DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is responsive to the following communications: the Amendment filed 5/31/2024.
Claims 1-10 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/26/2024 is being considered by the examiner, however references which are lined through are not being considered, since the information disclosure statement filed 2/26/2024 fails to provide a legible copy of the references which is a requirement of 37 CFR 1.98(a)(2), which requires a legible copy of each cited foreign patent document; each non-patent literature publication or that portion which caused it to be listed; and all other information or that portion which caused it to be listed.
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 1-10 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 1 recites the abbreviation “HEMT” in line of the claim, however the claim does not provide the expanded form of the abbreviation, and thus it is unclear what is necessarily required by the abbreviation “HEMT”.
Claim 1 recites the abbreviation “HEMT” in line 1 of the claim, however the claim does not provide the expanded form of the abbreviation, and thus it is unclear what is necessarily required by the abbreviation “HEMT”.
Claim 8 recites the abbreviation “HEMT” in line 1 of the claim, however the claim does not provide the expanded form of the abbreviation, and thus it is unclear what is necessarily required by the abbreviation “HEMT”.
Claim 8 recites the abbreviation “MOCVD” in line 6 of the claim, however the claim does not provide the expanded form of the abbreviation, and thus it is unclear what is necessarily required by the abbreviation “MOCVD”.
Note the dependent claims 2-7 and 9-10 necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
Regarding independent claim 1, Figure 2 of Cheng et al. (US 2014/0175517 A1, hereinafter “Cheng) discloses a GaN-based HEMT device epitaxial structure (¶¶0020-0023), sequentially comprising from bottom to top a C-doped c-GaN high-resistance layer 202 (“C-doped gallium nitride layer”- ¶0023), a diffusion blocking layer 210 (“diffusion barrier layer”- ¶0021), an intrinsic u-GaN channel layer 204 (“intrinsic semiconductor channel layer… gallium nitride”- ¶0023), and an AlGaN barrier layer 206 (“layer… aluminum gallium nitride”- ¶0023, which can act as a physical barrier given it physically covers underlying elements) that are formed on a substrate 200 (“substrate”- ¶0021).
Cheng does not expressly disclose wherein the diffusion blocking layer is a laminate structure or a superlattice structure, wherein the laminate structure comprises at least two layers selected from a group consisting of at least one Si3N4 layer, at least one AlN layer, and at least one GaN layer, and the laminate structure comprises at least one Si3N4 layer and also comprises at least one AlN layer or at least one GaN layer, wherein the superlattice structure is formed by periodically alternating laminate structures.
Thus, regarding independent claim 1 (which claims 2-7 depend from), the prior art of record including Cheng, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “wherein the diffusion blocking layer is a laminate structure or a superlattice structure”, “wherein the laminate structure comprises at least two layers selected from a group consisting of at least one Si3N4 layer, at least one AlN layer, and at least one GaN layer, and the laminate structure comprises at least one Si3N4 layer and also comprises at least one AlN layer or at least one GaN layer” and “wherein the superlattice structure is formed by periodically alternating laminate structures”.
Regarding independent claim 8, Figure 2 of Cheng discloses a preparation method for a GaN-based HEMT device epitaxial structure (¶¶0020-0023), comprising:
providing a substrate 200 (“substrate”- ¶0021); and
sequentially depositing a C-doped c-GaN high-resistance layer 202 (“C-doped gallium nitride layer”- ¶0023), a diffusion blocking layer 210 (“diffusion barrier layer”- ¶0021), an intrinsic u-GaN channel layer 204 (“intrinsic semiconductor channel layer… gallium nitride”- ¶0023), and an AlGaN barrier layer 206 (“layer… aluminum gallium nitride”- ¶0023, which can act as a physical barrier given it physically covers underlying elements) on the substrate 200.
Cheng does not expressly disclose sequentially depositing a C-doped c-GaN high-resistance layer, a diffusion blocking layer, an intrinsic u-GaN channel layer, and an AlGaN barrier layer on the substrate by using a MOCVD process, wherein the diffusion blocking layer is a laminate structure or a superlattice structure, wherein the laminate structure comprises at least two layers selected from a group consisting of at least one Si3N4 layer, at least one AlN layer, and at least one GaN layer, and the laminate structure comprises at least one Si3N4 layer and also comprises at least one AlN layer or at least one GaN layer, and wherein the superlattice structure is formed by periodically alternating laminate structures.
Thus, regarding independent claim 8 (which claims 9-10 depend from), the prior art of record including Cheng, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “sequentially depositing a C-doped c-GaN high-resistance layer, a diffusion blocking layer, an intrinsic u-GaN channel layer, and an AlGaN barrier layer on the substrate by using a MOCVD process”, “wherein the diffusion blocking layer is a laminate structure or a superlattice structure”, “wherein the laminate structure comprises at least two layers selected from a group consisting of at least one Si3N4 layer, at least one AlN layer, and at least one GaN layer, and the laminate structure comprises at least one Si3N4 layer and also comprises at least one AlN layer or at least one GaN layer” and “wherein the superlattice structure is formed by periodically alternating laminate structures”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Ikuta et al. (US 2012/0168719 A1), which discloses a semiconductor device comprising a superlattice laminate structure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY C CHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-6132. The examiner can normally be reached Mon- Fri 12pm-10pm.
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, Eliseo Ramos-Feliciano can be reached at (571)-272-7925. 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.
/JAY C CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
Prosecution Insights