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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on January 14 2026 has been entered.
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 1-2, 7, 9, 12-13, 15, 17-19, and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lo et al. (“Lo” US 2022/0068736) and Pon et al. (“Pon” US 2020/0118941).
Regarding claim 1, Lo discloses a microelectronic assembly (Figure 31), comprising:
a substrate (within package component 220, the substrate includes the wafer 102 of stacked structure 150, redistribution structure 222, encapsulants 134/220, and stiffener structure 118), including:
a core (encapsulants 134/220, labeled in Figures 22 and 31);
a first stiffener (118 outer ring portion, see plan view of the stiffener 118 in Figure 12B, where the outer portion of 118 is the first stiffener) in the core (134/220, see Figure 31), wherein the first stiffener (118 outer portion) is along a perimeter of the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31); and
a second stiffener (118 inner portion, see plan view of the stiffener 118 in Figure 12B) in the core (134/220, see Figure 31), wherein the second stiffener (118 inner portion) is along a perimeter of the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31) and is [separated from and] concentric with the first stiffener (118 outer portion, see Figure 12B, since the first and second stiffeners are inner and outer portions of the same ring structure, they are thus concentric); and
a die (50) electrically coupled to the substrate (102/222/134/220/118, see electrical coupling to at least the interconnections of wafer 102, and the redistribution structure 222 of the substrate) and having a footprint (here footprint is the vertical projection of the surface area of the die 50), wherein the first and second stiffeners (118, inner and outer portions) are entirely outside of the footprint of the die (50, see Figure 12B which shows the vertical projection of the die 50 being within the boundaries of the stiffener structures).
Lo does not disclose that the second stiffener is separated from the first stiffener.
However, Pon discloses in Figures 3C and 3E a stiffener structure (reinforcement rings 330/3301) that can be between buildup layers 310A-310C (see para. [0046] and Figure 3C) and comprise one or more concentric rings on the same surface in the package (see para. [0046]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Pon into the teachings of Lo to include two concentric, separated stiffener structures in the package layers for the purpose of providing structural support within the package at several stress points therein. The structural arrangement was known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the separated, concentric stiffeners as taught by Pon into the teachings of Lo with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of providing structural support to different parts of the core of the package to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 2, Lo discloses wherein the first stiffener (118 outer portion) is a continuous ring along a perimeter of the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31).
Regarding claim 7, Lo discloses wherein a thickness of the first stiffener (118 outer portion) is between 0.1 millimeters and 1.4 millimeters (Lo discloses in para. [0056] a thickness of the stiffener structure being between 50 and 800 microns, i.e. 0.05 and 0.8 millimeters, which overlaps with the claimed thickness range).
The Examiner notes that in the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists. In re Wertheim, 541 F.2d 257, 191 USPQ 90 (CCPA 1976).
Regarding claim 9, Lo discloses wherein a material of the first stiffener (118 outer portion) includes silicon, glass, a metal, an amorphous metal alloy, or a ceramic (see para. [0044] discloses that the stiffener 118 may be made of silicon, a dielectric material, aluminum nitride, which is a known ceramic material, or the life, or a combination thereof).
Regarding claim 12, Lo discloses a microelectronic assembly (Figure 31), comprising:
a substrate (within package component 220, the substrate includes the wafer 102 of stacked structure 150, redistribution structure 222, encapsulants 134/220, and stiffener structure 118) having a first surface (lower surface of the redistribution portion 222 of the substrate) and an opposing second surface (upper surface of the wafer portion 102 of the substrate), the substrate (102/222/134/220/118) including:
a core (encapsulants 134/220);
a first stiffener (118 outer portion) within the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31) along a perimeter of the core (see Figures 12B and 31); and
a second stiffener (118 inner portion) in the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31), wherein the second stiffener (118 inner portion) is along a perimeter of the core (see Figures 12B and 31) and is [separated from and] concentric with the first stiffener (118 outer portion, see Figure 12B, since the first and second stiffeners are inner and outer portions of the same ring structure, they are thus concentric);
a die (50) electrically coupled to the second surface (upper surface of the wafer portion 102 of the substrate, see electrical connection in at least Figures 11 and 31) of the substrate (102/222/134/220/118) and having a footprint (here footprint is the vertical projection of the surface area of the die 50), wherein the first and second stiffeners (118, inner and outer portions) are entirely outside of the footprint of the die (50, see Figure 12B which shows the vertical projection of the die 50 being within the boundaries of the stiffener structures); and
a circuit board (400, see Figure 31) electrically coupled to the first surface of the substrate (lower surface of redistribution portion 222, see electrical contacts therebetween providing electrical coupling).
Lo does not disclose that the second stiffener is separated from the first stiffener.
However, Pon discloses in Figures 3C and 3E a stiffener structure (reinforcement rings 330/3301) that can be between buildup layers 310A-310C (see para. [0046] and Figure 3C) and comprise one or more concentric rings on the same surface in the package (see para. [0046]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Pon into the teachings of Lo to include two concentric, separated stiffener structures in the package layers for the purpose of providing structural support within the package at several stress points therein. The structural arrangement was known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the separated, concentric stiffeners as taught by Pon into the teachings of Lo with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of providing structural support to different parts of the core of the package to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 13, Lo discloses wherein the first stiffener (118 outer portion) is a continuous ring along a perimeter of the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31).
