DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Acknowledgment of preliminary amendment filed 07/19/2023 amending the claims.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Domestic Benefit
Present application 18/262,187 filed 07/19/2023 is a National Stage entry of PCT/JP22/02175 with international filing date of 01/21/2022.
Foreign Priority
Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f) with respect to application numbers: 2021-008275 & 2021-162509 & PCT/JP2022/001970 all filed in Japan respectively on 01/21/2021 & 10/01/2021 & 01/20/2022. Examiner is unable to find the certified copies of each application in the patent file wrapper. Please remedy or address this concern.
Information Disclosure Statements
The information disclosure statements respectively submitted on 2 x 07/19/2023, 2 x 11/08/2023 and 1 x 06/17/2025 were filed before first Office action. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements have been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested:
-- BONDING METHOD WITH HEAT TREATMENT, BONDER, AND BONDING SYSTEM THEREOF--.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Prior art listing:
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Claims 1, 5, 15, 16-17, 20, 27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Document 1.
The invention as in claim 1 is anticipated by document 1. In a bonding method for bonding a "first wafer" and a "second wafer", document 1 discloses (paragraphs [0028]-[0033]) a "degassing step" corresponding to the "heat treatment step" of the present invention, (paragraph [0034]) an "activation treatment" step corresponding to the "activation treatment step" of the present invention, and (paragraph [0035]) a "temporary bonding step" corresponding to the "bonding step" of the present invention.
The invention as in claims 5, 20 is anticipated by document 1. Document 1 indicates that the "degassing step" is carried out at "100°C or greater" (paragraph [0030]), and the "temporary bonding step" is carried out at "a temperature of about 25°C", which is "room temperature" (paragraph [0035]); it is necessary to perform cooling at some stage between these two steps, but at what timing to perform the cooling is a matter that a person skilled in the art could determine as appropriate. Further, if the cooling is performed after the "activation treatment" step, this means that the "heat treatment step" and the "activation treatment" step are substantially carried out in parallel. Document 1 it is indicated that the "degassing step" is performed "at 100°C or greater" (paragraph [0030]), and the "temporary bonding step" is performed at "a temperature of about 25°C", which is "room temperature" (paragraph [0035]), and it is clear that cooling is performed between these two steps.
The invention as in claim 15 is anticipated by document 1. Document 1 (paragraph [0025]) discloses a "cleaning treatment" step corresponding to the "cleaning step" of the present invention.
The invention as in claims 16-17 is anticipated by document 1. In a bonding method for bonding a "first wafer" and a "second wafer", document 1 discloses (paragraph [0025]) a "cleaning treatment" step corresponding to the "hydrophilization treatment step" and the "cleaning step" of the present invention, (paragraphs [0028]-[0033]) a "degassing step" corresponding to the "heat treatment step" of the present invention, and (paragraph [0035]) a "temporary bonding step" corresponding to the "bonding step" of the present invention.
The invention as in claim 27 is anticipated by document 1. As also considered when discussing claim 1, in a bonding method for bonding a "first wafer" and a "second wafer", document 1 discloses (paragraphs [0028]-[0033]) a "degassing step" corresponding to the "heat treatment step" of the present invention, (paragraph [0034]) an "activation treatment" step corresponding to the "activation treatment step" of the present invention, and (paragraph [0035]) a "temporary bonding step" corresponding to the "bonding step" of the present invention.
Claims 2-4, 10-11, 13, 51, 52 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over document 1.
The invention as in claims 2-4, 51, 52 is made obvious over document 1.
The specific conditions relating to time and pressure when carrying out heat treatment are matters that a person skilled in the art should optimize or make suitable and determine as appropriate in accordance with the individual purpose at hand given that document 1 already teaches the bonding process.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize time and pressure depending on the bonding material and the material of the workpieces being bonded.
The invention of claims 10-11, 13 is made obvious over document 1.
Document 1 (paragraph [0024]) lists "a silicon oxide film" as an "insulating film L3" that becomes an "adhesive layer", with "a silicon nitride film" and "a silicon film" also being listed as alternatives thereto.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that these layers may be used as the adhesive for the benefit of the best bonding.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over documents 1-5.
The invention of claim 6 is made obvious over documents 1-5.
