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 Acknowledged
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, directed to a method, cancellation of the device Claims 16-20, and addition new method Claims 21-25 in the Response to Restriction Requirements filed 03/04/26 has been acknowledged.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-15 and 21-25 are examined on merits herein.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the following must be shown or the features canceled from the claim:
“forming spacer layers enclosing the first air gap inner spacers”, as Claim 9 recites;
“forming a porous-free dielectric layer around the first and second channel layers and laterally between the porous dielectric layers” (e.g., a lateral dispositions of the layers shall be shown), as Claim 14 recites and as paragraph 0059 of the published application (US 2025/01135349) states.
“forming a second sacrificial material in the recess, such that the second sacrificial material layer is enclosed by the spacer layer”, as Claim 21 recites.
No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
Paragraph 0035 of the published application (US 2025/0113539) recites: “concentration than about”. Examiner suggests changing the recitation to: “concentration greater than about”.
Paragraphs 0035 and 0037 of the published application recite: “recess S2” – instead of citing: “recess R2”.
Paragraph 0053 of the published application states: “spacer layers 127 enclose the air gap inner spacers 128’”; paragraph 0060 has a similar recitation. The recitations are unclear, since in the current application, spacer layer 127 is disposed only on three surfaces of the air gap inner spacers 128’, not on four (see Figs. 18-19): the spacer layer 127 is formed in recesses R2 (see Fig. 8) such that it leaves a room for filling of sacrificial material 128 (as in Fig. 9) and for a future air gap 128’ (as in Figs. 18-19). This spacer does not enclose the sacrificial material, but covers three of its surfaces. The current objection to the specification is made mainly because a new Claim 21 has a similar recitation with respect to “second sacrificial material” 128.
Appropriate corrections are required.
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.
Claims 2-7, 9, 14-15, and 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.SC. 112(b)
In re Claim 2: Claim 2 recites: “forming an interfacial layer around each of the semiconductor sheets”. The recitation is unclear, since in the current application, interfacial layer 242 is formed only around exposed portions of semiconductor sheets 124, e.g., around those portions that are not covered by spacer layer 127 (see Fig. 17C), and the application does not teach that the interfacial layer is formed around spacer 127.
Appropriate correction is required to clarify the claim language.
For this Office Action, the cited recitation is interpreted as: “forming an interfacial layer around exposed portions of the semiconductor sheets”.
In re Claims 3-7: Claims 3-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) due to dependency on Claim 2.
In re Claim 9: Claim 9 recites: “forming spacer layers enclosing the first air gap inner spacers”. The recitation is unclear for the same reason that is shown in the objection to paragraphs 0053 and 0060 of the specification – the current application does not disclose any spacer layer that encloses (e.g., covers from all sides) the first air gap inner spacers. In addition, the spacer layer 127 of the current application was formed when no air gap inner spacers 128’ were created, which makes the recitation even more unclear – spacer layers cannot enclose something that was not yet created.
Appropriate correction is required to clarify the claim language.
For this Office Action, the cited limitation was interpreted as: “forming spacer layers”.
In re Claim 14: Claim 14 recites: “forming a porous-free dielectric layer around the first and second channel layers and laterally between the porous dielectric layers”. The recitation is unclear for a few reasons. Initially (please, see Annotated Figs. 18C and 18D presented below for a better clarity), a porous-free dielectric layer 242a
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is formed only around exposed portions of the first and second channel layers 123, since other portions are covered with spacer layer 127. In addition, a porous-free dielectric layer 242a is formed vertically between porous dielectric layers 242b, not laterally.
Appropriate correction is required to clarify the claim language.
For this Office Action, the cited limitation was interpreted as: “forming a porous-free dielectric layer around exposed portions of the first and second channel layers and vertically between the porous dielectric layers”.
In re Claim 15: Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) due to dependency on Claim 14.
In re Claim 21: Lines 11-12 of Claim 21 recite: “forming a second sacrificial material in the recess, such that the second sacrificial material is enclosed by the spacer layer”. The recitation is unclear for the same reason that is shown in the objection to paragraphs 0053 and 0060 the specification.
Appropriate correction is required to clarify the claim language.
For this Office Action, the cited recitation was interpreted as: “forming a second sacrificial material in the recess, such that the second sacrificial material almost enclosed by the spacer layer”.
In re Claims 22-25: Claims 22-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) due to dependency on Claim 21.
