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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, claims 1-9 and 14-20 in the reply filed on 16 February 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 10-13 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 16 February 2026.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 15, line 2: “wherein the repair operations fuses or blunt the stress-induced cracks” should read:
-- wherein the repair operations fuse or blunt the stress-induced cracks --
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-9 and 14-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mobley (US 20190304877) in view of Tanaka (CN 103348397).
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Annotated Fig. 2, Mobley.
Regarding claim 1, Mobley teaches, a method (see Abstract) comprising:
providing a substrate (substrate 100, see annotated Fig. 2 above) comprising a glass core layer (glass substrate 100, Fig. 2) with top and bottom surfaces;
performing operations to form a plurality of through-glass vias (a plurality of openings 117, Figs. 1, 4 and 12A, para. [0123]) formed through the glass core layer;
performing operations to form a plurality of conductive layers (external layer 140, external layer 140 can be a metallized layer…external layer 140 can be disposed on first surface 111…, at least one external layer 140 can be disposed on the second surface 112, para. [0097]) on the top and bottom surfaces of the glass core layer;
defects in the glass core layer (reduce or eliminate the formation of cracks, para. [0085]), wherein the defect detection method is performed after selected operations (repair damage from the hole creation process, para. [0047]); and
performing operations to repair the defects in the glass core layer, wherein the repair of the defect is performed after selected operations (heat treating the glass substrate to repair damage from the hole creation process, para. [0047]).
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Annotated Fig. 3A, Tanaka
Though, Mobley teaches heat treating and repairing the glass substrate to repair damage from the hole creation process, Mobley does not teach performing a defect detection method to detect defects in the glass core layer. However, Tanaka teaches a method for detecting and repairing a defect in a display device including a substrate comprising a glass core layer 12 in Figs. 1 to 10B, in which, performing a defect detection method to detect defects in the glass core layer (abnormal bright spots or bright lines i.e. defective areas D3 where scratches or the like, on the glass substrate 12 are detected by using an automatic glass inspection (brightness meter), Figs. 3A, 5A, para. [0086,0091]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform glass inspection by imaging to detect the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables detecting and locating the defects such as cracks or shorts, and to repair and verify a repair of the detected defect while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 2, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Mobley does not teach, locating cracks at the edge portions of the glass core layer. However, Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein the defect detection is directed to locating cracks at the edge portions of the glass core layer (peripheral portion E3 of the defective portion D3, see Figs. 3B, 3C and 4A, 4B, para. [0087]). Please also refer to the rationale for combination regarding claim 1, as it is applicable to claim 2 in the same manner.
Regarding claim 3, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein the operations to repair the defect comprises a wet treatment (display panel correction method…an etchant is supplied to the defective portion and its periphery, which are the cause of diffuse reflection occurring in the glass substrate, thereby locally etching the defective portion and its periphery, para. [0028]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform a wet treatment to repair the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables repairing the cracks while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 4, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 3. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 3, wherein the wet treatment comprises etching with an acid solution to fuse or blunt the defects (etchant can be…a hydrofluoric acid, para. [0053]).
Regarding claim 5, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 3. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 3, wherein the wet treatment comprises etching with a basic solution to fuse or blunt the defects (etchant can be a potassium hydroxide, para. [0053]).
Regarding claim 6, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein the operations to repair the defect comprises a dry treatment (corrective glass paste is applied to the defective portion of an opening in a glass substrate, is dried and shaped by processing based on a pulsed laser, para. [0009]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform dry treatment to repair the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables repairing the cracks while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 7, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 6. Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 6, wherein the dry treatment comprises irradiating the defects with a laser beam to fuse or blunt the defects (corrective glass paste is applied to the defective portion of an opening in a glass substrate, is dried and shaped by processing based on a pulsed laser, para. [0009], see annotated Fig. 4 below, Mikio (JP 2000294141), one of the references incorporated by Tanaka).
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Annotated Fig. 4, Mikio.
Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform a laser treatment to repair the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables repairing the cracks while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 8, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein the defect detection is performed after forming the through glass vias (heat treating the glass substrate to repair damage from the hole creation process, para. [0047]).
Regarding claim 9, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 1. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 1, wherein the performing operations to form a plurality of conductive layers on the top and bottom surfaces of the glass core layer further comprises forming a multi-chip interconnect bridge in the plurality of conductive layers (see Fig. 12A below, heat treating the glass substrate achieves hermeticity and interconnection between inner and surface metallization layers, para. [0058]).
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Annotated Fig. 12A, Mobley.
