DETAILED ACTION/EXAMINER’S COMMENT
This Office action responds to the amendments filed on 07/06/2026.
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 . In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for a rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Amendment Status
Applicant’s response filed on 07/06/2026 in reply to the non-final rejection mailed on 04/06/2026, has been entered. The present Office action is made with all previously suggested amendments being fully considered. Claims 25 & 26 are added. Accordingly, pending in this Office action are claims 1, 2, 9, 23, 24, 25 & 26.
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, 9, 23, 24, 25 & 26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 20210098398) in view of Jeong (US 20040197979) and further in view of Suzuki (US 20040201102).
Yang (see, e.g., para.0011) states the description of elements are not exclusive to each embodiment and can be used among different embodiments. The electronic device 600 shown in fig. 6a and the structure body 200 of fig. 2a, used as the first body structure 526a and as the second body structure 526b, are used together for the following rejections.
Regarding Claim 1, Yang (see, e.g., fig. 2a, fig. 6) shows an electronic device, comprising:
a first structure body 526a including
a first base body 106 & 202 (see, e.g., para.0028)
a first wiring part 116 (see, e.g., para.0020) located at the first base body,
a first bonding electrode 124 (see, e.g., para.0023) electrically connected with the first wiring part 116,
and a second structure body 526b (elements of 526b hereinafter are distinguished by “b”) including
a second base body 106b & 202b,
a second wiring part 108b & 206b (see, e.g., para.0027-0028) located at the second base body,
and a second bonding electrode 112b (see, e.g., par.0029) electrically connected with the second wiring part,
the first bonding electrode 124 and the second bonding electrode 112b being bonded to each other between the first base body 526a and the second base body 526b (at 602b),
Yang, however, fails to show
a first insulating film located between the first wiring part 116 and the first bonding electrode 124,
and a plurality of first hard parts;
each of the first hard parts being located on the first insulating film between the first insulating film and the second base body,
each of the first hard parts contacting the first insulating film,
the first insulating film being further located between each of the first hard parts and the first wiring part,
each of the first hard parts being positioned entirely within an area in which the first bonding electrode is located when viewed along a first direction,
the first direction being from the first base body toward the first bonding electrode,
each of the first hard parts being smaller than the first bonding electrode when viewed along the first direction,
each of the first hard parts having a greater Young’s modulus or Vickers higher hardness than the first bonding electrode.
Jeong (see, e.g., fig. 7a, fig. 8a, para.0050-0055), in a device similar to Yang, shows a configuration wherein
and a plurality of first hard parts 411 (411 of fig. 7 corresponds to 411a in fig. 8);
each of the first hard parts 411 being positioned entirely within an area (circular area of 105) in which the first bonding electrode is located when viewed along a first direction (plan view, see, e.g., fig. 8),
the first direction being from the first base body 101 toward the first bonding electrode 105 (see e.g., fig. 7),
each of the first hard parts 411a being smaller than the first bonding electrode 105 when viewed along the first direction,
Jeong (see, e.g., para.0032) states configuration of the plurality of first hard parts, protrusions, in the bonding electrode of a device would suppress the formation and propagation of cracks of the bonding electrode.
The configuration of Jeong is incorporated into the device of Yang.
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the configuration of Jeong in the device of Yang to suppress the formation and propagation of cracks of the bonding electrode.
Yang, in view of Jeong, however, fails to show
a first insulating film located between the first wiring part and the first bonding electrode,
each of the first hard parts being located on the first insulating film between the first insulating film and the second base body
each of the first hard parts contacting the first insulating film,
each of the first hard parts having a greater Young’s modulus or Vickers higher hardness than the first bonding electrode.
Suzuki (see, e.g., fig. 6, para.0084), in a device similar to Yang, in view of Jeong, shows a configuration wherein
a first insulating film 5 (bottom portion of 5 in between elements 12, see, e.g., para.0126),
each of the first hard parts 5 (top portions of 5 above elements 12) being located on the first insulating film
each of the first hard parts contacting the first insulating film (contacting because they are formed from the same layer),
Suzuki (see, e.g., para.0125) states the configuration of the plurality of first hard parts formed from the first insulating film provides a smoother interface to the bonding electrode 1 and would prevent the bonding strength from being reduced and achieve a desirable adhesiveness.
The configuration of Suzuki is incorporated into the device of Yang, in view of Jeong.
