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
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s Response to Election/Restriction Requirement received on October 29, 2025, regarding the application filed May 18, 2023. Applicant’s preliminary amendment, filed on July 13, 2023, has been entered into the record.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election with traverse in the reply filed on October 29, 2025 is acknowledged. However, based on Applicant’s arguments, Examiner has reconsidered the restriction requirement and it has been withdrawn. Accordingly, claims 1-20 are pending in the present application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on June 8, 2023 and September 16, 2024 have been placed in the application file and are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings filed with the application on May 18, 2023 are accepted.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-10, 13-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Henderson et al., US 2014/0225246 A1 (hereinafter Henderson).
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Regarding claim 1, Henderson discloses: A three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) system comprising: a top die (Henderson, FIG. 3, second die 306, [0096]) having a first set of through-silicon vias (TSVs) for providing power, signal, and ground connectivity for components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3, TSVs 326, 328, 330, and 332 [the first set of TSVs] providing Vdd [power], signal, and Vss [ground] connectivity to the active region 322 of second die 306 [components formed within the top die], [0096]); a bottom die (Henderson, FIG. 3, first die 304, [0095]) having a second set of TSVs for providing power, signal, and ground connectivity for components formed within the bottom die (Henderson, see FIGs. 3, 8A, “first die 304 [the bottom die] includes several through substrate vias (TSVs) that traverse an active region 318 (e.g., front side) [components formed within the bottom die] and a back side region 320 of the first die 304 [the bottom die],” [0134]); and a heat spreader formed above the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3, heat spreaders 310 and 312, [0099-0100]), wherein the heat spreader is configured to not only dissipate heat associated with the 3DIC system but also to deliver power to the top die using through-dielectric vias (TDVs) (Henderson, FIG. 3, “heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader] is configured to provide an electrical path for a signal (e.g., power signal) to the second die 306 [the top die] … a power signal may travel from the TMV 314 [the through-dielectric vias], through the heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader], and the first set of vias 326 & 328 [the first set of TSVs] … to components (e.g., active components) of the active region 322 of the second die 306 [the top die]” [0100; 0139]), wherein the TDVs are formed in an area surrounding both the bottom die and the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows through mold vias 314 and 316 [the TDVs] formed in an area surrounding both first die 304 [the bottom die] and second die 306 [the top die], [0106]), wherein only a subset of the first set of TSVs formed in the top die are configured to deliver power to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3, vias 326, 328 [the subset of the first set of TSVs] … provide power to the second die 306 [the top die]; vias 330, 332 [the remaining vias of the first set of TSVs] provide ground / signal, [0096]), and wherein none of the second set of TSVs formed in the bottom die is configured to deliver power to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, see FIG. 3, “electrical signal (e.g. power) can be provided to the second die 306 [the top die] while bypassing the first die 304 [the bottom die,” i.e., none of the second set of TSVs formed in the bottom die is configured to deliver power to the components formed within the top die, [0100]).
Regarding claim 2, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 1, wherein a combination of the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 3, heat spreaders 310 and 312, [0099-0100]) and the TDVs (Henderson, FIG. 3, through mold vias 314 and 316) form a power distribution network (Henderson, FIG. 3, “the TMVs 314 & 316 [the TDVs], the heat spreaders 310 & 312 [the heat spreader], and the vias 326-332 [the first set of TSVs] are part of/integrated in a power distribution network,” [0139]).
Regarding claim 3, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 1, wherein the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 3, heat spreaders 310 and 312, [0099-0100]) is further configured to provide ground connectivity to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows second TMV 316 [the TDV] electrically connected to heat spreader 312 [the heat spreader] and “configured to provide an electrical path for a signal (e.g., ground signal Vss) from the second die 306 [i.e., to components formed within the top die],” [0098-0099]).
Regarding claim 6, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 1, wherein each of the subset of the first set of TSVs formed in the top die is electrically coupled to the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows vias 326, 328 [each of the subset of the first set of TSVs formed in the top die] electrically coupled to heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader]), allowing for delivery of power to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3, “a power signal may travel from the TMV 314 [the through-dielectric vias], through the heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader], and the first set of vias 326 & 328 [the subset of the first set of TSVs] … to components (e.g., active components) of the active region 322 of the second die 306 [components formed within the top die], [0100; 0139]).
Regarding claim 7, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 1, wherein the top die is connected to the bottom die via bumps (Henderson, see FIG. 3, “second die 306 [the top die] is coupled to the first die 304 [the bottom die] by a set of solder and/or bumps,” [0135]), allowing for exchange of signals between the components formed within the top die and components formed within the bottom die (Henderson, [0145]).
