DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 8/4/26 has been entered.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed 6/16/26 has been approved and entered into the record.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments regarding the copper pads and the Cu-Cu interconnection claim amendments filed 8/4/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
It is argued that Eid fails to teach the claim amendment “bonding layer are directly bonded, wherein the first pads and the second pads are made of copper, resulting in Cu-Cu bonded interconnections”.
Note that Eid (column 4, lines 9-11 & 62-67) teaches the pads are made of copper resulting in a Cu-Cu bonded interconnections.
Applicant’s arguments, see the claim amendment to the second plastic layer “at gaps”, with respect to the rejection(s) of the claim(s) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made 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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eid et al., US 11,990,448, in view of Bhagavat et al., US 10,714,462, and Saleh et al., US 12,572,476.
Regarding claim 1, Eid (figures 14-17) teaches a method for manufacturing a system-level fan-out packaging structure, comprising:
forming a rewiring layer 150 on a supporting substrate 104, wherein the rewiring layer 106 includes a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, at least one inorganic (column 6, lines 24-35) dielectric layer 106, and at least one metal wiring layer 112/114/116/118 (figure 14);
forming a hybrid bonding structure 108 between the first surface of the rewiring layer 150 and semiconductor chips 102-1/102-2 to electrically couple the semiconductor chips 102-1/102-2 to the first surface of the rewiring layer 150, wherein the hybrid bonding structure 108 comprises a first bonding layer (bottom 108) formed on the first surface of the rewiring layer 150 and a second bonding layer 108 (top 108) formed on surfaces of the semiconductor chips 102-1/102-2 (figure 15);
wherein forming the first bonding layer (bottom 108) comprises disposing a first passivation layer (bottom 108) on the first surface of the rewiring layer 150; disposing vias in the first passivation layer 108 by a photolithography process and an etching process (column 10, line 65-column 11, line 2), and filling the vias with a metal layer (bottom 110) to form first pads (top surface of bottom 110); wherein the second bonding layer (top 108) comprises disposing a second passivation layer (top 108) on the semiconductor chips 102-1/102-2 and second pads (bottom surface of top 110) in the second passivation layer (top 108); wherein the first bonding layer (bottom 108) and the second bonding layer (top 108) are directly bonded (figure 15), wherein the first pads (top surface of bottom 110) and the second pads (bottom surface of top 110) are made of copper, resulting in Cu-Cu bonded interconnections (column 4, lines 9-11 & 62-67);
forming a first plastic layer 126 on the first bond layer (bottom 108) to form a packaging layer 126 to cover the semiconductor chips 102-1/102-2 (figure 16);
removing the supporting substrate 104 to expose the second surface of the rewiring layer 150 (figure 17);
forming a conductive interconnection piece 120 at the second surface of the rewiring layer 150 and attaching a packaging substrate 182 (figure 1) to the conductive interconnection piece 102, wherein the package substrate 120 is electrically coupled to the rewiring layer 150; and
Eid fails to teach wherein forming the conductive interconnection piece comprises forming a controlled-collapse-chip-connection (C4) layer on the second surface of the rewiring laver, wherein the C4 layer comprises conductive posts and C4 bumps; aligning and bonding the 04 bumps to contact pads provided on the packaging substrate, electrically coupling the second surface of the rewiring layer to the packaging substrate through the C4 layer and the contact pads.
Bhagavat (figure 4) teaches wherein forming the conductive interconnection piece 135/142/130 comprises forming a controlled-collapse-chip-connection (C4) layer 142/130 on the second surface of the rewiring layer 125, wherein the C4 layer 142/130 comprises conductive posts 142 and C4 bumps 130; aligning and bonding the C4 bumps 130 to contact pads (where 130 attaches to 142) provided on the packaging substrate 120, electrically coupling the second surface of the rewiring layer 125/145 to the packaging substrate 120 through the C4 layer 130 and the contact pads.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to use the conductive interconnection piece of Bhagavat in the invention of because Eid teaches it provides stress relief (column 4, lines 35-40).
Bhagavat fails to teach forming a second plastic layer at gaps between the C4 layer and the packaging substrate.
Saleh (figure 2) teaches a second plastic layer 224 at gaps between the C4 layer 214 and the packaging substrate 210.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to use the second plastic layer of Saleh in the invention of Bhagavat because Saleh teaches it cushions against CTE mismatch (column 5, lines 4-12). The use of conventional materials to perform their known functions is obvious (MPEP 2144.07).
With respect to claim 2, Eid (figure 14) teaches the rewiring layer 150 includes two or more (column 5, lines 43-47) inorganic (column 6, lines 24-35) dielectric layers 106 and two or more (column 5, lines 43-47) metal wiring layers 112/114/116/118, wherein the two or more inorganic dielectric layers 106 are alternately formed with the two or more metal wiring layers 112/114/116/118 in a direction perpendicular to the supporting substrate 104.
As to claim 3, though Eid (column 13, lines 37-39) fails to teach removing the supporting substrate 104 includes: thinning the supporting substrate using a mechanical grinding process, then removing the thinned supporting substrate using a chemical-mechanical polishing process, wherein the supporting substrate is a silicon-based substrate, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to use this process in the invention of Eid because it is conventionally known and used in the art. The use of conventional materials to perform their known functions is obvious (MPEP 2144.07).
In re claim 5, Eid (column 6, lines 60-64) teaches a material of the at least one metal wiring layer includes one or more of copper, aluminum, nickel, gold, silver, and titanium, and though Eid fails to teach a material of the at least one inorganic dielectric layer includes one of silicon nitride and silicon oxynitride it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to use these materials in the invention of Eid because they are conventionally known and used equivalents. The substitution of one known equivalent technique for another may be obvious even if the prior art does not expressly suggest the substitution (Ex parte Novak 16 USPQ 2d 2041 (BPAI 1989); In re Mostovych 144 USPQ 38 (CCPA 1964); In re Leshin 125 USPQ 416 (CCPA 1960); Graver Tank & Manufacturing Co. V. Linde Air Products Co. 85 USPQ 328 (USSC 1950).
Conclusion
Any inquiry should be directed to DAVID A ZARNEKE at (571)272-1937. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matt Landau can be reached at 571-272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DAVID A ZARNEKE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891 8/19/26
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