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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A, figures 1-20; claims 1-6, 8-19, and 21-22 in the reply filed on August 21, 2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on July 21, 2024; and February 27, 2026 were considered by the examiner.
Drawings
Any and all drawing corrections required in the parent application, 17/483,900, are required to be made in this continuation application. If Applicant has already incorporated said corrections, or no corrections were required, Applicant must make a statement to that effect to remove this objection.
Specification
Any and all specification corrections required in the parent application, 17/483,900, are required to be made in this continuation application. If Applicant has already incorporated said corrections, or no corrections were required, Applicant must make a statement to that effect to remove this objection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
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 1-16, and 21-22 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.
Regarding claim 1,
The terms “set of two gate electrodes”, “set of two word lines”, and “two additional word lines” are indefinite. Applicant needs to form, or claim the grouping, of the above sets. For example Applicant could claim: “forming gate electrodes…wherein the gate electrodes form a set of two gate electrodes”, or similar language such that it is clear that the gate electrodes formed will be grouped in sets of two. Similar language should be used for the rest of the identified terms. As it stands now the terms above are indefinite as it is unclear that when one forms the elements they are forming sets of elements.
Regarding claim 2,
The term “set of two source electrodes” is indefinite for the same reason above.
Regarding claim 8,
Claim 8 is rejected for the same reasons/rational as claim 1 above.
Potentially Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-16, and 21-22 would be allowable if rewritten or amended 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.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 1
The prior art does not teach:
forming word-line-connection via structures on the word lines;
forming gate electrodes over the word-line-connection via structures;
These limitations can be seen in Applicant’s figure 18. Where the word lines 3 are a distinct structure than the gates 15 and are connected by means of a via 12. The prior art of record, see PTO-892, shows that the word line is the gate line and not a distinct structural element.
Regarding claim 8,
Claim 8 is potentially allowable for the same reason as claim 1 above.
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.”
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-19 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 17,
Claim 17 is allowable for the same reasons as claim 1 in the Potentially Allowable Subject Matter section above.
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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VINCENT WALL whose telephone number is (571)272-9567. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday at 7:30am to 2:30pm PST. Interviews can be scheduled on Tuesday thru Thursday at 10am PST or 2pm PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Manno can be reached at 571-272-2339. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/VINCENT WALL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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