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 .
DETAILED ACTION
In response to an Office action mailed on 10/10/2025 ("10-10-25 OA"), the Applicant substantively amended claims 1, 9 and 15 and amended the title on 12/19/2025 ("12-19-25 Response").
Currently, claims 1-15, 18 and 21-24 are pending with claims 18 and 21-24 remain withdrawn. Claims 1-15 are examined below.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's amendments to the title have overcome the objection to the Specification set forth starting on page 2 under line item number 1 of the 10-10-25 OA.
Applicant's amendments to the independent claim 1 have overcome the objection to claims 1-16 set forth on page 3 under line item number 2 of the 05-20-21 OA.
Applicant's amendments to the independent claim 1 have overcome the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claims 1-6 as being anticipated by Ota set forth starting on page 3 under line item number 3 of the 05-20-21 OA.
Applicant's amendments to the independent claim 1 have overcome the 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) rejection of claims 1-7 and 10 as being anticipated by Tsukamoto set forth starting on page 6 under line item number 4 of the 05-20-21 OA.
Substantive-amendments to the independent claim 1 required further consideration and updated search. New grounds of rejection are provided below.
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 1-4, 6-8, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hung (previously-cited Pub. No. US 2014/0252634 A1 to Hung) in view Tsuji (previously-cited Pub. No. US 2019/0309206 A1 to Tsuji).
Fig. 5 of Hung has been annotated to support the rejection below:
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Regarding independent claim 1, Hung teaches a semiconductor package (see Figs. 1-5 for example) comprising:
a first semiconductor chip 110a and a second semiconductor chip 110b (para [0022] - “a plurality of integrated circuit dies 110”; para [0052] - “The integrated circuit dies 110a, 110b, 110c, 110d, 110e, and 110f may comprise TIS/TTS stacks disposed on the interposer 112 in some embodiments, for example.”) on a first substrate 102 (para [0021] - “a packaging substrate 102”);
a thermal conductive adhesive layer 128 (para [0030] - “a thermal interface material (TIM) 128”) on the first semiconductor chip 110a and the second semiconductor chip 110b and comprising a resin layer (para [0030] - “The TIM 128 comprises an epoxy, silicone…”), the resin layer comprising a first heat dissipation filler (para [0030] - “In embodiments wherein the TIM 128 includes a thermally conductive filler, the thermally conductive filler may include…indium…The thermally conductive filler is dispersed within the TIM 128 and has a percentage weight within the TIM 128 of about 10 weight percent to about 90 weight percent…”), and the first heat dissipation filler comprising a liquid metal (indium); and
a heat dissipation member 130 (para [0031] - “The cover 130 is also coupled to the TIM 128”) on the thermal conductive adhesive layer 128 (para [0048] - “The cover 130 functions as a heatsink in some embodiments, for example.”).
Hung does teach the first heat dissipation filler that comprises indium but does not disclose that the first heat dissipation filler comprises metal in a liquid state at or below 60 °C.
Tsuji teaches that a heat dissipation filler can comprise, among other things, indium or gallium (para [0037] - “…the heat-conductive silicone composition itself has a low thermal conductivity. Examples of the heat-conductive filler include aluminum powder, copper powder, silver powder, iron powder, nickel powder, gold powder, tin powder, metallic silicon powder, aluminum nitride powder, boron nitride powder, alumina powder, diamond powder, carbon powder, indium powder, gallium powder, and zinc oxide powder. Any fillers may be used as long as the thermal conductivity is at least 10 W/m.Math.° C. The fillers may be used alone or in admixture of two or more.”)
That is, indium and gallium are recognized in the art as being functionally equivalent when it comes to dissipating heat.
According to Section 2144.06.II, "In order to rely on equivalence as a rationale supporting an obviousness rejection, the equivalency must be recognized in the prior art" In re Ruff, 256 F.2d 590, 118 USPQ 340 (CCPA 1958).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the semiconductor package of Hung by substituting indium by another functionally-equivalent gallium as taught by Tsuji as "An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 213 USPQ 532 (CCPA 1982) (see Section 2144.06.II).
As the result of the substitution, Gallium first heat dissipation filler taught by the combination of Hung and Tsuji has the inherent chemical property of being in a liquid state at or below 60 °C as the Applicant also discloses that gallium has the property of being a liquid state at or below 60 °C.1
Regarding claim 2, Hung of the combination above further teaches the resin layer that comprises at least one of silicone resin and an epoxy resin (para [0030] - “The TIM 128 comprises an epoxy, silicone…”).
Regarding claim 3, the combination above teaches the first heat dissipation filler that comprises gallium.
