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
Claims 7-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 17 November 2025.
Claims 7-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 17 November 2025.
Applicant's election with traverse of Invention I and Species I in the reply filed on 17 November 2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “the method claimed in claims 7-11 of the present application directly corresponds to the product claimed in claims 1-6. This is not found persuasive because “the product of Invention I as claimed can be made by another and materially different process than that of Invention II as claimed, namely one in which the patterned metal layer is deposited without electroplating, such as by way of sputtering” and the product and method “are classified in different classes” and therefore would “necessitate a different field of search” (see Requirement for Restriction sent 17 September 2025). Furthermore, Species I and II also require a different field of search. Therefore both Inventions I and II and Species I and II have a serious search and/or examination burden if restriction is not required. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because:
The sheets of drawings should be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals, starting with 1. The drawing sheet numbering must be clear and larger than the numbers used as reference characters to avoid confusion. The number of each sheet should be shown by two Arabic numerals placed on either side of an oblique line, with
the first being the sheet number and the second being the total number of sheets of drawings, with no other marking. See Page(s) 1-5.
The view numbering format is improper because non-partial independent views are inexplicably designated alphanumerically instead of being consecutively numbered using Arabic numerals, leading to a confusing numbering scheme. Only partial views intended to form one complete view, on one or several sheets, must be identified by the same number followed by a capital letter. The different views must otherwise be numbered in consecutive Arabic numerals, starting with 1, independent of the numbering of the sheets and, if possible, in the order in which they appear on the drawing sheet(s). Refer to 37 CFR 1.84(u). See Figure(s) 1-3.
The drawings make improper use of shading because they contain solid black shading areas. The use of shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. Shading is used to indicate the surface or shape of spherical, cylindrical, and conical elements of an object. Such shading is preferred in the case of parts shown in perspective, but not for cross sections. Solid
black shading areas are not permitted, except when used to represent bar graphs or color. Refer to 37 CFR 1.84(m) and 1.84(h(3)). See Figure(s) 1-3.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: Partial Coverage Surface Treatment Layer to Enhance Functional Pad-to-Adhesive-to-Semiconductor Chip Bonding Strength in Semiconductor Packages.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. The claim recites that the surface treatment layer is either “uniformly” or “non-uniformly” distributed on the parts of the surface of the functional pad. Since the parent claim requires that the surface treatment layer is “disposed on parts of a surface of the functional pad”, said surface treatment layer is inherently distributed on the parts of the surface of the functional pad. Furthermore, the status of uniformity is binary, and therefore any permutation of a surface treatment layer that is disposed on parts of a surface of the functional pad will either be uniformly or non-uniformly distributed on said parts of the surface of the functional pad and therefore the limitation does not further limit the claim. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Applicant Admitted Prior Art (U.S. Application 18/078,694, Figures 1a and 1b, Paragraphs [0003-0005], hereinafter referred to as Ref A) or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Ref A in view of Hung et al. (U.S. 6,396,129).
Regarding Claim 1, Ref A discloses an electronic package, comprising:
a patterned metal layer comprising at least one functional pad and a first circuit layer (functional pad 10, first circuit layer 11, Figure 1b);
a surface treatment layer disposed on parts of a surface of the functional pad (surface treatment layer 18 on the top parts of the outer surface of the functional pad 10, Figure 1b);
a bonding layer disposed on the functional pad and the surface treatment layer (bonding layer 13, Figure 1b);
an electronic element disposed on the bonding layer and being bonded onto the functional pad and the surface treatment layer via the bonding layer, wherein the electronic element is provided with a plurality of electrical connection pads (electronic element 12, electrical connection pads 120, see annotated Figure 1b below)
a packaging layer covering the electronic element and the patterned metal layer, wherein a part of a bottom surface of the first circuit layer is exposed from the packaging layer to serve as an external pad (packaging layer 15, first circuit layer 11, Figure 1b); and
a build-up circuit structure bonded with the packaging layer and electrically connected to the electrical connection pads of the electronic element and the first circuit layer (build-up circuit structure 16, Figure 1b).
However, if the limitation of “a surface treatment layer disposed on parts of a surface of the functional pad” is interpreted so narrowly to mean that “a surface treatment layer disposed on and partially covering an upper surface of the functional pad so that at least a portion of the upper surface of the functional pad is exposed from surface treatment layer”, then Ref A fails to disclose “a surface treatment layer disposed on and partially covering an upper surface of the functional pad so that at least a portion of the upper surface of the functional pad is exposed from surface treatment layer”. However, Hung et al. discloses a device in the same field of endeavor wherein a surface treatment layer is disposed on and partially covers an upper surface of the functional pad so that at least a portion of the upper surface of the functional pad is exposed from surface treatment layer (Hung et al., surface treatment layer 241, functional pad 210, adhesive layer 250, electronic element 260, packaging layer 280, first circuit layer 230, Figures 4a and 4c). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to form the surface treatment layer to be disposed on and partially covering an upper surface of the functional pad so that at least a portion of the upper surface of the functional pad is exposed from surface treatment layer in Ref A in view of Hung et al. in order to prevent delamination (Hung et al., Column 5, Lines 53-55).
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Regarding Claim 2, Ref A, or, in the alternative, Ref A in view of Hung et al. further discloses the electronic package of claim 1, wherein the surface treatment layer is uniformly or non-uniformly distributed on the parts of the surface of the functional pad (Ref A, surface treatment layer 18, Figure 1b; Hung et al., surface treatment layer 241. Figure 4c).
Regarding Claim 3, Ref A, or, in the alternative, Ref A in view of Hung et al. further discloses the electronic package of claim 1, wherein the functional pad and the surface treatment layer are made of different metal materials (Ref A, [0005]; Hung et al., Column 1, Lines 35-43, Column 2, Lines 12-16, and Column 5, Lines 45-55).
Regarding Claim 4, Ref A, or, in the alternative, Ref A in view of Hung et al. further discloses the electronic package of claim 1, wherein the bonding layer is a conductive adhesive or an insulating adhesive (Ref A, [0005]; Hung et al., Column 5, Lines 45-55).
Regarding Claim 5, Figure 1b, Ref A, or, in the alternative, Ref A in view of Hung et al. further discloses the electronic package of claim 1, wherein the build-up circuit structure is electrically connected to the electrical connection pads of the electronic element via fan-out conductors (Ref A, fan-out conductors 19, see annotated Figure 1b above).
Regarding Claim 6, Figure 1b, Ref A, or, in the alternative, Ref A in view of Hung et al. further discloses the electronic package of claim 5, wherein the fan-out conductors are formed as cylinders conformed to a geometry of the electrical connection pads of the electronic element (Ref A, fan-out conductors 19, electrical connection pads 120, see annotated Figure 1b above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to Abbigale Boyle whose telephone number is 571-270-7919. The Examiner can normally be reached from 11 A.M to 7 P.M., Monday through Friday.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s supervisor, Zandra Smith, can be reached at 571-272-2429. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Abbigale Boyle
Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/ABBIGALE A BOYLE/Examiner, Art Unit 2899
/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
Prosecution Insights