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
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7,15-27 in the reply filed on 5/6/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 –
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1,2,15,16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Yoshimura US 2004/0004255.
Regarding claim 1, Yoshimura shows in FIG. 6, and discloses an integrated circuit, comprising: a semiconductor substrate (11)[0058] comprising: a front face surface, a plurality of isolation structures (12)[0058], each isolation structure (12) extending vertically into the semiconductor substrate (11) from the front face surface to a first depth of the semiconductor substrate, and an interconnection part (16,17) comprising a plurality of metal levels incorporating a passive component (19)[0058]; and a dielectric structure (20)[0058] vertically aligned with the passive component (19)(19 is place over 20 and aligned with it), the dielectric structure extending vertically into the semiconductor substrate (11) from the front face surface to a second depth greater than the first depth.
Regarding claim 2, Yoshimura shows in FIG. 6, and discloses an integrated circuit wherein a resistivity of the semiconductor substrate (11) at the first depth is twice a resistivity of the semiconductor substrate at the second depth [0020, 0059].
Regarding claim 15, Yoshimura shows in FIG. 6, a device comprising an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising: a semiconductor substrate (11) comprising: a front face surface, a plurality of isolation structures (12), each isolation structure extending vertically into the semiconductor substrate (11) from the front face surface to a first depth of the semiconductor substrate (11), and an interconnection part (16,17) comprising a plurality of metal levels incorporating a passive component (19); and a dielectric structure (20) vertically aligned with the passive component (19), the dielectric structure (20) extending vertically into the semiconductor substrate from the front face surface to a second depth greater than the first depth.
Regarding claim 16, Yoshimura shows in FIG. 6, a device wherein a resistivity of the semiconductor substrate (11) at the first depth is twice a resistivity of the semiconductor substrate at the second depth [0058].
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 3,17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimura.
Regarding claims 3,17, Yoshimura discloses a first and second depth st at 1200 nm to 1500 nm [0068,0072,0077,0080].
As for the first depth is between 0.1 micrometers and 0.5 micrometers, inclusive, and wherein the second depth is between 0.3 micrometers and 1.5 micrometers, Applicant did not show criticality of the particular depth value. To establish unexpected results over a claimed range or optimum value, applicants should compare a sufficient number of tests both inside and outside the claimed range to show the criticality of the claimed range. In re Hill, 284 F.2d 955, 128 USPQ 197 (CCPA 1960).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7,18-20 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.
Claims 21-27 are allowed.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARC-ANTHONY ARMAND whose telephone number is (571)272-5178. The examiner can normally be reached 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven B Gauthier can be reached at 571-270-0373. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MARC - ANTHONY ARMAND
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2813
/MARC-ANTHONY ARMAND/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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