In document 1, "plasma treatment" (paragraph [0034]) is used as the specific means for the "activation treatment" step, but particle beam radiation as a means for activation of a bonding surface of a substrate is, as illustrated by document 2 (paragraph [0027], etc.), document 3 (paragraph [0053], etc.), document 4 (paragraphs [0102], [0103], etc.), and document 5 (paragraph [0033], etc.), a well-known feature, and particularly document 4 and document 5 make combined disclosure of plasma treatment and particle beam radiation.
In the invention disclosed in document 1, a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could easily use particle beam radiation in documents 2-5 instead of plasma treatment as the specific means for the "activation treatment" step.
Claims 6, 9, 19, 31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over documents 1-5.
The invention of claims 6, 19, 31 is made obvious over documents 1-5.
In document 1, "plasma treatment" (paragraph [0034]) is used as the specific means for the "activation treatment" step, but particle beam radiation as a means for activation of a bonding surface of a substrate is, as illustrated by document 2 (paragraph [0027], etc.), document 3 (paragraph [0053], etc.), document 4 (paragraphs [0102], [0103], etc.), and document 5 (paragraph [0033], etc.), a well-known feature, and particularly document 4 and document 5 make combined disclosure of plasma treatment and particle beam radiation.
In the invention disclosed in document 1, a person skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention could easily use particle beam radiation in documents 2-5 instead of plasma treatment as the specific means for the "activation treatment" step.
Regarding claim 9, radiating Si particles together with a particle beam is, as illustrated by the disclosures of document 2 (paragraph [0061], etc.), document 3 (paragraphs [0146], [0147], etc.), and document 4 (paragraph [0118], etc.), a well-known feature.
Claims 7-8, 12, 14, 18, 26, 28, 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over documents 1-6.
The invention of claims 7-8, 18 is made obvious over documents 1-6.
Depositing Si on a bonding surface beforehand in order to increase bonding strength is disclosed by document 6 (paragraphs [0027]-[0030], [0051]-[0060], fig. 2-6).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that combining document 6 with documents 1-5 would have been beneficial in order to increase bonding strength.
The invention of claims 12, 35 is made obvious over documents 1-6.
A material exposed on the bonding surface of an object to be bonded is a matter that a person skilled in the art should select as appropriate in accordance with the purpose at hand. Further, what is known as "hybrid bonding", wherein fellow bonding surfaces on which an insulating film and a metal are exposed are bonded is, as illustrated by the disclosure of document 4 (paragraph [0048], etc.), for instance, a well-known feature.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
The invention of claim 14 is made obvious over documents 1-6.
The invention as in claim 14 does not involve an inventive step in light of document 1, and does not involve an inventive step in light of documents 1-6. As considered when discussing claim 5, as well, at what timing between the "degassing step" performed at "100°C or greater" and the "temporary bonding step" performed at "room temperature" to perform cooling in the invention disclosed in document 1 is a matter that a person skilled in the art could determine as appropriate. Further, setting the timing of the cooling to be before the "activation treatment" step is also a matter within the scope of what a person skilled in the art could handle.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
The invention of claim 26 is made obvious over documents 1-6.
Document 2 (paragraph [0069]) and document 3 (paragraph [0152]) disclose making an Si radiation source and a beam radiation source for activation separate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
The invention of claim 28 is made obvious over documents 1-6.
Document 2 (paragraph [0037]) and document 6 (paragraph [0056]) disclose evaluating bonding strength via a "blade insertion method" ( corresponding to the "crack opening method" of the present invention). Moreover, the environment at the time of evaluation is a matter that a person skilled in the art should set as appropriate in accordance with the individual situation at hand, and since it is clear that the environment will be different if a "moisture amount" is excessively high, setting the environment to have some "standard moisture amount, or less" is within the scope of what a person skilled in the art could naturally conceive.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
Claims 29, 30, 40-41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over documents 1-4.
The invention as in claim 29 is made obvious over documents 1-4.
Document 1 (paragraph [0059], fig. 8) discloses, as a "multi-chamber device used in the bonding of wafers" (corresponding to the "bonding device" of the present invention), a device provided with a "wafer attaching chamber CH4" ( corresponding to the "chamber' of the present invention), a "degassing chamber CHI" (corresponding to the "first-object-to-be-bonded heating unit" of the present invention), and a "plasma treatment chamber CH2" (corresponding to the "activation treatment unit" of the present invention).
