Method for Forming an Interconnection Structure

Application No. 18/514,461

• Filed: Nov 20, 2023
• Priority: Nov 21, 2022 — EU 22208458.4
• Examiner: ESIABA, NKECHINYERE OTUOMASIRICH
• Art Unit: 2817
• Tech Center: 2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
• Assignee: Imec Vzw
• OA Round: 1 (Non-Final)

Office Action

DETAILED ACTION
This Notice is responsive to communication filed on 11/20/2023.

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 .

Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.

Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/20/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.

Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 2, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 2 recites the limitation "the" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the" in l. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation "the" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 19 recites the limitation "the" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.

Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, and 3-16 are allowed.
Claims 2, and 17-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in correct form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.

Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NKECHINYERE ESIABA whose telephone number is [phone]. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10am-5pm EST.
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, Kretelia Graham can be reached at [phone]. 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.

/Nkechinyere Esiaba/Examiner, Art Unit 2817
/Kretelia Graham/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2817 March 17, 2026

Prosecution Timeline

• Nov 20, 2023: Application Filed
• Mar 19, 2026: Non-Final Rejection mailed — §112 (current)