DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the application No. 18/470,250 filed on September 19, 2023.
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 .
Acknowledgment
The amendment filed on 05/11/2026 responding to the Office action mailed on 02/11/2026, has been entered. The present Office action is made with all the suggested amendments being fully considered. Claims 3, 4, 10, and 11 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Accordingly, pending in this Office action are claims 1-14 and newly added claims 21-26.
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aiba (US 2006/0186524).
Regarding Claim 1, Aiba (see, e.g., Fig. 2), teaches a substrate 71 (see, e.g., par. 0058) comprising:
a core layer 72 (see, e.g., par. 0063);
a plurality of core via interconnects 73 extending through the core layer 72 (see, e.g., par. 0063);
one or more first dielectric layers 76 coupled to a first surface 72A of the core layer 72, wherein the one or more first dielectric layers include a different material from the core layer 72 (see, e.g., pars. 0057, 0066, 0067);
a first plurality of interconnects 75/78 located at least partially in the one or more first dielectric layers 76 (see, e.g., par. 0063),
wherein the first plurality of interconnects 75/78 include:
a first plurality of pad interconnects 75 comprising a first pad interconnect 75 (see, e.g., par. 0063), and
a first plurality of via interconnects 78 comprising a first via interconnect 78 coupled to and touching the first pad interconnect 75 (see, e.g., par. 0063),
wherein:
the first via interconnect 78 extends through a metal layer (i.e., layer of upper via holes 78) of the substrate 71, and
the first via interconnect 78 comprises a first via wall that has a sidewall angle that is about 87-93 degrees (i.e., 90 degrees) relative to a planar surface of the first pad interconnect 75.
Regarding Claim 2, Aiba teaches all aspects of claim 1. Aiba (see, e.g., Fig. 2), teaches:
one or more second dielectric layers 89 coupled to a second surface 72B of the core layer 72 (see, e.g., par. 0064);
a second plurality of interconnects 88/91 located at least partially in the one or more second dielectric layers 89 (see, e.g., par. 0064), wherein the second plurality of interconnects 88/91 comprise:
a second plurality of pad interconnects 88 comprising a second pad interconnect 88 (see, e.g., par. 0064); and
a second plurality of via interconnects 91 comprising a second via interconnect 91 (see, e.g., par. 0064),
wherein:
the second via interconnect 91 extends through another metal layer (i.e., layer of lower via holes 91) of the substrate 71, and
the second via interconnect 91 comprises a second via wall that has a sidewall angle that is about 87-93 degrees (i.e., 90 degrees) relative to a planar surface of the second pad interconnect 88.
Regarding Claim 5, Aiba teaches all aspects of claim 1. Aiba (see, e.g., Fig. 2), teaches that:
the first plurality of via interconnects 78 include a second via interconnect 78 that is located laterally to the first via interconnect 78,
the second via interconnect 78 is coupled to and touching a second pad interconnect 75
the first via interconnect 78 has a first diameter and the second via interconnect 78 has a second diameter.
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 24 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aiba (US 2006/0186524).
Regarding Claim 24, Aiba (see, e.g., Fig. 2), teaches a package comprising:
an integrated device 111; and
a substrate 71 coupled to the integrated device 111, the substrate 71 comprising:
a core layer 72;
a plurality of core via interconnects 73 extending through the core layer 72;
one or more first dielectric layers 76 coupled to a first surface 72A of the core layer 72;
a first plurality of interconnects 75/78 located at least partially in the one or more first dielectric layers 76,
wherein the first plurality of interconnects 75/78 include:
a first plurality of pad interconnects 75 comprising a first pad interconnect 75;
a first plurality of via interconnects 78 comprising a first via interconnect 78 that is coupled to and touching the first pad interconnect 75;
wherein:
the first via interconnect 78 extends through a metal layer (i.e., layer of upper via holes 78) of the substrate 71,
the first via interconnect 78 comprises a first via wall that is approximately vertical relative to a planar surface of the first pad interconnect 75.
Aiba is silent with respect to the claim limitation that a registration between the first pad interconnect 75 and the first via interconnect 78 is about 7.5 micrometers.
However, this claim limitation is merely considered a change in the size of the first pad interconnect and/or the diameter of the first via interconnect in Aiba’s device. The specific claimed limitation that a registration between the first pad interconnect and the first via interconnect is about 7.5 micrometers, absent any criticality, is only considered to be an obvious modification of the the size of the first pad interconnect and/or the diameter of the first via interconnect in Aiba’s device, as the courts have held that changes in size, diameter, etc., without any criticality, are within the level of skill in the art. According to the courts, a particular size, diameter, etc., is nothing more than one among numerous sizes, diameters, etc., that a person having ordinary skill in the art will find obvious to provide using routine experimentation. See In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Accordingly, since the applicant has not established the criticality (see next paragraph below) of the claimed registration between the first pad interconnect and the first via interconnect, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to have the claimed registration between the first pad interconnect and the first via interconnect in Aiba’s device.
CRITICALITY
The specification contains no disclosure of either the critical nature of the claimed registration or any unexpected results arising therefrom. Where patentability is said to be based upon particular chosen distance, thickness or upon another variable recited in a claim, the applicant must show that the chosen distance, thickness are critical. In re Woodruff, 919 F.2d 1575, 1578, 16 USPQ2d 1934, 1936 (Fed. Cir. 1990).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8, 9, 12-14, and 21-23 are allowed.
Claims 6, 7, 25, and 26 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
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nelson Garcés whose telephone number is (571)272-8249. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Wael Fahmy can be reached on (571)272-1705. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Nelson Garces/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2814
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