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 § 102
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lim et al. US 2013/0344695.
Regarding claim 1, Lim teaches a deep-via structure (e.g., Fig. 2D, [46]-[49]; also see Figs. 2A-2C and the description thereof for additional details), the deep-via structure comprising:
a via-interfacing layer (e.g., via-interfacing layer including 100, 110, 130 and 140, Fig. 2D);
a via (e.g., 125 and 150, Fig. 2D) that is embedded within the via-interfacing layer,
wherein the via comprises a conductive material (e.g., [26], [19]), wherein the via is comprised of a first section (e.g., first section; see the annotated Fig. 2D below) and a second section (e.g., second section; see the annotated Fig. 2D below), wherein the via-interfacing layer is in direct contact with a vertical side surface (e.g., vertical side surface; see the annotated Fig. 2D below) of the second section and a horizontal surface (e.g., horizontal surface; see the annotated Fig. 2D below) of the first section; and
a stress-relief void (e.g., 123, Fig. 2D, [23]) formed within the first section of the via.
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Annotated Fig. 2D of Lim
Claims 1 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ogiso et al. US 2015/0214134.
Regarding claim 1, Ogiso teaches a deep-via structure (e.g., Fig. 4B, [36]; also see Figs. 2, 3 and 4A and the description thereof for additional details), the deep-via structure comprising:
a via-interfacing layer (e.g., via-interfacing layer including 3, 2, 6, 7 and 21, Fig. 4B);
a via (e.g., 8, Fig. 4B) that is embedded within the via-interfacing layer,
wherein the via comprises a conductive material (e.g., [22]), wherein the via is comprised of a first section (e.g., first section; see the annotated Fig. 4B below) and a second section (e.g., second section; see the annotated Fig. 4B below), wherein the via-interfacing layer is in direct contact with a vertical side surface (e.g., vertical side surface; see the annotated Fig. 4B below) of the second section and a horizontal surface (e.g., horizontal surface; see the annotated Fig. 4B below) of the first section; and
a stress-relief void (e.g., 9, Fig. 4B, [20]) formed within the first section of the via.
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Annotated Fig. 4B of Ogiso
Regarding claim 21, Ogiso teaches a method (e.g., Figs.2-4 and the description thereof) comprising:
forming a via-interfacing layer (e.g., via-interfacing layer including 3, 2, 6, 7 and 21, Fig. 3C);
forming a via (e.g., 8, Fig. 4B) that is embedded within the via-interfacing layer, wherein the via comprises a conductive material (e.g., [22]), wherein the via is comprised of a first section (e.g., first section; see the annotated Fig. 4B above) and a second section (e.g., second section; see the annotated Fig. 4B above), wherein the via-interfacing layer is in direct contact with a vertical side surface (e.g., vertical side surface; see the annotated Fig. 4B above) of the second section and a horizontal surface (e.g., horizontal surface; see the annotated Fig. 4B above) of the first section; and
forming a stress-relief void (e.g., 9, Fig. 4B, [36]) within the first section of the via.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-11 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.
Claims 12-15 and 17-20 are allowed at this time, pending updated search before the Examiner's next response, because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitation of claim 12 that recites “a first deep-via structure, wherein the first deep-via structure comprises: a first via-interfacing layer; a first via that is embedded within the first via-interfacing layer, wherein the first via comprises a first conductive material, wherein the first via is comprised of a first section and a second section, wherein the first via-interfacing layer is in direct contact with a vertical side surface of the second section and a horizontal surface of the first section; and a first stress-relief void formed within the first section of the first via; and a second deep-via structure, wherein the second deep-via structure comprises: a second via-interfacing layer; a second via that is embedded within the second via-interfacing layer, wherein the second via comprises a second conductive material; and a second stress-relief void formed within the second via” in combination with other elements of claim 12.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on April 20, 2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection as stated above.
Conclusion
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 extension fee 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.
If applicant should desire to file an amendment, entry of a proposed amendment after final rejection cannot be made as a matter of right unless it merely cancels claims or complies with a formal requirement made earlier. Amendments touching the merits of the application which otherwise might not be proper may be admitted upon a showing a good and sufficient reasons why they are necessary and why they were not presented earlier.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bo Bin Jang whose telephone number is (571) 270-0271. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM 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, Eva Montalvo can be reached at (571) 270-3829. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BO B JANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 June 28, 2026
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