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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s Amendment filed on November 14, 2025. Claim 1 has been amended. No new claims have been added. Claims 2 and 7-8 have been canceled. Claim 4 has been withdrawn. Currently, claims 1, 3, 5-6 and 9 are pending.
Applicant’s amendment to the drawing successfully overcomes the objections set forth in the previous Office Action.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on November 14, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The Applicant argues that the combination of references does not teach amended claim 1 limitations, “a case in which the channel member is located inside," wherein "the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are formed in the case"; and "a manifold member disposed on one side of the channel member, the manifold member configured to be in parallel with a direction of movement of the refrigerant and to form a first transfer flow path and a second transfer flow path..."; and "wherein the first transfer flow path has a first end open to communicate with the refrigerant inlet and a second end closed, and wherein the second transfer flow path has a first end closed and a second end open to communicate with the refrigerant outlet."
The Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant’s assertion that the cited references fail to teach a three-dimensional flow path as shown in Figure 3 of the instant application. However, this argument does not commensurate with the claim scope. The limitation, “a manifold member disposed on one side of the channel member, the manifold member configured to be in parallel with a direction of movement of the refrigerant and to form a first transfer flow path and a second transfer flow path..."; and "wherein the first transfer flow path has a first end open to communicate with the refrigerant inlet and a second end closed, and wherein the second transfer flow path has a first end closed and a second end open to communicate with the refrigerant outlet”, does not require a three-dimensional flow path.
Furthermore, the Examiner notes that Teng’s Figure 18 appears to teach a three-dimensional flow path, as the coolant inlet and outlet are oriented horizontally while the cooling path is oriented vertically, similar to instant application’s Figure 1.
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 1, 3, 5-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth 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 claim recites, “a porous diamond layer” and later refers to “the diamond layer” which renders the claim indefinite because the latter term lacks proper antecedent basis.
Claims 3, 5-6 and 9 depend upon claim 1 and do not rectify the problem therefore, they are also rejected.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1, 3 and 5-6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Teng et al. (2020/0105644 A1; hereafter Teng) in view of Baranauskas et al., (Method of porous diamond deposition on porous silicon, Applied Surface Science, Volume 185, Issues 1–2, 2001, Pages 108-113, ISSN 0169-4332, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-4332(01)00648-1; hereafter Baranauskas), Gohara et al. (US 2014/0252590 A1; hereafter Gohara) and Gil et al. (US 2021/0084748 A1; hereafter Gil).
Regarding claim 1, Teng teaches a semiconductor packaging comprising (see e.g., semiconductor device 100D, Figures 15 and 20A-20B):
a substrate on which a semiconductor device is arranged on a front surface (see e.g., second semiconductor portion 111b on which a semiconductor chip 50, redistribution circuit structure 119, and the conductive features 90 are formed, Figure 15);
a channel member disposed on a rear surface of the substrate and forming a cooling flow path through which a refrigerant moves (see e.g., first semiconductor portion 111a disposed on the rear surface of the second semiconductor portion 111b. The first semiconductor portion 111a has a thermal enhancement pattern 117 formed on the bottom surface of the first semiconductor portion 111a which is away from the second semiconductor portion 111b. The recess R and the recesses 117A are communicated with each other, and both the recess R and the recesses 117A may serve as flow channel for cooling liquid, Paras [0030], [0036], Figure 15);
a layer covering an outer surface of the channel member (see e.g., conductive material 117C, which may include one or more layers of copper, gold or combination thereof, or other suitable material with high thermal conductivity, located inside/outside the thermal enhancement pattern 117, Para [0034], Figure 13).
