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 § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 3, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al, US Patent 9,960,106.
Regarding claim 1, Chen teaches an interposer with a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, comprising:
a substrate 10 or 200 (figure 1);
a redistribution layer 18 disposed on the substrate;
a first copper pillar 208 (middle), a second copper pillar 208 (left), and a third copper pillar 208 (right), disposed on the redistribution layer, wherein the first copper pillar and the third copper pillar respectively electrically connect to the redistribution layer (column 3, line 64);
an MIM capacitor 300 covering and contacting the first copper pillar and the second copper pillar;
a first bonding bump 218 disposed directly on the third copper pillar and electrically connecting to the third copper pillar; and
a second bonding bump 218 disposed directly on the second copper pillar and electrically connecting to the MIM capacitor (figure 10).
Regarding claim 3, Chen teaches the MIM capacitor comprises a bottom electrode, a capacitor dielectric layer and a top electrode stacked in sequence from bottom to top, the bottom electrode contacts the first copper pillar, and the top electrode contacts the second bonding bumps (figure 10).
Regarding claim 10, Chen teaches fabricating method of an interposer with a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, comprising:
providing a substrate 10 or 200 (figure 1);
forming a redistribution layer 18 on the substrate (figure 1);
forming a first copper pillar 208 (left), a second copper pillar 208 (middle) and a third copper pillar 208 (right) simultaneously on the redistribution layer, wherein the first copper pillar and the third copper pillar respectively electrically connect to the redistribution layer (figure 3 and column 3, line 64);
forming a first conductive layer 310, an insulating layer 320 and a second conductive layer 330 in sequence, wherein the first conductive layer, the insulating layer and the second conductive layer cover the first copper pillar, the second copper pillar and the third copper pillar from bottom to top (figure 5);
segmenting the first conductive layer, the insulating layer and the second conductive layer to form an interval between the first copper pillar and the third copper pillar so as to make the first conductive layer, the insulating layer and the second conductive layer which cover the first copper pillar and the second copper pillar form an MIM capacitor, and the first conductive layer, the insulating layer and the second conductive layer which cover the third copper pillar form a stacked structure (Note: Chen teaches forming the layers for 300 by depositing, then etching the layers, which meets the limitations of “segmenting the first conductive layer, the insulation layer, and the second conductive layer” as shown in figure 5); and
forming a first bonding bump 218 (right) and a second bonding bump 218 (left), the first bonding bump disposed directly on the third copper pillar and electrically connecting to the third copper pillar, and the second bonding bump disposed directly on the second copper pillar and electrically connecting to the MIM capacitor (figure 10).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-3, 5, and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Fischer, US Patent Application Publication 2010/0224960.
Regarding claim 1, Fischer teaches an interposer with a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitor, comprising:
a substrate 200 [0023];
a redistribution layer 300 disposed on the substrate [0024];
a first copper pillar 391, a second copper pillar 392 and a third copper pillar 391 disposed on the redistribution layer, wherein the first copper pillar and the third copper pillar respectively electrically connect to the redistribution layer ([0035-0037]. Note: as shown in the structure of the figures below);
an MIM capacitor 541/621/561 covering and contacting the first copper pillar and the second copper pillar ([0040], wherein the capacitor covers a side surface of the copper pillars at 396 and 397);
a first bonding bump 398 disposed directly on the third copper pillar and electrically connecting to the third copper pillar; and a second bonding bump 399 disposed directly on the second copper pillar and electrically connecting to the MIM capacitor (which is electrically connected to the MIM capacitor via 394/392/362. See figure 4).
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268
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Regarding claim 2, Fischer teaches a fourth copper pillar disposed between the first copper pillar and the second copper pillar, wherein the MIM capacitor covers and contacts the fourth copper pillar (as shown in figures above).
Regarding claim 3, Fischer teaches the MIM capacitor comprises a bottom electrode, a capacitor dielectric layer and a top electrode stacked in sequence from bottom to top, the bottom electrode contacts the first copper pillar, and the top electrode contacts the second bonding bumps (wherein the 566 contacts 399 via 394/392/362, figure 4).
