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 .
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 and 11 – 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Liu, US 2023/0067299.
Regarding Claim 1, Liu teaches capacitor device, comprising: pad structures 12; bottom electrodes disposed on the pad structures, respectively; a top electrode 46 disposed on the bottom electrodes 42; and a dielectric layer 44 disposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrodes, wherein the top electrode comprises at least one void 22G with reference to Fig. 2H in paragraphs 20 – 25.
Regarding Claim 11, Liu teaches wherein a top width of the at least one void is less than a bottom width of the at least one void with reference to Fig. 2H.
Regarding Claim 12, Liu teaches wherein a length of the at least one void in a vertical direction is greater than a length of the at least one void in a horizontal direction with reference to Fig. 2H.
Regarding Claim 13, Liu teaches wherein the at least one void is disposed above one of the pad structures in a vertical direction with reference to Fig. 2H.
Regarding Claim 14, Liu teaches a manufacturing method of a capacitor device, comprising: forming a bottom electrode 42 on a pad structure 12; and forming a top electrode 46 and a dielectric layer 44, wherein the top electrode is disposed on the bottom electrode, the dielectric layer is disposed between the top electrode and the bottom electrode, and the top electrode comprises at least one void 22G with reference to Fig. 2H in paragraphs 20 – 25.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 – 10 and 15 – 20 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The reasons for allowing these claims are due to the various components of the capacitor laid out according the limitations of these claims. Furthermore, the art of record does not disclose or anticipate the above limitation in combination with other claim elements nor would it be obvious to modify the art of record so as to form a device including the above limitation.
Conclusion
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.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ASOK K SARKAR whose telephone number is (571)272-1970. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri; 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM.
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/ASOK K SARKAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891 February 6, 2026
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