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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
In view of Applicant’s amendments, the prior 112(b) rejection is withdrawn.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1 and 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 2013/0187269) and Fu et al. (US 2016/0148864), both of record, and Wang et al. (US 2013/0168856) newly cited.
(Re Claim 1) Lin teaches a semiconductor device assembly comprising: a first substrate (102; Fig. 5) having a first side (top seen in Fig. 5) and a second side (bottom seen in Fig. 5) opposite the first side; a first contact pad (104; Fig. 5) formed at the first side of the first substrate; an under bump metallization (UBM) structure (114; Fig. 5) disposed laterally offset from the first contact pad (Fig. 5), the UBM structure having a shaped indentation on a top portion (top surface of 114 as seen in Fig. 5) thereof; a redistribution layer (110A; Fig. 5) electrically coupling the first contact pad and the UBM structure; and a molding compound (116; Fig. 5) disposed over the redistribution structure; and
a second substrate (200; Fig. 7) over (from the bottom to the top of Fig. 7) and facing the first side, the second substrate having a second contact pad (202; Fig. 7).
Lin does not explicitly teach a semiconductor device assembly comprising:
a copper ball electrically coupled to the UBM structure by a solder material, the copper ball having a rounded bottom portion that is different from the shaped indentation,
wherein the solder material includes (1) a first portion directly contacting the UBM structure and (2) a second portion integral with the first section; and a molding compound disposed over the redistribution structure and at least partially surrounding the copper ball,
wherein the first portion of the solder material is embedded in and directly contacts the molding compound, the first portion having a first lateral dimension measured at and parallel to an external lateral surface of the molding compound,
wherein the second portion of the solder material extends past the molding compound;
and the contact pad of the second substrate is electrically coupled to the copper ball and directly contacts the second portion of the solder material.
wherein the second contact pad directly contacts the second portion of the solder material,
wherein the second portion of the solder material is located between the external lateral surface of the molding compound and the second substrate and has second lateral dimensions, measured parallel to the external lateral surface, that are greater than the first later dimension of the first portion.
Fu teaches that solder joints (e.g., 150, 152, etc.; Fig. 1) and copper core solder balls (e.g., 250+260, 252+262, etc.; Fig. 2) are alternative connectors (¶¶9-10).
A person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would use a copper core solder ball style connector (Fu: 250+262; Fig. 2) instead of a solder joint connector (Lin: 118; Fig. 5) of Lin as taught by Fu to take advantage of reduced shorting frequency (Fu: ¶10).
Wang teaches forming a no-flow underfill (NUF) with epoxy and solder paste (“solder paste”, ¶52; “…functions as a flux…functions as an underfill…”, ¶53).
A PHOSITA would find it obvious to form the NUF layer 206 of Lin (Lin: Fig. 7, ¶26) with solder paste as taught by Wang, to provide reduced resistance in the connection between the first and second substrate by providing a conductive material in the composition of Lin’s layer 206. See also Ruiz v. A.B. Chance Co., 357 F.3d 1270, 69 USPQ2d 1686 (Fed. Cir. 2004).
