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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on September 30, 2026 has been entered with the request for continued examination filed on October 6, 2026.
Response to Amendment
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.
Claims 9-10, and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bedell et al. (“Bedell”), US 2018/0254395, in view of Fritz et al. (“Fritz”), US 2015/0137366, and further in view of Swaminathan et al. (“Swaminathan”), US 2016/0172320.
Regarding Claim 9, Bedell discloses a method (Fig. 3; ¶ 0045, 0048) comprising:
forming a first bonding pad (22; Fig. 3; ¶ 0045 “each bond pad 22 is formed”, ¶ 0048 “Each bond pad 22 may be formed”), comprising:
forming a recess (¶ 0045 “each bond pad 22 may be formed in an opening formed in the receiving substrate 20”) in a first dielectric layer (20; Fig. 3; ¶ 0043 “a material stack, in any order, of a semiconductor material and an insulator material may be employed as the receiving substrate 20”);
filling the recess (¶ 0048 “bond pad 22 may be formed by first providing a blanket layer of magnetic…material” “The blanket layer of magnetic…material is then patterned to provide each bond pad 22.”) with magnetic material (¶ 0046 “each bond pad 22 is composed of a material that has magnetic properties (i.e., a magnetic material)”, ¶ 0046 “each bond pad 22 is composed of a magnetic metal…for example, magnetic nickel, magnetic cobalt, magnetic iron”);
wherein the magnetic material has a magnetic field (¶ 0046 “each bond pad 22 is composed of a material that is capable of magnetically attracting the metallic layer 16 of the chiplet 10”) of a first orientation (¶ 0046 “for a given metallic layer 16 and a given bond pad 22, the two are arranged such that physically exposed surfaces of each…have a different polarity (i.e., north or south)”); and
bonding (Figs. 4, 6; ¶ 0052, 0053) the first bonding pad to a second bonding pad (16; Figs. 1-2, 4-6; ¶ 0034 “layer 16 is composed of a magnetic metal…for example, magnetic nickel, magnetic cobalt, magnetic iron”).
Bedell does not disclose performing a magnetic annealing process on the magnetic material.
Fritz discloses performing a magnetic annealing process on the magnetic material (¶ 0035 “The magnetic field generated by the at least one electromagnet is employed to heat the magnetic component in the bonding pads 600”, ¶ 0066 “heating the magnetic material through a time-dependent magnetic field generated by the apparatus (900, 301A, 310B, 320A, 320B)”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Bedell to have performing a magnetic annealing process on the magnetic material, as taught by Fritz, because “the magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the at least one electromagnet can saturate the magnetic field in the magnetic material, thereby providing a higher heating rate for the magnetic material” (Fritz ¶ 0036, see also ¶ 0074).
In addition, Bedell does not disclose wherein the magnetic annealing process comprises subjecting the magnetic material to an external magnetic field of a second orientation, wherein after the magnetic annealing process the magnetic material has a magnetic field of the second orientation.
Fritz discloses wherein the magnetic annealing process comprises subjecting the magnetic material to an external magnetic field (B; Figs. 8, 10; ¶ 0065 “the magnetic field B is perpendicular to the plane…of bonding pads 600”; ¶ 0073 “the magnetic field B is parallel to the plane…of bonding pads 600”) of a second orientation (Figs 8, 10, 11; ¶ 0074 “the direction of the time-dependent magnetic field can be adjusted”; ¶ 0075 “the magnetic field B includes a spatially varying region. The electromagnets…are configured to move”; ¶ 0076 “substrate 200 can be moved relative to the apparatus (340A, 340B) that generates the time-dependent magnetic field”), wherein after the magnetic annealing process the magnetic material has a magnetic field of the second orientation (¶ 0074 “the direction of the time-dependent magnetic field can be adjusted”; ¶ 0075 “the magnetic field B includes a spatially varying region. The electromagnets…are configured to move”; ¶ 0076 “substrate 200 can be moved relative to the apparatus (340A, 340B) that generates the time-dependent magnetic field” therefore the magnetic material has a magnetic field of the second orientation).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Bedell to have wherein the magnetic annealing process comprises subjecting the magnetic material to an external magnetic field of a second orientation, wherein after the magnetic annealing process the magnetic material has a magnetic field of the second orientation, as taught by Fritz, because the “magnetic field can be adjusted to maximize the heating of the magnetic material in the bonding pads 600” (Fritz ¶ 0074) to improve the reliability of the structure (Fritz ¶ 0078).
Furthermore, Bedell as modified by Fritz does not disclose after performing the magnetic annealing process, bonding the first bonding pad to a second bonding pad.
Swaminathan discloses after performing the magnetic annealing process (Fig. 5; ¶ 0020 “when an alternating current magnetic field is applied by the magnetic field generator 132, the magnetic particles within the magnetic composite material 114 essentially vibrate and heat up”), bonding (Figs. 6-8; ¶ 0023 “The magnetic field generator 132 may then be activated to heat the magnetic composite material 114, which, in turn, brings the solder interconnection bumps 126 to their reflow temperature. As shown in FIG. 7, the microelectronic die attachment projections 136 may be inserted into their respective reflowed solder interconnection bumps 126. The magnetic field generator 132 may then be deactivated, or the substrate and the attached microelectronic die 134 may be removed from the magnetic field, which allows the solder interconnection bumps 126 to cool and re-solidify, as shown in FIG. 8.” therefore the first bonding pad 126 is bonded to a second bonding pad 136) the first bonding pad (126; Figs. 5-8; ¶ 0023 “interconnection bumps 126”) to a second bonding pad (136; Figs. 6-8; ¶ 0023 “136 may be any appropriate metal material”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Bedell as modified to have after performing the magnetic annealing process, bonding the first bonding pad to a second bonding pad, as taught by Swaminathan, because “the heating to reflow of the solder interconnection bumps 126 during the attachment to the microelectronic device 134 is localized proximate the magnetic intermetallic compound interconnects 128, other components (layer, traces, and the like) in the substrate are only minimally heated up by the magnetic field” (Swaminathan ¶ 0024), thereby improving the reliability of the package (Swaminathan ¶ 0021, 0011).
