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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: There is no antecedent basis for the term “image”; use of the definite article, i.e., “the image” is not supported. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 16-25 and 27-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tani et al (US PG Pub. No. 2015/0087083).
With regards to claim 1, Tani discloses a first image capturing device (e.g., “double-view camera 16”) at: ¶¶ [0032]-[0033] and FIG. 1.
Tani discloses a controller (e.g., “control unit 50”) configured to obtain information regarding a relative position between the first member (e.g., “first layer”) and the second member (e.g., “second layer”) based on the image obtained by the first image capturing device (e.g., “double-view camera 16”) capturing the second member bonded to the first member at ¶ [0052]; to wit: “The control unit 50 performs image processing of the images of the alignment marks 21a and 31b, detects an amount of displacement of a position of each of the alignment marks 21a and 31b in the XY direction or the θ direction…” See, also, ¶ [0041] and FIG. 3.
With regards to claim 16, Tani discloses a second image capturing device (e.g., “double-view camera 16”) configured to capture an image of a second pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 31b”) provided on the second member (e.g., “second layer”), wherein the first image capturing device is configured to capture an image of a first pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 21a”) provided on the first member (e.g., “first layer”), and wherein the controller (e.g., “control unit 50”) is configured to: obtain the information regarding the relative position between the first member (e.g., “first layer”) and the second member (e.g., “second layer”), based on a position of the first pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 21a”) in the image captured by the first image capturing device and a position of the second pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 31b”) in the image captured by the second image capturing device at ¶ [0052]; to wit: “The control unit 50 performs image processing of the images of the alignment marks 21a and 31b, detects an amount of displacement of a position of each of the alignment marks 21a and 31b in the XY direction or the θ direction…” See, also, ¶ [0041] and FIG. 3.
Tani discloses controlling a bonding process of aligning the first member (e.g., “first layer”) and the second member (e.g., “second layer”) based on the obtained information regarding the relative position between the first member and the second member, and bonding the second member (e.g., “second layer”) to the first member (e.g., “first layer”) at ¶ [0052]; to wit: “[T]he control unit 50 adjusts the position of the bonding stage 11 in the XY direction and the position of the bonding tool 14 in the θ direction respectively using the bonding stage driving mechanism 13 and the bonding tool driving mechanism 15, so that the amounts of displacement of the position of each of the alignment marks 21a and 31b in the XY direction and in the 0 direction correspond to the amounts of offset that have been set in Step S108 in FIG. 3. Then, …, the control unit 50 outputs the command for moving the bonding tool 14 downward…, and stacks and bonds the second-layer of the semiconductor chip 30 onto the first-layer of the semiconductor chip 20 as illustrated in FIG. 7(a) to provide a stacked semiconductor device 40 (second bonding step).…” See, also, ¶ [0041] and FIG. 3.
With regards to claim 17, Tani discloses the information regarding the relative position includes information regarding a relative position between the first pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 21a”) and the second pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 31b”) at ¶ [0052]; to wit: “The control unit 50 performs image processing of the images of the alignment marks 21a and 31b, detects an amount of displacement of a position of each of the alignment marks 21a and 31b in the XY direction or the θ direction…” See, also, ¶ [0041] and FIG. 3.
With regards to claim 18, Tani discloses obtain feature position information representing a position of a feature portion (e.g., “through-silicon vias 32”) of the second member (e.g., “second layer”) at ¶¶ [0053]-[0054].
Tani discloses obtain information regarding a relative position between the first pattern and the second pattern after the bonding process, based on positional relationship information obtained in advance (“teaching operation… Steps S106-S108”) and the feature position information, the positional relationship information representing a positional relationship between the feature portion (e.g., “through-silicon vias 32”) and the second pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 31b”) at ¶¶ [0053]-[0056] and FIG. 5; to wit: “In the above second bonding operation, the second-layer of the semiconductor chip 30 is displaced with respect to the first-layer of the semiconductor chip 20 by the amount of offset that has been set in the teaching operation… [E]xecutes the displacement detection program 60… and thereby detects the positions of the first through-silicon vias 22 and the amounts of displacement ΔX, ΔY, and Δ θ of the second through-silicon vias 32 (displacement detecting step).” See, also, ¶¶ [0044]-[0048].
With regards to claim 19, as a matter of claim construction, the term “index” has been interpreted consistent with its plain and ordinary meaning as, “an indicator, sign, or measure of something.” The specification does not provide a special definition of this term; nor has the term acquired a special meaning in the art. In the specification-as-filed at ¶ [0037], applicant provides an embodiment of feature portions comprising vias that could be used as an “index” to determine relative position. This usage of the term “index” supports the finding. Consistent with this interpretation of “index”, Tani discloses the feature portion (e.g., “through-silicon vias 32”) of the second member (e.g., “second layer”) is an index that can be confirmed in both an image obtained by capturing a second bonding surface (e.g., “second surface 30b”) which is a bonding surface of the second member (e.g., “second layer”) and an image obtained by capturing a surface (e.g., “first surface 20a of the first-layer”) opposite to the second bonding surface at ¶¶ [0052]-[0055] and FIG. 5b
With regards to claim 20, Tani discloses the feature portion (e.g., “through-silicon vias 32”) of the second member is an outer edge (surface) of the second member (e.g., “second layer”) at ¶¶ [0037]-[0038] and FIG. 2.