Regarding claim 4, Hung of the combination above further teaches the thermal conductive adhesive layer that further comprises a second heat dissipation filler (aluminum oxide, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum, copper, silver or a combination thereof; para [0030] - “…the thermally conductive filler may include aluminum oxide, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum, copper, silver, indium, or a combination thereof.”) including a material that is different from a material of the first heat dissipation filler (indium).
Regarding claim 6, Hung of the combination above further teaches the second heat dissipation filler that comprises a metal (aluminum, copper or silver).
Regarding claim 7, Hung teaches the second heat dissipation filler that comprises a ceramic (aluminum oxide or boron nitride).
Regarding claim 8, Hung teaches the second heat dissipation filler that comprises aluminum oxide, boron nitride, aluminum nitride, aluminum, copper, silver or a combination thereof (para [0030]), but does not disclose the second heat dissipation filler comprises a diamond.
Tsuji teaches that a heat dissipation filler can comprise, among other things, aluminum oxide or diamond (para [0037] - “…the heat-conductive silicone composition itself has a low thermal conductivity. Examples of the heat-conductive filler include aluminum powder, copper powder, silver powder, iron powder, nickel powder, gold powder, tin powder, metallic silicon powder, aluminum nitride powder, boron nitride powder, alumina powder, diamond powder, carbon powder, indium powder, gallium powder, and zinc oxide powder. Any fillers may be used as long as the thermal conductivity is at least 10 W/m.Math.° C. The fillers may be used alone or in admixture of two or more.”)
That is, aluminum oxide and diamond are recognized in the art as being functionally equivalent when it comes to dissipating heat.
According to Section 2144.06.II, "In order to rely on equivalence as a rationale supporting an obviousness rejection, the equivalency must be recognized in the prior art" In re Ruff, 256 F.2d 590, 118 USPQ 340 (CCPA 1958).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the semiconductor package of Hung by substituting aluminum oxide by another functionally-equivalent diamond as taught by Tsuji as "An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 213 USPQ 532 (CCPA 1982) (see Section 2144.06.II).
Regarding claim 13, Hung of the combination above further teaches the thermally conductive adhesive layer 128a, 128a that is electrically non-conductive (A limitation of “electrically non-conductive” is a property or characteristic of the claimed thermally conductive adhesive layer. Since Hung teaches all of the structural and/or compositional feature of the thermally conductive adhesive layer having a resin layer with an indium heat dissipation filler as indium is the same material that the Applicant discloses to be electrically non-conductive, the thermally conductive adhesive layer 128 of Hung is reasonably capable of having the property or the characteristic of being electrically non-conductive.).
Regarding claim 14, limitations of “wherein a thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive adhesive layer is in a range of about 2 W/mK to about 100 W/mK” and “wherein an elongation of the thermal conductive adhesive layer is in a range of about 5% to about 200%” are directed to a property of the thermal conductive adhesive layer. Since Hung teaches the thermal conductive adhesive layer having the resin layer and the heat dissipation filler comprising a liquid metal, the thermal conductive adhesive layer of Hung is reasonably capable of having the same property as recited in the limitations above.
Claims 1, 3, 9 and 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (previously-cited Pub. No. US 2020/0020606 A1 to Kim et al.) in view of Tsuji.
Fig. 12 of Kim has been annotated to support the rejection below:
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Regarding independent claim 1, Kim teaches a semiconductor package (see Fig. 12; see also Fig. 14) comprising:
a first semiconductor chip 50 and a second semiconductor chip 60 (para [0054]) on a first substrate 10 or 10, 30 (para [0023] - “A second substrate 30 may be provided on the first substrate 10”);
a thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 (para [0034] - “The thermal interface material layer 70 may include first to sixth thermal interface material segments 70a to 70f The first to sixth thermal interface material segments 70a to 70f may constitute a single body.”) on the first semiconductor chip 50 and the second semiconductor chip 60 and comprising a resin layer (para [0034] - “The thermal interface material layer 70 may include, for example, a thermosetting resin layer. The thermal interface material layer 70 may further include filler particles (not shown) distributed in the thermosetting resin layer. The filler particles may include one or more of silica, alumina, zinc oxide, or boron nitride.”), the resin layer comprising a first heat dissipation filler (filler particles); and
a heat dissipation member 80 (para [0034] - “heat sink 80”) on the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70.
Kim does teach the first heat dissipation filler that comprises indium but does not disclose that the first heat dissipation filler comprises metal in a liquid state at or below 60 °C.
