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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot in light of new grounds of rejection made below.
For the above mentioned reasons, the rejection is deemed proper and considered final.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5-10, 21-24, 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(2) as being anticipated by Li et al (US 2024/0006352; hereinafter Li).
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Fig 23_edited
Regarding claim 1, Figs 11 and Fig 23_edited above of Li discloses a bonded assembly of a first semiconductor die (Fig 23) and a second semiconductor die (Fig 23), wherein the first semiconductor die comprises:
first dielectric material layers (108; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]) located on first semiconductor devices (106; Fig 23); and
first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]) embedded in the first dielectric material layers and electrically connected to the first semiconductor devices;
a first bonding-level dielectric layer (130/132/134; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) located over the first dielectric material layers (108; Fig 23; ¶ [0023]) and embedding a first metallic bonding structure (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) that directly contacts one of the first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]), and further embedding a first dummy metallic bonding structure (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) having a lesser vertical extent (Fig 23) than the first metallic bonding structure (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) and electrically isolated (Fig 23) from the first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]), wherein the first metallic bonding structure (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) has a different vertical cross-sectional shape (Fig 23) than the first dummy metallic bonding structures and wherein a first sidewall (Sidewall of 146; Fig 23_edited) of the first metallic bonding structure (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) extends straight from an edge of a top surface of the first metallic bonding structure to a surface of the one of the first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]).
Regarding claim 2, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) has a lesser lateral extent (Fig 23) than the first metallic bonding structure (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]).
Regarding claim 5, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first metallic bonding structures (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) comprise first metallic via portions (146; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]);
the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) comprise first dummy metallic via portions (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) having a less height than the first metallic via portions; and
all top peripheries of the first metallic via portions and all top peripheries of the first dummy metallic via portions are located within a horizontal plane (Fig 23).
Regarding claim 6, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first metallic bonding structures ((146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) consist first metallic via portions ((146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]); and
the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) consist of the first dummy metallic via portions (Fig 23).
Regarding claim 7, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the second semiconductor die comprises:
second metal interconnect structures (220; Fig 23; ¶ [0040]) embedded in second dielectric material layers (212; Fig ¶ [0040]); and
a second bonding-level dielectric layer (234; Fig 23; ¶ [0044]) embedding a second metallic bonding structure (148a; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) that is electrically connected to a respective one of the second metal interconnect structures (220; Fig 23;¶ [0040]) and bonded to the first metallic bonding structures ((146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) by metal-to-metal bonding (Fig 23) and further embedding a second dummy metallic bonding structure (148a; Fig 23) is electrically isolated from the second metal interconnect structures (220; Fig 23;¶ [0040]), and wherein the first dummy metallic bonding structure (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) is bonded to the second dummy metallic bonding structure (148a; Fig 23) by additional metal-to-metal bonding (Fig 23).
Regarding claim 8, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the second bonding-level dielectric layer (234; Fig 23; ¶ [0044]) is bonded to the first bonding-level dielectric layer (130/132/134; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) by dielectric-to dielectric bonding (Fig 23).
Regarding claim 9, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first metallic bonding structure((146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) have a same composition (¶ [0034]) as the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]).
Regarding claim 10, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first metallic bonding structure ((146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) and the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) each comprise a respective metallic barrier liner (140a; Fig 12D; ¶ [0028]) and a respective metal fill material portion (142; Fig 12D; ¶ [0028]).
Regarding claim 21, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses a first etch stop dielectric layer (122; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) located over the first dielectric material layers (108; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]), wherein the first bonding-level dielectric (130/132/134; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) layer is located over the first etch-stop dielectric layer.
Regarding claim 22, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first etch stop dielectric layer (122; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) is in contact with the first metallic bonding structure (146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) and with the one of the first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]).
Regarding claim 23, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first bonding-level dielectric layer (130/132/134; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) consists of a first dielectric bonding material (¶ [0026]); and
an entirety of surfaces of the first dummy metallic bonding structure (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) except a top surface of the first dummy metallic bonding structure is in direct contact with the first dielectric bonding material (130/132/134; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]).
Regarding claim 24, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first dummy metallic bonding structure (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) has a trapezoidal vertical cross-section shape in which a bottom end of a first tapered sidewall and a bottom end of a second tapered sidewall are adjoined to a plana bottom surface (Fig 23).
Regarding claim 28, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses a first straight sidewall of the first metal bonding structure ((146 (First Metallic bonding structure shown above); Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) comprises a first top edge (Fig 23) that coincides with a first edge of a topmost surface of the first metal bonding structure and further comprises a bottom edge that contact the one of the first metal interconnect structures; and
a second straight sidewall of the first metal bonding structure comprises a second top edge (Fig 23) that coincides with a second edge of the topmost surface of the first bonding structure and further comprises a second bottom edge that contacts the one of the first metal interconnect structures (Fig 23).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4, 25-27 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.
Regarding claim 3, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “the first dummy metallic bonding structure has a triangular vertical cross-sectional shape having only three sides comprising a first tapered sidewall, a second tapered sidewall and a top surface connecting a top end of the first tapered sidewall to a top end of the second tapered sidewall and wherein a bottom end of the first tapered sidewall contacts a bottom end of the second tapered sidewall”.
Regarding claim 25, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “a first top surface connecting a top end of the first straight sidewall and a top end of the second straight sidewall; and
a first bottom surface connecting a bottom end of the first straight sidewall and a bottom end of the second straight sidewall and contacting a top surface of the one of the first metal interconnect structures”.
Claims 29-30 are allowed.
Regarding claim 29, the prior art of record, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including “the first dummy metallic bonding structure has a triangular vertical cross-sectional shape having only three sides comprising a first tapered sidewall, a second tapered sidewall and a top surface connecting a top end of the first tapered sidewall to a top end of the second tapered sidewall and wherein a bottom end of the first tapered sidewall contacts a bottom end of the second tapered sidewall”.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Chen et al (US 2023/0361066)
Tsai et al (US 2023/0260940)
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/RATISHA MEHTA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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