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 .
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 14-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (hereinafter Lee, US 2023/0055499).
In regards to independent claim 1, Lee teaches an integrated circuit memory device, comprising:
a substrate(100);
a bit line extending in a first horizontal direction on the substrate (Fig. 5B, BL);
a channel structure extending on the bit line, the channel structure including a horizontal portion on the bit line and a vertical channel portion extending upwardly from one end of the horizontal portion(Fig. 5B, CP);
a word line on the horizontal portion and crossing the bit line to extend in a second horizontal direction, intersecting the first horizontal direction (Fig. 5B, WL1, 2); and
a landing pad structure electrically connected to the vertical channel portion, the landing pad structure including a first contact portion in contact with an upper surface of the vertical channel portion and a second contact portion protruding downwardly from a lower surface of the first contact portion (Fig. 5B, LP).
In regards to dependent claim 2, Lee teaches the device of claim 1, wherein a horizontal width of the first contact portion is greater than a horizontal width of the vertical channel portion (Fig. 5B, LP).
In regards to dependent claim 3, Lee teaches wherein the second contact portion is in contact with a side surface of the vertical channel portion (Fig. 5B, LP).
In regards to dependent claim 4, Lee teaches wherein an upper region of the vertical channel portion extends between the second contact portion and the word line (Fig. 5B, LP).
In regards to dependent claim 14, Lee teaches:
an upper insulating structure covering upper surfaces of the bit line and the word line (Fig. 5B, 155, 165); and
wherein the landing pad structure further includes a first protrusion protruding to the upper insulating structure (Fig. 5B, LP)..
In regards to dependent claim 15, Lee teaches wherein the landing pad structure further includes a second protrusion protruding from a side surface of the second contact portion in a direction away from the word line (Fig. 5B, LP).
In regards to dependent claim 16, Lee teaches wherein the channel structure includes an internal channel structure and an external channel structure extending on the internal channel structure ((Fig. 5B, 155, 153 stack vs VCP);
wherein an upper surface of the external channel structure extends on a higher level than an upper surface of the internal channel structure (Fig. 5B, 155, 153, stack).;
wherein the first contact portion is in contact with the upper surface of the external channel structure (Fig. 5B, LP , 155).; and
wherein the second contact portion is in contact with a side surface of the external channel structure and the upper surface of the internal channel structure (Fig. 5B, LP, VCP)..
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 allowed.
Claims 5-14 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 WILLIAM C TRAPANESE whose telephone number is (571)270-3304. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7am-12pm & 8pm-10pm EST.
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/WILLIAM C TRAPANESE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812
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