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 .
Status of the Application
Acknowledgement is made of the amendment received on 10/09/2025. Claims 1-14 and 17-19 are pending in this application. Claims 1-2, 8-9, 17, and 19 are amended. Claims 15-16 are canceled.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-9, and 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2018/0374738; hereinafter ‘Lee’).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches a method ([0011]) for bonding a die (130, FIG. 5, [0027]), to a carrier substrate (200) comprising the steps of:
providing the carrier substrate (200), said carrier substrate having at least one interface area on a surface of the carrier substrate (interface area between 221, 222 and 200, [0028]; hereinafter ‘IA’), said interface area being configured to receive one die (IA being configured to receive one of 130);
providing an assembly (100), comprising a rigid transparent transfer substrate (110, [0019]), a light-releasable bonding layer (120, [0021]) on a front surface of the rigid transparent transfer substrate (110a, [0020]) and a plurality of dies (130) attached at one side of the dies to the light-releasable bonding layer (the side of 130 adjacent to 120; hereinafter ‘130R’), the dies having a bonding surface opposite the one side of the dies attached to the light-releasable bonding layer (130 having a bonding surface on the opposite side of 130R; hereinafter ‘130B’), the dies being physically separated from each other (130 being physically separated from each other, [0024]);
aligning the assembly to the carrier substrate with the dies facing the carrier substrate (aligning 100 to 200 with 130 facing 200), so that the bonding surface of one or more dies is aligned to respective one or more interface areas of the carrier substrate (130B is aligned to respective IA);
illuminating one of the one or more dies through the back surface of the rigid transparent transfer substrate (illuminating 130 through 110b, FIG. 6A, [0020]), to thereby release the die and transfer the die to an interface area of the carrier substrate (release 130 and transfer 130 IA); and
forming, after transferring one or more dies to respective interface area of the carrier substrate (transferring 130-3 to 221 and 222, FIG. 6B, [0033]), a permanent bond (the permanent bond being formed, after transfer 130-3, between 130-3 and the respective interface area 221 and 222, via the solder layer 231 and 232, FIG. 7B, [0037]) by a bond anneal (the bond anneal causes reflow of 231 and 232, FIG. 7A, [0038]) between the one or more dies and the respective interface areas (shown in FIG. 7B).
Regarding claim 2, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the illumination step is performed by illuminating the totality of the surface of the die through the back side of the transfer substrate (illuminating the totality of the surface of 130 through 110b, FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 4, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the illumination step is performed by directing laser light at the die (LB1 is directed at 130 through 110, FIG. 6A, [0031]).
Regarding claim 5, Lee teaches the method of claim 4, wherein the illumination step is performed by applying one pulse of a pulsed laser (LB1 is a UV pulsed laser beam used to ablate the sacrificial layer, [0033]).
Regarding claim 6, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the illumination step is performed by one of the following: a UV light source, an IR light source, or an LED light source (LB1 is a UV laser beam, [0033]).
Regarding claim 7, Lee teaches the method of claim 1 further comprising: after transferring one or more dies to respective interface areas of the carrier substrate (transferring 130-3 to 221 and 222, FIG. 6B, [0033]), forming a permanent bond (the permanent bond being formed, after transfer 130-3, between 130-3 and the respective interface area 221 and 222, via the solder layer 231 and 232, FIG. 7B, [0037]) between the one or more dies and the respective interface areas (shown in FIG. 7B).
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising producing the assembly by the steps of:
providing the transfer substrate (providing 110, FIG. 1);
producing the light-releasable layer on the front surface of the transfer substrate (forming 120 on 110a, FIG. 2);
producing a layer comprising the plurality of dies on the light-releasable layer (bonding 130a including 130 on 120, FIG. 2); and
performing a dicing step to physically separate the dies from each other by a plurality of dicing lanes (dividing 130a into 130 using B, FIG. 3, [0024]).
Regarding claim 9, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the illumination step is performed by illuminating the totality of the surface of the die through the back side of the transfer substrate (LB1 is irradiated through 110b to full area of 130-3, FIG. 6A).
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches the method of claim 9, wherein the illumination step is performed by directing laser light at the die (LB1 is directed at 130 through 110, FIG. 6A, [0031]).
Regarding claim 12, Lee teaches the method of claim 9, wherein the illumination step is performed by applying one pulse of a pulsed laser (LB1 is a UV pulsed laser beam used to ablate the sacrificial layer, [0033]).
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 3, 10, and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 2018/0374738) in view of Yoon et al. (US 2021/0082717; hereinafter ‘Yoon’).
Regarding claim 3, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, but does not teach the method wherein the illumination step is performed by a first illumination of a location at the center of the die, to thereby release the die at the central location and obtain a physical contact between the die and the carrier substrate at the central location, followed by a second illumination of the totality of the die.
