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 .
This office action is in response to the amendment filed on 1/30/26.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's request for reconsideration of the finality of the rejection of the last Office action is persuasive and, therefore, the finality of that action is withdrawn.
The indicated allowability of claims 2, 4 and 5 is withdrawn in view of the newly discovered reference(s) to Tatsumi et al. (US PGPub 2018/0190611) in view of Akino (US PGPub 2012/0248618). Rejections based on the newly cited reference(s) follow.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the 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.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tatsumi et al. (US PGPub 2018/0190611, hereinafter referred to as “Tatsumi”) in view of Akino (US PGPub 2012/0248618, hereinafter referred to as “Akino”).
Tatsumi discloses the semiconductor apparatus substantially as claimed. See figures 1-13 and corresponding text, where Tatsumi teaches, in claim 1, a semiconductor apparatus comprising:
an insulating substrate (2); (figure 1; [0028])
a porous material (3) directly bonded to the insulating substrate (2); (figure 1; [0030-0031]) and
a semiconductor device (4, 5) bonded to the porous material (3), (figure 1; [0028])
wherein the porous material (3) has at least one recess (portions 3a and 3b) on its bonding surface to the bonding material (joint layer) (figure 1; [0032])
However, Tatsumi fails to show, in claim 1, via a bonding material containing metal nanoparticles, wherein holes in the porous material have a pore size not more than the size of the metal nanoparticles contained in the bonding material.
Akino teaches, in claim 1, via a bonding material (P2) containing metal nanoparticles (12) wherein holes (14) in the porous material (P1) have a pore size not more than the size of the metal nanoparticles (12) contained in the bonding material (P2) (figure 13; [0043], conductive paste used for wire bonding [0045-0046], particle diameter of the nanoparticles and the interparticle voids (14)(implied holes) are smaller than the nanoparticles (12)). (See modified illustration below.)
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In addition, Akino provides the advantages of preventing the generation of cracks within the pads by reducing the stress using a porous metal film material ([0008-0009]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to incorporate via a bonding material containing metal nanoparticles, wherein holes in the porous material have a pore size not more than the size of the metal nanoparticles contained in the bonding material, in the apparatus of Tatsumi, according to the teachings of Akino, with the motivation of preventing the generation of cracks within the pads by reducing the stress.
Tatsumi in view of Akino shows, in claim 3, wherein the porous material has at least one projection on its bonding surface to the bonding material (figure 1; [0028-0035]).
Tatsumi in view of Akino shows, in claim 4, wherein the at least one recess comprises recesses respectively positioned just below four corners of the semiconductor device (figure 1; [0028-0035]).
Tatsumi in view of Akino shows, in claim 5, wherein the at least one projection comprises projections respectively positioned just below four corners of the semiconductor device (figures 1 and 2; [0028-0035]).
Tatsumi in view of Akino shows, in claim 6, wherein the semiconductor device is formed of a wide bandgap semiconductor ([0035]).
Tatsumi in view of Akino shows, in claim 7, wherein the wide bandgap semiconductor is silicon carbide, a gallium nitride-based material, or diamond ([0035]).
Tatsumi shows, in claim 8, a semiconductor apparatus comprising:
an insulating substrate (2);
a porous material (3) directly bonded to the insulating substrate (2); and
a semiconductor device (4, 5) bonded to the porous material (3) via a bonding material containing metal nanoparticles, wherein the porous material (3) has at least one recess (3a, 3b) on its bonding surface to the bonding material (figure 1; [0028-0032]).
However, Tatsumi fails to show, in claim 8, wherein holes of the porous material are connected to a surface of an outer periphery of the porous material,.
Akino teaches, in claim 8, wherein holes (14) of the porous material (P2) are connected to a surface (9) of an outer periphery (the side portions touch the protective film (9)) material of the porous material (P1) (figure 13; [0043], conductive paste used for wire bonding [0045-0046], the interparticle voids (14)(implied holes)). (See modified illustration below.)
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In addition, Akino provides the advantages of preventing the generation of cracks within the pads by reducing the stress using a porous metal film material ([0008-0009]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, to incorporate wherein holes of the porous material are connected to a surface of an outer periphery of the porous material, in the apparatus of Tatsumi, according to the teachings of Akino, with the motivation of preventing the generation of cracks within the pads by reducing the stress.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-8 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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/STANETTA D ISAAC/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 February 2, 2026