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 1-16 in the reply filed on 10/28/2025 is acknowledged.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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.
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 5 recites the limitation " the second conductive material". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 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 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.
Claims 1, 5, 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takuma (20220223614).
Regarding claim 1, Takuma teaches an method, comprising:
providing a first film stack comprising a first plurality of alternating first layers (fig. 2: 132L) and second layers (fig. 2: 142L);
forming a first plurality of contact openings (fig. 5A-D:129 and 149) in the first film stack,
wherein each contact opening of the first plurality of contact openings is formed to a different etch depth relative to an upper surface of the first film stack (please see fig. 5A-D showing opening in stacked layers);
forming a sacrificial gapfill within the first plurality of contact openings (fig. 6A-D; par, 86 teaches that 129 and 149 are filled with sacrificial first-tier fill material);
forming a second film stack atop the upper surface of the first film stack,
wherein the second film stack comprises a second plurality of alternating first layers (fig. 8: 242L) and second layers (fig. 8:232L);
forming a second plurality of contact openings (fig. 10A-D: 249 and 229) in the second film stack,
wherein a first set of contact openings of the second plurality of contact openings extends to the sacrificial gapfill (please see fig. 10A-D showing opening in second stacked layers); and
removing the sacrificial gapfill from the first plurality of contact openings (fig. 12 and 13A; par, 113 teaches removing aforementioned sacrificial first-tier fill material).
Regarding claim 5, Takuma teaches an method of claim 1, wherein depositing the second conductive material within the first and second plurality of contact openings to form the plurality of wordline contacts comprises depositing tungsten within the first and second plurality of contact openings, and wherein each of the plurality of wordline contacts extends to the upper surface of the second film stack (please see fig. 13A-D).
Regarding claim 8, Takuma teaches an method of claim 1, wherein the first layers of the first and second plurality of alternating first layers and second layers are silicon oxide, and wherein the second layers of the first and second plurality of alternating first layers and second layers are silicon nitride (par. 73).
Regarding claim 9, Takuma teaches an method of claim 1, wherein each contact opening of the first plurality of contact openings in the first film stack has a first diameter, wherein each contact opening of the second plurality of contact openings in the second film stack has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter (par. 84, 103 and 112).
Claims 10, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Takuma (20220223614).
Regarding claim 10, Takuma teaches an system, comprising:
a processor; a memory storing instructions executable by the processor to (prior art teaches manufacturing 3D NAND using apparatuses such as CDV chambers, these chambers being controlled by processors that have executable instructions):
providing a first film stack comprising a first plurality of alternating first layers (fig. 2: 132L) and second layers (fig. 2: 142L);
forming a first plurality of contact openings (fig. 5A-D:129 and 149) in the first film stack,
wherein each contact opening of the first plurality of contact openings is formed to a different etch depth relative to an upper surface of the first film stack (please see fig. 5A-D showing opening in stacked layers);
forming a sacrificial gapfill within the first plurality of contact openings (fig. 6A-D; par, 86 teaches that 129 and 149 are filled with sacrificial first-tier fill material);
forming a second film stack atop the upper surface of the first film stack,
wherein the second film stack comprises a second plurality of alternating first layers (fig. 8: 242L) and second layers (fig. 8:232L);
forming a second plurality of contact openings (fig. 10A-D: 249 and 229) in the second film stack,
wherein a first set of contact openings of the second plurality of contact openings extends to the sacrificial gapfill (please see fig. 10A-D showing opening in second stacked layers); and
removing the sacrificial gapfill from the first plurality of contact openings (fig. 12 and 13A; par, 113 teaches removing aforementioned sacrificial first-tier fill material).
Regarding claim 15, Takuma teaches an system of claim 10, wherein each contact opening of the first plurality of contact openings in the first film stack has a first diameter, wherein each contact opening of the second plurality of contact openings in the second film stack has a second diameter, and wherein the first diameter is greater than the second diameter (par. 84, 103 and 112).
Regarding claim 16, Takuma teaches an system according to claim 10, wherein the instructions executable by the processor to form the second plurality of contact openings further comprises instructions to: etch the first set of contact openings through the second film stack to expose an upper surface of the sacrificial gapfill; and form a second set of contact openings adjacent the first set of contact openings, wherein each of the second set of contact openings is formed to a different etch depth relative to an upper surface of the second film stack (fig. 12 and 13A; par. 113).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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 3 and 4 are objected to based on their dependency on claim 2.
Claim 6 is 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.
Claim 7 is objected to based on their dependency on claim 6
Claim 11 is 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.
Claim 12 is objected to based on their dependency on claim 11
Claim 13 is 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.
Claim 14 is objected to based on their dependency on claim 13
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CALEB E HENRY whose telephone number is (571)270-5370. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eva Montalvo can be reached at (571) 270-3829. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CALEB E HENRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818