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 .
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 § 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)(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.
Claims 1, 5 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Fung (20170345933)
Regarding claim 1, Fung teaches a method, comprising:
forming a source/drain (S/D) epitaxial region in a front side of a substrate (par. 25 and 26 teaches form source drain epitaxy 306, 306A and 306B);
forming a back side epitaxial layer atop the S/D epitaxial region, wherein the back side epitaxial layer is formed within a contact via of a back side of the substrate (par. 30-33 teaches forming back side holes to 306,306A an 306B and then forming a second epitaxial source drain layer over the source/drain structures 306, 306A, 306B, for example, prior to any PAI);
amorphizing the back side epitaxial layer by delivering a pre-amorphization implant into the contact via (as mentioned above, and taught in par. 30, after forming second epitaxial source drain, perform PAI);
implanting a dopant into the back side epitaxial layer after the back side epitaxial layer is amorphized (par. 30-33 teaches inserting metal material into the surface of the second epitaxial source drain and then performing an anneal); and
performing a thermal treatment to the back side epitaxial layer following the dopant implant (par. 33 teaches performing an anneal after inserting metal into the second epitaxial source drain),
wherein the thermal treatment is performed at a temperature less than 650° C (par. 30-33 teaches the mixing the metal into the second epitaxial source drain, this process occurring between 400-600 degrees Celsius).
Regarding claim 5, Fung teaches a method of claim 1, wherein implanting the dopant into the back side epitaxial layer comprises delivering a p-channel metal oxide semiconductor (PMOS) dopant into a top surface of the back side epitaxial layer (par. 32 teaches P type dopants being added).
Regarding claim 8, Fung teaches a method of claim 1, further comprising forming an area of regrowth along a top surface of the back side epitaxial layer as a result of the thermal treatment (par. 32 teaches silicidation which has a growth phase after annealing).
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.
Claim 3 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 4 is objected to based on its dependency on claim 3.
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 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 9-15 allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: claim 9 teaches a method of manufacturing novel in the art, such as the temporal ordering of steps, such as implanting a dopant into the back side epitaxial layer after the back side epitaxial layer is amorphized; performing a thermal treatment to the back side epitaxial layer following the dopant implant, wherein the thermal treatment is performed at a temperature less than 650° C.; and forming a back side contact within the contact via by siliciding the back side epitaxial layer and forming a metal fill within the contact via.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Claims 16-20 allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: claim 9 teaches a method of manufacturing novel in the art, such as the temporal ordering of steps, such amorphizing the back side epitaxial layer by delivering a pre-amorphization implant into a top surface of the back side epitaxial layer, wherein the pre-amorphization implant is performed at a temperature less than 0° C.; implanting a dopant into the back side epitaxial layer after the back side epitaxial layer is amorphized; performing a thermal treatment to the back side epitaxial layer following the dopant implant, wherein the thermal treatment is performed at a temperature less than 650° C.; and forming a back side contact within the contact via.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
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.
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, 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
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