Although it is not disclosed in document 1, it is clear that a configuration corresponding to the "control unit" of the present invention is provided. Further, the specific control content thereof is as considered when discussing claim 1.
Moreover, document 1 does not specifically disclose configurations corresponding to the "head", the "stage", and the "driving unit" of the present invention, but providing these structural elements as a substrate bonding device is well-known, as illustrated by document 2 (paragraphs [0015], [0018], fig. 1, etc.), document 3 (paragraph [0038], fig. 1, etc.), and document 4 (paragraph [0029], [0034], fig. 1, etc.), for instance.
Additionally, in document 1, each set of fellow chambers among the "wafer attaching chamber CH4", the "degassing chamber CHI", the "plasma treatment chamber CH2", and the like is linked by way of a "conveying chamber CH7'', but the specific layout is a matter that a person skilled in the art could decide as appropriate in accordance with the individual situation at hand. Further, in document 3 (paragraph [0156], fig. 9), for instance, a structure is disclosed wherein a "substrate bonding device 100" is disposed within a "first vacuum chamber" ("vacuum chamber 200"), a "hydrophilization treatment unit 620" and a "surface activation treatment unit 610" are both disposed within a "second vacuum chamber 250", and the "first vacuum chamber" and the "second vacuum chamber 250" are made to be neighboring; thus, in the invention disclosed in document 1, making a plurality of chambers other than the "conveying chamber CH7'' neighboring and disposing a plurality of mechanisms which are disposed in different chambers together in one chamber are matters within the scope of what could easily be handled by a person skilled in the art.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
Regarding claim 30, Document 1 (paragraph [0059], fig. 8) discloses further providing a "wafer temperature control chamber CH3" and a "wafer temperature control chamber CHS", and (paragraph [0071]) discloses increasing the temperature as necessary.
The invention as in claim 29 is made obvious over documents 1-4.
Document 1 (paragraph [0059], fig. 8) discloses, as a "multi-chamber device used in the bonding of wafers" (corresponding to the "bonding device" of the present invention), a device provided with a "cleaning chamber CH6" ( corresponding to the "hydrophilization treatment device" and the "cleaning device" of the present invention), a "wafer attaching chamber CH4" (corresponding to the "chamber" of the present invention), and a "degassing chamber CHI" (the "first-object-to-be-bonded heating unit" of the present invention). As also considered when discussing claim 29, although it is not disclosed in document 1, it is clear that a configuration corresponding to the "control unit" of the present invention is provided. Further, the specific control content thereof is as considered when discussing claims 16-17.
Moreover, as also considered when discussing claim 29, document 1 does not specifically disclose configurations corresponding to the "head", the "stage", and the "driving unit" of the present invention, but providing these structural elements as a substrate bonding device is well-known, as illustrated by document 2 (paragraphs [0015], [0018], fig. 1, etc.), document 3 (paragraph [0038], fig. 1, etc.), and document 4 (paragraph [0029], [0034], fig. 1, etc.), for instance.
Additionally, as also considered when discussing claim 29, in document 1, each set of fellow chambers among the "wafer attaching chamber CH4", the "degassing chamber CHI", the "plasma treatment chamber CH2", and the like is linked by way of a "conveying chamber CH7'', but the specific layout is a matter that a person skilled in the art could decide as appropriate in accordance with the individual situation at hand. Further, in document 3 (paragraph [0156], fig. 9), for instance, a structure is disclosed wherein a "substrate bonding device 100" is disposed within a "first vacuum chamber" ("vacuum chamber 200"), a "hydrophilization treatment unit 620" and a "surface activation treatment unit 610" are both disposed within a "second vacuum chamber 250", and the "first vacuum chamber" and the "second vacuum chamber 250" are made to be neighboring; thus, in the invention disclosed in document 1, making a plurality of chambers other than the "conveying chamber CH7" neighboring and disposing a plurality of mechanisms which are disposed in different chambers together in one chamber are matters within the scope of what could easily be handled by a person skilled in the art.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
Claim 43-50 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over documents 1-7.
