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 11/13/2025 have been entered and considered. The amendments to claims 14, 16, and 31 are acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 11/13/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant asserts that the bonding region and insulating film in Lin et al. US 8399989 B2 overlap. The examiner disagrees. “Gold wire 400” is formed over “metal layer 564” of the “metal pad 567”. Portions of “metal pad 567” overlap with the “opening 43” of the “passivation layer 42”. The examiner acknowledges that the “gold wire 400” is not explicitly taught to be aligned with “opening 43”. However, it is reasonable to expect at least a portion of the bonding region to overlap with “opening 43” because it is safer to aim for the bonding of the wire in a central region of “metal pad 567”. If one were to aim for a bond closer to an edge of “metal pad 567”, there is a risk of impacting “polymer layer 568” instead of “metal pad 367” due to a misalignment. As suggested in FIG. 34, at least central portions of uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38”, “copper pad 37”, nickel “adhesion/barrier 540” with “nickel layer 560”, and “metal layer 564” are continuously stacked without the “passivation layer 42” being interposed because of “opening 43”.
The rejections of claims 14, 16, and 31 are sustained.
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 14-22, 26, 29-30, and 33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. US 8399989 B2 (hereinafter referred to as Lin), in view of Lin et al. US 20160163665 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Lin’665).
Regarding claim 14, Lin teaches
A semiconductor device (“metal pad over copper pad” col 11 lines 46-47 FIG. 34) comprising:
a semiconductor element (“semiconductor substrate 30” with “multiple thin-film insulating layers 36 and multiple thin-film circuit layers 38”, col 3 lines 17-19 FIG. 34) with a first main surface (surface where uppermost “thin film circuit layer 38” is formed);
a first metal member (uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38”) formed on the first main surface;
a second metal member (“copper pad 37” col 11 line 47 FIG. 34) formed on an upper surface of the first metal member (“copper pad 37” is formed on topmost “thin-film circuit layer 38”, col 3 lines 33-44);
a third metal member (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” made of nickel, such that “seed layer 542” can be omitted, col 11 lines 51 and 62-63, and “nickel layer 560” col 12 line 15) formed on an upper surface of the second metal member (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” is formed on “copper pad 37”, col 11 lines 51-57);
a fourth metal member with copper as a principal component (“metal layer 564” of copper, col 12 lines 19-20), formed on an upper surface of the third metal member (“metal layer 564” is formed on “nickel layer 560”, col 12 lines 19-24); and
a wiring member (“gold wire 400” col 13 line 62), bonded to an upper surface of the fourth metal member corresponding to a formation position of the third metal member (“gold wire 400” is connected to “metal layer 564” and overlaps “nickel layer 560”, col 13 lines 62-63), wherein a material of the first metal member is aluminum (“thin-film circuit layer 38” is made of aluminum, col 3 lines 22-23) and a material of the second metal member is copper (“copper pad 37” comprises copper);
an insulation member (“passivation layer 42” col 13 line 59);
However, Lin fails to expressly a portion where the first to fourth metal members are continuously stacked without the insulating member therebetween, directly below a position corresponding to a bonding region between the wiring member and the fourth metal member, the wiring member with copper as a principal component.
Nevertheless, “passivation layer 42” has an “opening 43” on a central region of “copper pad 37”, and “adhesion/barrier layer 540”, “nickel layer 560”, and “metal layer 564” are formed over “opening 37” (col 6 lines 3-5, col 11 lines 51-57, col 12 lines 15-18 and 19-25). “Copper layer 37” is formed above the uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38” (col 3 lines 33-44 FIG. 1). Although it is not explicitly stated that “gold wire 400” is formed in a region that overlaps with “opening 43”, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would understand that at least a portion of the bonding region between “gold wire 400” and “metal layer 564” overlaps with “opening 43”. As suggested in FIG. 34, it is reasonable to expect one to bond “gold wire 400” in a central region of “opening 43” so as to avoid “polymer layer 568”. the
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the first through fourth metal layers are continuously stacked and not interposed by the insulation member in the region where the opening lies. Since the opening of the insulation member is in a central region of the first through fourth metal layers and the wiring member is on a central region of the fourth metal layer, at least has a portion of the bonding region overlaps with the continuous stack of first through fourth metal layers.
However, Lin fails to teach the wiring member with copper as a principal component.
Nevertheless, Lin’665 teaches
the wiring member with copper as a principal component (“a material of the bonding wire 150 is, for example, copper or copper alloy”, para. 0015 FIG. 1).
Lin and Lin’665 teach multilayer conductive pads. The wire in Lin is made of gold and bonds to a copper “metal layer 564” while the wire in Lin’665 is made of copper and bonds to a copper “second metal layer 140” (para. 0015). Copper wire and copper metal layer bond has a favorable bonding strength and the reliability of the semiconductor device is improved (para. 0016). One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that a copper “bonding wire 150” bonds securely to a copper “second metal layer 140”.
