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 .
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 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.
Status of Application
In response to Office action mailed 02/05/2026, Applicants amended claims 1-3, 6, 10-12, 14, 16 and 18-20, in the response filed 04/24/2026.
Claim(s) 1-20 are pending examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to the claims overcomes the prior art of record, with the exception of the newly introduced 35 USC § 112 claim rejection for claims 1-10 (see below).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
1. 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.
Claim 1 recites “a second pattern horizontally,” it is unclear if this is a new second channel pattern or if an unrelated pattern?
Note: all dependent claims necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims from which they depend.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3, 6, 8-12, 14-15 and 18-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
For consistency and clarity of record the Office suggests amending all claims that make reference to the “first and second channel patterns” in its originally introduced format (e.g. the first channel pattern and the second channel pattern.)
For consistency and clarity of record the Office suggests amending all claims that make reference to the “first and second source/drain patterns” in its originally introduced format (e.g. the first source/drain pattern and the second source/drain pattern.)
For consistency and clarity of record the Office suggests amending all claims that make reference to the “third and fourth channel pattern” in its originally introduced format (e.g. the third channel pattern and the fourth channel pattern.)
Appropriate correction is required.
Prior Art
3. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
a. Su et al. (PG Pub 2021/0104616) teaches a gate structure for semiconductor devices.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Claims 11-20 are allowable.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 1 contains allowable subject matter, because the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements in claim 1, a first channel pattern and a second pattern horizontally adjacent to each other; a first gate electrode that overlaps with the first channel pattern; a first source/drain pattern between the first and second channel patterns; a second source/drain pattern horizontally separated from the first source/drain pattern and between the first and second channel patterns; and a first active contact in contact with a side surface of each of the first and second source/drain patterns, wherein a crystal plane of the side surface of each of the first and second source/drain patterns is one of {100} planes. Claims 2-10 would be allowable, because they depend on allowable claim 1.
Claim 11 contains allowable subject matter, because the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements in claim 11, a first channel pattern and a second channel pattern horizontally adjacent to each other; a first gate electrode that overlaps with one of the first channel pattern; a first source/drain patterns between the first and second channel patterns; a second source/drain pattern horizontally separated from the first source/drain pattern and between the first and second channel patterns; and a first active contact in contact with a side surface of each of the first and second source/drain patterns, wherein the side surface of each of the first and second source/drain patterns is substantially planar, wherein the first active contact comprises a first portion in contact with respective bottom surfaces of the first and second source/drain patterns and a second portion in contact with the side surface of each of the first and second source/drain patterns, and wherein a width of the second portion of the first active contact decreases as a distance to a top surface of the first portion of the first active contact decreases. Claims 12-19 would be allowable, because they depend on allowable claim 11.
Claim 20 contains allowable subject matter, because the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, fails to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other elements in claim 20, a first channel pattern and a second channel pattern horizontally patterns adjacent to each other; a first gate electrode that overlaps with one of the first channel pattern; a first source/drain patterns pattern between the first and second channel patterns; a second source/drain pattern horizontally separated from the first source/drain pattern and between the first and second channel patterns; and a first active contact in contact with the first and second source/drain patterns, wherein the first active contact comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion of the first active contact is between the first and second source/drain patterns and is on the first portion of the first active contact, wherein each of the first and second channel patterns comprises semiconductor patterns that overlap with each other, wherein a crystal plane of a side surface of each of the semiconductor patterns is one of {100} planes, wherein the first and second source/drain patterns each include a side surface in contact with the second portion of the first active contact, and wherein a crystal plane of the side surface of each of the first and second source/drain patterns is the one of the { 100} planes.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 Christina A Sylvia whose telephone number is (571)272-7474. The examiner can normally be reached on 8am-4pm (M-F).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marlon Fletcher can be reached on 571-272-2063. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTINA A SYLVIA/Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/MARLON T FLETCHER/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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