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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) submitted on December 8, 2025 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: “have” should read “has” (line 3). Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 11-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the word line structure" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. It is suggested Applicant amend "the word line structure" to "a word line structure". Correction is respectfully requested.
Claim 12 is rejected because it depends from claim 11 and therefore inherits the indefiniteness of claim 11.
In claim 13, line 2, the limitation “a first bit line spacer” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this element is the same as or different from “a first bit line spacer” previously recited in claim 6, lines 1-2. Clarification is respectfully requested.
In claim 13, line 2, the limitation “a sidewall of the bit line structure” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear if this element is the same as or different from “a sidewall of the bit line structure” previously recited in claim 6, line 2. Clarification is respectfully requested.
Claims 14-16 are rejected because they depend, directly or indirectly, from claim 13 and therefore inherit the indefiniteness of claim 13.
In claim 17, lines 3-5, the limitation “the second width gradually decreases at positions of increasing distance from the substrate” renders the claim indefinite because according to claim 1 the protrusion is extended downwardly into the drain, and the drain is positioned in the substrate. Therefore, with respect to the protrusion, it is unclear how there can be an increasing distance from the substrate given that the protrusion is located in the substrate. Examiner suggests that the limitation at issue be amended to recite “the second width gradually decreases at positions of increasing distance from a topmost surface of the drain.” Support for the Examiner’s suggested amendment may be found in Applicant’s FIG. 46. Clarification is respectfully requested.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: US 2017/0005166 A1 (hereinafter “Park”) appears to be the closest prior art.
Regarding claim 1, Park discloses in Figs. 1, 2A and related text a semiconductor device (100; [0030]-[0031]), comprising:
a substrate (101; [0031]);
a drain (110; [0036] and [0061]) positioned in the substrate;
a top dielectric layer (122; [0032]) positioned on the substrate;
a cell contact structure comprising:
a cell contact bottom conductive layer (118; [0032] and [0043]) positioned in the top dielectric layer and on the drain, wherein the cell contact bottom conductive layer includes a protrusion (118L; [0032]) extended downwardly into the drain;
a cell contact top conductive layer (120; [0042]-[0043]) positioned in the top dielectric layer and on the cell contact bottom conductive layer;
a cell contact top sealing layer (123; [0046]) positioned in the top dielectric layer and on the cell contact bottom conductive layer; and
a first air gap (AL(AG); [0033]) positioned in the top dielectric layer.
Park does not disclose the cell contact top sealing layer surrounding the cell contact top conductive layer, and the first air gap surrounding the cell contact bottom conductive layer.
Accordingly, claims 1-10 are allowed because the prior art of record, individually or in combination, does not teach or suggest “a cell contact top sealing layer positioned in the top dielectric layer, on the cell contact bottom conductive layer, and surrounding the cell contact top conductive layer; and a first air gap positioned in the top dielectric layer and surrounding the cell contact bottom conductive layer” as recited in independent claim 1.
Claims 11-17 would be allowable if claims 11, 13 and 17 were to be amended to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PETER M ALBRECHT whose telephone number is (571)272-7813. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 AM - 6:30 PM (CT).
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/PETER M ALBRECHT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811
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