DETAILED ACTION
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s application 18/420.348 filed on March 28, 2024 in which claims 1 to 20 are pending.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings submitted on March 28, 2024 have been reviewed and accepted by the Examiner.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statements (IDS), filed on September 15, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosed therein has been considered by the Examiner.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-4 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 15-17 and 20 of copending Application No. 10/276,316 (‘316). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because as discussed below.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Table 1 – Comparison of Pending Claims to ‘316 Claims
Pending Claims
‘316 Claims
1. A bevel sealing system comprising: a dispensing chamber comprising:
a first chuck configured to support a workpiece,
the workpiece comprising a first wafer bonded to a second wafer, wherein the first wafer and the second wafer comprise beveled edges;
a sealant dispenser configured to apply sealant along a perimeter of a bonding interface between the first wafer and the second wafer;
a first Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) camera configured to capture 2-dimensional (2D) images of edges of the workpiece; and
a first laser edge profiler configured to measure and collect profile data of the edges of the workpiece.
15. A bevel sealing system comprising: a dispensing chamber comprising:
a first chuck configured to support a workpiece
using a first vacuum,
the workpiece comprising a first wafer bonded to a second wafer, wherein the first wafer and the second wafer comprise beveled edges;
a first Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) camera configured to capture 2-dimensional (2D) images of edges of the workpiece; and
a first laser edge profiler configured to measure and collect profile data of the edges of the workpiece; and
a cleaning chamber comprising: a second chuck configured to support the workpiece using a second vacuum; a second CCD camera configured to capture 2D images of the edges of the workpiece; and a second laser edge profiler configured to measure and collect profile data of the edges of the workpiece.
16. The bevel sealing system of claim 15, further comprising
a sealant dispenser configured to apply sealant along a perimeter of a bonding interface between the first wafer and the second wafer.
2. The bevel sealing system of claim 1, further comprising
a data processor configured to reconstruct a 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the edges of the workpiece using the 2D images of the edges of the workpiece and the profile data of the edges of the workpiece.
17. The bevel sealing system of claim 15, further comprising
a data processor configured to reconstruct a first 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the edges of the workpiece using the 2D images of the edges of the workpiece captured by the first CCD camera and the profile data of the edges of the workpiece captured by the first laser edge profiler.
3. The bevel sealing system of claim 1, further comprising:
a cleaning chamber comprising:
a second chuck configured to support the workpiece;
a second CCD camera configured to capture 2D images of the edges of the workpiece; and
a second laser edge profiler configured to measure and collect profile data of the edges of the workpiece.
a cleaning chamber comprising:
a second chuck configured to support the workpiece using a second vacuum;
a second CCD camera configured to capture 2D images of the edges of the workpiece; and
a second laser edge profiler configured to measure and collect profile data of the edges of the workpiece
4. The bevel sealing system of claim 3, wherein the cleaning chamber further comprises one or more cleaning brushes configured to come into contact with the edges of the workpiece.
20. The bevel sealing system of claim 15, wherein the cleaning chamber further comprises one or more cleaning brushes configured to come into contact with the edges of the workpiece.
Regarding claim 1 and referring to Table 1, Examiner observes the subject matter of claim 1 is recited and described of claim 16 of the ‘316 Application.
Regarding claim 3, claim 15 of the ‘315 describes this subject matter of claim 3.
Regarding claims 2 and 4, claims 17 and 20 of the ‘316 Application suggests this subject matter is a useful modification of claim 1.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is 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 5 the prior art does not teach the apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sealant dispenser is also configured to apply the sealant in a first space between a first beveled edge of the first wafer and a second beveled edge of the second wafer.
Claims 6-20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 6 the prior art fails to disclose a method of forming a bevel seal, the method comprising: bonding a front side of a device wafer to a carrier wafer to form a workpiece, wherein a first space is disposed between a first beveled edge of the device wafer and a second beveled edge of the carrier wafer, the first space also extending along a perimeter of a bonding interface between the device wafer and the carrier wafer; performing a first inspection of edges of the workpiece, wherein the first inspection comprises: capturing a first set of 2-dimensional (2D) images of the edges of the workpiece using a first Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) camera; and measuring and collecting a first set of profile data of the edges of the workpiece using a first laser edge profiler; and reconstructing a first 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the edges of the workpiece using the first set of 2D images of the edges of the workpiece and the first set of profile data of the edges of the workpiece.
Claims 7-14 depend directly or indirectly on claim 6 and are allowable on that basis.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art fails to disclose a method comprising: bonding an interconnect structure of a first wafer to a second wafer to form a wafer stack, wherein a first space is disposed between a lower beveled edge of the second wafer and an upper beveled edge of the first wafer, the first space extending along a perimeter of a bonding interface between the first wafer and the second wafer; forming a bevel seal in the first space along the perimeter of the bonding interface between the first wafer and the second wafer, wherein forming the bevel seal comprises: measuring and collecting a first set of profile data of edges of the wafer stack using a first laser edge profiler; and reconstructing a first 3-dimensional (3D) representation of the edges of the wafer stack using the first set of profile data of the edges of the wafer stack; determining a volume of sealant to be dispensed into the first space in order to fill the first space, wherein the volume of the sealant to be dispensed into the first space is determined using the first 3D representation of the edges of the wafer stack; and dispensing the sealant into the first space that extends along the perimeter of the bonding interface between the first wafer and the second wafer.
Claims 16-20 depend directly or indirectly on claim 15 and are allowable on that basis.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed on the notice of references cited.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joe Schoenholtz whose telephone number is (571)270-5475. The examiner can normally be reached M-Thur 7 AM to 7 PM PST.
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, Ms. Yara Green can be reached at (571) 272-3035. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.E. Schoenholtz/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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