a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet arranged with the channel member in- between, and communicating with the cooling flow path (see e.g., the heat spreader 121 disposed on one side of the first semiconductor portion 111a which provides an inlet and outlet for the cooling liquid. The recess R and the recesses 117A are communicated with each other and serve as flow channel for cooling liquid. The cooling liquid may be applied and flow into the flow channel (e.g., the recess R and the recesses 117A) from the inlet I and may flow out from the outlet O. The cooling liquid flow path between the inlet and outlet is greater than the cooling path through the enhancement pattern, Para [0030], Figure 15);
a case in which the channel member is located inside; and see e.g., heat dissipation portion 131’ surrounds the chip package 110, Para [0038], Figure 17)
a manifold member disposed on one side of the channel member, (see e.g., the heat spreader 121 disposed on one side of the first semiconductor portion 111a, Figure 15) the manifold member configured to be in parallel with a direction of movement of the refrigerant (see e.g., the refrigerant moves horizontally through the channel, the heat spreader 121 is also aligned horizontally, running parallel to that path not perpendicular or at an angle. The inlet I and the outlet O of the heat spreader 121″ substantially extend and horizontally penetrate through side wall 121a″ of the heat spreader 121″, Para [0039], Figures 15 and 18) and to form a first transfer flow path and a second transfer flow path, the first transfer flow path connecting a refrigerant inlet with the cooling flow path and the second transfer flow path connecting a refrigerant outlet with the cooling flow path (see e.g., the heat spreader 121 disposed on one side of the first semiconductor portion 111a provides an inlet and outlet for the cooling liquid. The recess R and the recesses 117A are communicated with each other and serve as flow channel for cooling liquid. The cooling liquid may be applied and flow into the flow channel (e.g., the recess R and the recesses 117A) from the inlet I and may flow out from the outlet O. The path connecting the refrigerant inlet I with the flow channel (recess R and recesses 117A) serves as the first transfer path and the transfer path between the flow channel and the outlet serves as the second transfer path, Para [0030], Figures 15 and 20A-20B);
wherein the first transfer flow path has a first end open to communicate with the refrigerant inlet (see e.g., the first transfer path has a first open end to communicate with the refrigerant inlet I, Figures 15 and 20A-20B)
wherein the second transfer flow path has a second end open to communicate with the refrigerant outlet (see e.g., the second transfer path has a second open end to communicate with the refrigerant outlet O, Figures 15 and 20A-20B)
Teng does not explicitly teach
“wherein the first transfer flow path has …..a second end closed; and
wherein the second transfer flow path has a first end closed …”.
In a similar field of endeavor Gohara teaches
wherein the first transfer flow path has …..a second end closed; and (see e.g., refrigerant inlet flow path 21 with one end having the inlet 24 and the other end having the terminating portion 21Si, Para [0047], Figure 3)
wherein the second transfer flow path has a first end closed (see e.g., refrigerant outlet flow path 22 having a beginning portion 22So at one end and an outlet 25 at another end, Para [0047], Figure 3).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement Gohara’s teachings of wherein the first transfer flow path has …..a second end closed; and wherein the second transfer flow path has a first end closed in the device of Teng to efficiently manage heat distribution.
Teng does not explicitly teach
“a porous diamond layer ……; and
a porous layer stacked on the diamond layer and having wettability different from the diamond layer;
wherein one of the porous layer and the porous diamond layer is hydrophilic and an other of the porous layer and the diamond layer is hydrophobic”;
In a similar field of endeavor Baranauskas teaches
a porous diamond layer ……; and (see e.g., porous diamond layer grown on a porous silicon layer. The diamond layer has pores as shown in Figure 3 after a deposition time of 6 hours there is a reduction in the diameter and the number of the pores. In fact, the agglomeration of diamond grains formed a new three-dimensional porous structure, completely different from the vertical wells of the original porous silicon structure, Experimental procedure, Results and discussion, Figure 3)
a porous layer (see e.g., porous silicon layer, Experimental procedure, Results and discussion, Figures 1 and 3) stacked on the diamond layer (see e.g., the porous silicon and porous diamond layer are stacked together as shown in Figure 3) and having wettability different from the diamond layer;
wherein one of the porous layer and the porous diamond layer is hydrophilic and an other of the porous layer and the diamond layer is hydrophobic;
Baranauskas experiments indicate that it is possible to cover the skeleton of Si structures with diamond nuclei that initially replicate the surface geometry around the Si pores and then grow, forming a new porous diamond structure. The size of the pores between the diamond grains decreases as the thickness of the diamond layer increases and thus, it may be possible to control the pore size of the diamond membrane either by controlling the initial geometry of the porous silicon or controlling the final thickness of the diamond membrane. As shown in Figure 3 the pore size of the diamond layer is different than the pore size of the porous Si layer therefore both the layers would inherently have different wettability and one would be hydrophilic while the other hydrophobic.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement Baranauskas’s teachings of a porous diamond layer ……; and a porous layer stacked on the diamond layer and having wettability different from the diamond layer; wherein one of the porous layer and the porous diamond layer is hydrophilic and an other of the porous layer and the diamond layer is hydrophobic in the device of Teng in order to produce layers with high thermal conductivity.
