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
The 6/30/2026 "Reply" elects with traverse Invention I and identifies as reading on claims 1-13.
In the restriction requirement Examiner has set forth why the restriction requirement is proper. Applicant contends that the Office action merely restates a structural feature already recited in claim 1 and as such has not shown that the product can be made my another and materially different process and that serious burden has not been shown. This argument is not persuasive. In the instant case the product as claimed can be made by another and materially different process such as a process that separates a set of metal layers from each other by a set of dielectric layers. Product claim 1 requires this and nothing in method claim 14 requires such a feature. As such, the Office action has shown the product as claimed can be made by another and materially different process. Further, there would be a serious search and/or examination burden if restriction were not required because at least the following reason(s) apply: the inventions require a different field of search (e.g., searching different classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search strategies or search queries). Accordingly, the restriction requirement is maintained and Examiner has withdrawn claims 14-20 from further consideration as being drawn to a non-elected invention. See, for example, 37 CFR § 1.142(b).
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 1, 3, 6, 8-10, 12, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ecton (US Pub. No. 2024/0079334).
Regarding claim 1, in FIG. 2, Ecton discloses a device comprising: a substrate (201/204) including: a set of metal layers (236/224/236/244), separated from one another by a set of dielectric layers (222/207), the set of metal layers defining a first set of metal lines and a second set of metal lines; a first set of conductive pillars (256) configured to be electrically connected to a first die (208); a second set of conductive pillars (240) interconnecting the first set of metal lines to the first set of conductive pillars; a first set of pads (210) configured to be electrically connected to the first die; and a first set of conductive vias (232) interconnecting the second set of metal lines to the first set of pads; wherein the first set of conductive pillars extend from a surface of the substrate.
Regarding claim 3, in FIG. 2, Ecton discloses a second set of pads (220) configured to be electrically coupled to a second die (216); a third set of conductive pillars (260) configured to be electrically connected to the second die; and a fourth set of conductive pillars (248) interconnecting the first set of metal lines to the third set of conductive pillars to interconnect the first die to the second die.
Regarding claim 6, in FIG. 2, Ecton discloses that the first set of pads have first characteristic dimensions (e.g. width) and the first set of conductive pillars have second characteristic dimensions (e.g. width), and wherein the first characteristic dimensions are greater than the second characteristic dimensions.
Regarding claim 8, in FIG. 2, Ecton discloses that a conductive pillar of the second set of conductive pillars (240) includes a conductive material extending from a lower line (e.g. 224) formed at a lower metal layer to an upper line (244) formed at an upper metal layer, wherein a dielectric layer (207) is between the lower metal layer and the upper metal layer, and wherein an interface between the upper line and the conductive material is below an upper surface (surface that faces 208) of the dielectric layer.
Regarding claim 9, in FIG. 2, Ecton discloses that the first die corresponds to a first chiplet and the second die corresponds to a second chiplet (paragraph [0017]).
Regarding claim 10, in FIGs. 2-3, Ecton discloses a device comprising: a first die (208) comprising first circuitry (integrated circuit, paragraph [0031]); a second die (216) comprising second circuitry (integrated circuit, paragraph [0031]); and a substrate (201/204) configured to electrically connect the first circuitry to the second circuitry and to electrically connect the first circuitry, the second circuitry, or both, to one or more off-package devices (paragraph [0040]), the substrate comprising: a set of metal layers (236/224/236/244), separated from one another by a set of dielectric layers (222/207), the set of metal layers defining a first set of metal lines and a second set of metal lines; a first set of conductive pillars (256) electrically connected to the first die; a first set of pads (210) electrically connected to the first die; a second set of conductive pillars (240) interconnecting the first set of metal lines to the first set of conductive pillars; a first set of conductive vias (232) interconnecting the second set of metal lines to the first set of pads; a third set of conductive pillars (260) electrically connected to the second die; a second set of pads (220) electrically connected to the second die; a fourth set of conductive pillars (248) interconnecting the first set of metal lines to the third set of conductive pillars to interconnect the first die to the second die; and a second set of conductive vias (rightmost 232s) interconnecting the second set of metal lines to the second set of pads; wherein the first set of conductive pillars and the third set of conductive pillars extend from a surface of the substrate.
Regarding claim 12, in FIGs. 2-3, Ecton discloses that the first set of pads (210) have first characteristic dimensions (e.g. width) and the first set of conductive pillars (256) have second characteristic dimensions (e.g. width), and wherein the first characteristic dimensions are greater than the second characteristic dimensions.
Regarding claim 13, in FIGs. 2-3, Ecton discloses that the first die corresponds to a first chiplet and the second die corresponds to a second chiplet (paragraph [0017]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4-5, 7, and 11 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, the prior art failed to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed device particularly characterized by a smallest distance between pillars of the first set of conductive pillars is smaller than a smallest distance between pads of the first set of pads.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art failed to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed device particularly characterized by multiple metal lines of the first set of metal lines are between the first pillar and the second pillar.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art failed to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed device particularly characterized by a first pitch of the first set of pads is greater than 90 micrometers, and wherein a second pitch of the first set of conductive pillars is less than 80 micrometers, in combination with the features of claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art failed to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed device particularly characterized by the second set of conductive pillars have a first characteristic horizonal dimension and the first set of conductive vias have a second characteristic horizonal dimension, and wherein the first characteristic horizonal dimension is smaller than the second characteristic horizonal dimension, in combination with the features of claim 1.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art failed to disclose or reasonably suggest the claimed device particularly characterized by multiple metal lines of the first set of metal lines are between the first pillar and the second pillar.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUCKER J WRIGHT whose telephone number is (571)270-3234. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Landau can be reached at 571-272-1731. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUCKER J WRIGHT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2891
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