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 semiconductor device taught in Lin with the wiring member taught in Lin’665. A copper wiring member bonds strongly to a copper fourth metal member and help the semiconductor device have favorable reliability.
Regarding claim 15, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 14. wherein a material of the third metal member is nickel (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” and “nickel layer 560” are made of nickel).
Regarding claim 17, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a hardness of a material of either the second metal member or the third metal member is equal to or higher than a hardness of a material of the fourth metal member (since “copper pad 37” and “metal layer 564” comprise copper, the examiner understands their hardness is substantially similar).
Regarding claim 19, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a hardness of the material of the second metal member is equal to or lower than a hardness of the material of the third metal member (copper is generally softer than nickel as evidenced in Benenson, periodictable.com, wikipedia.org, and nickelinstitute.org cited below).
Regarding claim 21, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 14. wherein a hardness of the material of the first metal member is equal to or lower than a hardness of the material of the second metal member and a hardness of the material of the third metal member (aluminum is generally softer than copper as evidenced in Benenson, periodictable.com, wikipedia.org, and nickelinstitute.org cited below).
Regarding claim 29, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the The semiconductor device according to claim 14, wherein a thickness of the third metal member is from 1 µm to 50 µm (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” has a thickness of 0.1 µm to 0.6 µm, 79, and “nickel layer 560 having a thickness of between 0.1 and 10 microns” 82).
Regarding claim 16, Lin teaches
A semiconductor device (“metal pad over copper pad” col 11 lines 46-47 FIG. 34) comprising:
a semiconductor element (“semiconductor substrate 30” with “multiple thin-film insulating layers 36 and multiple thin-film circuit layers 38”, col 3 lines 17-19 FIG. 34) with a first main surface (surface where uppermost “thin film circuit layer 38” is formed);
a first metal member (uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38”) formed on the first main surface;
a second metal member (“copper pad 37” col 11 line 47 FIG. 34) formed on an upper surface of the first metal member (“copper pad 37” is formed on topmost “thin-film circuit layer 38”, col 3 lines 33-44);
a third metal member (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” made of nickel, such that “seed layer 542” can be omitted, col 11 lines 51 and 62-63, and “nickel layer 560” col 12 line 15) formed on an upper surface of the second metal member (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” is formed on “copper pad 37”, col 11 lines 51-57);
a fourth metal member with copper as a principal component (“metal layer 564” of copper, col 12 lines 19-20), formed on an upper surface of the third metal member (“metal layer 564” is formed on “nickel layer 560”, col 12 lines 19-24);
a wiring member (“gold wire 400” col 13 line 62), bonded to an upper surface of the fourth metal member corresponding to a formation position of the third metal member (“gold wire 400” is connected to “metal layer 564” and overlaps “nickel layer 560”, col 13 lines 62-63), wherein a material of the first metal member is aluminum (“thin-film circuit layer 38” is made of aluminum, col 3 lines 22-23) and a material of the second metal member is copper (“copper pad 37” comprises copper); and
an insulation member (“passivation layer 42” col 13 line 59) having an opening at a position corresponding to a bonding area of the wiring member and the fourth metal member (the “opening 43” of “passivation layer 42” overlaps with the bonding area between “gold wire 400” and “metal layer 564”, col 6 line 4 FIG. 1 and 34), disposed in at least one of regions between the first metal member, the second metal member, the third metal member, and the fourth metal member (a portion of “passivation layer 42” lies between “nickel layer 560” and “copper pad 37” as seen in FIG. 34).
However, Lin fails to expressly a portion where the first to fourth metal members are continuously stacked without the insulating member therebetween, directly below a position corresponding to a bonding region between the wiring member and the fourth metal member, the wiring member with copper as a principal component.
Nevertheless, “passivation layer 42” has an “opening 43” on a central region of “copper pad 37”, and “adhesion/barrier layer 540”, “nickel layer 560”, and “metal layer 564” are formed over “opening 37” (col 6 lines 3-5, col 11 lines 51-57, col 12 lines 15-18 and 19-25). “Copper layer 37” is formed above the uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38” (col 3 lines 33-44 FIG. 1). Although it is not explicitly stated that “gold wire 400” is formed in a region that overlaps with “opening 43”, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would understand that at least a portion of the bonding region between “gold wire 400” and “metal layer 564” overlaps with “opening 43”. As suggested in FIG. 34, it is reasonable to expect one to bond “gold wire 400” in a central region of “opening 43” so as to avoid “polymer layer 568”. the
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the first through fourth metal layers are continuously stacked and not interposed by the insulation member in the region where the opening lies. Since the opening of the insulation member is in a central region of the first through fourth metal layers and the wiring member is on a central region of the fourth metal layer, at least has a portion of the bonding region overlaps with the continuous stack of first through fourth metal layers.