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 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yeong et al. (US 2021/0202758).
In re Claim 1, Yeong teaches a method, comprising:
forming (Fig. 2, paragraphs 0015-0018) semiconductive sheets 54 over a substrate 50 and arranged in a vertical direction;
forming (Figs. 11-12, paragraph 0040) source/drain regions 112 on either side of each of the semiconductive sheets 54;
forming (Fig. 14, paragraph 0052) first air gap inner spacers 133 (near a left S/D region 112 in Fig. 14) interleaving with the semiconductive sheets 54; and
forming (Figs. 15-16, paragraphs 0053-0055) a gate 120, 122 around each of the semiconductive sheets 54, wherein the first air gap inner spacers 133 are laterally between the gate and a first one of the source/drain regions.
In re Claim 8, Yeong teaches the method of Claim 1 as cited above, further comprising:
forming (Fig. 14, paragraph 0052) second air gap inner spacers 133 (near a right S/D region 112) interleaving with the semiconductive sheets 54, wherein
after forming the gate 120, 122 (in Figs. 15-16, paragraphs 0053-0055), the second air gap inner spacers are laterally between the gate and a second one of the source/drain regions.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-13 are allowed.
Claims 2, 9, 10, and 21, as far as Claims 2, 9, and 21 are understood and interpreted, contain allowable subject matter. The current Office Action objects Claim 10 as being dependent on the rejected base Claim 1, but Claim 10 would be allowed if amended to incorporate all limitations of Claim 1. Claims 3-7 depend on Claim 2; Claims 22-25 depends on Claim 21.
Reason for Indicating Allowable Subject Matter
Re Claim 11: The prior arts of record, alone or in combination, fail(s) to anticipate or render obvious such limitations of Claim 11 as: “forming.. a disposable dielectric layer interposed between the first and second channel layers” and: “forming porous dielectric layers over the inner surfaces of the sacrificial materials”, in combination with other limitations of the claim: Yeong does not teach the above-cited limitations in combination with other limitations of the claims, and multiple other prior arts creating permanent air gaps in to be created semiconductor structure and all-around-gates (which are relevant for the current application) and – including Yao et al. (US 2021/0234017), Ando et al. (US 2019/0157414), Mochizuki et al. (US 2018/0358435), Frougier et al. (US 2018/0331232), or not creating air gaps, but creating all-around-gates – such as Lin et al (US 20220376088) – do not cure the above-cited deficiency.
Re Claims 12-15: Claims 12-15 are allowed due to dependency on Claim 11.
Re Claim 2: The above-cited prior arts of record fail(s) to anticipate or render obvious such limitations of Claim 2, as interpreted, as: “after forming the source/drain regions forming an interfacial layer around each of the semiconductive sheets and over inner sidewalls of the silicon germanium materials”, in combination with other limitations of Claim 2 and with combination of all limitations of Claim 1, on which Claim 2 depends.
Re Claim 9: The above-cited prior arts of record fail(s) to anticipate or render obvious such limitation of Claim 9, as interpreted, as: “spacer layers 55 interleaving with the semiconductive sheets and have ring-shaped profiles when viewed in a cross section taken along a lengthwise direction of the gate” ( e.g., the prior arts of record do not teach “ring-shaped profiles” of the above-cited limitation) in combination with other limitations of Claim 9, as interpreted and in combination with Claim 1, on which claim 9 depends.
Re Claim 10: The above-cited prior arts of record fail(s) to anticipate or render obvious such limitation of Claim 10 as: “forming a source/drain liner on the either side of each of the semiconductor sheets”, in combination with other limitations of Claim 10 and with combination of all limitations of Claim 1, on which claim 10 depends.
Re Claim 21: the above-cited prior arts of record fail(s) to anticipate or render obvious such limitations of Claim 21, as interpreted, as: “removing the first sacrificial material to expose the vertical portion of the spacer layer” and: “forming an interfacial layer over an inner surface of the second sacrificial material, wherein the interfacial layer is porous”, in combination with other limitations of the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to GALINA G YUSHINA whose telephone number is 571-270-7440. The Examiner can normally be reached between 8 AM - 7 PM Pacific Time (Flexible).
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/GALINA G YUSHINA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2811, TC 2800,
United States Patent and Trademark Office
E-mail: galina.yushina@USPTO.gov
Phone: 571-270-7440
Date: 03/09/26