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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species II, claims 35-40 and 33-34, in the reply filed on March 2, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that Species I and II should be examined together without serious burden. This is found persuasive because Species II requires what is already in Species I. Therefore, Species I and II, encompassing claims 30-40, will be examined together. Claims 57-65 of Species III are hereby withdrawn.
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) 30-32 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (U.S. Pub. 2018/0294212) [Hereafter “Chen”].
Regarding claims 30-32, Chen [Figs.11-24] discloses a method of making a electronic component comprising:
hybrid bonding a first die [68A] to a substrate [100] [Para.36];
hybrid bonding a second die [168A] to the first die, wherein the second die has a smaller surface area than the first die [Fig.20], wherein the substrate [100], the first die [68A] and the second die [168A] have bond pads [66] [74A] [174A] formed thereon;
forming an insulating material [180-182] disposed over the substrate and at least partially encapsulating the first and second dies;
direct hybrid bonding a third die [88] bonded to the insulating material [182]; and
forming a first conductor [187] extending through at least a portion of the insulating material [182] to electrically connect the third die [88] and at least one of the first die, the second die [168A], and the substrate;
wherein the insulating material [180-182] comprises a polymer, an oxide or a layer of oxide and a layer of polymer [Paras.45-46];
further comprising forming additional conductors [192] to connect the third die [88] to at least one of the first die, the second die [168A], or the substrate.
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) 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S. Pub. 2018/0294212) in view of Chiu et al. (U.S. Pat. 9349703) [Hereafter “Chiu”].
Regarding claim 33, Chen fails to explicitly disclose wherein forming a first conductor comprises printing nanoparticles. However, Chiu [Fig.2E] discloses wherein forming a first conductor [120] comprises printing nanoparticles [Col.3 line 57 – col.4 line 3]. Chiu discloses both vias and traces can be formed by inkjet printing. It would have been obvious to provide wherein forming a first conductor comprises printing nanoparticles, since it has been held that applying a known technique to a known process in order to yield predictable results would have been obvious. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claim(s) 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S. Pub. 2018/0294212) in view of Liff et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0098411) [Hereafter “Liff”].
Regarding claim 34, Chen fails to explicitly disclose a wherein forming an insulating material comprises depositing a polymer with dielectric nanoparticles embedded therein. However, Liff [Fig.1A] discloses a method wherein forming an insulating material [107] comprises depositing a polymer [106] with dielectric nanoparticles [108] embedded therein [Para.28]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Liff into the method of Chen to include wherein forming an insulating material comprises depositing a polymer with dielectric nanoparticles embedded therein. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Chen in the manner set forth above for at least the purpose of reducing the CTE mismatch between the die and the substrate [Liff; Para.24].
Claim(s) 35-40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al. (U.S. Pub. 2018/0294212) in view of Liff et al. (U.S. Pub. 2021/0098411) [Hereafter “Liff”] and Wu et al. (U.S. Pub. 2020/0251435) [Hereafter “Wu”].
Regarding claim 35, Chen [Figs.11-14], Liff [Figs.2-4], and Wu [Figs.1-2] disclose a method of making a electronic component comprising:
direct hybrid bonding a first die to a substrate;
direct hybrid bonding a second die to the first die, wherein the second die has a smaller surface area than the first die, wherein the substrate, the first die and the second die have bond pads formed thereon;
printing vias on the substrate and the first and second dies, the vias comprising conductive nanoparticles;
heating the conductive nanoparticles to sinter the conductive nanoparticles;
depositing a low coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) dielectric layer over the substrate, the first and second dies and the vias;
planarizing a top surface of the low CTE dielectric layer to expose the vias;
depositing a bonding dielectric layer over the low CTE layer;
forming conductive features in the low CTE dielectric layer; and
direct hybrid bonding at least a third die to the top surface of the low CTE dielectric layer and the conductive features.
Chen [Discussed above] discloses the hybrid bonding of the first-third dies. Liff [Figs.2-4] [Discussed above] discloses the low CTE dielectric and the forming of vias therein. Wu [Figs.1C,2] discloses the printing of vias comprising nanoparticles and sintering. It would have been obvious to combine the methods of Chen, Liff, and Wu as above, since it has been held that applying a known technique to a known process in order to yield predictable results would have been obvious. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 36-40, Chen [Figs.11-14], Liff [Figs.2-4], and Wu [Figs.1-2] disclose
wherein the nanoparticles comprise copper, silver, nickel or alloys thereof [Wu; Para.21];
wherein printing conductive features comprises using a 3D printer [Wu; Fig.1C; Para.19];
wherein the low CTE dielectric layer [107] comprises particles embedded in a polymer [Liff; Figs.2-4; Paras.28-29];
wherein the low CTE dielectric layer comprises SiO₂ particles embedded in a resin or polyimide matrix [Liff; Figs.2-4; Paras.28-29];
wherein the bonding dielectric layer [182] comprises silicon oxide SiO₂, silicon nitride Si₃N₄ or silicon oxynitride SiOxNy [Chen; Fig.21; Para.46].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited prior art is considered analogous art and discloses at least some of the claimed subject matter of the current invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BAC H AU whose telephone number is (571)272-8795. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Leonard Chang can be reached at 571-270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BAC H AU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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