Tsuji teaches that a heat dissipation filler can comprise, among other things, alumina, boron nitride, zinc oxide, indium and gallium (para [0037] - “…the heat-conductive silicone composition itself has a low thermal conductivity. Examples of the heat-conductive filler include aluminum powder, copper powder, silver powder, iron powder, nickel powder, gold powder, tin powder, metallic silicon powder, aluminum nitride powder, boron nitride powder, alumina powder, diamond powder, carbon powder, indium powder, gallium powder, and zinc oxide powder. Any fillers may be used as long as the thermal conductivity is at least 10 W/m.Math.° C. The fillers may be used alone or in admixture of two or more.”)
That is, indium, gallium, alumina, boron nitride, zinc oxide are recognized in the art as being functionally equivalent when it comes to dissipating heat.
According to Section 2144.06.II, "In order to rely on equivalence as a rationale supporting an obviousness rejection, the equivalency must be recognized in the prior art" In re Ruff, 256 F.2d 590, 118 USPQ 340 (CCPA 1958).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the semiconductor package of Kim by substituting alumina, boron nitride or zinc oxide of Kim by another functionally-equivalent gallium or indium as taught by Tsuji as "An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 213 USPQ 532 (CCPA 1982) (see Section 2144.06.II).
As the result of the substitution, Gallium first heat dissipation filler taught by the combination of Kim and Tsuji has the inherent chemical property of being in a liquid state at or below 60 °C as the Applicant also discloses that gallium has the property of being a liquid state at or below 60 °C.
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Kim and Tsuji teaches the first heat dissipation filler that comprises gallium.
Regarding claim 9, Kim of the combination above further teaches an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 that is spaced apart from the heat dissipation member 80 by a first distance d1 (para [0054] - “Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, a semiconductor package 104 may be configured such that the first distance D1 may be different from the second distance D2. For example, the first distance D1 may be less than the second distance D2. In such cases, the top end of the gap region AR1 may be limited by the height of the top surface 50u of the first semiconductor chip 50. The fourth thermal interface material segment 70d may cover an upper portion of the second chip left-side wall 60s1 of the second semiconductor chip 60.”),
wherein an upper surface of the second semiconductor chip 60 that is spaced apart from the heat dissipation member 80 by a second distance d2 that is less than the first distance d1 (para [0054] discloses that D1<D2, so d2<d1) and
wherein the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 that has a first thickness d1 between the upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 and the heat dissipation member 80, and a second thickness d2 between the upper surface of the second semiconductor chip 60 and the heat dissipation member 80, and the second thickness d2 is smaller than the first thickness d1.
Regarding claim 11, Kim further teaches the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 that fills a first gap between the upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 and the heat dissipation member 80 and a second gap between the upper surface of the second semiconductor chip and the head dissipation member 80.
Regarding claim 12, Kim further teaches the thermal conductive adhesive 70 that contacts an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 and an upper surface of the second semiconductor chip 60, and
wherein at least a part of the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 contacts an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 and an upper surface of the second semiconductor chip 60, and
wherein at least a part of the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 is between a sidewall of the first semiconductor chip 50 and a sidewall of the second semiconductor chip 60.
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Kim and Tsuji teaches the thermally conductive adhesive layer that is electrically non-conductive (A limitation of “electrically non-conductive” is a property or characteristic of the claimed thermally conductive adhesive layer. Since the combination of Kim and Tsuji teaches all of the structural and/or compositional feature of the thermally conductive adhesive layer having a resin layer with a gallium heat dissipation filler as indium is the same material that the Applicant discloses to be electrically non-conductive, the thermally conductive adhesive layer taught by the combination of Kim and Tsuji is reasonably capable of having the property or the characteristic of being electrically non-conductive.).
Regarding claim 14, limitations of “wherein a thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive adhesive layer is in a range of about 2 W/mK to about 100 W/mK” and “wherein an elongation of the thermal conductive adhesive layer is in a range of about 5% to about 200%” are directed to a property of the thermal conductive adhesive layer. Since the combination of Kim and Tsuji teaches the thermal conductive adhesive layer having the resin layer and the heat dissipation filler comprising a liquid metal, the thermal conductive adhesive layer taught by the combination of Kim and Tsuji is reasonably capable of having the same property as recited in the limitations above.
