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 statements (IDS) submitted on 7/16/2024 and 7/17/2024 were filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The abstract and title are consistent with the requirements set forth in the MPEP 608.01(b) and 606, respectively.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: “HEMT,” “D-mode,” “E-mode,” and “2DEG” should first be introduced in its full form before using abbreviations. Appropriate correction is required. For instance, claim 1 should be corrected as follows: 1. A hybrid type AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) device, comprising: a silicon substrate structure; a first Depletion-mode (D-mode) AlGaN/GaN HEMT, disposed on said silicon substrate structure; and a p-GaN gate Enhancement-mode (E-mode) AlGaN/GaN HEMT, disposed on said silicon substrate structure and on one side of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT, including a p-GaN gate structure, a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) below said p-GaN gate structure being depleted while said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT is connected with an input voltage and said p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT is connected with a drain voltage, said p-GaN gate structure coupled to said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT, and a source of said p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT coupled to a gate of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT.
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 5, 7 and 11-13 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 5 recites the limitation "said C-doped intrinsic GaN layer" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because there is no previous mention of a C-doped intrinsic GaN layer in claims 1 or 5. For examination purposes and for proper antecedence, the limitation is interpreted as “ a C-doped intrinsic GaN layer” or claim 5 should be dependent on claim 3 which has proper antecedence for said C-doped intrinsic GaN layer. Appropriate correction is required. Claim 7 recites the limitation "said C-doped intrinsic GaN layer" in lines 2-3 and “said i-AlyGaN buffer layer” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because there is no previous mention of a C-doped intrinsic GaN layer or an i-AlyGaN buffer layer in claims 1 or 7. For examination purposes and for proper antecedence, the limitations are being interpreted as “a C-doped intrinsic GaN layer” and “an i-AlyGaN buffer layer.” Appropriate correction is required. Claim 11 recites the limitations "the source and the drain of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because there is no previous mention of a source and a drain of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT in claims 1 or 11. For examination purposes and for proper antecedence, the limitation is interpreted as “a source and a drain of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT.” Appropriate correction is required. Claim 12 recites the limitations "the gate and the source of said discharging transistor" in lines 2-3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because there is no previous mention of a source and a drain of said discharging transistor in claims 1 or 11-12. For examination purposes and for proper antecedence, the limitation is interpreted as “a source and a drain of said discharging transistor.” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 13 recites the limitation “the drain of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT” in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim because there is no previous mention of a drain of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT in claims 1 or 13. For examination purposes and for proper antecedence, the limitation is interpreted as “a drain of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT.” Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Regarding claim 1, Huang US PGPub. 2021/0083083 teaches a hybrid type AlGaN/GaN HEMT device (fig. 19A-1) [0049], comprising: a silicon substrate structure (11, fig. 19A-1) [0119]; a first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M3, fig. 19A-1) [0163], disposed on said silicon substrate structure (11); and a p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M2, fig. 19A-1) [0117], disposed on said silicon substrate structure (11) and on one (left) side of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT M3), including a p-GaN gate structure (26, fig. 19A-1) [0120], a 2DEG (fig. 19A-1) [0122] below said p-GaN gate structure (26) being depleted (262 depleted zone, fig. 19A-1) [0122] while said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M3) is connected with an input voltage (Vin, [0118]), and a source (28, fig. 19A-1)[0128] of said p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M2) coupled to a gate (62, fig. 19A-1) [0133] of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M3) (Huang, fig. 19A-1). But Huang fails to teach wherein said p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M2) is connected with a drain voltage, said p-GaN gate structure (26) coupled to said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT (M3). Claims 1-4, 6, 8-10 and 14-18 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior arts of record taken alone or in combination neither anticipates nor renders obvious a hybrid type AlGaN/GaN HEMT device comprising a first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT connected with an input voltage, and “a source of said p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT coupled to a gate of said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT” in combination with the limitation wherein “said p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT is connected with a drain voltage, said p-GaN gate structure coupled to said first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT” as recited in claim 1. Claims 2-4, 6, 8-10 and 14-18 are also allowed for further limiting and depending upon allowed claim 1.
Claims 5, 7 and 11-13 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Huang US PGPub. 2022/0093780 also teaches a hybrid type AlGaN/GaN HEMT device comprising a first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT and p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT but the p-GaN gate structure of the p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT is coupled or connected to a source/drain of a different D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT not the first D-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT and the p-GaN gate E-mode AlGaN/GaN HEMT is not connected with a drain voltage.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NDUKA E OJEH whose telephone number is (571)270-0291. The examiner can normally be reached M-F; 9am - 5pm..
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/NDUKA E OJEH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892
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