DETAILED ACTION
This correspondence is in response to the communications received February 23, 2026. Claims 1-16 are pending. Claims 17-28 have been withdrawn from examination, see below.
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 with traverse of Invention I, claims 1-16, in the reply filed on February 23, 2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that “Applicants hereby elect Invention I, Claims 1-16, drawn to a method of using an apparatus, with traverse.” This is not found persuasive because Applicant has not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claims 17-28 have been withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected embodiment, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. The restriction is still deemed to be necessary as the Inventions II and III, would require a further separate search strategy and further separate examination considerations. The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) was submitted on October 31, 2023. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Examiner spoke to Applicant’s Representative to inquire about the document 1 in US Patents, as this six digit patent is not the identified “Sekihara” document. Applicant’s Representative provided US 8,569,165 as the potential document, however it appears that the inventorship does not align. At the current time, this reference will be struck through as indicating Examiner was not able to review this document.
Applicant’s Claim to Figure Comparison
It is noted that this comparison is merely for the benefit of reviewers of this office action during prosecution, to allow for an understanding of the examiner’s interpretation of the Applicant’s independent claims as compared to disclosed embodiments in Applicant’s Figures. No response or comments are necessary from Applicant.
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Regarding claim 1, the Applicant discloses in Fig. 5A-5H and 7, a method, comprising:
using a first laser (573), forming a free air ball (565) of molten material on an end of a bond wire extending through a capillary (551);
using a second laser (571), forming a molten area (567, ¶ 0055) on a bond pad (508) of semiconductor die (505) at a bonding location (where bond wire stitch will be formed);
moving the capillary (551) and contacting the molten area with the free air ball (shown at Fig. 5C);
forming a ball bond between the free air ball and the molten area of the bond pad ball (shown at Fig. 5C);
moving the capillary away from the ball bond (this step shown at Fig. 5D), while allowing the bond wire to extend from the ball bond and forming a wire bond loop in the bond wire extending from the ball bond (553 extends from bond pad);
moving the capillary and extending the bond wire above a stitch bond location on a lead of a package substrate the semiconductor die is mounted on (series of steps shown in Figs. 5D to 5H);
using the second laser (571 in Fig. 5F), forming a molten area (572) in a heat affected zone on the lead at the stitch bond location (shown immediately below wire bond head); and
using the capillary (551), contacting the molten area (572) in the heat affected zone on the lead with the bond wire and while using the first laser to heat the bond wire, forming a stitch bond between the bond wire and the molten area on the lead (519 connects by stitch bond 574 at pad 515).
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.
Claims 1, 6, 7, 9, 12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2013/0056448) in view of Hosseini (US 2005/0150932) in view of Subido et al. (US 7,476,597).
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Regarding claim 1, the prior art of Kim discloses in Fig. 1, a method, comprising:
using a first laser (“laser beam emitting unit 22”, ¶ 0044), forming a free air ball (“a ball B before wire bonding”, ¶ 0051, where “free” is understood to signify that the wire bonding material has a ball formed that is free from attachment, prior to bond wire formation) of molten material on an end of a bond wire (“the lateral surface and the bottom surface of the wire W are uniformly heated to facilitate speed of formation of the ball B.”, ¶ 0076) extending through a capillary (“conductive wire W … capillary 5”, ¶ 0046, where wire W is fed through 5);
moving the capillary and contacting the heated area with the free air ball (in Kim’s Fig. 1, and described in ¶ 0052, the interpreted “free air ball” identified as B, is then moved towards the pad P, which is heated by thermal energy from substrate S, which facilitates bonding. The dotted line drawings show the future events where B is placed into contact with heated by substrate S pad P);
forming a ball bond between the free air ball and the heated area of the bond pad (in the future event delineated by the dotted line drawing portion of Fig. 1, at one point along the sequence of several events, B is shown in contact with interpreted “bond pad” P);
moving the capillary away from the ball bond, while allowing the bond wire to extend from the ball bond and forming a wire bond loop in the bond wire extending from the ball bond (in the future event delineated by the dotted line drawing portion of Fig. 1, at one point along the sequence of several events, after B is shown in contact with interpreted “bond pad” P, the capillary releases wire slack to create the shown inverted v type loop of w, capillary discussed as means by which wire is released in ¶ 0051-0053);
moving the capillary and extending the bond wire above a stitch bond location on a lead of a package substrate the semiconductor die is mounted on (in the future event delineated by the dotted line drawing portion of Fig. 1, at one point along the sequence of several events, after B is shown in contact with interpreted “bond pad” P, the capillary which handles the wire formation, brings the wire over the “lead L” and “substrate S” which is the interpreted “package substrate”, where the wire W loops down to L, capillary discussed as means by which wire is released in ¶ 0051-0053);
forming a heated area (heated by substrate S, ¶ 0052) in a heat affected zone on the lead (“lead L”, ¶ 0052-0053) at the stitch bond location (lead L where wire W ultimately make contact with each other in the future event delineated by the dotted line drawing portion of Fig. 1); and
using the capillary (capillary discussed as means by which wire is released in ¶ 0051-0053, where Fig. 1 shows wire W formed by capillary device), contacting the heated area (lead L is heated by substrate S) in the heat affected zone on the lead (lead L) with the bond wire and while using the first laser to heat the bond wire (shown in Fig. 1 and discussed in at least ¶ 0055), forming a stitch bond between the bond wire and the molten area on the lead (bond where wire W is bonded at lead L).
