SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREOF

Application No. 18/435,865

• Filed: Feb 07, 2024
• Priority: Sep 06, 2023 — JP 2023-144353
• Examiner: BRECHT, CHARLES MATTHEW
• Art Unit: 2817
• Tech Center: 2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
• Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
• OA Round: 1 (Non-Final)

Office Action

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 I (Claims 1-6) in the reply filed on June 3, 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 7-20 have been withdrawn.

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 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kanna (JP-2007165371, hereafter Kanna).
Regarding claim 1, Kanna discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a semiconductor element (20, Fig. 6) having a first face (20 top), a second face (25, par. 0013) located on an opposite side to the first face, and a side face (20 side) located between the first face and the second face; a first electrode layer (20 top) provided on the first face of the semiconductor element; and a second electrode layer (26, Fig. 6, par. 0014) provided on the second face of the semiconductor element, wherein an outer edge portion on the second face is more rounded compared to an outer edge portion on the first face, and a thickness of the second electrode layer gradually decreases as the second electrode layer extends closer to the side face (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 2, Kanna discloses a device wherein the second electrode layer (26) coats the outer edge portion on the second face (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 3, Kanna discloses a device wherein in a plane parallel to the first face (20 top, Fig. 6), the second electrode layer (26) does not extend outward from the side face (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 4, Kanna discloses a device wherein in a plane parallel to the first face (20 top, Fig. 6), the second electrode layer (26) does not extend outward from the side face (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 5, Kanna discloses a device wherein in the outer edge portion on the second face (25, Fig. 6), the second electrode layer (26) is curved from the second face along the side face (20 side) toward the first face (20 top) (Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 6, Kanna discloses a device wherein in the outer edge portion on the second face (25), the second electrode layer (26) is curved from the second face along the side face (20 side) toward the first face (20 top) (Fig. 6).

Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tsuma (20230154987), pertaining to all claims;
Kurosawa (20040130004), pertaining to claim 1.

Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES M BRECHT whose telephone number is [phone]. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri: 7:30am - 5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at [phone]. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/C.M.B./ Examiner, Art Unit 2817 /MARLON T FLETCHER/ Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817

Prosecution Timeline

• Feb 07, 2024: Application Filed
• Jul 06, 2026: Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)