Teng does not explicitly teach
“wherein the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are formed in the case”
In a similar field of endeavor Gil teaches
wherein the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are formed in the case (see e.g., the carrier substrate 1 comprises a shell element 50, in particular a plastic-containing shell element 50, which is preferably clipped to the cooling structure 30, to form a fluid channel 32 in which, in operation, for example, a cooling liquid is transported along a flow direction. The needles or pins of the cooling structure 30 arranged on the cooling side 5 of the carrier substrate 1 protrude into the fluid channel 32 filled with the cooling liquid during operation, Para [0074], Figure 2).
Gil teaches a fluid channel 32 located inside the case 50, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that openings that is, inlet and outlet must be provided in the case to allow the coolant flow into and out of the fluid channel. This is an inherent structural requirement of any functional cooling channel enclosed by a protective casing.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement Gil’s teachings of providing the refrigerant inlet and the refrigerant outlet are formed in the case in the device of Teng as it is a routine design choice that yields the known benefit of improved thermal management.
Regarding claim 3, Teng, as modified by Baranauskas, Gohara and Gil, teaches the limitations of claim 1 as mentioned above. Teng does not explicitly teach
“where a pore size of the porous layer is different from a pore size of the diamond layer”.
In a similar field of endeavor Baranauskas teaches
where a pore size of the porous layer is different from a pore size of the diamond layer (see e.g., as shown in Figure 3 the porous diamond layer has different pore size than the porous Si layer).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to implement Baranauskas’s teachings of where a pore size of the porous layer is different from a pore size of the diamond layer in the device of Teng in order to produce layers with high thermal conductivity.
Regarding claim 5, Teng, as modified by Baranauskas, Gohara and Gil, teaches the limitations of claim 1 as mentioned above. Teng further teaches
wherein the channel member comprises a plurality of pin members disposed to be spaced apart from each other and forming the cooling flow path therebetween (see e.g., the enhancement pattern 117, formed in the first semiconductor portion 111a, having recesses 117A and providing a cooling path for the cooling liquid, Para [0036], Figure 15).
Regarding claim 6, Teng, as modified by Baranauskas, Gohara and Gil, teaches the limitations of claim 1 as mentioned above. Teng further teaches comprising:
wherein a cross-sectional area of the first transfer flow path and a cross sectional area of the second transfer flow path are each greater than a cross-sectional area of the cooling flow path (see e.g., The recess R and the recesses 117A are communicated with each other and serve as flow channel for cooling liquid. The cooling liquid may be applied and flow into the flow channel from the inlet I and may flow out from the outlet O. The cooling liquid flow path between the inlet and outlet is therefore greater than the cooling path through the enhancement pattern 117.
The path connecting the refrigerant inlet I with the flow channel (recess R and recesses 117A) serves as the first transfer path and the transfer path connecting the flow channel with the outlet serves as the second transfer path and each path has greater cross-sectional area than the cooling path through the enhancement pattern 117, Para [0030], Figures 15 and 20A-20B).
Regarding claim 9, Teng, as modified by Baranauskas, Gohara and Gil, teaches the limitations of claim 1 as mentioned above. Teng further teaches
wherein the substrate and the channel member are formed with a same material (see e.g., the first semiconductor portion 111a and the second semiconductor portion 111b maybe formed of the same material, Para [0036], Figure 15).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/FAKEHA SEHAR/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/YARA B GREEN/Supervisor Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893