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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 116, as shown in Fig. 2A, for example. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 3, 6, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0284656 to Rinck et al.
Regarding claim 1, Rinck et al. teach a semiconductor die, comprising:
a semiconductor substrate (108) having a circuit (¶[0024]) formed therein;
one or more metal layers (121, 122, 123, 124) on the semiconductor substrate, the one or more metal layers coupled to the circuit;
a metal interface structure (M4) on the one or more metal layers, in which the metal interface structure has opposite first and second surfaces, and the first surface faces the one or more metal layers; and
a dissolvable metal layer (210) on the second surface.
Regarding claim 2, Rinck et al. teach a semiconductor die, wherein the metal interface structure includes a bond pad (¶[0015]).
Regarding claim 3, Rinck et al. teach a semiconductor die, wherein the dissolvable metal layer includes cobalt (¶[0019]).
Regarding claim 6, Rinck et al. teach a semiconductor die, wherein the metal interface structure includes a non-noble metal (¶[0025]) capable of forming an alloy with tin.
Regarding claim 21, Rinck et al. teach a method, comprising:
forming circuitry (¶[0024]) in a semiconductor substrate (108);
forming one or more metal layers (121, 122, 123, 124) on the semiconductor substrate, the one or more metal layers coupled to the circuitry;
forming a metal interface structure (M4) on the one or more metal layers, in which the metal interface structure has opposite first and second surfaces, and the first surface faces and is coupled to the one or more metal layers; and
depositing a dissolvable metal layer (210) on the second surface.
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.
Claims 4, 5 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rinck et al.
Regarding claim 4, Rinck et al. do not teach a semiconductor die, wherein the metal interface structure includes platinum. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use platinum since it is a known material that is well suited for the intended use.
Regarding claim 5, Rinck et al. do not teach a semiconductor die, wherein the metal interface structure includes a noble metal selected from the group consisting of ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, and iridium. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, or iridium since they are known materials that are well suited for the intended use.
Regarding claim 11, Rinck et al. do not teach a semiconductor die, wherein the dissolvable metal layer has a thickness of less than 5 kilo Angstroms. Rinck et al. do not teach the preferred thickness of the dissolvable metal layer. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to arrive at the optimal thickness of the dissolvable metal layer through routine experimentation.
Claims 12 – 20 are allowed.
Claims 7 – 10, 22, and 23 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record does not teach or reasonably suggest an electronic device as recited in claim 12, including “an alloy metal interconnect coupled between the metal interface structure and the solder layer, the alloy metal interconnect including an alloy of solder and cobalt.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0266149 to Xu et al. teach a semiconductor die comprising a substrate, one or more metal layers and a metal interface. Xu et al. do not teach a dissolvable metal layer on the second surface of the metal interface.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DOUGLAS W OWENS whose telephone number is (571)272-1662. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30-1:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Chad Dicke can be reached at 571-270-7996. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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DOUGLAS W. OWENS, Esq.
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2897
/DOUGLAS W OWENS/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2897