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 Objections
Claims 15-29 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 21 is more of a “package” since like claim 15, it includes a die.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim limitations “by filling” in claims and “interlocking with” in claims 15, 21 has been evaluated under the three-prong test set forth in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, but the result is inconclusive. Thus, it is unclear whether this limitation should be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation uses a generic placeholder (by and with) coupled with functional language (filling and interlocking), but it is modified by some structure or material that is ambiguous regarding whether that structure or material is sufficient for performing the claimed function;. The boundaries of this claim limitation are ambiguous; therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
In response to this rejection, applicant must clarify whether this limitation should be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. Mere assertion regarding applicant’s intent to invoke or not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph is insufficient. Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim to clearly invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, by reciting “means” or a generic placeholder for means, or by reciting “step.” The “means,” generic placeholder, or “step” must be modified by functional language, and must not be modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function;
(b) Present a sufficient showing that 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, should apply because the claim limitation recites a function to be performed and does not recite sufficient structure, material, or acts to perform that function;
(c) Amend the claim to clearly avoid invoking 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, by deleting the function or by reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to perform the recited function; or
(d) Present a sufficient showing that 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, does not apply because the limitation does not recite a function or does recite a function along with sufficient structure, material or acts to perform that function.
Examiner suggests claims 15 and 21 (and any corresponding dependent claims) be amended as follows to clearly avoid invoking 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
15. (Currently Amended) A semiconductor package, comprising:
a first part of a substrate having a first surface transverse to a second surface;
a second part of the substrate having a third surface transverse to a fourth surface, the fourth surface facing the second surface;
a semiconductor die on the first surface of the first part of the substrate;
a first conductive layer on the third surface of the second part of the substrate;
an intermetallic compound at the second surface of the first part of the substrate and the fourth surface of the second part of the substrate, the intermetallic compound having a porous surface at the second surface and the fourth surface including a plurality of pores;
a second conductive layer having a first end opposite of a second end, the first end of the second conductive layer electrically coupled to the first conductive layer and the second end of the second conductive layer electrically coupled to the semiconductor die;
a molding substance interlocked with the irregular surface of the intermetallic compound at the second surface of the first part of the substrate and the fourth surface of the second part of the substrate and fills pores of the porous surface of the intermetallic compound.
21. (Currently Amended) A device, comprising: a substrate including:
a first portion having a first surface and a second surface transverse to the first surface; and
a second portion having a third surface and a fourth surface transverse to the third surface;
a die on the first surface;
a conductive layer on the third surface;
a wire electrically coupled between the die and the conductive layer; an intermetallic compound on the second surface and the fourth surface, the intermetallic compound having a porous surface at the second and fourth surface including a plurality of pores; and
a molding substance on the substrate, the die, the conductive layer, the wire, and the intermetallic compound and interlocked with the irregular surface of the intermetallic compound at the second surface of the first part of the substrate and the fourth surface of the second part of the substrate and fills pores of the porous surface of the intermetallic compound.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2010/0129157 (Reddy), 2005/0207929 (Yamada), 2024/0208180 (Gerngross), U.S. Patent Nos. 5,667,742 (Dwivedi), 6,123,878 (Nagel), JP Publication No. 2000-173612 (Nakamoto) teach a package with an intermetallic compound / textured surface.
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 TERESA M ARROYO whose telephone number is (703)756-1576. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (8:30 A.M. E.T. - 5:00 P.M. E.T.).
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/TERESA M. ARROYO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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