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 .
This OA is in response to the amendment filled on 8/11/2026 that has been entered, wherein claims 1-16 and 21-24 are pending.
Election/Restrictions
Applicants’ election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-16 and 21-24 in the reply filed on 8/11/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/19/2024 and 2/10/2025 are 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
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.
Claims 3, 4-5 and 11-16 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 3 recites the limitation of “the method of claim 1, wherein the second trenches are formed earlier than the first trenches” in line 1. How can the second trenches be formed earlier than the first trenches, when claim 1 requires the first trenches and second trenches to be formed in a chronological order(claim 1, line 10)? For the purpose of examination, the limitation of “the second trenches are formed earlier than the first trenches” will be interpreted as “the second trenches are formed after the first trenches”.
Claim 4 recites the limitation of “the patterned mask layer comprises first openings disposed directly over the first metal line and second openings disposed directly over the second metal line” in line 3. If the dielectric layer is over the metallization layer containing the first and second metal lines as required by claim 1, from which this claim depends, and the patterned mask layer is on the dielectric layer as required by line 2, how can the first openings be disposed directly over the first metal line and second openings be disposed directly over the second metal line? For the purpose of examination, the limitation of “the patterned mask layer comprises first openings disposed directly over the first metal line and second openings disposed directly over the second metal line” will be interpreted as “the patterned mask layer comprises first openings disposed over the first metal line and second openings disposed over the second metal line”.
Claim 5 depends on claim 4 and inherits deficiencies.
Claim 11 recites the limitation of “the patterned mask comprising a first opening disposed directly over the first conductive feature and a second opening disposed directly over the second conductive feature” in line 10. If the second dielectric layer is on the first and second conductive features(line 9) and the patterned mask over the second dielectric layer(line 10), how can the first opening be disposed directly over the first conductive feature and the second opening disposed directly over the second conductive feature? For the purpose of examination, the limitation of “the first opening disposed directly over the first conductive feature and a second opening disposed directly over the second conductive feature” will be interpreted as “the first opening disposed over the first conductive feature and a second opening disposed over the second conductive feature”.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the second trenches" in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Are the second trenches different and distant from a second trench of line 14 or the same? For the purpose of examination “"the second trenches" will be interpreted as "the second trench"
Claims 12-16 depend on claim 11 and inherit deficiencies.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1, 3, 6 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (US 2024/0178137 A1) in view of Lin et al. (US 2019/0067022 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Chen teaches a method(Fig. 2), comprising:
forming a first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) coupled to a gate structure(26, ¶0022) of a transistor(26, 28, ¶0017), the first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) comprising a first metal line(50, ¶0024);
forming a second antenna(142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0027) coupled to a source/drain feature(28, ¶0022) of the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017), the second antenna(142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0027) comprising a second metal line(150, ¶0027), wherein the first metal line(50, ¶0024) and the second metal line(150, ¶0027) are disposed within a same metallization layer(70, 42, 60, 50, 142, 160, 150, 170, ¶0022, ¶0024, ¶0027);
forming a dielectric layer(34, ¶0020) over the metallization layer(70, 42, 60, 50, 142, 160, 150, 170, ¶0022, ¶0024, ¶0027);
forming first trenches(trench of 52, 72) exposing the first metal line(50, ¶0024) and second trenches(trench of 152, 172) exposing the second metal line(150, ¶0027), respectively, and
forming first conductive vias(52, ¶0024) and second conductive vias(152, ¶0027) in the first trenches(trench of 52, 72) and second trenches(trench of 152, 172), respectively.
Chen does not explicitly disclose the first trenches(trench of 52, 72) and second trenches(trench of 152, 172) are formed in a chronological order. However the sequence of process steps would be determined by the process demands and thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make so the first trenches and second trenches are formed in a chronological order since the selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results. MPEP 2144.04
Chen is not relied on to teach performing a plasma etching process to the dielectric layer(34, ¶0020).
Lin teaches a method(Figs. 1-10) comprising performing a plasma etching process(¶0040) to the dielectric layer(128, ¶0040). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Chen, to include performing a plasma etching process to the dielectric layer, as taught by Lin, so that the width of the openings is relatively uniform within process variations(¶0040).
Regarding claim 3, Chen teaches the method of claim 1.
Chen does not disclose the second trenches(trench of 152, 172) are formed after the first trenches(trench of 52, 72). However the sequence of process steps would be determined by the process demands and thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to make so the second trenches are formed after the first trenches since the selection of any order of performing process steps is prima facie obvious in the absence of new or unexpected results. MPEP 2144.04
Regarding claim 6, Chen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the metallization layer(70, 42, 60, 50, 142, 160, 150, 170, ¶0022, ¶0024, ¶0027) is disposed under the gate structure(26, ¶0022) of the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017).
Regarding claim 10, Chen teaches the method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second antennas(42, 60, 50, 142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0024, ¶0027) further comprises vias and metal lines disposed between the metallization layer(70, 42, 60, 50, 142, 160, 150, 170, ¶0022, ¶0024, ¶0027) and the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-24 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 21, Chen et al. (US 2024/0178137 A1) teaches a method(Fig. 1), comprising:
receiving a precursor structure(26, 28, 12 ¶0017) comprising:
a transistor(26, 28, ¶0017) on a substrate(12),
forming a first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) disposed under and configured to electrically couple to a gate structure(26, ¶0022) of the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017), the first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) comprising a first metal line(50, ¶0024);
forming a second antenna(142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0027) disposed under and configured to electrically couple to a source/drain feature(28, ¶0022) of the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017), the second antenna(142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0027) comprising a second metal line(150, ¶0027), wherein the first metal line(50, ¶0024) and the second metal line(150, ¶0027) are disposed within a same metallization layer(70, 42, 60, 50, 142, 160, 150, 170, ¶0022, ¶0024, ¶0027);
forming one or more first trenches(trench of 52) exposing the first metal line(50, ¶0024) and one or more second trenches(trench of 152) exposing the second metal line(150, ¶0027), and
forming first and second conductive features(52, 152, ¶0024, ¶0027) in the first and second trenches(trench of 152), respectively.