Regarding claim 5, Fischer teaches a stacked structure covering and contacting a sidewall of the third copper pillar, wherein the stacked structure is formed by stacking a first conductive layer 546, an insulating layer 621 and a second conductive layer 561, the first conductive layer contacts the third copper pillar, material of the first conductive layer is the same as material of the bottom electrode, material of the insulating layer is the same as material of the capacitor dielectric layer, and material of the second conductive layer is the same as material of the top electrode (figure 4)
Regarding claim 8, Fischer teaches the first bonding bump comprises tin (column 5, lines 52-55)
Regarding claim 9, Fischer teaches the second copper pillar is isolated from the redistribution layer (Note: the second copper pillar is physically isolation from 300 due to the presence of barrier layer 362. See figure 4).
Claim(s) 2 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al, US Patent 9,960,106.
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Chen fails to teach a fourth copper pillar disposed between the first copper pillar and the second copper pillar, wherein the MIM capacitor covers and contacts the fourth copper pillar and when forming the first copper pillar, the second copper pillar and the third copper pillar, forming a fourth copper pillar, wherein the fourth copper pillar is disposed between the first copper pillar and the second copper pillar, and the MIM capacitor covers and contacts the fourth copper pillar.
However, the number of copper pillars being used is an obvious matter of design choice bounded by well known manufacturing constraints and ascertainable by routine experimentation and optimization to choose these particular dimensions because applicant has not disclosed that the dimensions are for a particular unobvious purpose, produce an unexpected result, or are otherwise critical, and it appears prima facie that the process would possess utility using another dimension. Indeed, it has been held that mere dimensional limitations are prima facie obvious absent a disclosure that the limitations are for a particular unobvious purpose, produce an unexpected result, or are otherwise critical. See, for example, In re Rose, 220 F.2d 459, 105 USPQ 237 (CCPA 1955); In re Rinehart, 531 F.2d 1048, 189 USPQ 143 (CCPA 1976); Gardner v. TEC Systems, Inc., 725 F.2d 1338, 220 USPQ 777 (Fed. Cir. 1984), cert. denied, 469 U.S. 830, 225 USPQ 232 (1984); In re Dailey, 357 F.2d 669, 149 USPQ 47 (CCPA 1966).
Claim(s) 4 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fischer or Chen as applied to claims 3 and 10 above, and further in view of Chiang et al, US Patent 8,420,478
Regarding claim 4, while Chen teaches the bottom electrode comprises titanium nitride (column 4, line 45), Chen fails to teach the top electrode comprises nickel, cobalt or cobalt-tungsten alloy, while Fischer fails to teach the bottom electrode comprises titanium nitride or tantalum nitride, and the top electrode comprises nickel, cobalt or cobalt-tungsten alloy.
However, Chiang teaches the bottom electrode 304 comprises titanium nitride or tantalum nitride (column 14, lines 3-4), and the top electrode comprises nickel, cobalt or cobalt-tungsten alloy (column 14, lines 5-7) in teaching that the second electrode can include a higher work function.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Chiang with that of Fischer or Chen because the bottom and top electrode may have different material with different work functions to improve the operational function of the capacitor formed.
Regarding claim 12, while Chen teaches the first conductive layer comprises titanium nitride (column 4, line 45) or tantalum nitride, Chen fails to teach the second conductive layer comprises nickel, cobalt or cobalt-tungsten alloy.
However, Chiang teaches the second conductive layer comprises nickel, cobalt or cobalt-tungsten alloy (column 14, lines 5-7) in teaching that the second electrode can include a higher work function.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Chiang with that of Chen because the first conductive electrode and second conductive electrode may have different material with different work functions to improve the operational function of the capacitor formed.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QUOVAUNDA JEFFERSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5051. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM-4PM.
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QVJ
/DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899