Yoon teaches a method (600, Figure 6, [0082]) wherein the illumination step (630, [0098]) is performed by a first illumination of a location at the center of the die (during an early stage of a bonding process focused on the central region of 10, Figure 5A, [0081]) to thereby release the die at the central location and obtain a physical contact between the die and the carrier substrate at the central location (the center-most area being heated first and forms a U-shaped warpage, [0062]) followed by a second illumination of the totality of the die (during a middle stage of the bonding process in which the entire top surface of 10, Figure 5B).
As taught by Yoon, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize and modify the above teaching into Lee to obtain and achieve the method wherein the illumination step is performed by a first illumination of a location at the center of the die, to thereby release the die at the central location and obtain a physical contact between the die and the carrier substrate at the central location, followed by a second illumination of the totality of the die as claimed, because selective central irradiation causes a steep thermal gradient across the die, leading to localized thermal expansion and mechanical deformation [0062].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Yoon in combination with Lee due to above reason.
Regarding claim 10, Lee teaches the method of claim 9, but does not teach the method wherein the illumination step is performed by a first illumination of a location at the center of the die, to thereby release the die at the central location and obtain a physical contact between the die and the carrier substrate at the central location, followed by a second illumination of the totality of the die.
Yoon teaches a method (600, Figure 6, [0082]) wherein the illumination step (630, [0098]) is performed by a first illumination of a location at the center of the die (during an early stage of a bonding process focused on the central region of 10, Figure 5A, [0081]), to thereby release the die at the central location and obtain a physical contact between the die and the carrier substrate at the central location (the center-most area being heated first and forms a U-shaped warpage, [0062]), followed by a second illumination of the totality of the die (during a middle stage of the bonding process in which the entire top surface of 10, Figure 5B).
As taught by Yoon, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize and modify the above teaching into Lee to obtain and achieve the method wherein the illumination step is performed by a first illumination of a location at the center of the die, to thereby release the die at the central location and obtain a physical contact between the die and the carrier substrate at the central location, followed by a second illumination of the totality of the die as claimed, because selective central irradiation causes a steep thermal gradient across the die, leading to localized thermal expansion and mechanical deformation [0062].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Yoon in combination with Lee due to above reason.
Regarding claim 13, Lee in view of Yoon teaches the method of claim 10, but does not explicitly teach the method wherein the first and second illumination are each performed by applying one pulse of a pulsed laser.
Yoon, however, provides a teaching of a laser beam source controller (150) that is configured to control various laser parameters, including laser on/off timing, pulse width, pulse frequency, total output power, and spot size (Figure 3A, [0033, 0058]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ and modify the etching process of Yoon to obtain the method wherein the first and second illumination are each performed by applying one pulse of a pulsed laser as claimed, because using one pulse of a pulsed laser per stage-already optimized by the controller-would be sufficient to achieve effective bonding while also minimizing thermal stress and thermal shock on the die [0081].
Regarding claim 14, Lee in view of Yoon teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the illumination step is performed by one of the following: a UV light source, an IR light source, or an LED light source (Lee: LB1 is a UV laser beam, [0033]).
Claims 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee (US 2018/0374738) in view of Bayless (US 2021/0183803).
Regarding claim 17, Lee teaches the method of claim 16, but does not teach the method further comprising one or more surface preparation steps performed on the bonding surfaces of the plurality of dies while the dies are attached to the transfer substrate.
Bayless teaches a method (350, FIG. 3B, [0046]) further comprising one or more surface preparation steps (planarization operation, [0047]) performed on the bonding surfaces of the plurality of dies while the dies are attached to the transfer substrate (110 with 114, [0040-0041]).
As taught by Bayless, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize and modify the above teaching into Lee to obtain and achieve the method further comprising one or more surface preparation steps performed on the bonding surfaces of the plurality of dies while the dies are attached to the transfer substrate as claimed, because the surface preparation including cleaning and planarization, serves to stabilize the reconstructed wafer prior to bonding , thereby enhancing alignment accuracy and process precision in subsequence [0048].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Bayless in combination with Lee due to above reason.
Regarding claim 18, Lee in view of Bayless teaches the method of claim 17,
wherein the bonding surface of the die comprises first contact pads embedded in a first dielectric layer that is coplanar with the first contact pads (copper pads formed over 216 and embedded in 320, with the top surface of 216 being coplanar with both the copper pads and 320 after planarization, [0047, 0054]) and
wherein the interface area of the carrier substrate comprises second contact pads embedded in a second dielectric layer that is coplanar with the second contact pads (copper pads formed over 422 of 425 and embedded in an oxide layer surrounding 422, with the top surface of 422 being coplanar with both the copper pads and the oxide layer, FIG. 4, [0054]), and
wherein bonding the die to the interface area comprises bringing the first and second contact pads together and bringing the first and second dielectric layers together (hybrid fusion bonding operation, an oxide to oxide fusion bond and coper to coper bond).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ and modify the teaching as taught by Bayless to obtain the method wherein the bonding surface of the die comprises first contact pads embedded in a first dielectric layer that is coplanar with the first contact pads, and wherein the interface area of the carrier substrate comprises second contact pads embedded in a second dielectric layer that is coplanar with the second contact pads, and wherein bonding the die to the interface area comprises bringing the first and second contact pads together and bringing the first and second dielectric layers together. as claimed, because forming the copper pads and dielectric layers in a coplanar structure enables precise hybrid bonding-both coper to coper and oxide to oxide by ensuring uniform contact surface.
