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 claims 1-9 and 12-29 in the reply filed on 5/7/26 is acknowledged.
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 5 and 14 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.
In claim 5, it is unclear how a top surface of the second active regions is coplanar with a top surface of the first active regions if the second active regions are on the first active regions as recited in present claim 1, thus claim is indefinite.
In claim 14, it is unclear how a top surface of the second active regions is coplanar with a top surface of the first active regions if the second active regions are on the first active regions as recited in present claim 9, thus claim is indefinite.
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) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (US pub 20230066649).
With respect to claim 1, Yu et al. teach a semiconductor memory device comprising (see figs. 1-8, particularly fig. 4 and associated text):
a substrate having a memory cell region (areas where 208 and 216 are located) and a dummy cell region (areas not 208 and 216) surrounding the memory cell region, wherein a plurality of memory cells 208, 216 are arranged in the memory cell region;
a plurality of first active regions 216 each having a bar shape in the memory cell region, the plurality of first active regions separated from each other by a first gap in a first direction (x) and extending in a second direction (y) perpendicular to the first direction; and
a plurality of second active regions 208 on the plurality of first active regions, the plurality of second active regions each having a circular shape and separated from each other by a second gap (spacing between 208 in y direction) in the second direction (y).
With respect to claim 2, Yu et al. teach a diameter of the circular shape is less than a width of the second gap. See fig. 4 and associated text.
With respect to claim 3, Yu et al. teach a diameter of the circular shape is greater than a width of each of the plurality of first active regions. See fig. 4 and associated text.
Claim(s) 9 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yu et al. (US pub 20230066649).
With respect to claim 9, Yu et al. teach a semiconductor memory device comprising (see figs. 1-8, particularly fig. 4 and associated text):
a substrate having a memory cell region (areas where 208 and 216 are located) and a dummy cell region (areas not 208 and 216) surrounding the memory cell region, wherein a plurality of memory cells 208, 216 are arranged in the memory cell region;
a plurality of first active regions 216 each having a bar shape in the memory cell region, the plurality of first active regions separated from each other by a first gap in a first direction (x) and extending in a second direction (y) perpendicular to the first direction; and
a plurality of second active regions 208 on the plurality of first active regions, the plurality of second active regions each including a curve and separated from each other by a second gap in the second direction (y).
With respect to claim 13, Yu et al. teach when a greatest width of a shape of each of the plurality of second active regions is defined as a width of each of the plurality of second active regions, the width of each of the plurality of second active regions is greater than a width of each of the plurality of first active regions. See fig. 4 and associated text.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 6-8, 12, and 15-16 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.
Claims 5 and 14 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
Examiner’s Cited References
The cited references generally show the similar or related structure a dummy cell region surrounding a memory cell region, the cell region having spaced apart first active regions having bar shape and over spaced apart second active regions having circular shape as presently claimed by applicant.
Conclusion
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LONG . PHAM
Examiner
Art Unit 2823
/LONG PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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