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 .
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 1, 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Railkar et al. (US Pub. 20120049345) in view of Akatsuka et al. (US Pub. 20060013947) and Chang et al. (US Pat. 6110768).
Regarding claim 1, Railkar et al. discloses in Fig. 4B-4D, paragraph [0046]-[0048] a method of manufacturing pre-molded lead frame for packaging, comprising:
forming a first copper metal wiring layer [403 and 402] on a temporary carrier [401];
forming a first molding compound [404] around the first copper metal wiring layer [403 and 402]; and
removing the temporary carrier [401].
Railkar et al. fails to disclose
forming the first copper metal wiring layer comprising:
forming a first patterned aluminum metal layer;
performing a displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the first patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the first copper metal wiring layer.
Chang et al. discloses in Fig. 1A-Fig. 1B, column 2, lines 59-67
forming the first copper metal wiring layer [102 and 104] comprising:
forming a first patterned aluminum metal layer [102];
performing a displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the first patterned aluminum metal layer [102] is replaced by copper metal so as to form a first copper metal wiring layer [102 and 104].
For further support, Akatsuka et al. is cited.
Akatsuka et al. discloses in Fig. 2-Fig. 5, paragraph [0023]-[0024]
forming a metal wiring layer [12 and 15] comprising:
forming a first patterned aluminum metal layer [12];
performing a displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the first patterned aluminum metal layer [12] is replaced by a metal so as to form the metal wiring layer [12 and 15].
Railkar et al. discloses the metal wiring layer is the first copper metal wiring layer. Thus, incorporating Akatsuka et al. method to form the first copper metal wiring layer would result to “performing a displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the first patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form a first copper metal wiring layer.”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Akatsuka et al. and Chang et al. into the method of Railkar et al. to include forming the first copper metal wiring layer comprising: forming a first patterned aluminum metal layer; performing a displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the first patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the first copper metal wiring layer. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Railkar et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable method for forming copper metal wiring layer [column 2, lines 59-67 of Chang et al., paragraph [0023]-[0024] of Akatsuka et al.]. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 4-5, Chang et al. discloses in Fig 1B, column 2, lines 60-67
wherein the displacement reaction procedure is performed by treating the first patterned aluminum metal layer [102] with a copper metal solution [copper sulfate (CuSO4) solution];
wherein an outer surface of the first patterned aluminum metal layer [102] is replaced by copper metal so as to form the first copper metal wiring layer [102 and 104] comprising an aluminum metal core [102] coated with a copper metal film [104].
Regarding claims 6 and 10, Railkar et al. discloses forming the first and second copper metal wiring layers without aluminum metal therein. Chang et al. suggests aluminum in aluminum metal layer can be replaced by copper metal. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to adjust condition of electroless process, i.e., processing time, Cu ion concentration….to include an entirety of the first patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the first copper metal wiring layer without aluminum metal therein and to include an entirety of the second patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the second copper metal wiring layer without aluminum metal therein disclosed by Railkar et al. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Regarding claims 7-9, Railkar et al. discloses in Fig. 4H-4I
forming a second copper metal wiring layer [408 and 409] on the first copper metal wiring layer [402 and 403]; and
forming a second molding compound [410] around the second copper metal wiring layer [408 and 409].
Railkar et al. fails to disclose
forming a second copper metal wiring layer comprising:
forming a second patterned aluminum metal layer;
performing another displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the second patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the second copper metal wiring layer;
wherein the another displacement reaction procedure is performed by treating the second patterned aluminum metal layer with a copper metal solution;
wherein an outer surface of the second patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the second copper metal wiring layer comprising an aluminum metal core coated with a copper metal film.
As stated above, Fig. 1A-Fig. 1B, column 2, lines 59-67 of Chang et al., Fig. 2-Fig. 5, paragraph [0023]-[0024] of Akatsuka et al. suggests
forming a copper metal wiring layer comprising:
forming a patterned aluminum metal layer;
performing a displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the copper metal wiring layer;
wherein the displacement reaction procedure is performed by treating the patterned aluminum metal layer with a copper metal solution;
wherein an outer surface of the patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the copper metal wiring layer comprising an aluminum metal core coated with a copper metal film.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Akatsuka et al. and Chang et al. into the method of Railkar et al. to include forming a second copper metal wiring layer comprising: forming a second patterned aluminum metal layer; performing another displacement reaction procedure, wherein at least part of the second patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the second copper metal wiring layer; wherein the another displacement reaction procedure is performed by treating the second patterned aluminum metal layer with a copper metal solution; wherein an outer surface of the second patterned aluminum metal layer is replaced by copper metal so as to form the second copper metal wiring layer comprising an aluminum metal core coated with a copper metal film. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Railkar et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable method for forming copper metal wiring layer [column 2, lines 59-67 of Chang et al., paragraph [0023]-[0024] of Akatsuka et al.]. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Railkar et al. (US Pub. 20120049345) in view of Akatsuka et al. (US Pub. 20060013947) and Chang et al. (US Pat. 6110768) as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Murakami et al. (US Pub. 20120103386)
Regarding claims 2-3, Railkar et al., Akatsuka et al. and Chang et al. fails to disclose
wherein the first patterned aluminum metal layer is formed on the temporary carrier by screen printing with light curing or thermal curing;
wherein the first patterned aluminum metal layer comprises an aluminum powder and a curable paste.
Murakami et al. discloses in paragraph [0033]
wherein the first patterned aluminum metal layer is formed on a carrier by screen printing with light curing or thermal curing;
wherein the first patterned aluminum metal layer comprises an aluminum powder and a curable paste.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Murakami et al. into the method of Railkar et al., Akatsuka et al. and Chang et al. to include wherein the first patterned aluminum metal layer is formed on the temporary carrier by screen printing with light curing or thermal curing; wherein the first patterned aluminum metal layer comprises an aluminum powder and a curable paste. The ordinary artisan would have been motivated to modify Railkar et al., Akatsuka et al. and Chang et al. in the above manner for the purpose of providing suitable method for forming patterned aluminum metal layer [paragraph [0033] of Murakami et al.]. Further, it would have been obvious to try one of the known methods with a reasonable expectation of success. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The cited art discloses similar materials, devices and methods.
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/SOPHIA T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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