However, Lin fails to teach the wiring member with copper as a principal component.
Nevertheless, Lin’665 teaches
the wiring member with copper as a principal component (“a material of the bonding wire 150 is, for example, copper or copper alloy”, para. 0015 FIG. 1).
Lin and Lin’665 teach multilayer conductive pads. The wire in Lin is made of gold and bonds to a copper “metal layer 564” while the wire in Lin’665 is made of copper and bonds to a copper “second metal layer 140” (para. 0015). Copper wire and copper metal layer bond has a favorable bonding strength and the reliability of the semiconductor device is improved (para. 0016). One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that a copper “bonding wire 150” bonds securely to a copper “second metal layer 140”.
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 semiconductor device taught in Lin with the wiring member taught in Lin’665. A copper wiring member bonds strongly to a copper fourth metal member and help the semiconductor device have favorable reliability.
Regarding claim 18, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein a hardness of a material of either the second metal member or the third metal member is equal to or higher than a hardness of a material of the fourth metal member (since “copper pad 37” and “metal layer 564” comprise copper, the examiner understands their hardness is substantially similar).
Regarding claim 20, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein a hardness of the material of the second metal member is equal to or lower than a hardness of the material of the third metal member (copper is generally softer than nickel as evidenced in Benenson, periodictable.com, wikipedia.org, and nickelinstitute.org cited below).
Regarding claim 22, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein a hardness of the material of the first metal member is equal to or lower than a hardness of the material of the second metal member and a hardness of the material of the third metal member (aluminum is generally softer than copper as evidenced in Benenson, periodictable.com, wikipedia.org, and nickelinstitute.org cited below).
Regarding claim 26, Lin, modified by Lin’655, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 16, wherein a material of the first metal member is aluminum (“thin-film circuit layer 38” is made of aluminum), a material of the second metal member is copper (“copper pad 37” is made of copper), and a material of the third metal member is nickel (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” and “nickel layer 560” are made of nickel).
Regarding claim 31, Lin teaches
A manufacturing method of a semiconductor device (“metal pad over copper pad” col 11 lines 46-47 FIG. 34), comprising:
preparing a semiconductor element (“semiconductor substrate 30” with “multiple thin-film insulating layers 36 and multiple thin-film circuit layers 38”, col 3 lines 17-19 FIG. 34) with a first main surface (surface where uppermost “thin film circuit layer 38” is formed):
forming a first metal member (uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38”) on the first main surface;
forming a second metal member (“copper pad 37” col 11 line 47 FIG. 34) on an upper surface of the first metal member (“copper pad 37” is formed on topmost “thin-film circuit layer 38”, col 3 lines 33-44):
forming a third metal member (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” made of nickel, such that “seed layer 542” can be omitted, col 11 lines 51 and 62-63, and “nickel layer 560” col 12 line 15) on an upper surface of the second metal member (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” is formed on “copper pad 37”, col 11 lines 51-57):
forming a fourth metal member with copper as a principal component (“metal layer 564” of copper, col 12 lines 19-20) on an upper surface of the third metal member (“metal layer 564” is formed on “nickel layer 560”, col 12 lines 19-24):
bonding a wiring member (“gold wire 400” col 13 line 62) to an upper surface of the fourth metal member corresponding to a formation position of the third metal member (“gold wire 400” is connected to “metal layer 564” and overlaps “nickel layer 560”, col 13 lines 62-63): and
forming an insulation member (“passivation layer 42” col 13 line 59) having an opening at a position corresponding to a bonding area of the wiring member and the fourth metal member (the “opening 43” of “passivation layer 42” overlaps with the bonding area between “gold wire 400” and “metal layer 564”, col 6 line 4 FIG. 1 and 34), disposed in at least one of regions between the first metal member, the second metal member, the third metal member, and the fourth metal member (a portion of “passivation layer 42” lies between “nickel layer 560” and “copper pad 37” as seen in FIG. 34).
However, Lin fails to expressly the semiconductor includes a portion where the first to fourth metal members are continuously stacked without the insulating member therebetween, directly below a position corresponding to a bonding region between the wiring member and the fourth metal member, the wiring member with copper as a principal component.