Regarding claim 19, Lee teaches the method of claim 1, but does not teach the method wherein an additional temporary bonding layer is present between the transfer substrate and the light-releasable layer and/or between the light-releasable layer and the plurality of dies.
Bayless teaches a method (350, FIG. 3B, [0046]) wherein an additional temporary bonding layer (the bond that is degradable, [0056]) is present between the transfer substrate and the light-releasable layer and/or between the light-releasable layer and the plurality of dies (the bond between 110 and 112, FIG. 5).
As taught by Bayless, one of ordinary skill in the art would utilize and modify the above teaching into Lee to obtain and achieve the method wherein an additional temporary bonding layer is present between the transfer substrate and the light-releasable layer and/or between the light-releasable layer and the plurality of dies as claimed, because the bond between the transfer substrate and the light-releasable layer is intentionally designed to be degraded by laser irradiation, thereby functioning as a temporary bonding layer to enable easy detachment after processing [0059].
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to employ the teaching as taught by Bayless in combination with Lee due to above reason.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection. Response to arguments on newly added limitations are responded to in the above rejection.
Applicant submits, in page 8 of Remarks, that “Applicant respectfully submits that the relied upon references do not teach or suggest at least the following features recited in independent claim 1 “…the dies being physically separated from each other…””.
The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Lee discloses dicing a device layer into individual chips prior to transfer (FIG. 3, [0024]), thereby forming a plurality of dies 130 that are physically separated from each other. Accordingly, Lee teaches the limitation of “the dies being physically separated form each other”.
Applicant submits, in page 8 of Remarks, that “Applicant respectfully submits that the relied upon references do not teach or suggest at least the following features recited in independent claim 1 “…aligning the assembly to the carrier substrate with the dies facing the carrier substrate, so that the bonding surface of one or more dies is aligned to respective one or more interface areas of the carrier substrate…””.
The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Lee discloses disposing and aligning the first substrate relative to the second substrate such that the dies face the carrier substrate and are positioned over printed circuits 221 and 222 prior to release and transfer (FIGS. 5-6A, [0027-0029]. This disclosure reasonably reads on aligning the bonding surface of one or more dies to respective interface areas of the carrier substrate.
Applicant submits, in page 8 of Remarks, that “Applicant respectfully submits that the relied upon references do not teach or suggest at least the following features recited in independent claim 1 “…illuminating one of the one or more dies through the back surface of the rigid transparent transfer substrate, to thereby release the die and transfer the die to an interface area of the carrier substrate…””.
The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Lee discloses irradiating a first laser beam through the second surface 110b of the light transmissive substrate to ablate the sacrificial layer and thereby release and transfer the die to the carrier substrate (FIG. 6A, [0033]). This disclosure reasonably reads on aligning the bonding surface of one or more dies to respective interface areas of the carrier substrate.
Applicant submits, in page 8 of Remarks, that “Applicant respectfully submits that the relied upon references do not teach or suggest at least the following features recited in independent claim 1 “…forming, after transferring one or more dies to respective interface areas of the carrier substrate, a permanent bond by a bond anneal between the one or more dies and the respective interface areas””.
The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Lee discloses that, after a die is transferred to an interface area of the carrier substrate (FIG. 6B, [0033]), a second laser beam LB2 is irradiated to solder layers 231 and 233, causing the solder layers to melt and reflow and thereby bond the die electrodes to the printed circuits (FIGS. 7A and 7B, [0028, 0037]). The resulting solder joint secures the die to the substrate and is not subsequently released or separated. The solder joint formed in Lee constitutes a permanent bond, and the application of thermal energy via laser irradiation reasonably reads on a bond anneal.
Applicant submits, in page 9 of Remarks, that “Applicant submits that permanent bond formed by an annealing bond is not equivalent to the soldering process taught by Lee.”.
The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Claim 1 does not exclude solder-based bonding, nor does it define “bond anneal” in a manner that would preclude laser-assisted solder reflow. Lee discloses applying thermal energy to form a bond between the die and the substrate, which reasonably reads on forming a permanent bond by a bond anneal under the broadest reasonable interpretation. Applicant’s argument improperly imports limitations from the specification into the claim and is therefore not persuasive.
As result, Lee teaches the claimed invention.
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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JIYOUNG OH whose telephone number is (703)756-5687. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM EST.
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/JIYOUNG OH/Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/DUY T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 2/2/26