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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 February 9 2026 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "plugging the filling hole" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 15-19, 21-26, and 28-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (“Zheng” US 2022/0020659) and Jung et al. (“Jung” US 2013/0249108).
Regarding claim 15, Zheng discloses a method of forming a semiconductor package (Figure 2), the method comprising:
mounting an interposer module (substrate 10, chip 20, and underfill 60, Figure 2) on a package substrate (2);
locating a thermal interface material (TIM) layer (40) on the interposer module (formed on chip 20);
locating a singular package lid (301, 303) on the interposer module (located on the chip 20, underfill 60, and the substrate 10) and the TIM layer (40, see Figure 2), wherein the singular package lid (301, 303) covers the interposer module (10/20/60, see Figure 2); and
forming a TIM layer protection structure (filling material, para. [0012], filling material occupies space 70 in Figure 2) on a side surface of the TIM layer (40) and a side surface of the interposer module (10/20/60, see Figure 2).
Zheng does not disclose that the interposer module comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies.
Jung discloses, however, an interposer module (package substrate 100 and semiconductor chips 200) comprising a plurality of semiconductor dies (see plurality of dies 200 in Figure 1, and disclosed in para. [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Jung into the teachings of Zheng to include a plurality of semiconductor dies for the interposer module for the purpose of increasing the packaging density of the electronic package (Jung, para. [0028]).
Regarding claim 16, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the TIM layer protection structure (filling material in space 70) comprises degassing a volume bounded by a stiffener ring (302, encircles space 70 in Figure 2) and the interposer module (10, 20, 60, see Figure 2) through a degassing hole (see left-side hole in lid 301, in processing step Figure 7e, filling material is injected into the space 70 through hole 3011, and “original air in the sealed space is discharged through the hole 3011” and thus discloses a degassing process, para. [0084]) in the singular package lid (holes 3011 in lid 301).
Regarding claim 17, Zheng further discloses plugging the filling hole (hole 3011 through which the filling material is filled into the space within the package, see para. [0084]) with a filling plug (portion of the filling material within the filling hole 3011, para. [0084] discloses sealing the holes 3011 with the filling material itself, which is considered as a filling plug); and
plugging the degassing hole (hole 3011 through which original air is discharged during the filling process, see para. [0084]) with a degassing plug (portion of the filling material within the degassing hole 3011, para. [0084] discloses sealing the holes 3011 with the filling material itself, thus is considered as a degassing plug),
wherein the filling plug (portion of filling material in the filling hole 3011) and the degassing plug (portion of filling material in the degassing hole 3011) comprise a polymeric material (para. [0021] discloses that the filling material comprises a polyolefin resin, which is a polymeric material).
Regarding claim 18, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the TIM layer protection structure (filling material) comprises injecting a TIM layer protection structure material (filling material) into a filling hole (3011, see processing Figure 7e) in the singular package lid (301) until a volume of the TIM layer protection structure material (filling material) reaches a bottom level of the degassing hole (3011, para. [0084] discloses that, once the falling material is injected into the first space 70 through hole 3011, the filling material is cured and the hole 3011 is sealed, and thus filling the space 70 includes injecting the filling material until the volume has reached the lower surface of the lid 301 and lower surface of the filling hole, since subsequently, the hole is sealed after the filling and curing process).
Regarding claim 19, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the TIM layer protection structure (filling material) comprises injecting a TIM layer protection structure material (filling material) into a filling hole (3011, see processing Figure 7e) in the singular package lid (301) so that an upper surface of the TIM layer protection structure material (filling material) contacts a bottom surface of the singular package lid (3010 around a periphery of the TIM layer (40, see Figure 7e, the filling material reaches the lower surface of the lid 301 and surrounds a periphery of the TIM layer 40).
