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 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 & 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lin (US Pub no. 2020/0357971 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Lin et al discloses A micro-electronic component fig. 3, comprising:
a micro-electronic element(104)[0033]; a first bonding pad(1082)[0033], disposed on a side of the micro-electronic element(104)[0033] fig. 3; a first solder layer(1122), disposed on a side of the first bonding pad (1082)facing away from the micro- electronic element(104)[0033]; and a second bonding pad(1081), disposed on a side of the first solder layer(1122) facing away from the first bonding pad(1082)[033] fig. 3; wherein the first solder layer (1122)comprises: a first pure metal layer (1182)and a second pure metal layer(1181), and the first pure metal layer (1181)and the second pure metal layer (1182)are capable of being alloyed to form a first alloy layer[0038].
Regarding claim 8, Lin et al discloses A bonding backplate(fig. 6), comprising:
a substrate(102); a first bonding pad(1081), disposed on a side of the substrate(102)[0041];a first solder layer(1121)[0041], disposed on a side of the first bonding pad (1081)facing away from the substrate(102) [0041]fig. 6; a second bonding pad(1083), disposed on a side of the first solder layer(1121) facing away from the first bonding pad(1081) [0041]; wherein the bonding backplate further comprises: a second solder layer(1122) disposed on a side of the second bonding pad(1083) facing away from the first solder layer(1121)[0041]; and the second bonding pad(1083) is disposed between the first solder layer (1121)and the second solder layer(1122) fig. 6 [0041].
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.
Claim(s) 2,9, & 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin (US Pub no. 2020/0357971 A1)
Regarding claim 2, Lin et al discloses all the claim limitations of claim 1 but fails to teach wherein the micro- electronic component further comprises: a second solder layer disposed on a side of the second bonding pad facing away from the first solder layer; and the second bonding pad is disposed between the first solder layer and the second solder layer. In a third embodiment Lin et al discloses : a second solder layer(1121) disposed on a side of the second bonding pad (1083)facing away from the first solder layer(1122); and the second bonding pad(1083) is disposed between the first solder layer(1122) and the second solder layer(1121)(fig. 6) [0041]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the second embodiment of Lin et al with the teachings of the third embodiment of Lin et al to improve the reliability of the device.
Regarding claim 9, Lin et al discloses all the claim limitations of claim 8 (fig. 6 third embodiment) but fails to teach wherein the first solder layer comprises: a first pure metal layer and a second pure metal layer; the first pure metal layer and the
second pure metal layer are capable of alloying to form a first alloy layer; and the first pure metal layer is a bismuth metal layer, and the second pure metal layer is a tin metal layer
However, the second embodiment of Lin et al discloses wherein the first solder layer comprises: a first pure metal layer (1182)and a second pure metal layer(1181); the first pure metal layer and the second pure metal layer are capable of alloying to form a first alloy layer; and the first pure metal layer(1182) is a bismuth metal layer, and the second pure metal layer(1181) is a tin metal layer[0038]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the third embodiment of Lin et al with the second embodiment of Lin et al to optimize bonding strength.
Regarding claim 10, Lin et al discloses a melting point of each of the first pure metal layer (1182)and the second pure metal layer(1181) is greater than a melting point of the second solder layer; and a melting point of the first alloy layer is lower than that of the second solder layer(1181)[0038] "Products of identical chemical composition cannot have mutually exclusive properties." In re Spada, 911 F.2d 705, 709, 15 USPQ2d 1655, 1658 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the limitations of claim 13 including: an area of orthographic projection of the first bonding pad on the surface of the substrate is 1.15-2.5 times of an area of orthographic projection of the substrate electrode on the surface of the substrate was not found in prior art.
Claims 3-7 & 11-12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 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 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON whose telephone number is (571)270-3208. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-4:30 PM.
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/LATANYA N CRAWFORD EASON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2813
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