Nevertheless, “passivation layer 42” has an “opening 43” on a central region of “copper pad 37”, and “adhesion/barrier layer 540”, “nickel layer 560”, and “metal layer 564” are formed over “opening 37” (col 6 lines 3-5, col 11 lines 51-57, col 12 lines 15-18 and 19-25). “Copper layer 37” is formed above the uppermost “thin-film circuit layer 38” (col 3 lines 33-44 FIG. 1). Although it is not explicitly stated that “gold wire 400” is formed in a region that overlaps with “opening 43”, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would understand that at least a portion of the bonding region between “gold wire 400” and “metal layer 564” overlaps with “opening 43”. As suggested in FIG. 34, it is reasonable to expect one to bond “gold wire 400” in a central region of “opening 43” so as to avoid “polymer layer 568”. the
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that the first through fourth metal layers are continuously stacked and not interposed by the insulation member in the region where the opening lies. Since the opening of the insulation member is in a central region of the first through fourth metal layers and the wiring member is on a central region of the fourth metal layer, at least has a portion of the bonding region overlaps with the continuous stack of first through fourth metal layers.
However, Lin fails to teach the wiring member with copper as a principal component.
Nevertheless, Lin’665 teaches
the wiring member with copper as a principal component (“a material of the bonding wire 150 is, for example, copper or copper alloy”, para. 0015 FIG. 1).
Lin and Lin’665 teach multilayer conductive pads. The wire in Lin is made of gold and bonds to a copper “metal layer 564” while the wire in Lin’665 is made of copper and bonds to a copper “second metal layer 140” (para. 0015). Copper wire and copper metal layer bond has a favorable bonding strength and the reliability of the semiconductor device is improved (para. 0016). One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that a copper “bonding wire 150” bonds securely to a copper “second metal layer 140”.
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 semiconductor device taught in Lin with the wiring member taught in Lin’665. A copper wiring member bonds strongly to a copper fourth metal member and help the semiconductor device have favorable reliability.
Regarding claim 33, Lin, modified by Lin’665, teaches the manufacturing method of a semiconductor device according to claim 31, wherein a material of the third metal member is nickel (“adhesion/barrier layer 540” and “nickel layer 560” are made of nickel).
Claim 23 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin, as applied to claim 14, in view of Lin’665, in view of Yajima US 20170062361 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Yajima).
Lin, modified by Lin’665, teaches the semiconductor device according to claim 14 but fails to teach wherein an outer edge of the fourth metal member is disposed inside an outer edge of at least one of the first metal member, the second metal member, and the third metal member which are formed under the fourth metal member.
Nevertheless, Yajima US 20170062361 A1 teaches
wherein an outer edge of the fourth metal member (“gold film AF” para. 0050 FIG. 4) is disposed inside an outer edge of at least one of the first metal member (“pad PD1” para. 0050), the second metal member (“redistribution layer RDL1” para. 0050), and the third metal member (“nickel film NF” para. 0050) which are formed under the fourth metal member (outer edge of “gold film AF” lies within the outer edges of “redistribution layer RDL1” as seen in FIG. 4).
Lin, modified by Lin’665, and Yajima teach multilayer bond pad structures for wirebonding. The widths of “gold film AF” and “nickel film NF” are smaller than the width of “redistribution layer RDL1” as seen in FIG. 4. Similarly, Lin’665 has “first metal layer 130” and “second metal layer 140” with lesser width than “bonding pad 120” (Lin’665 FIG. 1). Comparing the relative widths of the fourth metal members and the wiring members in Lin and Yajima, there appears to be a smaller fraction of bonded surface area of “metal layer 564” to “gold wire 400” than the bonded surface area of “gold film AF” to “wire W”. In other words, the size of the bonded wire portion in Yajima is closer to the size of the fourth metal member than the size of the bonded wire portion in Lin is to the size of the fourth metal member. FIG. 4 in Yajima appears to suggest that “gold film AF” and “nickel film NF” only need to be large enough for the wirebond to successfully take place. If they were wider, a larger wire may be used but more material would be required. One of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that at least the “gold film AF”, the fourth metal member, need only be wide enough for wirebonding to take place. This allows for less metal to be needed during manufacturing.
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 semiconductor device taught between Lin and Lin’665 with the fourth metal member width taught in Yajima. The fourth metal member can have a width closer to the size of the wirebond. Though it may be easier to bond a wire to a larger area, more of the fourth metal member will remain unused and this incurs greater use of metal material.
References cited that show properties of metals:
Technical Data for Copper in https://periodictable.com/Elements/029/data.html
Technical data for Nickel in https://periodictable.com/Elements/028/data.html
Technical Data for Copper and Technical Data for Nickel provided by Wolfram Research (2007), ElementData, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/ElementData.html (updated 2014).
Properties of Some Metals and Alloys, pages 4, 12, and 26, The International Nickel Company, https://nickelinstitute.org/media/1771/propertiesofsomemetalsandalloys_297_.pdf, copyright 1982.
Hardnesses of Elements in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardnesses_of_the_elements_(data_page)
Benenson, W., Handbook of Physics, 7.2 Elastic Properties, pages 239-240, 2002.
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).
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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.
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/ERIC MANUEL MULERO FLORES/Examiner, Art Unit 2898 /JULIO J MALDONADO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2898