Regarding claim 21, Zheng discloses a method of making a package structure (Figure 2), the method comprising:
attaching an interposer module (packaged structure 20, see para. [0051]) to a package substrate (10);
placing a thermal interface material (TIM) layer (40) on the interposer module (20);
attaching a stiffener ring (302) to the package substrate (10) around the interposer module (20);
attaching a singular package lid (301, 303) to the stiffener ring (302) over the TIM layer (40), wherein the singular package lid (301, 303) includes a filling hole (3011, right hole in Figure 7e) and a degassing hole (3011, left hole in Figure 7e) and covers the interposer module (20, see Figure 2);
injecting a protective material (filling material, para. [0012]) into the space (70) between the stiffener ring (302) and the TIM layer (40) through the filling hole (3011 right side) in the singular package lid (301, 303); and
degassing a space (70) between the stiffener ring (302) and the TIM layer (40) through the degassing hole (3011, left) in the singular package lid (301), para. [0084]).
Zheng does not disclose that the interposer module comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies.
Jung discloses, however, an interposer module (package substrate 100 and semiconductor chips 200) comprising a plurality of semiconductor dies (see plurality of dies 200 in Figure 1, and disclosed in para. [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Jung into the teachings of Zheng to include a plurality of semiconductor dies for the interposer module for the purpose of increasing the packaging density of the electronic package (Jung, para. [0028]).
Regarding claim 22, Zheng discloses wherein the injecting of the protective material (filling material) comprises substantially filling the space (70) between the stiffener ring (302) and the TIM layer (40) with the protective material (filling material, see Figure 7e).
Regarding claim 23, Zheng discloses wherein the injecting of the protective material (filling material) comprises forming the protective material (filling material) on a sidewall of the TIM layer (40) and a sidewall of the stiffener ring (302, see Figure 7e).
Regarding claim 24, Zheng discloses wherein the injecting of the protective material (filling material) comprises forming the protective material (filling material) around an entire periphery of the TIM layer (see Figure 4 for a plan view, showing stiffener ring 302 and filling space 70 surrounding the TIM layer 40, thus the filling material entirely surrounds the TIM layer 40, also see para. [0077]).
Regarding claim 25, Zheng discloses wherein the injecting of the protective material comprises injecting the protective material (filling material) onto the package substrate (10) so that that protective material (filling material) flows on the package substrate (10) around the semiconductor module (20) and toward the degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e, the filling material is injected into the space in a liquid phase, para. [0079], which would imply that the filling material would flow from the injection hole towards the degassing hole on the substrate).
Regarding claim 26, Zheng discloses wherein the degassing of the space (70) between the stiffener ring (302) and the TIM layer (40) is performed concurrently with the injecting of the protective material (filling material) into the space (70) between the stiffener ring (302) and the TIM layer (40, the filling material is filled into the space through hole 3011 and air in the space 70 is thus discharged in the hole due to filling material filling the space 70, thus both occur at the same step of the process, para. [0084]).
Regarding claim 28, Zheng further discloses stopping the injecting of the protective material (filling material) in response to the protective material reaching a bottom of the degassing hole (3011, para. [0084], the filling material fills space 70, is cured, and then holes 3011 are sealed, which implies that once the filling material has reached the lower surface of the lid 301 and hole 3011, the filling material is then cured, stopping the filling process to cure the filling material and seal the holes 3011).
Regarding claim 29, Zheng further discloses plugging the filling hole (3011, right side in Figure 7e) and the degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) in the singular package lid (301) after the stopping of the injecting of the protective material (filling material, see para. [0084]).
Regarding claim 30, Zheng further discloses curing the protective material (filling material, para. [0084]) to form a protective structure around the TIM layer (40), wherein the protective structure (filling material) is bonded to the singular package lid (301) and the package substrate (10, see Figure 2).