Regarding independent claim 15, Kim teaches a semiconductor package (see Fig. 12; see also Fig. 14) comprising:
a package substrate 10 (para [0023] - “A second substrate 30 may be provided on the first substrate 10”);
an interposer substrate 30 on the package substrate 10;
a first semiconductor chip 50 on the interposer substrate 30;
a second semiconductor chip 60 (para [0054]) on the interposer substrate 30 and laterally spaced apart from the first semiconductor chip 50;
a thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 (para [0034] - “The thermal interface material layer 70 may include first to sixth thermal interface material segments 70a to 70f The first to sixth thermal interface material segments 70a to 70f may constitute a single body.”) on the first semiconductor chip 50 and the second semiconductor chip 60 and comprising a resin layer (para [0034] - “The thermal interface material layer 70 may include, for example, a thermosetting resin layer. The thermal interface material layer 70 may further include filler particles (not shown) distributed in the thermosetting resin layer. The filler particles may include one or more of silica, alumina, zinc oxide, or boron nitride.”), the resin layer comprising a first heat dissipation filler (filler particles); and
a heat dissipation member 80 (para [0034] - “heat sink 80”) on the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70,
wherein an upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 is at a different level than an upper surface of the second semiconductor chip 60 (para [0054] - “Referring to FIGS. 12 and 13, a semiconductor package 104 may be configured such that the first distance D1 may be different from the second distance D2. For example, the first distance D1 may be less than the second distance D2. In such cases, the top end of the gap region AR1 may be limited by the height of the top surface 50u of the first semiconductor chip 50. The fourth thermal interface material segment 70d may cover an upper portion of the second chip left-side wall 60s1 of the second semiconductor chip 60.”),
wherein the thermal conductive adhesive layer 70 extends along the upper surface of the first semiconductor chip 50 and the upper surface of the second semiconductor chip 60 to the heat dissipation member 80,
Kim does teach the first heat dissipation filler that comprises indium but does not disclose that the first heat dissipation filler comprises metal in a liquid state at or below 60 °C.
Tsuji teaches that a heat dissipation filler can comprise, among other things, alumina, boron nitride, zinc oxide, indium and gallium (para [0037] - “…the heat-conductive silicone composition itself has a low thermal conductivity. Examples of the heat-conductive filler include aluminum powder, copper powder, silver powder, iron powder, nickel powder, gold powder, tin powder, metallic silicon powder, aluminum nitride powder, boron nitride powder, alumina powder, diamond powder, carbon powder, indium powder, gallium powder, and zinc oxide powder. Any fillers may be used as long as the thermal conductivity is at least 10 W/m.Math.° C. The fillers may be used alone or in admixture of two or more.”)
That is, indium, gallium, alumina, boron nitride, zinc oxide are recognized in the art as being functionally equivalent when it comes to dissipating heat.
According to Section 2144.06.II, "In order to rely on equivalence as a rationale supporting an obviousness rejection, the equivalency must be recognized in the prior art" In re Ruff, 256 F.2d 590, 118 USPQ 340 (CCPA 1958).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the semiconductor package of Kim by substituting alumina, boron nitride or zinc oxide of Kim by another functionally-equivalent gallium or indium as taught by Tsuji as "An express suggestion to substitute one equivalent component or process for another is not necessary to render such substitution obvious. In re Fout, 675 F.2d 297, 213 USPQ 532 (CCPA 1982) (see Section 2144.06.II).
As the result of the substitution, Gallium first heat dissipation filler taught by the combination of Kim and Tsuji has the inherent chemical property of being in a liquid state at or below 60 °C as the Applicant also discloses that gallium has the property of being a liquid state at or below 60 °C.
Limitations of “wherein a thermal conductivity of the thermal conductive adhesive layer is in a range of about 2 W/mK to about 100 W/mK” and “wherein an elongation of the thermal conductive adhesive layer is in a range of about 5%” are directed to a property of the thermal conductive adhesive layer. Since the combination of Kim and Tsuji teaches the thermal conductive adhesive layer having the resin layer and the heat dissipation filler comprising a liquid metal, the thermal conductive adhesive layer taught by the combination of Kim and Tsuji is reasonably capable of having the same property as recited in the limitations above.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 5 is objected to for depending on a rejected base claim 1 and the intervening claim 4, but would be allowable if it is rewritten in independent form to include all of the limitations of the base claim 1 or the base claim 1 is amended to include all of the limitations of claim 5 and the intervening claim 4.
Claim 10 is objected to for depending on a rejected base claim 1 and the intervening claim 9, but would be allowable if it is rewritten in independent form to include all of the limitations of the base claim 1 or the base claim 1 is amended to include all of the limitations of claim 10 and the intervening claim 9.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL JUNG whose telephone number is (408) 918-7554. The examiner can normally be reached on 8 A.M. to 7 P.M.
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/MICHAEL JUNG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817 03 April 2026
1 Please note that pressure is not recited, which can affect the state of matter at a particular temperature.