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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: MICRO BUMP CIRCUMFERENCE TRENCHES.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/6/2023; 8/20/2025; and 12/11/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Preliminary Amendment
Applicant's 12/6/2023 Preliminary Amendment to: 1. Replace the Drawings. 2. Amend and replace the instant Specification. 3. Amend the Claims is acknowledged.
Claims Status
Claims 8-13 are currently pending. Claims 1-7 and 14-17 have been canceled.
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 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KITA et al (US 2009/0243120 A1, hereafter Kita).
Re Claim 8, Kita discloses in FIG. 2(A)-2(B) a micro bump, comprising:
an electrically conductive material part (tin 11; [0100]; [0107] and [0189]);
a bonding material part (4/5; [0102]-[0103]) provided on at least a part of an upper portion (top plane) and a lower portion (bottom plane) of the electrically conductive material part (tin 11); and
a plurality of fine trenches (indentations/stripes of 3 on 11; [0097]; [0099]; [0108]-[0109] and [0135]-[0135]) provided in a side surface (vertical walls within hole 1) of the electrically conductive material part (tin 11).
Re Claim 9, Kita discloses micro bump of claim 8, wherein the fine trenches (indentations/stripes of 3 on tin 11) are provided along (around and extending vertically upward on) the entire circumference (distance around tin 11) of the side surface (vertical walls within hole 1) of the electrically conductive material part (tin 11).
Re Claim 10, Kita discloses micro bump of claim 8, wherein the bonding material part (4/5) includes: a first bonding material part (5) provided on the lower portion (bottom plane) of the electrically conductive material part (tin 11); and a second bonding material part (4) provided on the upper portion (top plane) of the electrically conductive material part (tin 11).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kita in view of Lin (US 2019/0214257 A1-IDS prior art).
Re Claim 11, Kita discloses the micro bump of claim 10.
But, fails to disclose the micro bump further comprising: a seed layer provided between the first bonding material part (5) and the electrically conductive material part (tin 11).
However,
Lin discloses in FIG. 7 a micro bump (11/13/11; [0031]; [0037] and [0044]) comprising a seed layer (unseen lower Pd; [0038]) provided between a first bonding material part (lower 11; [0031]) and an electrically conductive material part (Sn or Au 13; [0037]-[0038]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Kita by using the first and second bonding parts of Lin with the electrically conductive material part of Kita, the micro bump further comprising: a seed layer provided between the first bonding material part (5) and the electrically conductive material part (tin 11), to form a micro bump selectively formed with matched electrical and mechanical properties (Lin; [0037]-[0038]).
Re Claim 12, Kita discloses the micro bump of claim 8.
But, fails to disclose the micro bump further comprising: a functional layer provided between the electrically conductive material part (tin 11) and the bonding material part (4/5).
However,
Lin discloses in FIG. 7 a micro bump (11/13/11; [0031]; [0037] and [0044]) comprising a seed layer (unseen upper/lower Pd; [0038]) provided between a bonding material part (upper/lower 11; [0031]) and an electrically conductive material part (Sn or Au 13; [0037]-[0038]).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the structure of Kita by using the first and second bonding parts of Lin with the electrically conductive material part of Kita, the micro bump further comprising: a functional layer provided between the electrically conductive material part (tin 11) and the bonding material part (4/5), to form a micro bump selectively formed with matched electrical and mechanical properties (Lin; [0037]-[0038]).
Re Claim 13, Kita discloses the micro bump of claim 8.
But, fails to disclose wherein the fine trenches are also provided on at least a part of a side surface of the bonding material part.
However, these limitations would be rendered obvious by the addition of the bonding material part of Lin to the electrically conductive material part of Kita (see claims 11-12), such that the modified structure is formed within the fine trench (indentations of 3 on 11) producing hole (1) of Kita, as would be part of the selectively formed micro bump discussed for claims 11-12.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERIC W JONES whose telephone number is (408) 918-9765. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM PT.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, N. Drew Richards can be reached at (571) 272-1736. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERIC W JONES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2892