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 .
Remarks
The amendment filed on December 29th, 2025 has been acknowledged. By this amendment, claims 8 and 9 have been amended and claims 15-20 have been cancelled. Accordingly, claims 1-14 and 21-26 are pending in the present application in which claims 1, 8, and 21 are in independent form. Applicant’s amendment to the title has been accepted. Examiner has contacted the Mr. Brian Mair, Attorney for Applicant, on February 26th, 2026 to propose an examiner’s amendment to independent claim 8 in order to overcome the 112(a) and 112(b) issues and to place the application in the condition for allowance. However, the Applicant did not accept the propose amendment at his time.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities:
In paragraph [0061], lines 3-4, “to expose first trenches in the substrate” should be --to expose first trenches in the first substrate--.
In paragraph [0061], lines 4-5, “the second trenches extending through a semiconductor portion of the first substrate” should be --the first trenches extending through a semiconductor portion of the first substrate--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the enablement requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to enable one skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and/or use the invention.
Particularly, currently amended independent claim 8 recites the limitations of “forming second trenches through the second substrate to expose the first trenches in the second substrate” in lines 5-6 and “fusion bonding a third substrate to the first substrate” in line 8.
Note that, the specification while enables for forming second trenches 401 through the second substrate 301 to expose first trenches 201 in the first substrate 101 (see paragraphs [0025], [0026], [0036] and figs. 1-4) and fusion bonding a third substrate 501 to the second substrate 301 (see paragraph [0043] and fig. 5) does not enable for the limitations of “forming the second trenches through the second substrate to expose first trenches in the second substrate” as recited in claim 8, line 5-6 and “fusion bonding a third substrate to the first substrate”, as recited in claim 8, line 8.
Additionally, dependent claims 11, 13, and 14 further support that it is the third substrate that is fusion bonding to the second substrate and not the first substrate as specified in independent claim 8, line 8. Particularly, claim 11 recites “forming a third bonding layer on an opposite side of the second substrate from the second bonding layer”, in lines 1-2 and claim 13 recites “wherein the fusion bonding the third substrate to the second substrate further comprises: forming a fourth bonding layer on the third substrate; and placing the fourth bonding layer in physical contact with the third bonding layer”, in lines 1-4. Therefore, the fourth bonding layer of the third substrate is in physical contact with the third bonding layer of the second substrate and thus require that the third substrate to be fusion bonding to the second substrate.
It is suggested that independent claim 8 be rewritten as follow in order to overcome the 112(a) issue as specified above and further in line with dependent claims 9-14:
--A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method comprising:
fusion bonding a first substrate to a second substrate;
forming first trenches in the first substrate;
forming second trenches through the second substrate to expose the first trenches in the first substrate, wherein the first trenches extending through a semiconductor portion of the first substrate;
fusion bonding a third substrate to the second substrate; and
forming third trenches through the third substrate to expose the second trenches.--.
Claims 9-14 depend directly or indirectly on base claim 8 and inherit the deficiencies.
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.
Claims 8-14 are 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.
Independent claim 8 recites the limitation of “forming second trenches through the second substrate to expose first trenches in the second substrate” on lines 5-6, the metes and bounds of the claimed limitation cannot be determined for the following reasons: it is unclear what forming the second trenches through the second substrate to expose first trenches in the second substrate encompasses. Applicant’s disclosure only has support for forming second trenches 401 through the second substrate 301 to expose first trenches 201 in the first substate 101 (see paragraph [0022], [0036] and fig. 4). Independent claim 8 further recites the limitation of “fusion bonding a third substrate to the first substrate” in lines 6. However, Applicant’s disclosure only has support for fusion bonding a third substrate 501 to the second substrate 30 as shown in paragraph [0046] and fig. 5.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "wherein the fusion bonding the third substrate to the second substrate" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Note that, base claim 8 recites “fusion bonding a third substrate to the first substrate” in lines 5, not to the second substrate.
Clarification is respectfully requested.
Claims 9-14 depend directly or indirectly on base claim 8 and inherit the deficiencies.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 and 21-26 are allowed over prior art of record.
Reasons For Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
It is determined that the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious the claimed subject matter of independent claims 1 and 21 as a whole taken alone or in combination, in particular, the closest prior art of record to Liang et al. (U.S. Pub. 2015/0137283) discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including, inter-alia, the steps of depositing a first bonding layer (104a,106) on a first substrate (102,108) (see paragraphs [0015], [0017] and fig. 3); patterning the first bonding layer and the first substrate to form first openings (112,114) (see paragraph [0018] and fig. 3); bonding a second substrate 116 to the first substrate (see paragraph [0019] and fig. 4); after the bonding the second substrate, patterning the second substrate to form second openings 120, at least one of the second openings 120 exposing at least one of the first openings 114 (see paragraph [0019] and fig. 5) and to Tsai et al. (U.S. Pub. 2015/0348905) discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including, inter-alia, the steps of depositing a first bonding layer (106,206) on a first substrate (104) (see paragraphs [0016], [0019] and fig. 2); patterning the first bonding layer and the first substrate to form first openings 308 (see paragraph [0034] and fig. 3); bonding a second substrate 204 to the first substrate 104 (see paragraph [0033] and fig. 3); after the bonding the second substrate 204, patterning the second substrate 204 to form second openings 302, at least one of the second openings 302 exposing at least one of the first openings (see paragraph [0033] and fig. 3).
However, Liang and Tsai do not teach or suggest the steps of “after the patterning the second substrate, bonding a third substrate to the second substrate; and after the bonding the third substrate, patterning the third substrate to form third openings, at least one of the third openings exposing at least one of the second openings”, as recited in independent claim 1 and the steps of “bonding a third substrate to the second substrate with a third bonding layer and a fourth bonding layer, the third bonding layer and the fourth bonding layer being located between the second substrate and the third substrate; and forming third trenches extending through the third substrate, the third bonding layer, and the fourth bonding layer, the third trenches exposing multiple ones of the second trenches”, as recited in independent claim 21.
Claims 2-7 and 22-26 also allowed as being directly or indirectly dependent of the allowed independent base claims.
Response to Applicant’s Amendment and Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed December 29th, 2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to the 112(a) and 112(b) rejections in the previous office action, Applicant stated that “Without commenting on the appropriateness of these rejections, and solely for the sake of forwarding the prosecution of the current application, Applicant has amended claims 8-9”.
However, with respect to independent claim 8, Applicant has not amended all the limitations as suggested in the previous office action (i.e., “forming second trenches through the second substrate to expose the first trenches in the second substrate”, as recited on lines 5-6, should be --forming second trenches through the second substrate to expose the first trenches in the first substrate-- and “fusion bonding a third substrate to the first substrate”, as recited on line 8 should be --fusion bonding a third substrate to the second substrate--). Therefore, the 112(a) and 112(b) rejections of independent claim 8 are being maintained in the office action. With respect to dependent claim 9, Applicant’s amendment to dependent claim 9 has overcome the 112(a) issue as indicated in the previous office action.
Accordingly, it is respectfully submitted that independent claim 8 is not in compliance to the requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112, and remain rejected in the office action.
Claims 9-14 depend directly or indirectly on claim 8 and inherit these deficiencies.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Liu et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,695,039) discloses a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, including, inter-alia, forming first trenches (203,213) in a first substrate 112 (see col. 5, lines 42-56 and fig. 7), and bonding a second substrate 130 to the first substrate 112 (see col. 5, lines 64-66 and fig. 10).
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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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/KHIEM D NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892