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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see section titled “Support for Amendments,” filed 06/10/2026, with respect to the rejection of claims 1, 2-5, and 7-10 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1, 2-5, and 7-10 has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 11-16 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the second S/D" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. As it is unclear where the second S/D should be located with respect to the other elements and the new limitation is directed towards a first rail lapping the second S/D laterally, the claim is unable to be examined on the merits.
Claims 11-16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being dependent upon a claim rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 19 depends on cancelled claim 17.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 19 depends on canceled claim 17. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-5, and 7-10 allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1 and its dependent claims. The closest prior art (US20230040094A1, US20210305262A1, US20230110073A1) teaches
a semiconductor structure that extends laterally with a first interconnect on one side and a second interconnect on an opposing side separated from the first interconnect by a longitudinal thickness of an insulating member that extends laterally along the first interconnect and the second interconnect (Huang fig. 1 lowest frontside layer M0 and first backside signal layer BM1 with an ILD within backside layer 150, substrate 130, and an ILD within active device layer 110 having a longitudinal thickness between M0 and BM1), the semiconductor structure comprising:
a first source/drain (S/D) positioned in the insulating member between the first interconnect and the second interconnect (Huang fig. 1 first source/drain 122 positioned within substrate 130 and the ILD within active device layer 110);
a second S/D positioned in the insulating member adjacent to the first S/D (Huang fig. 1 second source/drain 124 positioned within substrate 130 and the ILD within active device layer 110 adjacent to first source/drain 122);
a lead electrically connected to the first S/D and to the second interconnect, wherein a portion of the lead laps the first S/D and the second S/D laterally and is electrically insulated from the second S/D (Huang fig. 1 uppermost backside layer BM0 electrically connected to first S/D 122 and to first backside signal layer BM1 and a portion of BM0 overlaps first S/D 122 and second S/D 124 laterally and is electrically insulated from second S/D 124); and
a first rail that is electrically connected to the first S/D and to the second interconnect (Huang fig. 1 the rail connecting uppermost backside layer BM0 and first backside signal layer BM1 is electrically connected to first S/D 122 and first backside signal layer BM1).
However, the closest prior art does not teach in combination with the other claimed elements
wherein the first rail laps the first S/D and the second S/D laterally.
Additionally, the closest prior art does not teach the above in combination with the further limitations of dependent claims.
Examiner notes that while there are embodiments within the prior art, see annotated Huang fig. 1 from previous action, that teach a first and second rail that overlap in a lateral direction, examiner notes par. 12 of applicant’s specification which defines “laterally laps” to mean that a portion of the first rail is directly underneath a portion of the second rail because that portion of extension the first rail has the same lateral position as that portion of the second rail, albeit with a different longitudinal position. Therefore, the cited prior art does not show an embodiment nor any motivation to combine embodiments such that the first rail laps the first S/D and the second S/D laterally in addition with the other limitations of the independent claim.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to COLE LEON LINDSEY whose telephone number is (571)272-4028. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m..
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christine Kim can be reached at (571)272-8458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/COLE LEON LINDSEY/Examiner, Art Unit 2812 /CHRISTINE S. KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2812
Prosecution Insights