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 (IDS) submitted on July 11, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because. Figs. 2-12 do not correspond to I-I’ line and II-II’ line of Fig. 1 (i.e. Fig. 1 does not include “210”, “212”, “218” and 220” and Fig. 1 shows gate structure and isolation gate structure are over fin structure and trench isolation (over a substrate); however, Fig. 2 shows gate structure and isolation gate structure are in the substrate and below the fin structure; Figs. 3-12 shows different region other than II-II’ line of Fig. 1; reference A (i.e. Figs. 1, 1A and 1C) is cited to demonstrate the proper correspondence between a top view and a cross-sectional view of a finFET structure). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
i) Undefined acronyms/symbols, such as “CVD” (first occurrence: [0018]); “TEOS”, “PSG”, “BPSG”, “FSG” and “BCB” (first occurrence: [0019]); “CF4”, SF6”, “NF3”, CH2F2”, “CHF3”, “C2F6”, “CHCl3”, “CCl4” and “BCl3” (first occurrence: [0021]) and “PVD”, “ALD”, and “CMP” (first occurrence: [0027]). The examiner suggests that applicant spell out all the acronyms/symbols when using them for the first time in the disclosure.
The use of the term “SiLK”, which is a trade name or a mark used in commerce, has been noted in this application. The term should be accompanied by the generic terminology; furthermore the term should be capitalized wherever it appears or, where appropriate, include a proper symbol indicating use in commerce such as ™, SM , or ® following the term.
Although the use of trade names and marks used in commerce (i.e., trademarks, service marks, certification marks, and collective marks) are permissible in patent applications, the proprietary nature of the marks should be respected and every effort made to prevent their use in any manner which might adversely affect their validity as commercial marks.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. There is no support in the original specification (in the prior-filed application #17/085032, filed on October 30, 2020) for the claim limitations of “each of the first isolation structure and the second isolation structure includes: an isolation feature (over the substrate), an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer over the isolation feature and disposed between a first isolation gate structure and a second isolation gate structure along the direction”, as recited in claims 1 and 17; “an active region extending lengthwise along a direction to terminate at an isolation structure, wherein the isolation structure includes: …, an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer disposed between the first isolation gate structure and the second isolation gate structure along the direction, a gate spacer layer disposed between the ILD layer and a sidewall of the first isolation gate structure as well as between the ILD layer and a sidewall of the second isolation gate structure, and an isolation feature disposed between the ILD layer and the gate spacer layer”, as recited in claim 10; and “an isolation feature disposed between the ILD layer and the gate spacer layer”, as recited in claim 10 (note: paragraph [0016] discloses that “the isolation structure 217 may be two isolation gate structures 208’ each of which is disposed over an edge of a fin-shaped structure 204”; Fig. 3 shows that an active region extending along a direction to terminate at an isolation feature; and the gate spacer layer disposed between the isolation feature and the ILD layer).
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 1-9, 11-13 and 17-20 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.
The claimed limitation of “sidewalls of the first isolation gate structure and the second isolation gate structure”, as recited in claims 1 and 17, is unclear as to sidewall or sidewalls of which element applicant refers.
The claimed limitation of “bottom surfaces of the first isolation gate structure and the second isolation gate structure”, as recited in claims 5, 6 and 12, is unclear as to bottom surface or bottom surfaces of which element applicant refers.
The claimed limitations of “the first isolation gate structure is disposed between the ILD layer and a source/drain feature disposed over the active region along the direction”, as recited in claims 1, are unclear as to the first isolation gate structure is disposed between which two elements and which element disposed over the active region along the direction applicant refers.
The claimed limitation of “top surfaces of …”, as recited in claims 1, is unclear as to top surface or top surfaces of which element applicant refers.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MEIYA LI whose telephone number is (571)270-1572. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7AM-3PM.
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, LYNNE GURLEY can be reached at (571)272-1670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MEIYA LI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811
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