DETAILED ACTION
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
Claims 8-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected process, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 9/14/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-7 in the reply filed on 9/14/2026 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.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu (CN 11532348).
With regards to claim 1, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses a semiconductor device, comprising: a first source/drain layer (“lower source/drain S/DL”, par [0083]), a channel layer (“channel region”, par [0083]) and a second source/drain layer (“upper source/drain S/DU”, par [0083]) sequentially provided in a vertical direction on a substrate 1001, wherein the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) is connected between the first source/drain layer (“lower source/drain S/DL”, par [0083]) and the second source/drain layer (“upper source/drain S/DU”, par [0083]), and the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) has a doping profile (“doping characteristics”, par [0085]) along the vertical direction (bottom to top), in which a middle portion BD of the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) has a high doping concentration (“doping concentration in the body contact region BD can be higher”, par [0085]) and end portions of the channel layer (“region between the body contact region BD and the lower source/drain region S/DL”, par [0085]) have a low doping concentration (“diffusion from the first channel defining layer 1005”, par [0085]); and a body contact 1007 connected to the middle portion (“channel region”, par [0085]) of the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]), wherein the middle portion (“channel region”, par [0085]) of the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) has a height in the vertical direction greater (top of channel region taller than 1007) than a height of the body contact 1007 in the vertical direction.
With regards to claim 2, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses that the middle portion BD of the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) has a substantially uniform doping profile BD.
With regards to claim 3, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses that the middle portion BD of the channel layer 1021’ is substantially symmetrical (“body contact region BD can be located substantially in the middle of the channel region in the vertical direction”, par [0084]) with respect to the body contact 1007; or wherein the middle portion of the channel layer is asymmetrical with respect to the body contact.
With regards to claim 4, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses an extension height of the middle portion BD of the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) relative to a top surface of the body contact 1007 in the vertical direction is substantially equal to an extension height of the middle portion BD of the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) relative to a bottom surface of the body contact 1007 in the vertical direction; or wherein an extension height of the middle portion of the channel layer relative to a top surface of the body contact in the vertical direction is greater than an extension height of the middle portion of the channel layer relative to a bottom surface of the body contact in the vertical direction; or wherein an extension height of the middle portion of the channel layer relative to a top surface of the body contact in the vertical direction is less than an extension height of the middle portion of the channel layer relative to a bottom surface of the body contact in the vertical direction.
With regards to claim 5, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses a doping type in the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) is opposite to a doping type (“conductivity type”, claim 4) in the first source/drain layer (lower source/drain region”, claim 4) and in the second source/drain layer (“upper source/drain region”, claim 4).
With regards to claim 6, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses that the channel layer (“channel region”, par [0085]) extends vertically (bottom to top).
With regards to claim 7, fig. 8 of Zhu discloses that the body contact 1007 extends laterally (left to right).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENJAMIN T LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-6009. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11:00am-7:30pm.
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/BENJAMIN TZU-HUNG LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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