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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I, Species IC (Fig. 2E; Claims 1-12 and 21-28) in the reply filed on 05/11/2026 is acknowledged.
Further, Claim 1-7 and 21-28 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 05/11/2026.
The Examiner notes that Claims 1 and 21 require “an interconnect structure attached to a package substrate and a first logic die disposed over the interconnect structure” are not disclosed in embodiments directed to Species IC (Fig. 2E). Instead, embodiment of Fig. 2E are directed towards a carrier substrate 242.
An interconnect structure 30 (See Fig. 3E) is directed to Species IA.
Claim 9 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 05/11/2026.
The Examiner notes that Claim 9 requires “the first device layer further comprises a plurality of first bonding pads, the second device layer further comprises a plurality of second bonding pads, and each of the first bonding pads are aligned with one of the second bonding pads of the second device layer.” are not disclosed in embodiments directed to Species IC (Fig. 2E). Instead, embodiment of Fig. 2E is directed towards a plurality of first bonding pads 225 are formed in the power transmission layer 220 and a plurality of second bonding pads 265 are formed in the power transmission layer 260, not in the first and second device layer.
A plurality of first bonding pads 117 are formed in the first device layer 110 and a plurality of second bonding pads 147 are formed in the second device layer 140 are directed to is directed to Species IA.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the
“the first device layer further comprises a plurality of first bonding pads, the second device layer further comprises a plurality of second bonding pads, and each of the first bonding pads are aligned with one of the second bonding pads of the second device layer.” Of Claim 9
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
Claim(s) 8, 10-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Greco US 20210233893 A1 in view of
Regarding Claim 8, Greco (Fig. 3B) discloses a die structure, comprising:
a first package component, comprising:
a first TSV (122) in a first substrate (194);
a first device layer (108) over the first substrate (194), wherein
the first device layer (108) comprises a plurality of first devices (126), and the first devices are electrically connected to the first TSV (176); and
a first power transmission layer (110, 112) over the first device layer (106), wherein the first TSV (122) extends into the first power transmission layer (110, 112); and
a second package component,
comprising: a second TSV (178) in a second substrate;
a second device layer (164) over the second substrate, wherein
the second device layer (164) comprises a plurality of second devices (162), and the second devices are electrically connected to the second TSV (178); and
a second power transmission layer (166, 124) over the second device layer (164), wherein
the first device layer (108) is bonded to the second device layer (164) via dielectric-to-dielectric bonding (include bonding dielectric (e.g., bonding oxide) and metal-to-metal direct bonding (“inter-die interface pads (e.g., formed from one or more bump pad layers and/or inter-die interface pad layers) that forms the electrical and mechanical interface 150”) of the first power transmission layer (110, 112) and the second power transmission layer (166, 124). [0038]
Greco does not explicitly disclose a second TSV in a second substrate; a second device layer over the second substrate.
Yu (Fig. 1R) discloses a second TSV (108, 109) in a second substrate (102a); a second device layer (102b) over the second substrate (102a).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a die structure in Greco in view of Yu such that a second TSV in a second substrate; a second device layer over the second substrate in order to provides the vertical interconnect path that makes the stacked structure function and enables routing through silicon and molded dielectric regions [00027]-[00029], [00035]-[00037], [00079]-[00081].
Regarding Claim 10, Greco in view of Yu discloses the die structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first devices (126) are in contact (through 176) with the first substrate (194).
Regarding Claim 11, Greco in view of Yu discloses the die structure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second TSV (108, 109 Yu) penetrates through the second device layer (102b Yu).
Regarding Claim 12, Greco in view of Yu discloses the die structure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first TSV (176 Greco) is offset from a projection region of the second TSV (178 Greco) onto the second substrate. (102a Yu)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DMITRIY YEMELYANOV whose telephone number is (571)270-7920. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a.m.-6p.m.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Landau can be reached at (571) 272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DMITRIY YEMELYANOV/Examiner, Art Unit 2891
Prosecution Insights