Regarding claim 15, Lo discloses wherein a material of the first stiffener (118 outer portion) includes silicon, glass, a metal, an amorphous metal alloy, or a ceramic (see para. [0044] discloses that the stiffener 118 may be made of silicon, a dielectric material, aluminum nitride, which is a known ceramic material, or the life, or a combination thereof).
Regarding claim 17, Lo discloses a method for fabricating a microelectronic assembly (Figure 31), the method comprising:
forming a first stiffener (118 outer portion) in a core (134/220) of a substrate (within package component 220, the substrate includes the wafer 102 of stacked structure 150, redistribution structure 222, encapsulants 134/220, and stiffener structure 118), wherein the substrate (102/222/134/220/118) includes a first surface (lower surface of redistribution portion 222 of the substrate) and an opposing second surface (upper surface of wafer portion 102 of the substrate), and wherein the first stiffener (118 outer portion) is along a perimeter of the core (134/220) of the substrate (102/222/134/220/118, see Figures 12B and 31) and is configured to mitigate warpage (see para. [0018]);
forming a second stiffener (118 inner portion) in the core (134/220) of the substrate (102/222/134/220/118), wherein the second stiffener (118 inner portion) is along a perimeter of the core (134/220) of the substrate (102/222/134/220/118, see Figures 12B and 31) and is [separated from and] concentric with the first stiffener (118 outer portion, see Figure 12B, since the first and second stiffeners are inner and outer portions of the same ring structure, they are thus concentric); and
electrically coupling a die (50), having a footprint (here footprint is the vertical projection of the surface area of the die 50), to the second surface of the substrate (upper surface of the wafer portion 102 of the substrate, see electrical connection in at least Figures 11 and 31) positioned such that the first and second stiffeners (118) are entirely outside of the footprint of the die (50, see Figure 12B which shows the vertical projection of the die 50 being within the boundaries of the stiffener structures).
Lo does not disclose that the second stiffener is separated from the first stiffener.
However, Pon discloses in Figures 3C and 3E a stiffener structure (reinforcement rings 330/3301) that can be between buildup layers 310A-310C (see para. [0046] and Figure 3C) and comprise one or more concentric rings on the same surface in the package (see para. [0046]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Pon into the teachings of Lo to include two concentric, separated stiffener structures in the package layers for the purpose of providing structural support within the package at several stress points therein. The structural arrangement was known in the prior art and one skilled in the art could have combined the separated, concentric stiffeners as taught by Pon into the teachings of Lo with no change in their respective functions, and the combination would have yielded the predictable result of providing structural support to different parts of the core of the package to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention. See KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claim 18, Lo discloses wherein a material of the first stiffener (118 outer portion) includes silicon, glass, a metal, an amorphous metal alloy, or a ceramic (see para. [0044] discloses that the stiffener 118 may be made of silicon, a dielectric material, aluminum nitride, which is a known ceramic material, or the life, or a combination thereof).
Regarding claim 19, Lo discloses wherein the first stiffener (118 outer portion) is a continuous ring along a perimeter of the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31).
Regarding claim 21, Lo discloses wherein a material of the second stiffener (118 inner portion) includes glass, silicon, a metal, a metal alloy, or a ceramic (see para. [0044] discloses that the stiffener 118 may be made of silicon, a dielectric material, aluminum nitride, which is a known ceramic material, or the life, or a combination thereof).
Regarding claim 22, Lo discloses wherein the second stiffener (118 inner portion) is a continuous ring along a perimeter of the core (134/220, see Figures 12B and 31).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lo and Pon as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Mok (US 2020/0163218).
Regarding claim 8, Lo discloses vias (216) in the core (134/220), but does not explicitly disclose plated through hole vias.
Mok discloses in Figures 1 and 2, however, a core (11) further including a plated through hole (PTH) via (7, see Figures 1 and 2, and para. [0094] which discloses the through hole 7 can be a plated through hole, see also para. [0018]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Mok into the teachings of Lo to include the plated through hole vias for the purpose of aiding in heat dissipation (Mok, para. [0094]). Further, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to substitute one known element (plated through-hole vias of Mok) for another known equivalent element (vias of Lo) resulting in the predictable result of providing electrical connection between parts of an electronic package. See MPEP 2143 (I)(B).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lo and Pon as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Sinha et al. (“Sinha” 2022/0077076).
Regarding claim 10, Lo does not explicitly disclose that the first stiffener structure includes or is made of a metal, or an amorphous metal alloy.
Sinha discloses, however, a stiffener structure (reinforcement structure 230a) that includes a metal, or an amorphous metal alloy (see para. [0034]], which discloses suitable metallic materials to use for the stiffener 230a).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Sinha into the teachings of Lo to include a metallic material for the first stiffener structure for the purpose of utilizing a material with a high Young’s modulus for strengthening the semiconductor package (see para. [0034] of Sinha). Additionally, the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use is prima facie obvious. See MPEP 2144.07.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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/Genevieve G Bullard-Connor/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899