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 group I in the reply filed on 7/29/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maniscalco et al., US 2021/0242082.
Regarding claim 1, Maniscalco discloses (fig. 1F and related text) a semiconductor structure (fig. 1F), the semiconductor structure comprising: a non-topological conductor core (142); a topological conductor interface layer (130) at least partially surrounding the non-topological conductor core (142); and a dielectric layer (106) at least partially surrounding the topological conductor interface layer (130).
Regarding claim 2, Maniscalco discloses the topological conductor interface layer (130) covers a top portion (upper side surface of 142) of the non-topological conductor core (142).
Regarding claim 3, Maniscalco discloses the topological conductor interface layer (132) covers a bottom portion (bottom side surfaces of 142) of the non-topological conductor core.
Regarding claim 4, Maniscalco discloses a liner layer (110) at least partially surrounding the topological conductor interface layer (130).
Regarding claim 5, Maniscalco discloses a first portion of the liner layer and a second portion of the liner layer are intersected by sidewalls of the topological conductor interface layer (130, fig. 1F).
Regarding claim 6, Maniscalco discloses the first portion of the liner (bottom of 110) is formed underneath a bottom portion of the topological conductor interface layer (bottom of 130).
Regarding claim 8, Maniscalco discloses the topological conductor interface layer (130) has a thickness ranging from 1-3 nm [0048].
Regarding claim 10, Maniscalco discloses a charge carrier doping layer (120) formed conformally between the topological conductor interface layer (130) and the liner layer (110).
Claim(s) 1, 4-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Maniscalco et al., US 2021/0242082.
Regarding claim 1, Maniscalco discloses (fig. 3F and related text) a semiconductor structure (fig. 3F), the semiconductor structure comprising: a non-topological conductor core (242); a topological conductor interface layer (130) at least partially surrounding the non-topological conductor core (242); and a dielectric layer (106) at least partially surrounding the topological conductor interface layer (130).
Regarding claim 4, Maniscalco discloses a liner layer (110) at least partially surrounding the topological conductor interface layer (130).
Regarding claim 5, Maniscalco discloses a first portion (left side 110) of the liner layer and a second portion (right side) of the liner layer (110) are intersected by sidewalls of the topological conductor interface layer (130, fig. 3F).
Regarding claim 7, Maniscalco discloses bottom surfaces of the sidewalls of the topological conductor interface layer (130) are coplanar with a bottom surface of the first portion of the liner layer (110, fig. 3F).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 9 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMUEL A GEBREMARIAM whose telephone number is (571)272-1653. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30-4PM.
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/SAMUEL A GEBREMARIAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811