CTNF 18/539,610 CTNF 90835 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement(s) submitted on December 14, 2023 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner. Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 5, 6, 8, 11, 12 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities: “an upper surface” should read “the upper surface” (claim 5, line 2 and claim 8, line 5) . Appropriate correction is required. Claim 6 is objected to because it depends from objected-to claim 5. Claims 11, 12 and 14 are objected to because they depend from objected-to claim 8. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 2, 4 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2021/0151595 A1 (hereinafter “Park”) . Regarding claim 1 , Park discloses in Fig. 2 and related text a nitride semiconductor device (101; [0078]) comprising: a conductive layer (110; [0060], [0081] and [0093]); a protruding region (121; [0082]) of a nitride semiconductor (GaN or AlGaN) provided on at least a part of an upper surface of the conductive layer; an n-type drift layer (122; [0087]) provided above the conductive layer, the drift layer including a tapered region tapered upward above the protruding region; and a p-type body layer (141; [0086]) adjacent to the tapered region of the drift layer, wherein the drift layer and the body layer are an epitaxial layer ([0129] and [0132]). Regarding claim 2 , Park discloses the conductive layer is an n-type nitride semiconductor layer ([0093]), and an n-type impurity concentration of the drift layer (10 15 /cm 3 to 10 18 /cm 3 ) is lower than an n-type impurity concentration of the nitride semiconductor layer (10 19 /cm 3 ) ([0099]). Regarding claim 4 , Park discloses the protruding region has a narrow portion (may be arbitrarily chosen) at a lower end of the protruding region (Fig. 2). Regarding claim 7 , Park discloses a lower end of the body layer is located above an upper end of the protruding region (Fig. 2) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 3, 5 and 6 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “the protruding region is formed by a part of the nitride semiconductor layer” as recited in claim 3, and “the narrow portion of the protruding region is disposed through the opening” as recited in claim 5. Claim 6 depends from claim 5 and therefore would be allowable at least by virtue of its dependency . Claims 8, 11, 12 and 14 would be allowable if claim 8 were to be amended to overcome the objection set forth in this Office action . 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “forming a protruding region by etching an upper surface of an n-type nitride semiconductor layer” in combination with “the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward above the protruding region ” as recited in claim 8 . 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim s 9 and 13 are allowed. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “forming a protruding region by crystal growth from the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer exposed from the opening of the mask layer” in combination with “forming an n-type drift layer by crystal growth from the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer, the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward above the protruding region ” as recited in claim 9 . Regarding claim 9 , Park discloses in Figs. 7-9 and related text a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor device, comprising: PNG media_image1.png 295 731 media_image1.png Greyscale forming a mask layer (130) on an upper surface of a nitride semiconductor layer (121), the mask layer having an opening (Fig. 7; [0082] and [0128]); PNG media_image2.png 412 821 media_image2.png Greyscale forming an n-type drift layer (122) by crystal growth from the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer, the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward (Fig. 8; [0129] and [0130]); and PNG media_image3.png 393 826 media_image3.png Greyscale forming a p-type body layer (140) by crystal growth from an upper surface of the drift layer, the body layer being adjacent to the tapered region of the drift layer (Fig. 9; [0131] and [0132]). However, Park does not disclose forming a protruding region by crystal growth from the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer exposed from the opening of the mask layer, removing the mask layer, and the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward above the protruding region . Accordingly, independent claim 9 is allowable. Claim 13 depends from claim 9 and is therefore allowable at least by virtue of its dependency . 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim 10 is allowed. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record does not teach or suggest “forming a protruding region by crystal growth from the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer exposed from the opening of the mask layer” in combination with “forming an n-type drift layer by crystal growth from the protruding region , the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward above the protruding region ” as recited in claim 10 . Regarding claim 10 , Park discloses in Figs. 7-9 and related text a method of manufacturing a nitride semiconductor device, comprising: PNG media_image1.png 295 731 media_image1.png Greyscale forming a mask layer (130) on an upper surface of a nitride semiconductor layer (121), the mask layer having an opening (Fig. 7; [0082] and [0128]); PNG media_image2.png 412 821 media_image2.png Greyscale forming an n-type drift layer (122) by crystal growth, the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward (Fig. 8; [0129] and [0130]); and PNG media_image3.png 393 826 media_image3.png Greyscale forming a p-type body layer (140) by crystal growth from an upper surface of the drift layer, the body layer being adjacent to the tapered region of the drift layer (Fig. 9; [0131] and [0132]). However, Park does not disclose forming a protruding region by crystal growth from the upper surface of the nitride semiconductor layer exposed from the opening of the mask layer, and forming an n-type drift layer by crystal growth from the protruding region , the drift layer being provided above the nitride semiconductor layer and including a tapered region tapered upward above the protruding region . Accordingly, independent claim 10 is allowable. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER M ALBRECHT whose telephone number is (571)272-7813. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM (CT). 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, Lynne Gurley can be reached at (571) 272-1670. 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. /PETER M ALBRECHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 2 Art Unit: 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 4 Art Unit: 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 5 Art Unit: 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 6 Art Unit: 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 7 Art Unit: 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 8 Art Unit: 2811 Application/Control Number: 18/539,610 Page 9 Art Unit: 2811