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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments filed 6/8/2026 have been entered and considered. The amendments of claim 5 are acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 6/8/2026 with respect to the rejection of claim 5 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered.
With respect to the argument that Terada and Hojo fail to teach “detecting melting of the bump based on a decrease in the pressing load and monitors an electric current value of the voice coil motor as a parameter indicating the pressing load during the detection step”, the argument is 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.
With respect to the argument that Terada and Hojo fail to teach to update the command position of the mounting tool. The examiner disagrees for the following reasons: Hojo updates the command position of the coil so it is lowered and contact with the bump is achieved. Current is used to control the position of the coil. A position of the bonding tool that is attached to the coil is measured and a constant load is applied onto the bump. For a load to be applied on the bump, the coil, and therefore the bonding tool, must be commanded to a position lower than where it is currently. The bonding tool is at a higher position that where it is being commanded to, and the difference between these positions is the positional deviation. At the same time, Terada teaches that the bonding tool expands due to the rising temperature and the load of the bonding tool is adjusted to compensate for the thermal expansion. When using the voice coil motor in Hojo in the method taught in Terada, the load is applied while considering the load that the positional deviation contributes and the thermal expansion of the bonding tool.
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.
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Terada et al. US 20090289098 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Terada), in view of Oga et al. US 20070287226 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Oga), in view of Hojo et al. US 20130153644 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Hojo).
Regarding claim 5, Terada teaches
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device (“operation of the apparatus according to Example 1” for chip mounting, para. 0063, 0069 FIG. 1-10), comprising:
A bonding step, after bringing a chip (“chip 1” para. 0064 FIG. 2) held by a mounting tool (“tool 2” para. 0064) into contact with a substrate (“substrate 5” para. 0064) supported by a stage (“holding stage 4” para. 0064) and until a bump (“bump 1a” para. 0068 FIG. 2) provided on a bottom surface of the chip melts (“FIG. 3 shows a state where bump 1a of chip 1 has come into contact with electrode 5a of substrate 5” in “timing t1” while the heating of “tool 2” is at “timing t3”, para. 0072-0076), performing a first step of heating the chip by the mounting tool (“bump 1a is heated by tool 2 and begins to be molten” at “timing t3” para. 0076 FIG. 6),
a pressing mechanism (“tool holder 17” para. 0064), which moves the mounting tool in the vertical direction,
a cooling step, cooling the chip after heating and pressing during the bonding step (“bump 1a of chip 1 held by tool 2 is cooled” after melting and setting a fixed gap between “chip 1” and “substrate 5”, para. 0077-0078 FIG. 8); and
a raising step, raising the mounting tool after the cooling step (“tool holder 17 is lifted up” para. 0079 FIG. 9).
However, Terada fails to explicitly teach constantly updating a command position in a vertical direction of the pressing mechanism, which moves the mounting tool in the vertical direction, so that a positional deviation, which is a difference between the command position and a current position of the pressing mechanism, is constant; in parallel with the first step, performing a detection step of monitoring a pressing load of the chip applied by the pressing mechanism and detecting melting of the bump based on a decrease in the pressing load, and the first step updates, as the command position, a value obtained by subtracting a target value of the positional deviation greater than 0 from a sum of a detection position of the mounting tool detected by a sensor and a thermal expansion amount per sampling, the command position is according to a formula P* = Pd + aa - AP*, wherein P* denotes the command position, Pd denotes the detection position of the mounting tool, aa denotes the thermal expansion amount of the mounting tool that occurs per sampling, Pd + aa is the current position of the mounting tool, and AP* denotes a target value of the positional deviation AP, which is a constant fixed value, the pressing mechanism comprises a voice coil motor configured to move the mounting tool in the vertical direction by an electric current applied from a controller, and in the detection step monitors an electric current value of the voice coil motor as a parameter indicating the pressing load during the detection step.