Regarding claim 8, Henderson discloses: A method for forming a three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) system, the method comprising: forming a first die (Henderson, FIGs. 3, 8A, first die 304, [0127]) having a first set of through-silicon vias (TSVs) for providing power, signal, and ground connectivity for components formed within the first die (Henderson, see FIGs. 3, and 7-8D, “first die 304 [the first die] includes several through substrate vias (TSVs) that traverse an active region 318 (e.g., front side) [the first set of through-silicon vias (TSVs)] and a back side region 320 of the first die 304 [the first die],” i.e., provide connectivity for components formed within the first die, [0134]); forming a second die (Henderson, FIG. 8B, second die 306, [0128]) having a second set of TSVs for providing power, signal, and ground connectivity for components formed within the second die (Henderson, FIG. 3, TSVs 326, 328, 330, and 332 [the second set of TSVs] providing Vdd [power], signal, and Vss [ground] connectivity to the active region 322 of second die 306 [components formed within the second die], [0096; 0128]); vertically stacking the second die on the first die (Henderson, see FIG. 8B, “the method provides (at 715) a second die above the first die,” i.e., vertically stacking, [0128]); and forming a heat spreader above the second die (Henderson, FIG. 8D shows heat spreaders 310 and 312 coupled to top surface of second die 306, i.e., formed above the second die, [0131]), wherein the heat spreader is configured to not only dissipate heat associated with the 3DIC system but also to deliver power to the second die using through-dielectric vias (TDVs) (Henderson, FIG. 8D, “the heat spreader is configured to (i) dissipate heat from the second die [i.e., heat associated with the 3DIC system], and (ii) provide an electrical path for a signal (e.g., power signal) to/from the second die [i.e., to deliver power to the second die,” [0131]; “a power signal may travel from the TMV 314 [the through-dielectric vias], through the heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader], and the first set of vias 326 & 328 [the second set of TSVs] … to components (e.g., active components) of the active region 322 of the second die 306 [the second die]” [0100; 0139]), the TDVs are formed in an area surrounding both the first die and the second die (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows through mold vias 314 and 316 [the TDVs] formed in an area surrounding both first die 304 [the first die] and second die 306 [the second die], [0106; 0129-0130]), wherein only a subset of the second set of TSVs formed in the second die are configured to deliver power to the components formed within the second die (Henderson, FIG. 3, vias 326, 328 [the subset of the second set of TSVs] … provide power to the second die 306 [the second die]; vias 330, 332 [the remaining vias of the second set of TSVs] provide ground / signal, [0096]), and wherein none of the first set of TSVs formed in the first die is configured to deliver power to the components formed within the second die (Henderson, see FIG. 3, “electrical signal (e.g. power) can be provided to the second die 306 [the second die] while bypassing the first die 304 [the first die],” i.e., none of the first set of TSVs formed in the first die is configured to deliver power to the components formed within the second die, [0100]).
Regarding claim 9, Henderson discloses: The method of claim 8, wherein a combination of the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 3, heat spreaders 310 and 312, [0099-0100]) and the TDVs (Henderson, FIG. 3, through mold vias 314 and 316) form a power distribution network (Henderson, FIG. 3, “the TMVs 314 & 316 [the TDVs], the heat spreaders 310 & 312 [the heat spreader], and the vias 326-332 [the first set of TSVs] are part of/integrated in a power distribution network,” [0139]).
Regarding claim 10, Henderson discloses: The method of claim 8, wherein the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 3, heat spreaders 310 and 312, [0099-0100]) is further configured to provide ground connectivity to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows second TMV 316 [the TDV] electrically connected to heat spreader 312 [the heat spreader] and “configured to provide an electrical path for a signal (e.g., ground signal Vss) from the second die 306 [i.e., to components formed within the top die],” [0098-0099]).
Regarding claim 13, Henderson discloses: The method of claim 8, wherein each of the subset of the second set of TSVs formed in the second die is electrically coupled to the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows vias 326, 328 [each of the subset of the second set of TSVs formed in the second die] electrically coupled to heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader]), allowing for delivery of power to the components formed within the second die (Henderson, FIG. 3, “a power signal may travel from the TMV 314 [the through-dielectric vias], through the heat spreader 310 [the heat spreader], and the first set of vias 326 & 328 [the subset of the second set of TSVs] … to components (e.g., active components) of the active region 322 of the second die 306 [components formed within the second die], [0100; 0139]).
Regarding claim 14, Henderson discloses: The method of claim 8, further comprising connecting the first die to the second die via bumps (Henderson, see FIG. 3, “second die 306 [the second die] is coupled to the first die 304 [the first die] by a set of solder and/or bumps,” [0135]), allowing for exchange of signals between the components formed within the first die and components formed within the second die (Henderson, [0145]).
