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 .
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2, 4 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Chou et al. (US20160318758A1), hereinafter “Chou”.
As to Claim 1, Chou teaches a structure (a MEMS structure, 200A, Figures 2A, [0019]) comprising: a substrate (MEMS substrate 234); and a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device (MEMS device 232) on the substrate (MEMS substrate 234, [0021]), wherein the MEMS device comprises a mechanical mass formed in the substrate (The MEMS substrate 234 includes one or more springs 236 and a movable mass 238. [0021]) ; wherein the substrate( MEMS substrate 234) has a slit at the mechanical mass, ( the movable mass 238 are defined by high aspect ratio openings 240 through the MEMS substrate 234, [0021]) wherein the slit( openings 240) extends through the substrate ( 234), from a top surface of the mechanical mass( movable mass 238) to a bottom surface of the mechanical mass(238) as shown on Figure 2A, wherein the substrate( substrate 234) has a first sidewall (262)and a second sidewall(260) in the slit(240) and arranged edge to edge( Figures 2B, [0024), wherein the first sidewall(262) is substantially vertical from the bottom surface of the mechanical mass( 238, Figures 2A, 2B) to an edge of the second sidewall( 260, Figure 2B), and wherein the second sidewall (260) arcs outward from the edge( as the upper regions 260 bulge at the bottoms, [0024]) of the second sidewall to the top surface of the mechanical mass( movable mass 238).
As to Claim 2, Chou teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the edge (top edge of upper region 260, Figures 2A, 2B) is closer to the top surface of the mechanical mass (movable mass 238, Figure 2A) than the bottom surface of the mechanical mass (bottom of movable mass 238, Figure 2A).
As to Claim 4, Chou teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the slit (openings 240) has a symmetrical profile about a vertical axis at a width-wise center of the slit (240, Figure 2B the openings 240 are vertically symmetrical).
As to Claim 7, Chou teaches the limitations of Claim 1, and wherein the structure further comprises: a cap substrate (cap substrate 250) overlying the substrate (234, [0023]); a semiconductor substrate (IC 202 having IC substrate 206, Figure 2A, [0019] underlying the substrate (234); and an interconnect structure between the semiconductor substrate and the substrate ([0019] and [0020] teaches he BEOL metallization stack 210 includes metallization layers 212, 214 stacked within an interlayer dielectric (ILD) layer 216 of the BEOL metallization stack 210. The metallization layers 212, 214 include a metallization layer 214 including IC bond pads 218 and sensing electrodes 220.); wherein the mechanical mass (movable mass 238) is configured to move in a cavity between the cap substrate (250) and the interconnect structure (metallization stack 210, Figure 2A).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5, 6 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 8-13 and 21-27 are allowed. The independent Claim 8, identifies a uniquely distinct feature of “…wherein a width of the slit is substantially uniform from the bottom surface of the mechanical mass to an elevation offset from and between the top and bottom surfaces of the mechanical mass, and wherein the width of the slit bulges from the elevation to the top surface of the mechanical mass.”
The Independent Claim 21, identifies a uniquely distinct feature of “…a ring-shaped actuator overlying the substrate, on a first side of the substrate, wherein the ring-shaped actuator extends laterally in a closed path around the mechanical mass and comprises a bottom electrode, a top electrode, and a piezoelectric structure between the bottom and top electrodes…wherein the substrate has a first pair of opposing sidewalls in the first slit and at the top surface of the mechanical mass and further has a second pair of opposing sidewalls in the first slit and under the first pair of opposing sidewalls, wherein a separation between the first pair of opposing sidewalls is greater than a separation between the second pair of opposing sidewalls.”
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Kumar et al. (US20220024754) teaches The MEMS consist of a substrate (100) provided with a first surface (101) and a second surface (102) opposite to the first surface. A cavity is mounted in the substrate that is extending between the first surface and the second surface. An interconnection structure (200) is mounted on the first surface of the substrate over the cavity and a proof mass is mounted in the cavity and is connected to the interconnection structure. The proof mass is provided with a thickness which is smaller than a thickness of the substrate. See at least abstract, Figure 1.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUNITA JOSHI whose telephone number is (571)270-7227. The examiner can normally be reached 8-3.
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/SUNITA JOSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2691