It would have been obvious at the time of filing the invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the configuration of Suzuki in the device of Yang, in view of Jeong, to prevent the bonding strength from being reduced and achieve a desirable adhesiveness.
Yang (see, e.g., annotated figure 1), in view of Jeong and further in view of Suzuki, shows
a first insulating film 5 (hereinafter “5I”) located between the first wiring part 116 and the first bonding electrode 124,
and a plurality of first hard parts (hereinafter “5H”);
each of the first hard 5H parts being located on the first insulating film between the first insulating film 5I and the second base body 562b (at 602b, see, e.g. annotated figure 1),
each of the first hard parts contacting the first insulating film (formed from the same layer),
the first insulating film 5I being further located between each of the first hard parts 5H and the first wiring part 116 (5I is formed above 5H and 116),
each of the first hard parts being positioned entirely within an area in which the first bonding electrode is located when viewed along a first direction (see, e.g., annotated figure 1),
the first direction being from the first base body toward the first bonding electrode (vertical direction),
each of the first hard parts being smaller than the first bonding electrode when viewed along the first direction (see, e.g., annotated figure 1),
each of the first hard parts 5H having a greater Young’s modulus or Vickers higher hardness than the first bonding electrode 124.
Suzuki (see, e.g., para.0093) states 5H is made of silicon oxide or silicon nitride. Jeong (see, e.g., para.0051) states the bonding electrode 105 can be made of solder including copper and is used for the material of 124. Therefore 5H has a greater Young’s modulus and Vickers hardness than 124.
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Annotated Figure 1
Regarding Claim 2, Yang, in view of Jeong and further in view of Suzuki, shows the device according to claim 1,
wherein each of the first hard parts 5H is located between the first bonding electrode 124 and the first wiring part 116 (see, e.g., annotated figure 1).
Regarding Claim 9, Yang, in view of Jeong (see, e.g., para.0051) and further in view of Suzuki (see, e.g., para.0093), shows the device according to claim 1,
wherein the first bonding electrode 124 includes at least one selected from the group consisting of gold, aluminum, copper, and iridium (see, e.g., para.0051),
and each of the first hard parts 5H includes at least one selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide, silicon nitride, tungsten, titanium nitride, palladium, and titanium (see, e.g., para.0093).
Regarding Claim 23, Yang, in view of Jeong and further in view of Suzuki, shows the electronic device of claim 1,
wherein the first insulating film 5I has a first opening (hereinafter “5O”) in which the first wiring part 116 contacts the first bonding electrode 124 (see, e.g., annotated figure 1),
and a position of the first opening 5O is between the two of the plurality of first hard parts in a second direction (horizontal) perpendicular to the first direction (see, e.g., annotated figure 1)
Regarding Claim 24, Yang (see, e.g., fig. 2a, see, e.g., para.0021, para.0027-28), in view of Jeong and further in view of Suzuki, shows the electronic device of claim 23,
wherein the second structure body 526b further includes a second insulating film 118b, 120b & 204b (see, e.g., para.0021, para.0028) located between the second wiring part 108b & 206b (see, e.g., para.0027-0028) and the second bonding electrode 112b,
the second insulating film having a second opening (between layers 204 & 208, see, e.g., fig. 2a) in which the second wiring part contacts the second bonding electrode.
Regarding Claim 25, Yang, in view of Jeong and further in view of Suzuki, shows the electronic device of claim 1,
wherein each of the first hard parts 5H are further located between the first insulating film 5I and the first bonding electrode 124 (see, e.g., annotated figure 1).
Regarding Claim 26, Yang, in view of Jeong and further in view of Suzuki, shows the electronic device of claim 1,
wherein each of the first hard parts has a first surface (top surface) facing the first direction and a second surface (bottom surface) opposite to the first surface,
and the second surface of each of the first hard parts is positioned between the respective first surface and the first insulating film 5I and contacts the first insulating film 5I (5H & 5I are formed from 5, therefore the bottom surface of 5H is in direct contact with 5I).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/06/2026, with regard to the prior art rejections of claims 1, 2, 9, 23, & 24 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Yang, Jeong, & Suzuki.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 FERNANDO JOSE RAMOS-DIAZ whose telephone number is (571) 270-5855. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Loke can be reached on 571-272-1657. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/FERNANDO JOSE RAMOS-DIAZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/STEVEN H LOKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
