DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 1-7) in the reply filed on November 3, 2025 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The references cited within the IDS document (dated July 6, 2023) have been considered.
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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yanagita et al. (US 2012/0086092 A1, hereinafter referred to as ‘Yanagita’).
As to claim 1, Yanagita teaches a pad for an image sensor comprising:
a pad base (24) coupled in a pad opening (23) formed in an image sensor die (1, 12); and
a layer of metal (21a) directly coupled to the pad base extending to a top surface of the pad opening;
wherein the pad base directly (electrically) couples with a first metallization layer (1M-3M) of the image sensor die. See figure 2.
As to claim 2, Yanagita teaches the layer of metal (21a) is a single layer of metal. See figure 2.
As to claim 3, Yanagita teaches a layer of metal (21a). The method by which the layer of metal is formed does not add any patentable weight to the instant device claim. (However, Yanagita does teach electroless plating in paragraph 0060).
As to claim 4, Yanagita teaches the pad base (24) comprises aluminum. See paragraph 0046.
As to claim 5, Yanagita teaches the layer of metal (21a) is nickel. See paragraph 0060.
As to claim 6, Yanagita teaches a layer of gold (21c) directly (electrically) coupled to the layer of metal (21a).
As to claim 7, Yanagita teaches a perimeter of the layer of metal (21a) is within a perimeter of the pad base (24). See figure 2.
//
Claims 1, 2, 4, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang et al. (US 2017/0186802 A1, hereinafter referred to as ‘Huang’).
As to claim 1, Huang teaches a pad for an image sensor comprising:
a pad base (306) coupled in a pad opening formed in an image sensor die (416); and
a layer of metal (307) directly coupled to the pad base extending to a top surface of the pad opening;
wherein the pad base directly couples with a first metallization layer (214a, 214b) of the image sensor die. See figure 4.
As to claim 2, Huang teaches the layer of metal (307) is a single layer of metal. See figure 4.
As to claim 4, Huang teaches the pad base (306) comprises aluminum. See paragraph 0034.
As to claim 7, Huang teaches a perimeter of the layer of metal (307) is within a perimeter of the pad base (306). See figure 4.
//
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shin et al. (US 2019/0148439 A1, hereinafter referred to as ‘Shin’).
As to claim 1, Shin teaches a pad for an image sensor comprising:
a pad base (152) coupled in a pad opening (150T) formed in an image sensor die (die shown in figure 13, e.g.); and
a layer of metal (154) directly coupled to the pad base extending to a top surface of the pad opening;
wherein the pad base directly (electrically) couples with a first metallization layer (130, 174) of the image sensor die. See figures 16-21.
As to claim 2, Shin teaches the layer of metal (154) is a single layer of metal. See figures 20-21.
As to claim 4, Shin teaches the pad base (152) comprises aluminum. See paragraph 0121.
As to claim 5, Shin teaches the layer of metal (154) is nickel. See paragraph 0122.
As to claim 7, Shin teaches a perimeter of the layer of metal (154) is within a perimeter of the pad base (152). See figure 21.
Cited Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see the attached form PTO-892 for pertinent cited art.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Scott B. Geyer (telephone: 571-272-1958). The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday, 10AM - 4PM (ET). Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at: http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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/SCOTT B GEYER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2812