DETAILED ACTION
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 16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. [US 2024/0030199].
For claim 16, Chen teaches a semiconductor device (see Figs. 12A-12C) comprising:
a first die pad (204 or 112a) comprising a first conductive layer (the first bonding pads 112a and the alignment marks 204 may include a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, tungsten, silver, gold, see [0085]);
a second die pad (112a) adjacent the first die pad, the second die pad comprising a second conductive layer (see [0085]); and
a first fiducial (204 or opening 1223) for aligning the semiconductor device, the first fiducial including a photodefinable material directly coupled to and over one of the first metal layer, the second metal layer, or both the first metal layer and the second metal layer (passivation layer 1219 over both mark 204 and pad 112a, see [0088] and [0089]).
For claim 18, Chen teaches a second fiducial for aligning the semiconductor device, the second fiducial including a photodefinable material formed over the first metal layer, the second metal layer, or both the first metal layer and the second metal layer (the other of 204 or 112a with material 1219 formed thereon, see Figs. 12A-12C).
For claim 20, Chen teaches a semiconductor device (see Figs. 12A-12C) comprising:
a first die pad (204 or 112a); and
a second die pad (112a or 204) adjacent the first die pad; and
a first fiducial (204 or opening 1223) for aligning the semiconductor device, the first fiducial including a material formed over a corner of one of the first die pad, the second die pad, or both the first die pad and the second die pad (material 1219 over the plan corner of mark 204 or edge corner of pad 112a).
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 1-4 and 6-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Tanaka [US 5,128,283].
For claim 1, Chen teaches a semiconductor device (see Figs. 12A-12C) comprising:
a first die pad (204 or 112a) comprising a first metal layer (the first bonding pads 112a and the alignment marks 204 may include a conductive material such as aluminum, copper, tungsten, silver, gold, see [0085]); and
a fiducial (opening 1223) for aligning to the semiconductor device, the fiducial comprising a photodefinable material (passivation layer 1219 over both mark 204 and pad 112a, see [0088] and [0089]);
Chen fails to teach the photodefinable material is at least partially optically transmissive and is configured to be seen through by an alignment camera during alignment of the semiconductor device.
Tanaka teaches the photodefinable material is at least partially optically transmissive and is configured to be seen through by an alignment camera during alignment of the semiconductor device (photoresist are of an optically transparent film, alignment light substantially perfectly reaches to the surface of alignment mark 12 without regard to the thickness and surface evenness of these films).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the mark formed by the material arrangement as taught by Tanaka in the mark as taught by Chen in order to ensure that the alignment mark is visible during measurement prior to further processing using a photoresist.
Tanaka teaches the first fiducial including a photodefinable material (15, see Fig. 1d) directly coupled to and over one of the first metal layer (optical opaque material of metal silicide or aluminum, see col. 5 lines 30-66), the second metal layer, or both the first metal layer and the second metal layer.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the mark formed by the material arrangement as taught by Tanaka in the mark as taught by Chen in order to ensure that the alignment mark is visible during measurement prior to further processing using a photoresist.
For claim 2, Chen teaches a second die pad (112a) adjacent the first die pad, the second die pad comprising a second metal layer (see [0085]); and a second fiducial formed over the second metal layer (boundaries of material 1219).
For claim 3, Chen teaches a space between the first die pad and the second die pad wherein the second fiducial includes the space (material 1219 in the space between the pads 112a).
For claim 4, Chen teaches the fiducial is formed over an active portion of the first die pad (over 1211, see [0081]).
For claim 6, Chen teaches the fiducial is triangular (triangles, see [0087]).
For claim 7, Chen teaches the fiducial comprises a metal alignment feature (metal pads 112a and 204, see [0085] and [0087]).
For claim 8, Chen teaches the metal alignment feature is part of the first metal layer (metal pads 112a and 204, see [0085] and [0087]).
For claim 9, Chen teaches the metal alignment feature is square (square, see [0087]).
For claim 10, Chen teaches the metal alignment feature is stepped (plus shaped, see [0087]).
For claim 11, Chen teaches the metal alignment feature is rectangular (rectangles, see [0087]).
For claim 12, Chen teaches the metal alignment feature is triangular (triangles, see [0087]).
For claim 13, Chen teaches the metal alignment feature is spaced apart from an edge of the fiducial (204 is spaced apart from edge of opening 1223, see Fig. 12C).
Claims 14 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen in view of Tanaka as applied to claim 7 and in further view of Rumsey et al. [US 2005/0014348].
For claims 14 and 15, Chen fails to teach the photodefinable material borders at least one edge of the fiducial, wherein the photodefinable material borders at least two edges of the fiducial.
Rumsey teaches the photodefinable material borders at least one edge of the fiducial, wherein the photodefinable material borders at least two edges of the fiducial (edges of the opening 54 in the resist 80, see Figs. 5A-5C).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the photo-imageable resist edge border as taught by Kim in the fiducial as taught by Chen in order to provide for variable patterns in the fiducial to ensure alignment while minimizing real estate occupied by the mark.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 17, and 19 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 16, and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Komuta et al. [US 2013/0250298] and Kim [US 2023/0197626] teach metal layers that are both for bond pads and alignment marks.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Steven H Whitesell whose telephone number is (571)270-3942. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM (MST).
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, Curt Mayes can be reached at 571-272-1234. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Steven H Whitesell/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1759
Prosecution Insights