As considered when discussing claim 1, in a bonding method for bonding a "first wafer" and a "second wafer", document 1 discloses (paragraphs [0028]-[0033]) a "degassing step" corresponding to the "heat treatment step" of the present invention, (paragraph [0034]) an "activation treatment" step corresponding to the "activation treatment step" of the present invention, and (paragraph [0035]) a "temporary bonding step" corresponding to the "bonding step" of the present invention.
Moreover, document 1 indicates that "a device (semiconductor element) including the backside illuminationtype CMOS image sensor is forme d on the first wafer" (paragraph [0020]), and normally ion implantation is in accompaniment at the time of forming such a device; thus, this corresponds to the "ion implantation step" of the present invention. Additionally, document 1 indicates that "the first wafer and second wafer which have been temporarily bonde d are increased in bonding strength and permanently bonded by heating at a temperature of 200°C or greater" (paragraph [0036]), and this corresponds to the "additional heat treatment step" of the present invention.
Document 1 only indicates "100°C or greater" (paragraph [0030]) regarding the "degassing step", and only indicates "200°C or greater" and "for instance, 200-1000°C, and ... is performed at 300°C here" (paragraph [0036]) regarding the "permanent bonding" step; however, establishing the upper limit values as "150°C" and "300°C", respectively, as in the present invention, is a matter within the scope of what could be handle d as appropriate by a person skilled in the art.
As considered above, with only what is currently set forth in claim 43, there are no concrete specifications regarding the actual substance of the ion implantation step and the additional heat treatment step, and thus, it is possible to respectively associate these with the steps disclose d in document 1.
Meanwhile, even if the ion implantation step is for forming a fragile part in the substrate, and the additional heat treatment step is for releasing from the fragile part, such steps are each disclosed in document 7 (paragraphs [0040], [0044]-[0047]), for instance, and a person skilled in the art could still easily conceive of the invention as in claim 43 by applying the features disclose d in claim 7 to the invention disclose d in document 1.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
Regarding claim 44, how to perform temperature management at a time of conveying is a matter that a person skilled in the art could optimize or make suitable and handle as appropriate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize time during conveying for the most optimum finished bond.
Regarding claims 45-46. the substrate material is a matter that a person skilled in the art should select as appropriate in accordance with the individual purpose at hand, and document 2 (paragraph [0068]), document 3 (paragraph [0168], etc.), document 5 (paragraph [0030], etc.), and document 7 (paragraph [0040], etc.) disclose using an "Lt substrate" and an "Ln substrate" as a bonding substrate.
Moreover, document 2 (paragraph [0070]), document 5 (paragraph [0029]), and document 7 (paragraph [0061]) also disclose application to a "SAW device".
Additionally, as considered d when discussing claim 43, document 7 discloses the feature of releasing a substrate which has undergone ion implantation.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
Regarding claim 47, in consideration of the content considered when discussing claim 29 and claim 43, the invention as in claim 47 is one that a person skilled in the art could easily conceive of from the disclosed content in documents 1-4 and 7.
Regarding claim 48, how to perform temperature management at a time of conveying is a matter that a person skilled in the art could optimize or make suitable and handle as appropriate.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize time during conveying for the most optimum finished bond.
Regarding claim 49-50, As considered when discussing claims 45-46, documents 2, 3, 5, and 7 disclose using an "Lt substrate" and an "Ln substrate" as a bonding substrate; documents 2, 5, and 7 disclose application to a "SAW device"; and document 7 discloses releasing a substrate that has undergone ion implantation.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to recognize that the combination of documents discloses well known features and methods that may be combined in order to produce the most optimum bonded substrates/workpieces.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21, 37, 42 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.
The invention as in claims 22-25 is not disclosed in any of documents 1-8 cited in the ISR, and is not one that a person skilled in the art could easily conceive of; thus, the invention as in claims 22-25 is novel and involves an inventive step.
Documents 1-8 do not disclose or suggest the feature set forth in claim 22 of "a cover heating step for, in a state in which the interior of a chamber in which a cover is disposed in a shape including an activation treatment region on the periphery of at least one among the two objects to be joined is made a reduced-pressure atmosphere, heating the cover; and a bonding step for bonding the two objects to be joined after the cover heating step".
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN P DULKA whose telephone number is (571)270-7398. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, EST.
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10 January 2026
/John P. Dulka/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817