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 .
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.
Claims 1,3-6, 8, 10-13, 15, 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 20120248567 Lu-Chen Hsu et al. (Hsu).
Regarding Claim 1, Hsu teaches in Fig. 2C at least, a fuse element comprising:
a first bimetallic pillar disposed between and electrically connecting a first metal level 114b to a second metal level 252b, wherein the first bimetallic pillar comprises a first metal strip 234b adjacent to a second metal strip 132b.
Regarding Claim 3, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 1, wherein a resistivity of the second metal strip is greater than a resistivity of the first metal strip (first strip is Cu or Al, second is Ti or Ta, [0011-0012]).
Regarding Claim 4, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 1, further comprising:
a metal via 134c disposed between, and electrically connecting, a lower metal line of the first metal level to a first upper metal line of the second metal level, wherein the bimetallic pillar is disposed between, and electrically connecting, the lower metal line of the first metal level to a second upper metal line of the second metal level (see Fig. 2C).
Regarding Claim 5, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 4, wherein the metal via comprises a barrier layer 132a surrounding vertical side surfaces and a lower horizontal surface of the metal via, wherein the barrier layer comprises the same material as the second metal strip (all 132x are the same material, [0017]).
Regarding Claim 6, Hsu teaches the element according to claim 1, wherein the second metal strip directly contacts a sidewall and a bottom surface of the first metal strip (see Fig. 2C).
Regarding Claim 8, Hsu teaches a fuse element comprising:
a first bimetallic pillar disposed between and electrically connecting a first metal level 114b to a second metal level 252b, wherein the first bimetallic pillar comprises a first metal strip 234b adjacent to a second metal strip 132b, and wherein a first width (bottom portion of 132b contacting 114b) of the second metal strip is substantially equal to a width of the first bimetallic pillar (see Fig. 2C).
Regarding Claim 10, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 8, wherein a resistivity of the second metal strip is greater than a resistivity of the first metal strip (first strip is Cu or Al, second is Ti or Ta, [0011-0012]).
Regarding Claim 11, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 8, further comprising:
a metal via disposed between, and electrically connecting, a lower metal line of the first metal level to a first upper metal line of the second metal level, wherein the first bimetallic pillar is disposed between, and electrically connecting, the lower metal line of the first metal level to a second upper metal line of the second metal level (see above rejection of Claim 4).
Regarding Claim 12, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 11, wherein the metal via comprises a barrier layer surrounding vertical side surfaces and a lower horizontal surface of the metal via, wherein the barrier layer comprises the same material as the second metal strip (all 132x are the same material, [0017]).
Regarding Claim 13, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 8, wherein the second metal strip directly contacts a sidewall and a bottom surface of the first metal strip (see Fig. 2C).
Regarding Claim 15, Hsu teaches a fuse element comprising:
a first bimetallic pillar disposed between and electrically connecting a first metal level 114b to a second metal level 252b, wherein the first bimetallic pillar comprises a first metal strip 234b adjacent to a second metal strip 132b, wherein the second metal strip is physically disposed between a bottom surface of the first metal strip and the first metal level (see Fig. 2C).
Regarding Claim 17, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 15, wherein a resistivity of the second metal strip is greater than a resistivity of the first metal strip (first strip is Cu or Al, second is Ti or Ta, [0011-0012]).
Regarding Claim 18, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 15, further comprising:
a metal via 134cdisposed between, and electrically connecting, a lower metal line 114a of the first metal level 114 to a first upper metal line 254a of the second metal level 254, wherein the first bimetallic pillar is disposed between, and electrically connecting, the lower metal line of the first metal level to a second upper metal line of the second metal level, wherein the metal via comprises a barrier layer 132a surrounding vertical side surfaces and a lower horizontal surface of the metal via, wherein the barrier layer comprises the same material as the second metal strip (all 132x are the same material, [0017]).
Regarding Claim 19, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claim 15, wherein the second metal strip directly contacts a sidewall and a bottom surface of the first metal strip (see Fig. 2C).
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 2, 7, 9, 14, 16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu.
Regarding Claims 2, 9 and 16, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claims 1, 8, and 15 wherein a width of the first metal strip 234b is less than a first width (bottom portion of 132b contacting 114b) of the second metal strip, but do not explicitly teach that a second width of the second metal strip is substantially equal to a width of the first bimetallic pillar. However, the width/ thickness of a fuse structure directly affects its current carrying capability, and as a result directly affects the threshold at which disconnection occurs, and is therefore a result effective variable that may be optimized by the person of ordinary skill (MPEP 2144.05(II)(B)).
Regarding Claims 7, 14 and 20, Hsu teaches the fuse element according to claims 1, 8 and 15, bu do not explicitly teach: a second bimetallic pillar disposed between and electrically connecting the first metal level to the second metal level, wherein both the first bimetallic pillar and the second bimetallic pillar are disposed between, and electrically connect, a lower metal line of the first metal level to an upper metal line of the second metal level. However, these claim limitations amount to mere duplication of parts (MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B)) as no unexpected result is produced, rather only the expected result of additional fuse coupled contacts.
Examiner’s Note
Amendments directed at opposite sidewalls of the first and second metal strips being in contact with interlayer dielectric also between the first and second metal levels will quickly advance prosecution.
Conclusion
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/EVREN SEVEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812