0051]) further includes a plurality of diodes (Macelwee [0113-0114] diodes and HMET) that form a diode assembly electrically connected to said first electrode of said semiconductor element and said gate electrode of said eHEMT, said diode assembly including (Macelwee [0079])
a diode assembly anode (Macelwee Fig 3’ [0082] 232 (M1) electrically connected to said first electrode, and
a diode assembly cathode (Macelwee Fig 3; [0082] 234 (M2)) electrically connected to said first gate electrode.
Regarding Claim 11. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, further teaches, wherein said eHEMT forms an enclosed ring (Fig 1).
Regarding Claim 12. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, further teaches, wherein:
said first electrode serves as a gate electrode (Macelwee 126 [0078]) of said semiconductor element; and
said second electrode serves as a source electrode (Macelwee 120 [0078]) of said semiconductor element.
Regarding Claim 13. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 1, further teaches, wherein:
said first electrode serves as a source electrode (Macelwee 120 [0078]) of said semiconductor element; and
said second electrode serves as a gate electrode (Macelwee 126 [0078]) of said semiconductor element.
Regarding Claim 18. AlTunkilic teaches seal ring structure (4; Figs 1; [0047]) that is adapted to surround a device portion (circuit area 8 of the IC 10; [0047]) that includes a semiconductor element (8, can include a wide variety of transistors and/or other electronic structures, including, for example, pseudomorphic high electron mobility (pHEMT) transistors; [0051]) including a first electrode, and a second electrode (first second electrodes are inherent parts of a transistor) comprising (see the entire document, Figs 1A-1D, along with subject matter referenced in other figures, specifically, as cited below):
a substrate (2);
a semiconductor structure (8; [0051]) located on the substrate (2), and including a seal ring portion (4; [0051-0052]) that is adapted for surrounding the device portion (8), and that includes a conducting element (8, can include a wide variety of transistors and/or other electronic structures, including, for example, pseudomorphic high electron mobility (pHEMT) transistors; [0051]) formed in the seal ring portion, the conducting element including an enhanced-High-Electron-Mobility-Transistor (eHEMT) that includes:
The difference between AlTunkilic and claim is that AlTunkilic does not expressly disclose e-mode HEMT i. e., eHMET; and a first gate electrode adapted for electrical connection to said first electrode of the semiconductor element;a first source electrode adapted for electrical connection to the second electrode of the semiconductor element; and a first drain electrode adapted for electrical connection to the first electrode of the of the semiconductor element.
However, in the analogous art, Macelwee teaches (Fig 1; [0078] a silicon substrate 2 on which is defined a plurality of GaN-on-Si die 10, each comprises an active device area 4, i.e. the hetero-layer structure defining the 2DEG region on which a source electrode 120 and a drain electrode 122. A gate electrode 126 (fig 2) of the GaN HEMT are formed, surrounded by an inactive area 6 which separates the active area from edges of the die 17 that provides a protective structure, such as a seal ring 14, may be provided around the die, in the inactive area 6, near the die edge 17. Paragraph ([0079] further discloses the HMET may be enhanced HEMT; and (Fig 4; [0085]) seal ring (14 /280) being formed over the inactive device area 206 which surrounds the active device area 204. The seal ring structure 280 helps to reduce crack propagating into active areas of the device interconnect layers, and also helps to block electro-migration of contaminant ions.
Therefore, it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate teaching of Macelwee into AlTunkilic’s seal ring structure, thereafter, the combination of (AlTunkilic and Macelwee)’s seal ring structure comprising as claimed since, this inclusion , at least, facilitates anode and cathode electrodes provided thereon, may be used to form a high voltage/high current diode.(Macelwee [0079,0085]).
Regarding Claim 19. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to the seal ring structure as claimed in claim 18, further teaches, wherein said conducting element (8, [0051]) further includes:
a plurality of diodes that form a diode assembly (Macelwee [0113-0114] diodes and HMET) adapted to be electrically connected between the first electrode of the semiconductor element and said first gate electrode of said eHEMT, said diode assembly includes a diode assembly anode that is adapted for electrical connection with the first electrode, and a diode assembly cathode that is electrically connected to the first gate electrode (Macelwee [0079]).
Regarding Claim 20. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to the seal ring structure as claimed in claim 19, further teaches wherein said conducting element (8, [0051]) further includes a resistor (AlTunkilic [0090]) that is adapted to be electrically connected between said diode assembly cathode (Macelwee [0079]) and the second electrode of the semiconductor element, and that includes:
a first metal end (Macelwee Fig 3’ [0082] 232 (M1)) connected to said diode assembly cathode; and
a second metal end (Macelwee Fig 3’ [0082] 234 (M2))adapted to be connected to the second electrode of the semiconductor element.
Claims 3-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ALTUNKILIC; Fikrel et al. (US 20200066660 A1) hereinafter AlTunkilic, in view of MACELWEE; Thomas et al. (US 20180012770 A1) hereinafter Macelwee and in further view of Liu; Yu-Hsuan et al. (US 20190371785 A1) hereinafter Liu.
Regarding Claim 3. The combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2, does nor expressly disclose , wherein at least two of said diodes of said diode assembly are electrically connected in series.
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Liu Figure 1 and 2B
However, in the analogous art, Liu teaches a transient voltage suppression device [0002]), wherein (Figs 1, 2B; [0054] the number of the second transient voltage suppressors 20 is plural, the second transient voltage suppressors 20 are Zener diodes with bi-directional discharge and are connected in series with the first transient voltage suppressor 10. In such configuration, an electrostatic discharge current or a surge current may be shunted into the third doped region 108 and the seventh doped region 208 in the seal-ring region R2 at two sides of the device region R1, as such, equivalent capacitance is lowered and an operation speed is further enhanced..
Therefore, it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to configures the diode of combination (AlTunkilic and Macelwee) in series as per teaching of Liu, thereafter, the combination of (AlTunkilic, Macelwee and Liu)’s semiconductor device comprising a configuration as claimed since, at least, in such configuration, an electrostatic discharge current or a surge current may be shunted into the third doped region 108 and the seventh doped region 208 in the seal-ring region R2 at two sides of the device region R1, as such, equivalent capacitance is lowered and an operation speed is further enhanced..(Liu [0054]).
Regarding Claim 4. The combination (AlTunkilic, Macelwee and Liu) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 2, further teaches, wherein said conducting element further includes a resistor (AlTunkilic [0090]) that is electrically connected between said diode assembly cathode and said second electrode of said semiconductor element, and that includes (Macelwee [0079])
a first metal end (Macelwee Fig 3’ [0082] 232 (M1) and 234 (M2)) connected to said diode assembly cathode, and
a second metal end (Macelwee Fig 3’ [0082] 234 (M2)) connected to said second electrode.
Regarding Claim 5. The combination (AlTunkilic, Macelwee and Liu) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 4, further teaches, wherein each of said diode assembly (Macelwee) and said resistor (AlTunkilic [0090]) are disposed between said eHEMT and said semiconductor element.
Regarding Claim 6. The combination (AlTunkilic, Macelwee and Liu) as applied to he semiconductor device as claimed in claim 5, further teaches, wherein first distances between said diodes of said diode assembly and a peripheral edge of said device portion are equal (obvious from Fig 2B of Liu).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 would be allowable if rewritten to include all of the limitations of base claim 1, and intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including wherein said resistor is a second distance away from said peripheral edge of said device portion, and the second distance is equal to the first distance. For this reason, claim 7 is found to contain allowable subject matter.
Claims 8-10 depend on claim 7, and thus also contains the same allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
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/MOAZZAM HOSSAIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
February 12, 2026