DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II, Species B2 (claims 15-19 and 21-35) in the reply filed on 01/29/2026 is acknowledged.
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) 15-18, 21-24, 26, 30-33, and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (US Pat. 6,090,698).
Regarding independent claim 15, Lee teaches a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device (Figs. 1A-1E; Col. 3 lines 9+), comprising:
forming a MEOL structure (104, 106) (Col. 3 lines14-33); and
forming a BEOL structure over the MEOL structure (Figs. 1A-1E; Col. 3 lines 9+), comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer (110) having a lateral surface and a recess (132), wherein the recess is recessed with respect to the lateral surface (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+);
forming a spacer (134) on the lateral surface, wherein the spacer covers an opening of the recess (Fig. 1D; Col. 4 lines 28+); and
forming a conductive portion (136, 138) adjacent to the spacer (Fig. 1E; Col. 4 lines 65+).
Re claim 16, Lee teaches wherein forming the first dielectric layer having the lateral surface and the recess comprises:
forming a plurality of first sub-dielectric layers (112, 116, 120, 124) and a second sub-dielectric layer (114, 118, 122), wherein the second sub-dielectric layer is formed between adjacent two of the first sub-dielectric layers (Fig. 1; Col. 3 lines 34+); and
removing a portion of the second sub-dielectric layer to form the recess, wherein the recess extends from the lateral surfaces of adjacent two of the first sub-dielectric layers to the second sub- dielectric layer (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+).
Re claim 17, Lee teaches wherein in forming the plurality of first sub-dielectric layers and the second sub-dielectric layer, each first sub-dielectric layer is formed from a material different from that of the second sub-dielectric layer (Col. 3 lines 34-63).
Re claim 18, Lee teaches wherein forming the first dielectric layer having the lateral surface and the recess further comprises:
forming a trench (130) to pass through the first dielectric layer (Fig. 1B; Col. 3 lines 64+); and
forming the recess in the first dielectric layer through the trench (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+).
Re claim 21, Lee teaches wherein each of the first sub-dielectric layers has a first width, the second sub-dielectric layer has a second width, and each of the first widths is greater than the second width (Figs. 1C-1E).
Regarding independent claim 22, Lee teaches a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device (Figs. 1A-1E; Col. 3 lines 9+), comprising:
forming a MEOL structure (104, 106) (Col. 3 lines14-33); and
forming a BEOL structure over the MEOL structure (Figs. 1A-1E; Col. 3 lines 9+), comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer (110) having a lateral surface and a recess (132), wherein the recess is recessed with respect to the lateral surface (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+);
forming a spacer (134) on the lateral surface, wherein the spacer covers an opening of the recess (Fig. 1D; Col. 4 lines 28+); and
forming a conductive portion (136, 138) adjacent to the spacer (Fig. 1E; Col. 4 lines 65+);
wherein forming the first dielectric layer having the lateral surface and the recess further comprises:
forming a trench (130) to pass through the first dielectric layer (Fig. 1B; Col. 3 lines 64+);
forming the recess in the first dielectric layer through the trench (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+);
wherein forming the spacer on the lateral surface comprises:
forming a spacer material in the trench (Col. 4 lines 36-39); and
removing a portion of the spacer material to form the spacer (Col. 4 lines 44-46).
Re claim 23, Lee teaches wherein forming the first dielectric layer having the lateral surface and the recess comprises:
forming a plurality of first sub-dielectric layers (112, 116, 120, 124) and a second sub-dielectric layer (114, 118, 122), wherein the second sub-dielectric layer is formed between adjacent two of the first sub-dielectric layers (Fig. 1; Col. 3 lines 34+); and
removing a portion of the second sub-dielectric layer to form the recess, wherein the recess extends from the lateral surfaces of adjacent two of the first sub-dielectric layers to the second sub- dielectric layer (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+).
Re claim 24, Lee teaches wherein in forming the plurality of first sub-dielectric layers and the second sub-dielectric layer, each first sub-dielectric layer is formed from a material different from that of the second sub-dielectric layer (Col. 3 lines 34-63).
Re claim 26, Lee teaches wherein each of the first sub-dielectric layers has a first width, the second sub-dielectric layer has a second width, and each of the first widths is greater than the second width (Figs. 1C-1E).
Regarding independent claim 30, Lee teaches a manufacturing method for a semiconductor device (Figs. 1A-1E; Col. 3 lines 9+), comprising:
forming a MEOL structure (104, 106) (Col. 3 lines14-33); and
forming a BEOL structure over the MEOL structure (Figs. 1A-1E; Col. 3 lines 9+), comprising:
forming a first dielectric layer (110) having a lateral surface and a recess (132), wherein the recess is recessed with respect to the lateral surface (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+);
forming a spacer (134) on the lateral surface, wherein the spacer covers an opening of the recess (Fig. 1D; Col. 4 lines 28+); and
forming a barrier (136) over the spacer (Fig. 1E; Col. 4 lines 65+); and
forming a conductive portion (138) over the barrier and adjacent to the spacer (Fig. 1E; Col. 4 lines 65+).
Re claim 31, Lee teaches wherein forming the first dielectric layer having the lateral surface and the recess comprises:
forming a plurality of first sub-dielectric layers (112, 116, 120, 124) and a second sub-dielectric layer (114, 118, 122), wherein the second sub-dielectric layer is formed between adjacent two of the first sub-dielectric layers (Fig. 1; Col. 3 lines 34+); and
removing a portion of the second sub-dielectric layer to form the recess, wherein the recess extends from the lateral surfaces of adjacent two of the first sub-dielectric layers to the second sub- dielectric layer (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+).
Re claim 32, Lee teaches wherein in forming the plurality of first sub-dielectric layers and the second sub-dielectric layer, each first sub-dielectric layer is formed from a material different from that of the second sub-dielectric layer (Col. 3 lines 34-63).
Re claim 33, Lee teaches wherein forming the first dielectric layer having the lateral surface and the recess further comprises:
forming a trench (130) to pass through the first dielectric layer (Fig. 1B; Col. 3 lines 64+); and
forming the recess in the first dielectric layer through the trench (Fig. 1C; Col. 4 lines 6+).
Re claim 35, Lee teaches wherein each of the first sub-dielectric layers has a first width, the second sub-dielectric layer has a second width, and each of the first widths is greater than the second width (Figs. 1C-1E).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 19, 25, 27-29, and 34 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation from the prior art of record, nor does the prior art of record otherwise make obvious the limitations of…
Re claims 19, 25, and 34, “…removing a portion of the first etching stop layer to expose the MEOL structure…”
Re claims 27-29, “…the second covering portion is formed within the recess and covers an inner sidewall of the recess…”,
in combination with the other limitations.
Conclusion
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/MOLLY K REIDA/Examiner, Art Unit 2899