Kim does not disclose,
“using a second laser, forming a molten area on a bond pad of semiconductor die at a bonding location”
…
“moving the capillary and contacting the molten area with the free air ball, forming a ball bond between the free air ball and the molten area of the bond pad;” (only the italicized portion is not explicitly disclosed by Kim),
…
moving the capillary away from the ball bond, while allowing the bond wire to extend from the ball bond and forming a wire bond loop in the bond wire extending from the ball bond (capillary movement not shown in Fig. 1 and in sequence of events of dotted line portion of drawing),
moving the capillary and extending the bond wire above a stitch bond location on a lead of a package substrate the semiconductor die is mounted on (capillary movement not shown in Fig. 1 and in sequence of events of dotted line portion of drawing);
…
using the second laser, forming a molten area in a heat affected zone on the lead at the stitch bond location (italicized portion not explicitly disclosed by Kim); and
…
using the capillary, contacting the molten area in the heat affected zone on the lead with the bond wire and while using the first laser to heat the bond wire, forming a stitch bond between the bond wire and the molten area on the lead (capillary movement not shown in Fig. 1 and in sequence of events of dotted line portion of drawing).”
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Hosseini discloses in Figs. 1 through 3, that a equivalent capillary device which is referred to as “bonding wire guide 7” (¶ 0025) is used to move the bond wire from one location to another from start to finish, where both locations are pre-softened by a laser (“laser beam 4” softens the metal bonding areas, this “softening” is equivalent to the claimed “molten” state, ¶ 0017, 0018, 0025, where “softening” and “molten” both have the same meaning of heating metals to a flowable state.).
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Subido discloses in Figs. 1A-1B, wherein the laser “conditions” the bond pad before making bond wire, further Subido discloses where it is understood in the art that the heated metal wire and pad become “molten”, “process of joining metals by melting workpieces to form a molten "weld puddle" that coalesces upon cooling to form a metal joint”, col. 1, lines 13-15.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the limitation of,
“using a second laser, forming a molten area on a bond pad of semiconductor die at a bonding location”
…
“moving the capillary and contacting the molten area with the free air ball, forming a ball bond between the free air ball and the molten area of the bond pad;” (only the italicized portion is not explicitly disclosed by Kim),
…
moving the capillary away from the ball bond, while allowing the bond wire to extend from the ball bond and forming a wire bond loop in the bond wire extending from the ball bond (capillary movement not explicitly shown in Fig. 1 and in sequence of events of dotted line portion of drawing),
moving the capillary and extending the bond wire above a stitch bond location on a lead of a package substrate the semiconductor die is mounted on (capillary movement not explicitly shown in Fig. 1 and in sequence of events of dotted line portion of drawing);
…
using the second laser, forming a molten area in a heat affected zone on the lead at the stitch bond location (italicized portion not explicitly disclosed by Kim); and
…
using the capillary, contacting the molten area in the heat affected zone on the lead with the bond wire and while using the first laser to heat the bond wire, forming a stitch bond between the bond wire and the molten area on the lead (capillary movement not explicitly shown in Fig. 1 and in sequence of events of dotted line portion of drawing).”, as disclosed by Hosseini/Subido in the system of Kim, for the purpose of providing the method steps to form a bond wire from start to finish, which will allow for the communication of an electrical signal from one location to another location. (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim discloses, wherein the bond wire is copper, palladium coated copper, gold, silver or aluminum (Kim disclose that the bond wire materials in ¶ 0053).
Regarding claim 7, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim discloses, wherein the bond wire comprises copper or an alloy of copper, and the bond pad comprises copper or an alloy of copper, and the lead comprises copper or an alloy of copper (Kim disclose that the bond wire materials in ¶ 0053).
Regarding claim 9, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim does not disclose, “wherein during the formation of the ball bond, the semiconductor die is at a temperature between 15-degrees C and 40-degrees C.”
Hosseini discloses in ¶ 0002 and 0005, wherein the process temperature everywhere but the bonding site is at room temperature, which falls within the claimed range.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the limitation of,
“wherein during the formation of the ball bond, the semiconductor die is at a temperature between 15-degrees C and 40-degrees C.”, as disclosed by Hosseini in the system of Kim, for the purpose of not depleting a significant amount of the total thermal budget of the device fabrication process. (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim discloses, wherein the bond wire is gold or gold alloy (Kim shows gold bond wire in ¶ 0053).