Nevertheless, Oga teaches
in parallel with the first step, performing a detection step of monitoring a pressing load of the chip applied by the pressing mechanism and detecting melting of the bump based on a decrease in the pressing load (“When load cell 6 for contact force detection detects change of this contact force, it is detectable that bumps 19 and 20 dissolved”, para. 0083 FIG. 9-11).
Terada and Oga teach methods of bonding a chip to a substrate. Terada teaches “tool holder position detecting means 23” for detecting a change in the position of the “tool holder 17” when “bumps 1a” is molten (para. 0076). Hojo determines the bumps melt when the downward movement of “bonding toll 28” exceeds a threshold (para. 0036). Meanwhile, Oga uses “load cell 6” to measure the contact force of “support member 26” that holds the “chip absorbing means 1” (para. 0055 and 0065). Oga further indicates that “since load cell 6 for contact detection can detect stress change with sufficient accuracy, it can judge that the bump of substrate W and the bump of chip S contacted” (para. 0067) and that “load cell 6” has a high precision in detecting changes in external force (para. 0065). Once “bumps 19 and 20” melt and a contact force change is detected, the pressing by the “actuator 12” can be halted and excessive crushing of bumps is avoided (para. 0083-0085). One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the use of a “load cell 6” is an alternative that can accurately determine the pressing load applied to “chip 1” and avoid damage.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method in Terada with the pressing load detection taught in Oga. The high-precision load sensor in Oga is an alternative that can detect changes in load so that excessive pressing of the bumps can be avoided.
However, Terada, modified by Oga, fail to teach constantly updating a command position in a vertical direction of the pressing mechanism, which moves the mounting tool in the vertical direction, so that a positional deviation, which is a difference between the command position and a current position of the pressing mechanism, is constant; and the first step updates, as the command position, a value obtained by subtracting a target value of the positional deviation greater than 0 from a sum of a detection position of the mounting tool detected by a sensor and a thermal expansion amount per sampling, the command position is according to a formula P* = Pd + aa - AP*, wherein P* denotes the command position, Pd denotes the detection position of the mounting tool, aa denotes the thermal expansion amount of the mounting tool that occurs per sampling, Pd + aa is the current position of the mounting tool, and AP* denotes a target value of the positional deviation AP, which is a constant fixed value, the pressing mechanism comprises a voice coil motor configured to move the mounting tool in the vertical direction by an electric current applied from a controller, and in the detection step monitors an electric current value of the voice coil motor as a parameter indicating the pressing load during the detection step.
Nevertheless, Hojo teaches
the pressing mechanism comprises a voice coil motor (“voice coil motor 20” para. 0023 FIG. 1) configured to move the mounting tool in the vertical direction by an electric current applied from a controller (“voice coil motor 20” drives the “bonding tool 28” by changing the current through “coil 23” of the “voice coil motor 20”, para. 0030), and in the detection step monitors an electric current value of the voice coil motor as a parameter indicating the pressing load during the detection step (because “a sensor for detecting a pressing force at which the bonding tool 28 presses down the substrate 42 can be provided and the current through the coil 23 can be controlled to change”, the examiner understands the pressing load and the current can be detected when contact between “gold bump 33” “solder film 44” is made, para. 0033-0034 FIG. 6).
Terada, modified by Oga, and Hojo teach methods of bonding semiconductor chips to a substrate. While Terada uses a “tool holder 17” that relies on air pressure between a “pressurizing port 19” and a “balance pressure port 20” (Terada para. 0065), Hojo uses a “voice coil motor 20” that is driven by the current in “coil 23”. The “tool holder 17” movement is controlled by changing the pressures in each port by use of “pressure controllers 27a and 27b” and these are controlled by the “drive control means 22” (Terada para. 0066-0067). Meanwhile, Hojo uses a “power source 19” controlled by the “control unit 50” to adjust the current through the “coil 23”. The “voice coil motor 20” in Hojo requires less variables to control and less parts to operate than the “tool holder 17” in the air cylinder “tool holder supporting means 15” in Terada: the examiner understands it is simpler to control a single current than to balance out two opposing pressures with two pressure controllers. Since the load applied by the “voice coil motor 20” is sensed and controlled during the bonding operation to maintain a constant load, it can be used the same way the “tool holder 17” is used. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that a “voice coil motor 20” is an easier alternative to the air pressure controlled “tool holder 17” in Terada that can also maintain a constant load by adjusting the current.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method taught between Terada and Oga with the voice coil motor taught in Hojo. A voice coil motor requires less independently controlled elements while still enabling constant control of the loading pressure.
