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`DETROIT.MI 43226
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`. This is a communication from the examiner in charge of your application.
`COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS -AND TRADEMARKS
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`[X] Responsive to co_r_nmunicat_ion(s)fiied on
`it This action is FINAL.
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`. OFFICE AC'l'ION.SUMMARY-
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`‘D Since this application is. in condition for allowance exceptior formal matters. prosecution as to the merits is closed in
`accordance with thevpractice under Ex parts Quayle. 1935 D.C.'v-11; 453 .O.G. 213.
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`A shortened" statutory period for response to this’ action is set_to-expire .month(s). or thirty days,
`. whichever is longer. from the mailing date of this communication.’ Failure to respondwithin theperiod for response will cause
`the application to become abandoned. (35 U.S.C..§ 133). Extensions of time may. be obtained ‘under the provisions of 37 CFR
`1.136(a).
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`Disposition of Claims
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`» 2 ‘F C» , .S’- "I 7
`W Ciaim(s)
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`is/are pending in the application.
`is/are withdrawn fromlconsideration.
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`is/are allowed.-
`-is/are rejected.
`is/are objected to.
`are subject to.‘restric_tion or election requirement.
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`C] see the attached Noticeof Dra'ftsperson's Patent Drawing Review} PTO-948:
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`Ci The drawing(s)'fiIed on
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`islare objected to by the Examiner.
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`Ci The proposed drawing correction. filed on’
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`is Ci -approved. C] disapproved.
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`D The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`Ci The oath or declaration is objected to by the Examiner. -
`Priority under 35 U.S.C.- § 119‘ V
`D Acknowledgement is- made of a claim for foreign priority under'35 U.=S.C‘; § 119(‘a)-.(d).
`1:] All
`‘C1 Some"_ C] None 4 ofthe CERTIFIED copies ofthe prioritydocuments have been
`U received.
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`[I received in Application No. (Series Code/Serial Number)— '
`. U received in thishational stage applicationzfrom theelntemationai: Bureau (PCT. Rule ...17.2(a))..
`‘Certified copies not received:
`D Acknowledgement is made of a claim for domestic priority under 35.U.SLC. § 119(9).
`Attachment(s)
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`IZI t~lotice::ol. Reference Cited. PTO‘-892
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`, Ci.-information Disclosure St‘atement(s).-_PTO-1449. Paper’No,(s). -
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`. El interview Summary. PTO-«_11‘3 R
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`Serial Number: O8/561,951
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`Art Unit: 2503
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`Page 2
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`Field ofSearch
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`This office action has been created under the Patent and
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`Trademark Office Semiconductor Technology Quality Assurance Pilot
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`Program.
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`It incorporates the examination quality standards set
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`as a result of customer focus sessions with the semiconductor
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`industry.
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`The listing of the fieldlof search to follow is one of
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`these standards .
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`U.s. Class and subclass:
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`257/382, 383, 387, 388; 437/190, 192
`257/295, 296, 382, 383, 387, 903,- 437/190,
`192
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`4/14/96
`11/1/96
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`
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`Other Documentation:
`foreign references in 257/382, 383, 387,
`388; 437/190, 192
`foreign references in 257/295, 296, 382,
`383, 387, 903; 437/190, 192
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`Electronic data base(s):
`APS data search
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`4/14/96
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`11/1/96
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`11/1/96
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the
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`basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`