Regarding claim 14, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Subido discloses, wherein forming the ball bond and forming the stitch bond are performed without applying ultrasonic energy to the capillary (“Preferably, weld 40 formation is caused to occur by bringing the free air ball 22 into contact with the bonding surface 12 with little or no application of ultrasonic energy to the bondwire 16 and bonding surface 12.”, col. 5, lines 18-21).
Claims 8, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2013/0056448) in view of Hosseini (US 2005/0150932) in view of Subido et al. (US 7,476,597) in view of Camargo Soto (US 2021/0111146).
Regarding claim 8, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim does not disclose, “wherein the bond wire is copper (Kim does disclose the bond wire is copper, ¶ 0053) and the bond pad is copper, the ball bond is a copper-to-copper bond, and the lead is a copper or copper alloy, and the stitch bond is a copper-to-copper bond.”
Camargo Soto discloses bond pads made of copper and other materials, ¶ 0002 and 0011.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the limitation of,
“wherein the bond wire is copper (Kim does disclose the bond wire is copper, ¶ 0053) and the bond pad is copper, the ball bond is a copper-to-copper bond, and the lead is a copper or copper alloy, and the stitch bond is a copper-to-copper bond.”, as disclosed by Camargo Soto in the system of Kim, for the purpose of providing the use of high electron mobility metal material which is useful in high performance electrical connections. (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim does not disclose, “wherein using a second laser, forming a molten area on a bond pad of semiconductor die at a bonding location comprises forming a first heat affected zone in the molten area (both bond sites are shown to be heated to molten state as disclosed in the combination rejection of claim 1) of a diameter of less than 100 microns.” (bond site dimensions not shown)
Camargo Soto discloses in ¶ 0002 and 0034, wherein dimensions of the bond pad and the bond wire all are sub 100 μm.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the limitation of,
“wherein using a second laser, forming a molten area on a bond pad of semiconductor die at a bonding location comprises forming a first heat affected zone in the molten area of a diameter of less than 100 microns”, as disclosed by Camargo Soto in the system of Kim, for the purpose of decreasing the device dimensions to add to the overall device density for increase in functionality per unit area. (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 16, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 1, and Kim does not disclose, “wherein using the using the second laser, forming a molten area on the lead at a stitch bond location comprises forming a second heat affected zone in the molten area (both bond sites are shown to be heated to molten state as disclosed in the combination rejection of claim 1) one the lead of a diameter of less than 100 microns.” (bond site dimensions not shown)
Camargo Soto discloses in ¶ 0002 and 0034, wherein dimensions of the bond pad and the bond wire all are sub 100 μm.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the limitation of,
“wherein using the using the second laser, forming a molten area on the lead at a stitch bond location comprises forming a second heat affected zone in the molten area (both bond sites are shown to be heated to molten state as disclosed in the combination rejection of claim 1) one the lead of a diameter of less than 100 microns”, as disclosed by Camargo Soto in the system of Kim, for the purpose of decreasing the device dimensions to add to the overall device density for increase in functionality per unit area. (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 2013/0056448) in view of Hosseini (US 2005/0150932) in view of Subido et al. (US 7,476,597) in view of Schneegans et al. (US 2011/0260307).
Regarding claim 13, the prior art of Kim et al. disclose the method of claim 12, and Kim does not disclose, “wherein the bond pad is gold or gold alloy, and the ball bond is a gold-to-gold bond.”
The ‘307 publication discloses in ¶ 0024, “bond wire 202 is Au and bond pad 206 is Au”.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the limitation of,
“wherein the bond pad is gold or gold alloy, and the ball bond is a gold-to-gold bond.”, as disclosed by the ‘307 publication in the system of Kim, for the purpose of providing the use of metal signal carrying material made of noble metal that does not oxidize. (G) Some teaching, suggestion, or motivation in the prior art that would have led one of ordinary skill to modify the prior art reference or to combine prior art reference teachings to arrive at the claimed invention.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 10 and 11 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. Claim 3 is objected to because of being dependent upon claim 2.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first laser and the second laser are attached to the capillary.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein forming the stitch bond comprises forming a copper-to-copper bond between a copper lead and a copper bond wire.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first laser and the and second laser have a wavelength between 300 nanometers and 499 nanometers.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first laser is a blue laser with a wavelength of about 445 nanometers.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein using the first laser to form the free air ball and using the second laser to form the molten portion of the bond pad are performed simultaneously.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein using the second laser to form a molten area on a lead, and using the first laser to heat the bond wire while forming a stitch bond, are performed simultaneously.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Eduardo A Rodela whose telephone number is (571)272-8797. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30-5:00pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Yara B Green can be reached on (571) 270-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDUARDO A RODELA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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