Regarding claim 31, Zheng discloses a method of making a package structure (Figure 2), the method comprising:
forming a singular package lid (301) having a filling hole (3011, right side hole in Figure 7e);
placing a thermal interface material (TIM) layer (40) on an interposer module (packaged structure 20, see para. [0051]) attached to a package substrate (10);
attaching the singular package lid (301) to the package substrate (10) over the TIM layer (40, see Figure 2), wherein the singular package lid (301, 303) covers the interposer module (20, see Figure 2); and
injecting a protective material (filling material) into a space between a foot of the singular package lid (302) and the TIM layer (40) through the filling hole (3011, right side) in the singular package lid (301).
Zheng does not disclose that the interposer module comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies.
Jung discloses, however, an interposer module (package substrate 100 and semiconductor chips 200) comprising a plurality of semiconductor dies (see plurality of dies 200 in Figure 1, and disclosed in para. [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Jung into the teachings of Zheng to include a plurality of semiconductor dies for the interposer module for the purpose of increasing the packaging density of the electronic package (Jung, para. [0028]).
Regarding claim 32, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the singular package lid (301) comprises forming the singular package lid (301) to include a degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) on a side of the singular package lid (301) opposite the filling hole (3011, right side in Figure 7e).
Regarding claim 33, Zheng further discloses degassing the space (70) between the foot of the singular package lid (302) and the TIM layer (40) through the degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) in the singular package lid (301, para. [0084]).
Regarding claim 34, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the singular package lid (301) comprises:
forming the filling hole (3011, right side in Figure 7e) between a first corner of the semiconductor module (20, top right corner of 20 in Figure 7e) and a first corner of the singular package lid (301, top right corner in Figure 7e) adjacent the first corner of the semiconductor module (20, see Figure 7e); and
forming the degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) between a second corner of the semiconductor module (20, top left corner of 20) opposite the first corner of the semiconductor module (opposite of top right corner of 20) and a second corner of the singular package lid (301, top left corner) opposite the first corner of the singular package lid (301, opposite of top right corner of 301).
Regarding claim 35, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the singular package lid (301) comprises:
forming the filling hole (3011, right side in Figure 7e) between a first sidewall of the semiconductor module (20, right sidewall) and a first sidewall of the singular package lid (301, right sidewall of the lid 301) adjacent the first sidewall of the semiconductor module (see Figure 7e); and
forming the degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) between a second sidewall of the semiconductor module (left sidewall of 20) opposite the first sidewall of the semiconductor module (opposite of right sidewall of 20) and a second sidewall of the singular package lid (left sidewall of 301) opposite the first sidewall of the singular package lid (opposite the right sidewall of lid 301).
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng and Jung as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of Huang et al. (“Huang” US 2012/0068353).
Regarding claim 27, Zheng does not disclose explicitly disclose a vacuum degassing process:
wherein the degassing of the space between the stiffener ring and the TIM layer comprises pulling a vacuum on the space between the stiffener ring and the TIM layer through the degassing hole.
Huang discloses using a vacuum degassing process (para. [0043]) on a space being filled with a filling material in Figure 4d.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings regarding a vacuum process into the teachings of Zheng’s degassing hole and filling space between the stiffener ring and the TIM layer for the purpose of ensuring complete and uniform coverage of the filling material without forming voids (Huang, para. [0043]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to claims 17, 21, and 31 regarding the objections to claims 17, 21, and 31 overcome the objection. The objections to claims 17, 21, and 31 are withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments regarding claims 15, 21, 27, and 31 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant’s arguments regarding claim 17 are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Zheng does not disclose separate filling plugs comprised of a polymeric material. Zheng does in fact disclose forming filling and degassing plugs as demonstrated above, which are portions of the filling material itself that seals the holes 3011 of Zheng. Claim 17 as is does not require that the plugs are separate from the TIM layer protection structure (the filling material of Zheng), or formed of a different material than the TIM layer protection structure. Zheng also discloses that the plugs are formed of a polymeric material, para. [0021] discloses that the filling material (which the plugs are comprised of) comprises a polyolefin resin, which is a polymeric material.
Conclusion
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/Genevieve G Bullard-Connor/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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