With regards to claim 21, Tani discloses the feature portion (e.g., “through-silicon vias 32”) of the second member (e.g., “second layer”) is a through hole extending from a second bonding surface which is a bonding surface of the second member to a surface opposite to the second bonding surface at ¶¶ [0037]-[0038] and FIG. 2.
With regards to claim 22, Tani discloses the controller is configured to obtain the feature position information based on images obtained by the second image capturing device before the bonding process at ¶ [0041]; ¶¶ [0044]-[0045]; ¶ [0052] and FIG. 3.
With regards to claim 23, Tani discloses the controller is configured to obtain the relative position by converting the position of the feature portion (e.g., “through-silicon vias 32”) of the second member (e.g., “second layer”) in the feature position information into a position of the second pattern (e.g., “alignment marks 31b”) based on the positional relationship information at ¶¶ [0053]-[0056] and FIG. 5; see, also, ¶¶ [0044]-[0048].
With regards to claim 24, Tani discloses the controller is configured to output information (e.g., displacement detection program 60 outputs amount of displacement to offset correction program 61) representing the relative position obtained based on the positional relationship information and the feature position information at ¶¶ [0055]-[0057].
With regards to claim 25, Tani discloses the controller is configured to output an evaluation result (e.g., at step S115, displacement detection program 60 evaluates displacement using a threshold and outputs the evaluation result (“NO”) to offset correction program 61) of the relative position obtained based on the positional relationship information and the feature position information at ¶¶ [0055]-[0057].
With regards to claim 27, Tani discloses a first holder (e.g., “a bonding stage 11 for suctioning and fixing a first-layer…”) configured to hold the first member (e.g., “first layer”) at ¶ [0032]. See, also, ¶ [0041], ¶ [0052] and FIG. 4
Tani discloses a second holder (e.g., “a bonding tool 14 having a tip for suctioning a second-layer…”) configured to hold the second member (e.g., “second layer”), wherein the controller is configured to control the bonding process by relatively driving the first holder and the second holder at ¶ [0032]. See, also, ¶ [0041], ¶ [0052] and FIGS. 1, 4
With regards to claim 28, Tani discloses the first image capturing device is arranged to capture an image of a first bonding surface which is a bonding surface of the first member (e.g., “first layer”), in a state in which the first member is held by the first holder (e.g., “a bonding stage 11 for suctioning and fixing a first-layer…”), and the second image capturing device is arranged to capture an image of a second bonding surface which is a bonding surface of the second member, in a state in which the second member (e.g., “second layer”) is held by the second holder (e.g., “a bonding tool 14 having a tip for suctioning a second-layer…”) at ¶ [0032] and FIG. 1; ¶ [0041], ¶ [0052].
With regards to claim 29, Tani discloses bonding the second member (e.g., “second layer”) to the first member (e.g., “first layer”) at ¶ [0041](e.g., S104), ¶ [0052](e.g., S106) and FIG. 3.
Tani discloses obtaining, after the bonding process, information regarding a relative position between the first member and the second member (e.g., “second layer”) based on an image obtained by capturing the second member (e.g., “second layer”) bonded to the first member at: ¶¶ [0045]-[0049], ¶¶ [0052]-[0055] and FIG. 3
With regards to claim 30, Tani discloses a method of manufacturing an article, comprising bonding a second member (e.g., “second layer”) to a first member using a bonding method defined in claim 29 for the reasons provided with respect to that claim. Tani further discloses processing (e.g., S117, “move to next bonding”) the first member (e.g., “first layer”) to which the second member (e.g., “second layer”) has been bonded at ¶ [0057] and FIG. 3.
Tani discloses manufacturing an article (e.g., “semiconductor device”) from the processed first member (e.g., “first layer”) at ¶ [0035].
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 26 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tani et al (US PG Pub. No. 2015/0087083) in view of Eichelberger (US Patent No. 5,019,946).
With regards to claim 26, Tani discloses an evaluation result (e.g., step S118, “stacked bonding is defective”) of the relative position obtained based on the positional relationship information and the feature position information at ¶ [0059]. Tani further discloses stopping the bonding process, but does not specify executing a separation process of separating the second member (e.g., “second layer”) from the first member (e.g., “first layer”), in accordance with an evaluation result (e.g., step S118, “stacked bonding is defective”).
Eichelberger discloses executing a separation process of separating the second member from the first member, in accordance with an evaluation result that a stacked bonding is defective at 11:1-55. At the time of the filing of the present application, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to execute a separation process of separating the second member from the first member, as taught by Eichelberger, after reaching an evaluation result that a “stacked bonding is defective”, as taught by Tani. The motivation for doing so comes from Eichelberger, which discloses that a “good” replacement member may be added to the stack after removing the defective member. (11:40-55). Therefore, it would have been obvious to combine Eichelberger with Tani to obtain the invention specified in this claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID F DUNPHY whose telephone number is (571)270-1230. The examiner can normally be reached 9 am - 5 pm.
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/DAVID F DUNPHY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2673