However, Terada, modified by Oga and Hojo, fail to expressly teach constantly updating a command position in a vertical direction of the pressing mechanism, which moves the mounting tool in the vertical direction (a command position is given by “control unit 50” for position lowering of “coil 23”, para. 0032), so that a positional deviation, which is a difference between the command position and a current position of the pressing mechanism, is constant; and the first step updates, as the command position, a value obtained by subtracting a target value of the positional deviation greater than 0 from a sum of a detection position of the mounting tool detected by a sensor and a thermal expansion amount per sampling, the command position is according to a formula P* = Pd + aa - AP*, wherein P* denotes the command position, Pd denotes the detection position of the mounting tool, aa denotes the thermal expansion amount of the mounting tool that occurs per sampling, Pd + aa is the current position of the mounting tool, and AP* denotes a target value of the positional deviation AP, which is a constant fixed value.
Nevertheless, Hojo teaches that a command position is given by “control unit 50” for position lowering of “coil 23”, para. 0032. A “reference height H.sub.2” is defined when the difference between the command value for position lowering and the lowered position detected by the linear scale head 62 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, which means that “gold bump 35” comes into contact with “solder film 44” (para. 0032-0033). Then, a constant load is applied onto “substrate 42” (para. 0034). This means that a position is maintained constant while commanding “bonding tool 28” to a lower position. The examiner understands that a positional deviation will exist when a load is applied and the “bonding tool 28” remains as a fixed position: the command position is forcing “coil 23” to move downwards but contact with “solder layer 44” impedes motion, resulting in a forced load. Without accounting for thermal expansion of the “bonding tool 28”, the command position corresponds to the difference between the measured position and the deviation from the intended position. Meanwhile, Terada teaches how thermal expansion of “tool 2” occurs during heating and the position of “tool holder 17” changes from “X1” to “X2” to compensate for the thermal expansion so that the bumps are not damaged (para. 0075). While using “coil 23” and accounting for thermal expansion of “tool 2”, a constant load can be applied by updating the command position. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the command position given to “coil 23” of “voice coil motor 20” is updates while considering the thermal expansion of “tool 2” so that the load applied to the bumps is constant.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the method taught between Terada, Oga, and Hojo. With the voice coil motor, a command position is updated so that the correct load is applied even when the mounting tool undergoes thermal expansion.
Regarding claim 6, Terada, modified by Oga and Hojo, teaches the manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 5, further comprising:
performing a second step of constantly updating the command position of the pressing mechanism after a time point at which melting of the bump is detected in the detection step (“tool holder position detecting means 23” constantly measures the position of “tool holder 17”, para. 0067. When a change in position is detected upon melting of “bump a1”, the position of “tool 2” relative to “chip 1” is kept at a fixed position while “tool holder 17” and “feeding device 3” are moved, para. 0076-0078. In other words, the commanded position of “tool 12” is constantly update to account for the change of position of “tool holder 17” and “feeding device 3”. As modified, the “voice coil motor 20” is capable of being controlled in the same way since the load amount can be sensed, para. 0034.), so that a gap amount, which is a distance between the bottom surface of the chip and the substrate, is kept at a target value (“the gap (gap amount) between chip 1 and substrate 5 at the time of cooling becomes a predetermined value” and “bump 1a” is cooled at this gap, para. 0078).
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 ERIC MULERO FLORES whose telephone number is (571)270-0070. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm (typically).
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, Julio Maldonado can be reached at (571)272-1864. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ERIC MANUEL MULERO FLORES/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 /JULIO J MALDONADO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898
Prosecution Insights