CTNF 18/439,005 CTNF 78819 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Hu et al. (US 2021/0013314) . Regarding claim 1, Hu discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a column portion including a source portion (4, figs. 1A-B) and a drain portion (10, fig. 1B) constituted by semiconductors having the same conductivity type (Abstract, and paragraphs 0034-0038), a channel portion (3, figs. 1A-B) provided between the source portion (4, figs. 1A-B) and the drain portion (10, fig. 1B) and constituted by a semiconductor having a lower impurity concentration than impurity concentrations of the source portion and the drain portion (paragraphs 0034-0038), and a drift portion (2, figs. 1A-B) provided between the channel portion (3, figs. 1A-B) and the drain portion (10, fig. 1B) and constituted by a semiconductor having the same conductivity type as that of the drain portion (paragraphs 0034-0038); and a gate electrode (6, figs. 1A-B) provided at a sidewall of the column portion at the channel (3, figs. 1A-B) portion via an insulating portion (5, figs. 1A-B) and configured to control a current of the channel portion, wherein a diameter of the column portion at the drift portion (2, figs. 1A-B) is larger than a diameter of the column portion at the channel portion (3, figs. 1A-B) and a diameter of the column portion at the source portion (4, figs. 1A-B and paragraphs 0034-0038). Regarding claim 2, Hu further discloses wherein the gate electrode (6, figs. 1A-B) surrounds the channel portion (3, figs. 1A-B). Regarding claim 3, Hu further discloses wherein an impurity concentration of the drift portion is lower than the impurity concentration of the drain portion (paragraphs 0034-0038). Regarding claim 4, Hu further discloses wherein the semiconductor device is a power device (paragraphs 0003, 0008-0014) . Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application Publication 2017/0200820 discloses a semiconductor power device having a vertical architecture with a drift region having a wider diameter than the source region or the channel region . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS M MENZ whose telephone number is (571)272-1877. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm. 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, Jacob Choi can be reached at 469-295-9060. 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. /DOUGLAS M MENZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897 3/28/26 Application/Control Number: 18/439,005 Page 2 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/439,005 Page 3 Art Unit: 2897 Application/Control Number: 18/439,005 Page 4 Art Unit: 2897
Prosecution Insights