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 1, Species 1, Embodiment I, Sub-species A, claims 1-7, 9-12 and 21-28 in the reply filed on April 13, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 13-20 have been cancelled by the Applicant. Claim 8 is withdrawn. Action on the merits is as follows:
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2, 9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zeng et al. (Zeng) (CN 115377100 A).
In regards to claim 1, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses a method for making a capacitor (item 104), comprising: forming a trench (item 106) in a dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); depositing a first metal (item 112) on sidewalls and a bottom surface of the trench (item 106), and upon a surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to form a first metal layer (item 112); depositing a first insulator (item 114) upon the first metal layer (item 112) on the sidewalls and the bottom surface of the trench (item 106), and upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to form a first insulator layer (item 114); depositing a second metal (item 116) upon the first insulator layer (item 114) on sidewalls and the bottom surface of the trench (item 106), over a second insulator (item 118) in the trench (item 106), and upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to form a second metal layer (item 116); planarizing to remove portions of the second metal layer (item 116) and the first insulator layer (item 114) upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); applying a primary insulator (item 118) upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to isolate the second metal (item 116) in the trench (item 106); forming a third metal layer (item 120) upon the first insulator layer (item 114) upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); and patterning to form a first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 112) from the first metal layer (item 112), a second horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 114) from the first insulator layer (item 114), and a third horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 120) from the third metal layer (item 120) to obtain the capacitor (item 104).
In regards to claim 2, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses further comprising applying a capping layer (item 138) over the first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 112), the second horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 114), and the third horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 120).
In regards to claim 9, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) is part of an interconnect structure (Specific implementation examples section).
In regards to claim 12, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses wherein the trench (item 106) passes through an etch stop layer (item 608).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng et al. (Zeng) (CN 115377100 A).
In regards to claim 11, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) does not specifically disclose wherein the trench has an aspect ratio of about 3 to about 15.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the invention to include a trench having an aspect ratio of about 3 to about 15, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)).
Claim(s) 6, 7 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng et al. (Zeng) (CN 115377100 A) in view of Tsui et al. (Tsui) (US 2017/0271436 A1).
In regards to claim 6, Zeng does not specifically disclose further comprising: forming top via openings to the first horizontal plate and the third horizontal plate and a guard ring opening that surrounds the capacitor; and filling the top via openings and the guard ring opening to form top vias and a guard ring.
Tsui (Fig. 1A, 2T and associated text and items) discloses forming top via openings (items 244, 248) to the first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 212) and the third horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 218) and a guard ring opening (items 242, 246) that surrounds the capacitor (item 205); and filling the top via openings (items 244, 248) and the guard ring opening (items 242) to form top vias (items 244, 248) and a guard ring (items 242, 244 246, 248, 252, 254).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Tsui for the purpose of an electrical connection.
In regards to claim 7, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) as modified by Tsui (Fig. 1A, 2T and associated text and items) does not specifically disclose wherein the second insulator in the trench is air or silicon nitride (SiN).
It would have been obvious to modify the invention to include a second insulator in the trench being air or silicon nitride (SiN), since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use (In re Leshin, 125 USPQ 416).
In regards to claim 10, Zeng as modified by Tsui (Fig. 1A, 2T and associated text and items) discloses wherein the second horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 216) exposes a perimeter of the first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 212).
Claim(s) 11, 21-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng et al. (Zeng) (CN 115377100 A) in view of Lin (US 9,978,829 B2).
In regards to claim 11, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) does not specifically disclose wherein the trench has an aspect ratio of about 3 to about 15.
Lin (Figs. 1A, 5A and associated text) discloses wherein the trench (items 106, 500) has an aspect ratio of about 3 to about 15 (col. 4, lines 35-47).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the invention to include a trench having an aspect ratio of about 3 to about 15, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art (In re Boesch, 617 F.2d 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980)).
In regards to claim 21, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses a method for making a capacitor (item 104), comprising: forming a trench (item 106) in a dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); depositing a first metal (item 112) on sidewalls and a bottom surface of the trench (item 106), and upon a surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to form a first metal layer (item 112); depositing a first insulator (item 114) upon the first metal layer (item 112) on the sidewalls and the bottom surface of the trench (item 106), and upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to form a first insulator layer (item 114); depositing a second metal (item 116) upon the first insulator layer (item 114) on sidewalls and the bottom surface of the trench (item 106), over a second insulator (item 118) in the trench (item 106), and upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to form a second metal layer (item 116); planarizing to remove portions of the second metal layer (item 116) and the first insulator layer (item 114) upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); applying a primary insulator (item 118) upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608) to isolate the second metal (item 116) in the trench (item 106); forming a third metal layer (item 120) upon the first insulator layer (item 114) upon the surface of the dielectric material (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); and patterning to form a first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 112) from the first metal layer (item 112), a second horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 114) from the first insulator layer (item 114), and a third horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 120) from the third metal layer (item 120) to obtain the capacitor (item 104), but doe not specifically disclose wherein the second metal also fills a gap at a top of the trench to create a void within the trench.
Lin (Fig. 1A and associated text) discloses wherein the second metal (item 114) also fills a gap at a top of the trench (item 106) to create a void (item 116) within the trench (item 106).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teachings of Lin due to the high aspect ratio of the of trenches.
In regards to claim 22, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses further comprising applying a capping layer (item 138) over the first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 112), the second horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 114), and the third horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 120).
In regards to claim 23, Zeng (Figs. 1 3A-21 and associated text and items) discloses further comprising: depositing a second insulator layer (item 118) upon the surface of the dielectric layer (items 606, 608 or 606 plus 608); depositing a fourth metal layer (item 124) upon the second insulator layer (item 118); and patterning to form a fourth horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 118) from the second insulator layer (item 118) and a fifth horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 124) from the fourth metal layer (item 124).
In regards to claim 24, Zeng (Figs. 1, 3A-21 and associated text and items) as modified by Lin (Fig. 16A and associated text) discloses wherein the second horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 1612) exposes a perimeter of the first horizontal plate (horizontal portion of item 1610).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 25-28 are allowed.
None of the current prior art, alone or in combination, disclose “doping a dielectric material to form a doped dielectric region in the dielectric material; forming a trench in the dielectric material that passes through the doped dielectric region, such that the trench is formed with a bowed region; depositing a first metal on sidewalls and a bottom surface of the trench to form a first metal layer; depositing a first insulator upon the first metal layer on the sidewalls and the bottom surface of the trench to form a first insulator layer; depositing a second metal upon the first insulator layer on sidewalls and the bottom surface of the trench to form a second metal layer, wherein the second metal also fills a gap at a top of the trench to create a void within the trench”.
Claims 3-5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if “further comprising doping the dielectric material to form a doped dielectric region prior to forming the trench in the dielectric material, such that the trench is formed with a bowed region; wherein the second insulator is located within the bowed region, and wherein a depth of the bowed region is from about 10% to about 50% of a depth of the trench” was rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
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TELLY D. GREEN
Examiner
Art Unit 2898
/TELLY D GREEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898 June 4, 2026
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