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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 01/17/2024 and 12/17/2025 was filed after the mailing date of the first action on the merits. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 3, 6 and 23, 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gao et al, US 20220005784 A1.
Gao teaches:
(Original) A method of forming a bonded structure, the method comprising:
providing a first element including a first non-conductive field region (108) and a first conductive feature (100);
directly bonding the first element to a second element, the second element including a second non-conductive field region (108) and a second conductive feature (100), such that the first non-conductive field region (108) is directly bonded to the second non-conductive field region (108) without an intervening adhesive, and the first conductive feature (100) is aligned with the second conductive feature (100); and
after directly bonding the first element to the second element, annealing the first and second elements by way of rapid thermal process. (figure 9 and paragraph 66)
2. (Original) The method of Claim 1, wherein after directly bonding the first element to the second element and before annealing the first and second elements by way of rapid thermal process, the first and second conductive features are spaced by a gap (void) Figure 9.
(Original) The method of Claim 2, wherein the gap between the first and second conductive features is bridged by expansion of the first and second conductive features due to the rapid thermal process. Figure 9 (para 66)
6. (Original) The method of Claim 1, wherein annealing the first and second elements by way of rapid thermal process comprises forming a rapid growth structure connecting the first conductive feature to the second conductive feature in multiple locations. (para 76)
23. (Original) A bonded structure:
a first element including a first non-conductive field region (108) and a first conductive feature (100); and
a second element including a second non-conductive field region (108) and a second conductive feature (100), the second element directly bonded to the first element along a bond interface such that the first non-conductive field region is directly bonded to the second non-conductive field region without an intervening adhesive, and the first conductive feature is directly bonded to the second conductive feature without an intervening adhesive,
wherein the bond interface between the first and second conductive features comprises a rapid growth structure indicative of annealing by a rapid thermal process.
(figure 9 and paragraph 66)
26. (Currently Amended) The bonded structure of Claim 23, wherein the first element is a wafer or a die, and the second element is a wafer or a die. (para 33)
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) 4 and 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Uzoh et al, US 2023/0187264 and further in view of Bergstrom et al, US 6878909 B2.
Gao fails to teach:
4, (Original) The method of Claim 3, further comprising annealing the first and second elements by way of a convection or conduction heating process to strengthen a bonding strength between the first non-conductive field region and the second non-conductive field region prior to annealing the first and second elements by way of rapid thermal process.
(Original) The method of Claim 3, further comprising annealing the first and second elements by way of a convection or conduction heating process after electrically connecting the first and second conductive features for a duration that is longer than a duration of the rapid thermal process.
Uzoh teaches:
Annealing both prior to and after bonding. See Figure 2 and para (49 and 56)
Bergstrom teaches:
induction heating involves the heat transfer modes of conduction, convection, and radiation to varying degrees. (para 20)
Therefore, 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 above references to reduce warpage (para 49, Uzoh) also because heat energy moves within the device 110 and the structures 115 and 120 from a region of high temperature to a region of low temperature (para 20, Bergstrom).
Claim(s) 7 and 8, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Yamazaki et al, CN 102598278 B
Gao fails to teach:
7. (Original) The method of Claim 1, wherein the rapid thermal process comprises heating the bonded first and second elements by way of a radiant energy source.
8. (Original) The method of Claim 7, wherein the radiant energy source comprises radiant heat lamps.
14. (Original) A method of direct bonding, the method comprising:
directly bonding non-conductive regions of a first element to non-conductive regions of a second element to form a bonded structure; and
after directly bonding the non-conductive regions, annealing the bonded structure to bridge a gap between aligned conductive features of the first element and the second element in the bonded structure, wherein annealing comprises exposing the bonded structure to radiant heating.
In regards to claim 14:
Gao teaches:
14. (Original) A method of direct bonding, the method comprising:
directly bonding non-conductive regions of a first element to non-conductive regions of a second element to form a bonded structure; and
after directly bonding the non-conductive regions, annealing the bonded structure to bridge a gap between aligned conductive features of the first element and the second element in the bonded structure, wherein annealing comprises exposing the bonded structure.
Yamazaki teaches:
heat treatment device is not limited, for example, using a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) apparatus such as a gas rapid thermal annealing (GRTA) apparatus or a lamp rapid thermal annealing (LRTA) apparatus. LRTA device is formed by light emitted from the light radiation (electromagnetic wave) of device for heating the object to be processed, a lamp such as a halogen lamp, a metal halide lamp, a xenon arc lamp, a carbon arc lamp, a high pressure sodium lamp or a high pressure mercury lamp. GRTA device by heat radiation from the lamp and the light emitted from the light emitted by the lamp and heat conductivity of gas heat to heat the object to be processed. as the gas, using inert gas to be reacted with the object to be processed by heat treatment, such as nitrogen or rare gas similar to argon. LRTA device or GRTA device can be not only equipped with lamp, and it is equipped with a heat conducting or heat from radiation heater such as a resistance heater to heat the processing device of the object. (para 176)
Therefore, 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 above references, because radiation from heat lamps are conventionally sued in the art for accurate heating and efficiency.
Claim(s) 10 and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al and in further view of Theil; Jeremy Alfred, US 20230197496 A1.
