DETAILED ACTION
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on December 24, 2025, has been entered.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 6-9, 11-12, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Han et al. (US 2020/0091100), of record.
(Re Claim 1) Han teaches a method of manufacturing a semiconductor chip comprising (see Figs. 1-9 and corresponding text): forming a substrate that includes an active layer (active layer is from/above 100 up through and including 130, alternatively the active layer may further include 141a and 151, the claimed active layer is not well defined) and an organic layer (153 is polyimide) on a semiconductor base (100); and forming dicing grooves by recessing parts of the active layer (Fig. 5C), the dicing grooves being extended to face each other along first dicing lines from points at which the first dicing lines and second dicing lines intersect (see Fig. 2), wherein the substrate includes a chip region (10) and a scribe lane region (20), the scribe lane region surrounding the chip region (Figs. 1-2), wherein the organic layer is formed on the active layer in a shape comprising an opening portion, and wherein the organic layer is formed so that the opening portion overlaps the scribe lane region to surround the chip region, and exposes a part of the active layer and the dicing grooves (see Fig. 5H, organic layer 153 having an opening portion OP2 (see OP portion in Fig. 2) wherein several parts of the active layer are exposed in the opening portion, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the opening portion OP/OP2 overlaps the scribe lane region 20 and surrounds every chip region 10 as the opening portion is patterned along every scribe lane in each direction).
(Re Claim 6) wherein the dicing grooves are further extended along the second dicing lines and have cross shapes when the dicing grooves are viewed on a plane (Fig. 2).
(Re Claim 7) wherein the dicing grooves are formed to be spaced apart from each other along the first dicing lines (Fig. 2).
(Re Claim 8) wherein the recessing of the parts of the active layer is performed so that remaining portions of the active layer remain between bottoms of the dicing grooves and the semiconductor base (Fig. 5H).
(Re Claim 9) wherein the opening portion of the organic layer is extended along the first and second dicing lines so that the dicing grooves and the parts of the active layer disposed between the dicing grooves are exposed (see Figs. 2, 5H, and 6).
(Re Claim 11) Han teaches a method of manufacturing a semiconductor chip, comprising (see Figs. 1-9 and corresponding text): forming a substrate that includes an active layer (active layer is from/above 100 up through and including 130, alternatively the active layer may further include 141a and 151, the claimed active layer is not well defined) and an organic layer (153 is polyimide) on a semiconductor base (100), the substrate further includes first and second scribe lane regions that intersect to partition chip regions (Figs. 1-2); and forming dicing grooves that are extended to face each other in a direction in which the first scribe lane regions are extended from points at which the first and second scribe lane regions intersect, wherein the forming of the dicing grooves comprises recessing parts of the active layer (see Figs. 2, 5C, 5H), wherein the organic layer is formed on the active layer in a shape comprising an opening portion, and wherein the organic layer is formed so that the opening portion (OP in Fig. 2, OP2 in Fig. 5H) overlaps the first and second scribe lane regions (20) to surround the chip regions (10), and exposes a part of the active layer and the dicing grooves (see Fig. 5H, organic layer 153 having an opening portion wherein several parts of the active layer are exposed in the opening portion, referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 5H, the opening portion OP/OP2 overlaps the scribe lane region 20 and surrounds every chip region 10 as the opening portion is patterned along every scribe lane in each direction).
(Re Claim 12) wherein: each of the dicing grooves is formed to be disposed adjacent to corners of the chip region (Figs. 1-2).
(Re Claim 17) wherein the dicing grooves are further extended along the second scribe lane regions and have cross shapes when the dicing grooves are viewed on a plane (Figs. 1-2).
(Re Claim 18) wherein the dicing grooves are formed to be spaced apart from each other along the first scribe lane regions (Figs. 1-2).
(Re Claim 19) wherein the recessing of the parts of the active layer is performed so that remaining portions of the active layer remain between bottoms of the dicing grooves and the semiconductor base (Fig. 5H).
(Re Claim 20) wherein the opening portion of the organic layer is extended along the first and second scribe lane regions so that the dicing grooves and the part of the active layer disposed between the dicing grooves are exposed (see Figs. 2, 5H, and 6).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 2-5 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al. as applied above and further in view of Fukuyo et al. (US 2004/0002199) and Ono et al. (US 2020/0294934).
(Re Claims 2 and 13) further comprising: forming modified patterns (SP) within the semiconductor base; and dicing the substrate into semiconductor chips by propagating cracks into the substrate from the modified patterns (Figs. 5H-5I and ¶¶73-75 describe a conventional stealth dicing process).
(Re Claims 3 and 14) wherein some of the modified patterns are formed to overlap the dicing grooves (Fig. 5H).
(Re Claims 4 and 15) wherein the modified patterns are formed to be aligned along the first and second dicing lines/scribe lane regions.
(Re Claims 5 and 16) wherein the forming of the modified patterns comprises sequentially radiating a laser light into parts of the semiconductor base at which the modified patterns are to be disposed.
Han teaches a conventional stealth dicing technique is used in Figs. 5H-5I and ¶¶73-75 where a modified/damaged region SP is formed with a laser below the dicing groove but is silent regarding cracks and specifically aligned along the dicing/scribe lines as Han only shows a single modified region. A PHOSITA would be motivated to look to related stealth dicing art to provide additional details of this well known dicing technique. Related art from Fukuyo teaches forming a plurality of modified regions along the center of the dicing lines and that cracks initiate from the modified regions thereby facilitating singulation (see Figs. 1-6, 8-15, 35-39, 44-47, 44-66, 96-100 and supporting text). Related art from Ono similarly teaches forming the modified regions along the center of the dicing lines and that cracks initiate from the modified regions allowing singulation (see Figs. 1-10 and supporting text). A PHOSITA would find it obvious to perform the conventional stealth dicing disclosed by Han according to the well known processes disclosed by Fukuyo and Ono wherein the modified regions are formed along each dicing line in each direction and cracks initiate from the modified regions allowing for singulation.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Han et al.
(Re Claim 10) wherein: the opening portion of the organic layer is extended along the first and second dicing lines, and the recessing of the parts of the active layer comprises: forming a mask pattern that covers the organic layer and that exposes the parts of the active layer; and etching the parts of the active layer that are exposed to the mask pattern.
In Han’s process according to Fig. 5A-5I, Han is silent regarding an additional mask on the organic layer and etching the active layer through the mask, however Han teaches in Figs. 18A-18D and ¶¶101-116, an alternative patterning strategy to the technique used in Figs. 5B-5G wherein a mask Mpc is formed on the organic layer 153 and then the active layer (layer between 100 and 130) is etched. A PHOSITA would find it obvious to use this alternative technique for the advantages recognized by Han (¶116).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues Han does not teach the amended claims. The Examiner respectfully disagrees, see updated rejections above. The OP/OP2 pattern surrounds every die area 10 and overlaps the scribe lines 20 while exposing parts of the active layer as claimed. Applicant notes on p. 12 the opening in 153 is not the same shape as the opening 401. While the shapes are not identical, Han’s opening portion meets the amended claim limitations which do not require an identical shape. The claims do not require a continuous opening extending along every dicing line, in every direction, across the entire wafer. A feature need not be continuous or contiguous to surround something.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIK T. K. PETERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-3997. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-5 pm (CST).
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/ERIK T. K. PETERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898