Regarding Claim 10, Bedell discloses wherein forming the recess exposes a conductive feature disposed below the first dielectric layer (¶ 0042 “substrate 20 (which may also be referred to as a display substrate) may include various materials such as, for example, a semiconductor material (such as defined above in ¶ 0024 “Examples of semiconductor materials” are “II-VI compound semiconductors.”, noting that Group VI elements are Chromium, Molybdenum, and Tungsten that are highly conductive transition metals, in this instance forming the recess exposes a Group VI conductive feature).
Regarding Claim 12, Bedel discloses wherein the magnetic material comprises cobalt (¶ 0046 “each bond pad 22 is composed of a magnetic metal…such as…cobalt”).
Regarding Claim 13, Bedell does not disclose wherein the magnetic material comprises a plurality of layers.
Fritz discloses wherein the magnetic material comprises a plurality of layers (Fig. 3; ¶ 0047 “a bonding pad 600, which includes a…stack 60”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Bedell to have wherein the magnetic material comprises a plurality of layers, as taught by Fritz, to customize “the magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the at least one electromagnet can saturate the magnetic field in the magnetic material, thereby providing a higher heating rate for the magnetic material” (Fritz ¶ 0036, see also ¶ 0074).
Regarding Claim 14, Bedell does not disclose wherein the magnetic annealing process comprises heating the magnetic material while subjecting the magnetic material to the external magnetic field.
Fritz discloses wherein the magnetic annealing process comprises heating the magnetic material (Fig. 8; ¶ 0066 “heating the magnetic material through a time-dependent magnetic field generated by the apparatus (900, 301A, 310B, 320A, 320B)”) while subjecting the magnetic material to the external magnetic field (B; Fig. 8; ¶ 0065 “magnetic field B is perpendicular to the plane…of bonding pads 600”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for Bedell to have wherein the magnetic annealing process comprises heating the magnetic material while subjecting the magnetic material to the external magnetic field, as taught by Fritz, to customize “the magnitude of the magnetic field generated by the at least one electromagnet can saturate the magnetic field in the magnetic material, thereby providing a higher heating rate for the magnetic material” (Fritz ¶ 0036, see also ¶ 0074).
Regarding Claim 15, Bedell discloses wherein the second bonding pad (16; Figs. 1-2, 4-6) is surrounded by a second dielectric layer (12; Figs. 1-2, 4-6 the top side of second bonding pad 16 is surrounded), and further comprising bonding the first dielectric layer to the second dielectric layer (first dielectric layer 20 is bonded to second dielectric layer 12 through elements 16, 14, 24S, and 22 in Fig. 4 and 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 and 21-26 are allowed.
Regarding Claim 1, the prior art does not disclose forming a first bonding layer over a first substrate; forming first bonding pads in the first bonding layer, wherein the first bonding pads comprise a layer of ferromagnetic material, wherein each first bonding pad produces a respective magnetic field having a first orientation, and in the combination as claimed.
Claims 2-8 are allowable for depending on Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 21, the prior art does not disclose forming a first structure comprising a plurality of first bonding pads over a first interconnect structure, wherein each first bonding pad of the first structure is magnetized in a first orientation;
forming a second structure comprising a plurality of second bonding pads over a second interconnect structure, wherein each second bonding pad of the second structure is magnetized in a second orientation and in the combination as claimed.
Claims 22-26 are allowable for depending on Claim 21.
Response to Arguments
In their amendment and response dated 9/30/2026, the applicant states (page 6 of 18) that “Claim 1 currently recites "forming a first bonding layer over a first substrate," "forming first bonding pads in the first bonding layer, wherein the first bonding pads comprise a layer of ferromagnetic material, wherein each first bonding pad produces a respective magnetic field having a first orientation,"”. The applicant also states (page 9 of 13) that “Applicant respectfully requests that the rejection of claim i be withdrawn.”.
Claims 1-8 are now allowed, as explained supra.
The applicant states (page 9 of 13) that “Claim 21 currently recites "forming a first structure comprising a plurality of first bonding pads over a first interconnect structure, wherein each first bonding pad of the first structure is magnetized in a first orientation," "forming a second structure comprising a plurality of second bonding pads over a second interconnect structure, wherein each second bonding pad of the second structure is magnetized in a second orientation,"”. The applicant also states (page 11 of 13) that “Applicant respectfully requests that the rejection of claim 21 be withdrawn.”
Claims 21-26 are now allowed, as explained supra.
The applicant states (page 11 of 13) that “Claim 9 currently recites…"after performing the magnetic annealing process, bonding the first bonding pad to a second bonding pad."” The applicant also states (page 12 of 13) that “Applicant respectfully requests that the rejection of claim 9 be withdrawn.”
The amendments to Claim 9 has necessitated an updated rejection of Claim 9 over Bedell, Fritz, and Swaminathan, as discussed supra.
Independent Claim 9 is rejected for at least the reasons stated supra. Dependent Claims 10 and 12-15 are rejected for at least the reasons stated supra.
Conclusion
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/R.K./Examiner, Art Unit 2818
/JEFF W NATALINI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2818