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Regarding claim 15, Henderson discloses: A three-dimensional integrated circuit (3DIC) system comprising: a top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, second die 206, [0088]) having a first set of through-silicon vias (TSVs) for providing power, signal, and ground connectivity for components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, TSVs 226, 228, 230, and 232 [the first set of TSVs] providing Vdd [power], signal, and Vss [ground] connectivity to the active region 322 of second die 306 [components formed within the top die], [0088]); a bottom die (Henderson, FIG. 2, first die 204, [0087]) having a second set of TSVs for providing power, signal, and ground connectivity for components formed within the bottom die (Henderson, see FIGs. 2, 6A, “first die 204 [the bottom die] includes several through substrate vias (TSVs) that traverse an active region 218 (e.g., front side) [components formed within the bottom die] and/or a back side region 220 of the first die 204 [the bottom die],” [0119]), wherein the top die is vertically stacked on top of the bottom die (Henderson, see FIG. 2); a heat spreader formed above the top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, heat spreaders 210 and 212, [0087]), wherein the heat spreader is configured to not only dissipate heat associated with the 3DIC system but also to deliver power to the top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, “he heat spreader is configured to (i) dissipate heat from the second die [i.e., heat associated with the 3DIC system], and (ii) provide an electrical path for a power signal for the second die [the top die],” [0115]), wherein the heat spreader is supplied power through wirebonds external to both the top die and the bottom die (Henderson, FIG. 2, wire bonds 214 and 216 shown connected to heat spreader 210 and 212, “a power signal may travel from the wire bond 214, through the heat spreader 210,” [0091]), wherein only a subset of the first set of TSVs formed in the top die are configured to deliver power to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, vias 226, 228 [the subset of the first set of TSVs] … provide power to the second die 206 [the top die]; vias 230, 232 [the remaining vias of the first set of TSVs] provide ground / signal, [0091-0092]), and wherein none of the second set of TSVs formed in the bottom die is configured to deliver power to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, see FIG. 2, “power can be provided to the second die 206 [the top die] while bypassing the first die 204 [the bottom die],” i.e., none of the second set of TSVs formed in the bottom die is configured to deliver power to the components formed within the top die, [0091]).
Regarding claim 16, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 15, wherein a combination of the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 2, heat spreaders 210 and 212, [0087]) and the wirebonds form a power distribution network (Henderson, FIG. 2, “a power distribution network for the second die 206 [the top die] may include the first set of vias 226 & 228, the second set of vias 230 & 232, the first heat spreader 210, the second heat spreader 212, the first wire bond 214, and the second wire bond 216. As described above, the power distribution network may provide power to/from components (e.g., active components) of the active region 222 of the second die 206 [the top die],” [0092]).
Regarding claim 17, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 15, wherein the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 2, heat spreaders 210 and 212, [0090-0091]) is further configured to provide ground connectivity to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, “a power signal (e.g., ground signal) [ground connectivity] may travel from the active region 222 (e.g., active components) of the second die 206 [components formed within the top die] to the second set of vias 230 & 232, through the heat spreader 212, and through the wire bond 216,” [0092]).
Regarding claim 20, Henderson discloses: The 3DIC system of claim 15, wherein each of the subset of the first set of TSVs formed in the top die is electrically coupled to the heat spreader (Henderson, FIG. 2 shows vias 226, 228 [each of the subset of the first set of TSVs formed in the top die] electrically coupled to heat spreader 210 [the heat spreader]), allowing for delivery of power to the components formed within the top die (Henderson, FIG. 2, “a power signal may travel from the wire bond 214, through the heat spreader 210 [the heat spreader], and the first set of vias 226 & 228 [the subset of the first set of TSVs]. The power signal may then be provided to active components (e.g., circuits) in the active region 222 of the second die 206 [components formed within the top die], [0091]).
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.
Claims 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Henderson and further in view of Son, US 2018/0174941 A1 (hereinafter Son).
Regarding claims 4, 11, and 18, Henderson discloses: wherein the heat spreader comprises a planar metal structure arranged in a plane parallel to a top surface of the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows heat spreaders 310 and 312 [the heat spreader] as a planar structure “made of a copper material” and arranged in a plane parallel to a top surface of second die 306 [the top die], [0099-0100]),
Henderson is silent regarding: wherein the heat spreader is air cooled.
However, Son, in the same field of endeavor, discloses a stacked chip package with heat spreader (Son, FIG. 4A, heat spreader 400, [0070-0071]), and teaches “the heat spreader 400 may include an air cooler or a water cooler,” i.e., the heat spreader is air cooled, (Son, [0071]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Henderson with the teachings of Son, arriving at Applicant’s claimed invention with predictable results and without undue experimentation. The motivation for doing so would be, as expressly recognized by Son, to rapidly disperse heat generated by the semiconductor device, thereby improving device performance and reliability.
Regarding claim 5, 12, and 19, Henderson discloses: wherein the heat spreader comprises a planar metal structure arranged in a plane parallel to a top surface of the top die (Henderson, FIG. 3 shows heat spreaders 310 and 312 [the heat spreader] as a planar structure “made of a copper material” and arranged in a plane parallel to a top surface of second die 306 [the top die], [0099-0100]),
Henderson is silent regarding: wherein the heat spreader is liquid cooled.
However, Son, in the same field of endeavor, discloses a stacked chip package with heat spreader (Son, FIG. 4A, heat spreader 400, [0070-0071]), and teaches “the heat spreader 400 may include an air cooler or a water cooler,” i.e., the heat spreader is liquid cooled, (Son, [0071]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Henderson with the teachings of Son, arriving at Applicant’s claimed invention with predictable results and without undue experimentation. The motivation for doing so would be, as expressly recognized by Son, to rapidly disperse heat generated by the semiconductor device, thereby improving device performance and reliability.
Conclusion
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/D.L.N./Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899