Regarding claim 14, Mobley teaches, a method (see Abstract) comprising:
providing a glass core substrate (substrate 100, see annotated Fig. 2 above);
performing a build-up process using the glass core substrate to form a package substrate (see system 150, annotated Fig. 12A above, a method of processing a glass substrate for use in semi-conductor packaging applications, para. [0087]), wherein the build-up process causes stress-induced cracks in the glass core substrate (creating the hole in the glass substrate, and heat treating the glass substrate to repair damage from the hole creation process, para. [0047]);
a stress-induced cracks of the glass core substrate (repair damage from the hole creation process, para. [0047]); and
performing operations to repair the stress-induced cracks located at edge portions of the glass core substrate (heat treating the glass substrate to repair damage from the hole creation process, para. [0047]).
Mobley does not teach performing a defect detection method to detect defects in the glass core layer; or the stress-induced cracks located at edge portions of the glass core substrate. However, Tanaka teaches a method for detecting and repairing a defect in a display device including a substrate comprising a glass core layer 12 in Figs. 1 to 10B, in which, performing a defect detection method to detect stress-induced cracks located at edge portions of the glass core substrate (during panel inspection, abnormal bright spots or bright lines i.e., defective areas D5 that cause damage, etc. are detected on the glass substrate 12, Fig. 5A, para. [0091]) and the stress-induced cracks located at edge portions of the glass core substrate (peripheral portion E3 of the defective portion D3, see Figs. 3B, 3C and 4A, 4B, para. [0087]). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform an imaging to detect the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables to detect and locate defects such as cracks or shorts, and to repair and verify a repair of the detected defect.
Regarding claim 15, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 14. Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 14, wherein the defect detection method and/or the repair of the stress-induced cracks are repeatedly performed, wherein the repair operations fuses or blunt the stress-induced cracks located at edge portions of the glass substrate core (peripheral portion E3 of the defective portion D3, see Figs. 3B, 3C and 4A, 4B, para. [0087], corrective glass paste is applied to the defective portion of an opening in a glass substrate, is dried and shaped by processing based on a pulsed laser, para. [0009], in which it is obvious that the repair operation fuses the cracks). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform treatment to repair the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables repairing the cracks while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 16, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 14. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 14, wherein the stress-induced cracks are caused by mismatches in coefficients of thermal expansion of components of an assembled semiconductor package (substantially matching the coefficients of thermal expansion of the at least one conductive material and the substrate can contribute to the reduction of elimination of the formation of such cracks, in which it is obvious that the mismatch in the coefficients of thermal expansion creates cracks).
Regarding claim 17, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 14. Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 14, wherein the repair operations comprise wet (display panel correction method…an etchant is supplied to the defective portion and its periphery, which are the cause of diffuse reflection occurring in the glass substrate, thereby locally etching the defective portion and its periphery, para. [0028]) and/or dry treatments to fuse or blunt the defects. Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform a wet treatment to repair the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables repairing the cracks while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 18, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 17. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 17, wherein the wet treatments comprise etching with an acidic or basic solution to fuse or blunt the defects (etchant can be a potassium hydroxide or a hydrofluoric acid, para. [0053]).
Regarding claim 19, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 17. Tanaka further teaches, the method of claim 17, wherein the dry treatment comprises irradiating the defects with a laser beam to fuse or blunt the defects (corrective glass paste is applied to the defective portion of an opening in a glass substrate, is dried and shaped by processing based on a pulsed laser, para. [0009], see annotated Fig. 4, Mikio (JP 2000294141) above, one of the references incorporated). Therefore, in view of the teachings of Tanaka, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the method of heat treating the substrate to repair the damage from creating openings of Mobley and to perform a laser treatment to repair the defects as Tanaka taught in Fig. 5A so that it enables repairing the cracks while manufacturing a packaging substrate.
Regarding claim 20, Mobley in view of Tanaka teaches the recited limitations with respect to claim 14. Mobley further teaches, the method of claim 14, wherein the build-up process comprises forming a plurality of conductive layers on a top surface and a bottom surface of the glass core layer (see Figs. 8, 9 and 12A).
Conclusion
Prior art Palm (US 20150097944) teaches a method comprising providing a glass core substrate, forming a plurality of conductive layers; performing a defect detection method to detect defects; and performing operations to repair the defects.
Prior art Cheng (US 20110194041) teaches a method comprising providing a glass core substrate, forming a plurality of conductive layers; performing a defect detection method to detect defects; and performing operations to repair the defects.
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/JOSE K ABRAHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 3729
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