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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 7/27/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 10 and 16 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.
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) 1-5, 7-12, 14-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ji (US 2023/0023179; hereinafter Ji).
Regarding claim 1, Fig 4 of Ji discloses an apparatus comprising:
a substrate (10; Fig 4; ¶ [0047]) comprising a first well (40; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) having a first doping (P-type; ¶ [0050]) and a second well region (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) having a second doping (N-type; ¶ [0050]);
a source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]) formed in the first well (40; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]); and
a gate (71/73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprising an undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and a doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprises gate material (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) having at least one of a lightly doped drain (LDD) implant or a heavy doping implant (¶ [0070]) applied thereto and the undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprises gate material (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) to which neither an LDD implant nor a heavy doping implant is applied (¶ [0070]), the undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) disposed at least partially on the source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]), the first well (40; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) and second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) is disposed at least partially on the second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 2, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the gate is a split gate (Fig 4), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) are separated (Fig 4).
Regarding claim 3, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the gate is formed of polycrystalline silicon (¶ [0053]).
Regarding claim 4, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the first doping (P-type; ¶ [0050]) is a p-type doping (P-type; ¶ [0050]) and the second doping (N-type; ¶ [0050]) is an n-type doping (N-type; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 5, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]) is a heavily n-type doped region (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]) in the first well (40; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 7, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) has an n-type light doped drain implant and n-type heaving doping implant applied (¶ [0092]).
Regarding claim 8, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the implant includes a light and heavy doping of a same type as the second doping (N-type). (¶ [0092]-[0093])
Regarding claim 9, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the substrate includes a shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]) formed in the second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]), wherein the shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]) is disposed between a drain (90; Fig 4; ¶ [0047]) formed in the second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) and the source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) is disposed at least partially on the shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]).
Regarding claim 10, Fig 4 of Ji discloses a semiconductor device comprising:
a source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]);
a drain (90; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]); and
a gate (71/73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) disposed on a substrate (10; Fig 4; ¶ [0047]), the gate comprising an undoped region (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and a doped region (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]), wherein the doped region (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprises gate material (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) having at least one of a lightly doped drain (LDD) implant or a heavy doping implant (¶ [0070]) applied thereto and the undoped region (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprises gate material (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) to which neither an LDD implant nor a heavy doping implant is applied (¶ [0070]), the undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) disposed at least partially on the source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]), , wherein the doped region (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) is disposed between the drain and the source.
Regarding claim 11, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the gate is a split gate (Fig 4), wherein the doped region (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and undoped region (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) are separate respective blocks (at least partially) of dielectric material (60; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 12, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the gate is formed of polycrystalline silicon (¶ [0053]).
Regarding claim 14, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the doped region (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) has an n-type light doped drain implant and n-type heaving doping implant applied (¶ [0092]).
Regarding claim 15, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the substrate includes a shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]) disposed between the drain and source, wherein the doped region (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) is disposed at least partially on the shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]).
Regarding claim 16, Fig 4 of Ji discloses an apparatus comprising:
a substrate (10; Fig 4; ¶ [0047]) comprising a first well (40; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) having a first doping (P-type; ¶ [0050]) and a second well region (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) having a second doping (N-type; ¶ [0050]);and
a gate (71/73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprising an undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and a doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprises gate material (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) having at least one of a lightly doped drain (LDD) implant or a heavy doping implant (¶ [0070]) applied thereto and the undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) comprises gate material (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) to which neither an LDD implant nor a heavy doping implant is applied (¶ [0070]), the undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) disposed at least partially on the source (91; Fig 4; ¶ [0055]), the first well (40; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]) and second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) is disposed at least partially on the second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 17, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the gate is a split gate (Fig 4), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) are separate respective blocks (at least partially) of dielectric material (60; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 18, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the gate is formed of polycrystalline silicon (¶ [0053]).
Regarding claim 19, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the first doping (P-type; ¶ [0050]) is a p-type doping (P-type; ¶ [0050]) and the second doping (N-type; ¶ [0050]) is an n-type doping (N-type; ¶ [0050]).
Regarding claim 20, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) has an n-type light doped drain implant and n-type heaving doping implant applied (¶ [0092]).
Regarding claim 21, Fig 4 of Ji discloses a cap (110; Fig 4; ¶ [0063]) comprising at least one of a silicide or a polycide, the cap (110; Fig 4; ¶ [0063]) disposed on the undoped block (73; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) and at least a part of the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]).
Regarding claim 22, Fig 4 of Ji discloses the substrate includes a shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]) formed in the second well (20; Fig 4; ¶ [0050]), wherein the doped block (71; Fig 4; ¶ [0070]) is disposed at least partially on the shallow trench isolation region (30; Fig 4; ¶ [0067]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RATISHA MEHTA whose telephone number is (571)270-7473. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday: 9:00am - 5:00 pm.
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/RATISHA MEHTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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