Gao fails to teach:
10. (Original) The method of Claim 1, wherein the first element further comprises a first device portion and the second element further comprises a second device portion, the first device portion including an optoelectronic single crystal material, and the second device portion including silicon (Si), quartz, fused silica glass, sapphire, or a glass.
28. (Original) The bonded structure of Claim 23, wherein the first element further comprises a first device portion and the second element comprises a second device portion, the first device portion comprises a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and the second device portion comprises a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion that is at least 5 ppm different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion.
Theil teaches:
In some embodiments, one of the device portions 110a and 110b can comprise optoelectronic single crystal materials, including perovskite materials, that are useful for optical piezoelectric or pyroelectric applications, and the other of the device portions 110a, 110b comprises a more conventional substrate material. For example, one of the device portions 110a, 110b comprises lithium tantalate (LiTaO.sub.3) or lithium niobate (LiNbO.sub.3), and the other one of the device portions 110a, 110b comprises silicon (Si), quartz, fused silica glass, sapphire, or a glass. In other embodiments, one of the device portions 110a and 110b comprises a III-V single semiconductor material, such as gallium arsenide (GaAs) or gallium nitride (GaN), and the other one of the device portions 110a and 110b can comprise a non-III-V semiconductor material, such as silicon (Si), or can comprise other materials with similar CTE, such as quartz, fused silica glass, sapphire, or a glass. (para 28)
Theil further teaches:
The CTE difference between the device portions 110a and 110b, and particularly between bulk semiconductor, typically single crystal portions of the device portions 110a, 110b, can be greater than 5 ppm or greater than 10 ppm. For example, the CTE difference between the device portions 110a and 110b can be in a range of 5 ppm to 100 ppm, 5 ppm to 40 ppm, 10 ppm to 100 ppm, or 10 ppm to 40 ppm. (para 28)
In view of this disclosure, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the above references, because the device portions 110a and 110b can have a significantly different coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) defining a heterogenous structure (para 28, Theil)
Claim(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al and in further view of JP 7579355 B2
Gao fails to teach:
12. (Currently Amended) The method of Claim 1, further comprising, after directly bonding the first element to the second element and prior to annealing the first and second elements, providing the first and second elements in a load lock, and after annealing the first and second elements, actively cooling the first and second elements.
JP 7579355 B2 teaches:
In particular, the product substrate can be heated while at the same time the carrier substrate is cooled, in particular by dry ice or liquid nitrogen cleaning.
Examiner takes official notice that it is well known in the art to use a load lock between chamber to prevent contamination.
Therefore, 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 above references, because to locally influence a targeted condensation and/or resublimation. (JP 7579355 B2)
Claim(s) 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al and Yamazaki et al and further in view of Uzoh et al.
The above references fail to teach:
16. Original) The method of Claim 14, wherein annealing the bonded structure further comprises exposing the bonded structure to a convection or conduction heating process prior to exposing the bonded structure to radiant heating.
17. (Original) The method of Claim 14, wherein annealing the bonded structure further comprises exposing the bonded structure to a convection or conduction heating process after exposing the bonded structure to the radiant heating, wherein exposing to the convection or conduction heating process is conducted for a duration that is longer than a duration of exposing to the radiant heating at a temperature that is lower than a peak temperature of the bonded structure during exposing to the radiant heating.
Uzoh teaches:
Annealing both prior to and after bonding. See Figure 2 and para (49 and 56)
In regards to the duration, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize this value through routine experimentation and would not lend itself to patentability in the instant application, without displaying unexpected results. (in Re Aller)
Therefore, 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 above references to reduce warpage (para 49, Uzoh)
Gao teaches:
18. (Original) The method of Claim 14, wherein exposing the bonded structure to the radiant heating comprises forming extensions between the aligned first and second conductive features of the first and second elements.
Gao fails to teach:
19. (Original) The method of Claim 14, wherein annealing the bonded structure comprises annealing the bonded structure for a duration in a range of 0.5 seconds to 5 minutes at a maximum temperature in a range of 200°C to 500°C.
20. (Original) The method of Claim 19, wherein a ramp up rate during exposing the bonded structure to radiant heating before reaching the maximum temperature is in a range of 10°C per second to 150°C per second.
In regards to the duration and temperature, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to optimize this value through routine experimentation and would not lend itself to patentability in the instant application, without displaying unexpected results. (in Re Aller)
Claim(s) 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gao et al as applied to claim 23 above, and further in view of Bergstrom et al, US 6878909 B2.
Gao fails to teach:
24. (Original) The bonded structure of Claim 23, wherein the rapid growth structure comprises a plurality of grain extensions between the first and second conductive features, a stress gradient and/or a gradient of inter diffused metal atoms.
Bergstrom teaches:
Thermal treatment during the deposition or growth modulates many material properties. In some embodiments, these properties include mechanical stress, stress gradients, optical transmission, electrical conduction, and the like. (para 11)
Material property changes induced in the thin film 150 may include an increase in electrical conductivity due to enhanced diffusion of dopants into the film 150 and a reduction in the mechanical stress and stress gradients in the structural film 115. (para 55)
Therefore, 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 above references, because [t]hermal treatment during the deposition or growth modulates many material properties. In some embodiments, these properties include mechanical stress, stress gradients, optical transmission, electrical conduction, and the like. (para 11)
Conclusion
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MICHAEL . LEBENTRITT
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2893
/MICHAEL LEBENTRITT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893