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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 19 and 34 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 19 and claim 34 each refer to a “singular package lid” which should be amended to “one-piece package lid”.
Claims 25 and 34-35 each refer to a “semiconductor module” which should be amended to “interposer module”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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, 21-24, 26, and 28-35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng et al. (“Zheng” US 2022/0020659) and Chiang et al. (“Chiang” US 2022/0157744) as evidenced by 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 (chip 20 and underfill 60, Figure 2) on a package substrate (10);
locating a thermal interface material (TIM) layer (40) on the [interposer] module (formed on chip 20);
locating a one-piece package lid (301) integrally formed as a single piece (see Figure 1) on the [interposer] module (located on the chip 20, underfill 60) and the TIM layer (40, see Figure 2), wherein the one-piece package lid (301) has a substantially planar bottom surface (see Figure 1) and covers an entirety of the [interposer] module (20/60, see Figure 2) and the TIM layer (40, 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 (20/60, see Figure 2) by injecting a material (filling material) through a filling hole in the one-piece package lid (301) after the lid (301) is attached (see Figures 6, 7d-7e).
Zheng does not disclose that the module specifically is an interposer module and comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies.
Chiang discloses, however, an interposer module (Figure 14) mounted on a package substrate (see Figure 15) and comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies (701/702, see Figure 15).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Chiang into the teachings of Zheng to include specifically an interposer module with a plurality of semiconductor dies for the module of Zheng for the purpose of increasing the packaging density of the electronic package as evidenced by Jung (Jung, para. [0028]), where the interposer provides electrical routing for the plurality of semiconductor dies (Chiang, para. [0073]).
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 (20/60, interposer module incorporated by Chaing, 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 one-piece 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 one-piece 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 one-piece package lid (301) to the stiffener ring (302) over the TIM layer (40), wherein the one-piece package lid (301) 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 one-piece package lid (301); and
degassing a space (70) between the stiffener ring (302) and the TIM layer (40) through the degassing hole (3011, left) in the one-piece package lid (301), para. [0084]).
Zheng does not disclose that the module specifically is an interposer module and comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies, and a molding material surrounding the plurality of semiconductor dies.
Chiang discloses, however, an interposer module (Figure 14) mounted on a package substrate (see Figure 15) and comprising a plurality of semiconductor dies (701/702, see Figure 15) and a molding material (790) surrounding the plurality of semiconductor dies (701/702, see Figure 14).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Chiang into the teachings of Zheng to include specifically an interposer module with a plurality of semiconductor dies and a molding material surrounding the dies for the module of Zheng for the purpose of increasing the packaging density of the electronic package as evidenced by Jung (Jung, para. [0028]), where the interposer provides electrical routing for the plurality of semiconductor dies (Chiang, para. [0073]) and the molding material laterally encloses the semiconductor dies, reducing voids (Chiang, para. [0083]-[0084]).
The combination also would disclose the limitation wherein the protective material is in contact with the TIM layer and the molding material, since the protective material (filling material) surrounds laterally both the TIM layer (40) and the interposer module (20), where now the combination yields an interposer module where the lateral edges comprise the molding material (790), thus the molding material is also in contact with the protective material.
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 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 one-piece 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 one-piece 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 one-piece package lid (301) integrally formed as a single piece (301, see Figure 1) 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 one-piece package lid (301) to the package substrate (10) over the TIM layer (40, see Figure 2), wherein the one-piece package lid (301) has a substantially planar bottom surface (301, see Figure 1) and covers an entirety of the interposer module (20, see Figure 2); and
injecting a protective material (filling material) into a space between [a foot of] the one-piece package lid (301) and the TIM layer (40) through the filling hole (3011, right side) in the one-piece package lid (301) after the one-piece package lid (301) is attached (see Figures 7d-7e).
Zheng does not disclose that the module specifically is an interposer module and comprises a plurality of semiconductor dies, or that the one-piece package lid has a foot.
Chiang discloses, however, an interposer module (Figure 14) mounted on a package substrate (see Figure 15) and comprising a plurality of semiconductor dies (701/702, see Figure 15) and a one-piece package lid (294) with a foot (see Figure 15).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Chiang into the teachings of Zheng to include specifically an interposer module with a plurality of semiconductor dies for the module of Zheng and a one-piece package lid with a foot for the purpose of increasing the packaging density of the electronic package as evidenced by Jung (Jung, para. [0028]), where the interposer provides electrical routing for the plurality of semiconductor dies (Chiang, para. [0073]) and the one-piece lid having a foot would streamline manufacturing steps where only one attachment step is needed to attach the lid to the substrate, rather than performing multiple steps of attaching multiple pieces of one lid together during assembly.
Regarding claim 32, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the one-piece package lid (301) comprises forming the one-piece package lid (301) to include a degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) on a side of the one-piece 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 one-piece package lid (301, incorporated by Chaing’s teachings) and the TIM layer (40) through the degassing hole (3011, left side in Figure 7e) in the one-piece package lid (301, para. [0084]).
Regarding claim 34, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the one-piece 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 one-piece 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 one-piece package lid (301, opposite of top right corner of 301).
Regarding claim 35, Zheng discloses wherein the forming of the one-piece 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 one-piece 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 one-piece package lid (left sidewall of 301) opposite the first sidewall of the one-piece package lid (opposite the right sidewall of lid 301).
Claim 25 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng and Chiang as applied to claim 21 above, and further in view of Yang et al. (“Yang” US 2024/0213131) and Kato et al. (“Kato” US 2020/0170118).
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).
Zheng does not explicitly disclose any surface roughness of the package substrate or the one-piece package lid.
Yang and Kato disclose, however, an optimal surface roughness of a package substrate being approximately 50 nanometers (Yang, para. [0048]) and an optimal surface roughness of a copper layer (the same material of the one-piece package lid 301 of Zheng) being 0.2 to 1 micron (Kato, para. [0074]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate the teachings of Yang and Kato into the teachings of Zheng to include the surface roughnesses of the substrate and the lid for the purpose of improving adhesion of metallic materials (specifically copper, of which the lid 301 of Zheng is comprised) to mold materials (Kato, para. [0073]) and easier deposition of seed layers for conductive trace formation (Yang, para. [0025]).
Claim 27 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zheng and Chiang 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 arguments with respect to Zheng have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any interpretation of the reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
The Examiner notes that the description of the cover 301 split up into constituent portions, the first through fifth portions, are merely labels to demonstrate which portions of the lid are overlying which portions of the structure below the lid (see Zheng, para. [0086]). Further, Figure 2 clearly shows that the cover 301 is a one-piece, integral structure, and para. [0057] of Zheng notes that the lines separating portions of the cover are to show an outline of the underlying brackets. Thus, Zheng does in fact disclose a one-piece package lid 301.
Applicant argues that Zheng does not disclose injecting the filling material after a package lid is fully attached. This is not found to be persuasive, as Zheng’s processing steps shown in Figures 6 and 7d-7e clearly show the lid being fully attached to the substrate prior to the filling material being dispensed. In fact, multiple additional steps are performed after the attachment of the lid and before the filling material being dispensed, one specifically being curing the bonding rubber ring that attaches the lid to the substrate through the brackets. Thus, Zheng teaches fully attaching the lid to the substrate before dispensing the filling material (see Figure 6, steps S104-S105).
Applicant further argues that the limitations of claim 17 are not met by Zheng because the filling and degassing plugs are not separate from the filling material. This is not, however, a requirement of the claim. Thus, the claim does not preclude the holes being plugged with the filling material itself.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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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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