This results in modified Lin teaching a semiconductor device assembly comprising:
a copper ball (Fu: 250, 252, 254, or 256; Fig. 2) electrically coupled to the UBM structure by a solder material (The combination of one of Fu’s 260, 262, 264, or 266 as seen in Fig. 2 and Lin’s 206 modified in view of Wang above), the copper ball having a rounded bottom portion (Fu: Fig. 2) that is different from the shaped indentation (Lin: the shaped indentation is the dip in 110A overlapping the contact pad 104; Fig. 5),
wherein the solder material includes (1) a first portion (every part of the solder material below Lin’s surface 116A as seen in Fig. 5) directly contacting the UBM structure (as a consequence of seating the copper ball and solder material taught by Fu on the contact pad of Lin; Fu: Fig. 1 and 2, ¶10; Lin: ¶22) and (2) a second portion (the remaining solder material that is not the first portion) integral with the first section (Lin: Fig. 7);
a molding compound disposed over the redistribution structure and at least partially surrounding the copper ball (molding compound height is set such that H1, which is different from and larger than the thickness of 116, is at least ½ of H2, the total height of the solder connector, and so after the copper core solder ball replaces the solder joint, the copper ball 250 of Fu will be at least partially surrounded by the molding compound 116 of Lin; Lin: ¶23),
wherein the first portion of the solder material is embedded in and directly contacts the molding compound (116 is applied as a liquid and forms against the side of the solder material; Lin: Fig. 5, ¶23), the first portion having a first lateral dimension (taken from left to right along the surface 116A of Lin) measured at and parallel to an external lateral surface (116A; Fig. 5) of the molding compound,
wherein the second portion of the solder material extends past the molding compound (the molding compound is shorter than the copper ball and solder material; see above and Lin’s ¶23); and
a second substrate (200; Fig. 7) over (from the bottom to the top of Fig. 7) and facing the first side (Fig. 7), the second substrate having a second contact pad (202; Fig. 7) electrically coupled to the copper ball (the solder material contacts the contact pad 202 and is electrically conductive; Fu: ¶10), wherein the second contact pad directly contacts the second portion of the solder material (Fig. 7),
wherein the second portion of the solder material is located between the external lateral surface of the molding compound and the second substrate (the second portion of the solder material is the remaining solder material that is not the first portion) and has lateral dimensions (such as measured from right to left above the leader for mask 204 in Lin’s Fig. 7), measured parallel to the external lateral surface, that are greater than the first lateral dimension of the first portion (Lin: Fig. 7).
(Re Claim 5) Modified Lin teaches the semiconductor device assembly of claim 1, wherein the UBM structure is formed above the redistribution layer (Fig. 5).
(Re Claim 6) Modified Lin teaches the semiconductor device assembly of claim 1, wherein the UBM structure does not vertically overlap the first contact pad (Fig. 5).
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 2013/0187269) and Fu et al. (US 2016/0148864), both of record, and Wang et al. (US 2013/0168856) newly cited, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Minda (US 2005/0258539), of record.
(Re Claim 2) Modified Lin teaches the semiconductor device assembly of claim 1, wherein the solder material completely encapsulates the copper ball (Fu: Fig. 2).
Modified Lin has yet to be shown to teach the semiconductor device assembly wherein the solder material completely encapsulates at least an upper surface of the UBM structure.
Minda teaches an under bump metallization structure (107+106+110; Fig. 16) having solder (108; Fig. 16) that completely encapsulates a top surface of the UBM structure, and a UBM structures (Fig. 21) that is an alternative configuration where the solder does not completely encapsulate a top surface of the UBM structure (¶90).
As person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would find it obvious to form the UBM structure of modified Lin as taught by Minda (Fig. 21), as Minda’s UBM structures allows for good wetting with a solder layer and reduces diffusion of solder (¶¶45-46).
Additionally, a PHOSITA would find it obvious to form the solder (Fu: 262; Fig. 2) of modified Lin such that it completely encapsulates a top surface of the UBM structure (Minda: Fig. 16) of modified Lin, as this is an alternative method of spreading solder on a UBM structure. See Ruiz v. A.B. Chance Co., 357 F.3d 1270, 69 USPQ2d 1686 (Fed. Cir. 2004).
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 2013/0187269) and Fu et al. (US 2016/0148864), both of record, and Wang et al. (US 2013/0168856) newly cited, as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shiraki (US 2015/0228571) and Lu et al. (US 2015/0014851), both of record.
(Re Claim 3) Modified Lin teaches the semiconductor device assembly of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach the semiconductor device assembly wherein a thickness of the molding compound is greater than or equal to a radius of the copper ball.
Shiraki teaches a radius of a copper ball (44A; Fig. 4) is 50 µm (¶62).
Lu teaches forming a molding compound (172; Fig. 12) having a thickness of 100 µm (¶55).
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).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/8/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot in view of the new rejection.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Patwardhan et al. (US 7,423,337) shows pinching of solder (130; Fig. 5C) after reflow due to confinement by a molding compound (160; Fig. 5C).
Aoki et al. (US 2011/0076801) shows an image of a “snowman”-like shaped solder connection (Fig. 12, ¶54).
Yu et al. (US 2014/0167254) shows several different configurations of solder according to relative connector width (Fig. 4-9).
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christopher A Schodde whose telephone number is (571)270-1974. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 1000-1800 EST.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CHRISTOPHER A. SCHODDE/Examiner, Art Unit 2898
/JESSICA S MANNO/SPE, Art Unit 2898