Chen does not disclose a transistor(26, 28, ¶0017) over a substrate(12), and
an interconnect structure over the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017),
forming a first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) disposed under a gate structure(26, ¶0022) of the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017), forming a second antenna(142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0027) disposed under a source/drain feature(28, ¶0022)
wherein during the forming of the one or more first and second trenches(trench of 52, 152), the first metal line(50, ¶0024) and the second metal line(150, ¶0027) are exposed to charged ions, wherein the first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) is configured to serve as a lightning rod to provide a discharge path for some of the charged ions.
However, Zheng et al. (CN 102034816 A) teaches a method(Fig. 2) wherein during the forming of the one or more first and second trenches, the first metal line(204, ¶0047) and the second metal line(205, ¶0047) are exposed to charged ions(¶0053), wherein the first antenna(2041, ¶0060) is configured to serve as a lightning rod to provide a discharge path for some of the charged ions(¶0064). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Chen, to include during the forming of the one or more first and second trenches, the first metal line and the second metal line are exposed to charged ions, wherein the first antenna is configured to serve as a lightning rod to provide a discharge path for some of the charged ions, as taught by Zheng, in order to prevent PID damage to the transistor and improving the reliability of the transistor.
Chen and Zheng do not teach a transistor(26, 28, ¶0017) over a substrate(12), and
an interconnect structure over the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017),
forming a first antenna(42, 60, 50, ¶0022, ¶0024) disposed under a gate structure(26, ¶0022) of the transistor(26, 28, ¶0017), forming a second antenna(142, 160, 150, ¶0022, ¶0027) disposed under a source/drain feature(28, ¶0022).
Regarding independent claim 21, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “a transistor over a substrate, and an interconnect structure over the transistor,
forming a first antenna disposed under a gate structure of the transistor, forming a second antenna disposed under a source/drain feature”.
Claims 22-24 depend on claim 21 and are allowed.
Claims 2 and 7-9 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding dependent claim 2, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “a via of the first conductive vias spans a first width, and a via of the second conductive vias spans a second width greater than the first width”.
Regarding dependent claim 7, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “forming a shielding plate over the gate structure of the transistor and electrically coupled to the source/drain feature of the transistor”.
Regarding dependent claim 8, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “forming a conductive cage surrounding the first antenna, wherein the conducive cage comprises a sidewall disposed adjacent to the first antenna and a bottom electrically coupled to the source/drain feature of the transistor”.
Regarding dependent claim 9, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “a density of the first conductive vias is greater than a density of the second conductive vias”.
Claims 4-5 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding dependent claim 4, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “the patterned mask layer comprises first openings disposed directly over the first metal line and second openings disposed directly over the second metal line, wherein a width of one of the second openings is greater than a width of one of the first openings”.
Claims 5 depends on claim 5 and inherits its allowable subject matter.
Claims 11-16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 11, Kim et al. (KR 2008/0002057 A) teaches a method(Fig. 1), comprising:
receiving a workpiece(Fig. 1a) comprising:
a transistor(TR, SST1, SST2, page 3) comprising a gate structure(105, 106, page 3) and a source/drain feature(101s, page 3) adjacent to the gate structure(105, 106, page 3), and
a first conductive feature(117s, page 4) and a second conductive feature(117g, page 4) disposed in a first dielectric layer(113, page 4), wherein the source/drain feature(101s, page 3) is coupled to the first conductive feature(117s, page 4) by way of a first conductive path, and the gate structure(105, 106, page 3) is coupled to the second conductive feature(117g, page 4) by way of a second conductive path;
forming a second dielectric layer(118, page 4) on the first and second conductive features(117s, 117g, page 4);
forming a patterned mask(119, 120, page 4) over the second dielectric layer(118, page 4), the patterned mask(119, 120, page 4) comprising a first opening disposed over the first conductive feature(117s, page 4) and a second opening disposed over the second conductive feature(117g, page 4) and smaller than the first opening;
by using the patterned mask(119, 120, page 4) as an etch mask, performing a etching process(page 4) to etch the second dielectric layer(118, page 4) to form a first trench exposing the first conductive feature(117s, page 4) and a second trench exposing the second conductive feature(117g, page 4); and
forming a first conductive via(123s, page 5) in the first trench and a second conductive via(123g, page 5) in the second trenches.
Kim does not disclose performing a plasma etching process(page 4) and a second opening smaller than the first opening.
Regarding independent claim 11, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of the instant application as a whole either taken alone or in combination, in particular, prior art of record does not teach “the source/drain feature is coupled to the first conductive feature… the gate structure is coupled to the second conductive feature… the patterned mask comprising a first opening disposed over the first conductive feature and a second opening disposed over the second conductive feature and smaller than the first opening”.
Claims 12-16 depend on claim 11 and inherit its allowable subject matter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kim et al. (US 2011/0256719 A1). Discloses a method.
Kuo et al. (US 2022/0415717 A1) Discloses a method.
Maeda et al. (2010123735 A) Discloses a method.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA DYKES whose telephone number is (571)270-3161. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-5 pm.
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/LAURA M DYKES/Examiner, Art Unit 2892
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