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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 3/25/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 11-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/25/2026.
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) 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a(2) as being anticipated by Li et al (US 2024/0006352; hereinafter Li).
Regarding claim 1, Figs 11 and 23 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);
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 (122; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]) located on the first dielectric material layers (130; Fig 23; ¶ [0023]) and embedding a first metallic bonding structure (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) that is electrically connected to 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 (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) and electrically isolated (Fig 23) from the first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]), wherein the first metallic bonding structures (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) have a different vertical cross-sectional shape (Fig 23) than the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]).
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 (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]).
Regarding claim 3, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first metallic bonding structure (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) has a trapezoidal vertical cross-sectional shape (Figs 23-24) and the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) has a triangular vertical cross-sectional shape (Fig 23).
Regarding claim 4, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the sidewalls of the first metallic bonding structure (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) and the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) are tapered, such that the first metallic bonding structure (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) contacts a predetermined area (Fig 23) of the one of the first metal interconnect structures (112; Fig 23; ¶ [0017]) and such that the first dummy metallic bonding structures (148b; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) does not extend (Fig 23) through entire thickness of the first bonding-level dielectric layer (122; Fig 23; ¶ [0026]).
Regarding claim 5, Figs 11 and 23 of Li discloses the first metallic bonding structures (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) comprise first metallic via portions (148a/148c; 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 (148a/148c; Fig 23; ¶ [0029]) consist first metallic via portions (148a/148c; 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 (148a/148c; 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 (122; 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 (148a/148c; 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 (148a/148c; 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]).
Conclusion
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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