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 .
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 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.
Response to Amendment/Restriction
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I, Embodiment 1: FIG. 7 (6a, 31), and Claims 1-3, 8-12, 17-18, and 20 in the reply filed on September 18, 2026 is acknowledged. Thus, Claims 4-7, 13-16, and 19 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on September 18, 2026.
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.
Claim 18 is 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. As to claim 18, the limitation “and including the conductive layer” fails to specify what “includes” the conductive layer. It is not clear whether the wire includes the conductive layer or the first insulator includes the conductive layer. Thus, the limitation renders the claim indefinite and clarification is required.
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) 1-2, 8-9, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0172368 A1 to Pang et al. (“Pang”).
As to claim 1, Pang discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a first insulator (857a); a conductive layer (849); and a film (836) provided between the first insulator (857a) and the conductive layer (849) and containing carbon (C) (¶ 0136) or silicon (Si) (See Fig. 8, ¶ 0136, ¶ 0146, ¶ 0154, ¶ 0158, ¶ 0160, ¶ 0161). As to claim 2, Pang discloses further comprising a first barrier metal film (848) provided between the film (836) and the conductive layer (849) (See Fig. 8, ¶ 0158). As to claim 8, Pang further discloses wherein the concentration of carbon between the first insulator (857a) and the conductive layer (849) is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (See ¶ 0136). As to claim 9, Pang further discloses wherein the predetermined value is 1×1019 atom/cm3 (See ¶ 0136). As to claim 20, Pang discloses a semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising: forming a first insulator (821); forming a film (836) containing carbon (C) (¶ 0136) or silicon (Si) above the first insulator (821); and forming a conductive layer (866) above the film (836) (See Fig. 8, ¶ 0136, ¶ 0146, ¶ 0150, ¶ 0154, ¶ 0158, ¶ 0160, ¶ 0161, ¶ 0162).
Claim(s) 1-3, 10-12, 17-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0144284 A1 to Choi et al. (“Choi”). As to claim 1, Choi discloses a semiconductor device comprising: a first insulator (193); a conductive layer (180); and a film (191) provided between the first insulator (193) and the conductive layer (180) and containing carbon (C) (¶ 0031) or silicon (Si) (See Fig. 1, ¶ 0024-¶ 0034). As to claim 2, Choi discloses further comprising a first barrier metal film (metal nitride) provided between the film (191) and the conductive layer (180) (See ¶ 0024). As to claim 3, Choi further discloses wherein the conductive layer (180) contains tungsten (W) (See ¶ 0024). As to claim 10, Choi discloses further comprising: a stacked body (132, 180) in which insulating layers (132) and the conductive layers (180) are alternately stacked in a first direction; a semiconductor layer (153) disposed in the first direction in the stacked body (132, 180); a second insulator (150 tunnel) disposed in the first direction between the stacked body (132, 180) and the semiconductor layer (153); a third insulator (150 electric) disposed in the first direction between the stacked body (132, 180) and the second insulator (150 tunnel); and a fourth insulator (150 blocking) disposed in the first direction between the stacked body (132, 180) and the third insulator (150 electric), wherein the first insulator (193) is disposed between the conductive layers (180) and the insulating layers (132) and between the conductive layers (180) and the fourth insulator (150 blocking) (See Fig. 1, ¶ 0027, ¶ 0029). As to claim 11, Choi discloses further comprising a first barrier metal film (metal nitride) provided between the film (191) and the conductive layer (180) (See ¶ 0024). As to claim 12, Choi further discloses wherein the conductive layer (180) contains tungsten (W) (See ¶ 0024). As to claim 17, Choi further discloses wherein the concentration of carbon between the first insulator (193) and the conductive layer (180) is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (See ¶ 0031) (Notes: the predetermined value to adjust diffusion). As to claim 18, Choi discloses further comprising a wire (197) disposed at the first insulator (193) and including the conductive layer (180) (See ¶ 0034) (Notes: the limitation “wire” is interpreted as a connector). As to claim 20, Choi discloses a semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising: forming a first insulator (157); forming a film (191) containing carbon (C) or silicon (Si) above the first insulator (157); and forming a conductive layer (197) above the film (191) (See Fig. 1, ¶ 0024-¶ 0034).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID CHEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7438. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12-6.
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/DAVID CHEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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