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 Species I, claims 1-7, in the reply filed on 7/13/26 is acknowledged.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: where a claim sets forth a plurality of elements or steps, each element or step of the claim should be separated by a line indentation, 37 CFR 1.75(i). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “wherein the at least one recessed area prevents contact of the semiconductor component with the thermal compression bonding head nozzle”. It is unclear as to how contact is prevented when figures 3 and 4 clearly show the thermal compression bonding head nozzle semiconductor component contacting area (12) contacting component (20). For the purposes of this examination, this limitation will be interpreted as “the recessed area of the thermal compression bonding head nozzle does not contact the semiconductor component”.
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)(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 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being clearly anticipated by Seyama et al. (US 2021/0225799 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Seyama discloses:
An apparatus [bonding apparatus (100); figures 1, 2, 7] comprising:
a thermal compression bonding head nozzle [bonding tool (20)] comprising a first region [island (23)] and a second region [base (21)] located on a first side of the thermal compression bonding head nozzle that is configured to face a semiconductor component [see figures 1 and 2],
wherein the first region comprises at least one recessed area [recess (25)] surrounded by a semiconductor component contacting area [lower surface (24)],
wherein the at least one recessed area prevents contact of the semiconductor component with the thermal compression bonding head nozzle [see figure 1], and
wherein the second region surrounds the first region [the base surrounds the island] and has a non-semiconductor component contacting surface [lower surface (21a); figure 2].
Regarding claim 2, Seyama discloses:
wherein the thermal compression bonding head nozzle has a second side [upper surface (22)] that is opposite the first side, wherein the second side is attached to a thermal compression bonding heater [heater (11)].
Regarding claim 3, Seyama discloses:
wherein the first region further comprises a vacuum distribution channel [vacuum hole (30)].
Regarding claim 4, Seyama discloses:
wherein the at least one recessed area is spaced apart from vacuum distribution channel by the semiconductor component contacting area [see figure 2].
Regarding claim 5, Seyama discloses:
wherein the thermal compression bonding head nozzle is composed of a first thermal conductive material [bonding tool (20) is inherently made of a thermal conductive material since it must conduct heat from the heater to chip (60) in order to bond the chip].
Regarding claim 6, Seyama discloses:
further comprising a second thermal conductive material [insulating material (31)] located in the at least one recessed area [figure 7], with the second thermal conductive material has a lower thermal conductivity than the first thermal conductive material [0065].
Regarding claim 7, Seyama discloses:
wherein the first region of the thermal compression bonding head nozzle is vertical offset relative to the second region of the thermal compression bonding head nozzle [see figure 1].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure; see PTO 892.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS J GAMINO whose telephone number is (571)270-5826. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Keith Walker can be reached at 5712723458. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CARLOS J GAMINO/Examiner, Art Unit 1735
/KEITH WALKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1735
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