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`Serial Number: O8/561,951
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`i
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`Art Unit: 2503
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`page 3
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless --
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`(e) the invention was described in a patent granted on an application for patent by another filed in the United
`States before the invention thereof by the applicant for patent, or on an international application by another who
`has fulfilled the requirements of paragraphs (1), (2), and (4) of section 371(c) of this title before the invention
`thereof by the applicant for patents
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`Claims 2-6, 8-14 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 USC. lO2(e) as being anticipated by
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`Nicholls et al. (US, Patent No. 5,541,434).
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`Nicholls et al. disclose a semiconductor structure comprising:
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`a silicon substrate (2) having atop surface;
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`a diffusion region (10) formed within said top surface of said substrate;
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`a polysilicon gate (6) formed on said top surface and juxtaposed to but not in contact with
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`said diffusion region, wherein said polysilicon gate and said difiusion region are doped to N+ or
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`P+ polarity (see Nicholls et al. column 2, lines 53-56 and 67 and column 3, lines 1-2);
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`an insulator layer‘(l4) formed of silicon oxide (see Nicholls et al. column 3, lines 4-5 and
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`27-30) and substantially covering said gate and said diffusion region;
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`a contact via (16) etched into said insulating layer, such that said gate and said diffusion
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`region are exposed;
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`and depositing an electrically conducting plug (20) formed of tungsten into said Contact
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`via, such that said plug provides direct electrical communication between said polysilicon gate and
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`said diffusion region (see Nicholls et al. column 32-37). Note Nicholls et al. Figure 1e.
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`Therefore Nicholls et al. meet and anticipate the claims.
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`

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`Serial Number: 08/561,951
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`Art Unit: 2503
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`Page 4
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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`The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 (a) which forms the basis for all obviousness
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`rejections set forth in this Ofiice action:
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`(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in
`section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are
`such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person
`having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the
`manner in which the invention was made.
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`Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. lO3(a) as being unpatentable over Nicholls et al. in
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`view ofJones, Jr. (U.S. Patent No. 5,313,089).
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`The disclosure of Nicholls et al. as discussed above. However, Nicholls et al. fail to
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`disclose forming the conductive plug with a refractory metal layer and a layer of glue.
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`Therefore, to provide the device of Nicholls et al. with a conductive plug comprised of an
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`outer glue layer and a plug of a refractory metal as taught by Jones, Jr. would have been obvious
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`to one of ordinary skill in this art because Jones, Jr. specifically teach the procedure of forming a
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`conductive plug (32) within a dielectric layer (30) wherein said plug has a layer of glue and a plug
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`of tungsten as well known and commonly used in conductive plug technology (see Jones, Jr.
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`column 3, lines 64-68 and column 4, lines 1-17). Note Jones, Jr. Figure 2.
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`Response to Amendment
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`The addition of claims 15-17 and the cancellation of claims 1 and 7 in the amendment
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`received August 19, 1996 are acknowledged.
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`

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`Serial Number: O8/561,951
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 2503
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`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 2-6 and 8-14 have been considered but are
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`moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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`Conclusion
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`1.
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Oflice
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`action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is
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`reminded ofthe extension oftime policy as set forth in 37 CFR l.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for response to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the date of this action.
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`In the event a first response is filed within TWO
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`MONTHS ofthe mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until afier
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`the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period
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`will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37
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`CFR l.l36(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action.
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`In no event will the
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`statutory period for response expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
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`should be directed to Valencia Martin Wallace whose telephone number is (703) 308-4119. The
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`examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm.
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`

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`Serial Number: 08/561,951
`Art Unit: 2503
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`Page 6
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessfiil, the examiner's supervisor,
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`Mahshid Saadat, can be reached on (703) 308-4915. The fax phone number for this Group is
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`(703) 308-7723.
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`Any inquiry of a general nature or relating to the status of this application or proceeding
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`should be directed to the Group receptionist whose telephone number is (703) 308-0956.
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`—’\)W-n,«./vJ/
`Martin Wallace
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`November 1, 1996
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`MAHSHID D. SAADAT
`SUPERVISORY PATENT EXAMINER
`GROUP 2500
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`T0 SEPARATE. HOLD TOP AND BOTTOM EDGES, SNAP-APART AND DISCARD CARBON
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`u.s. DEPARTMENT or commence
`PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`NOTICE OF REFERENCES CITED
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`FORM PTO-592
`(REV. 2-92)
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`U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
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`' A copy of this reference is not being furnished with this office action.
`(See Manual of Patent Examining Procedure, section 707.05 (a).)