CTNF 18/621,250 CTNF 84142 DETAILED ACTION Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-5 and 9-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Hsieh et al. (US 2022/0359339 A1; hereinafter “Hsieh”) . Regarding claim 1, referring to Fig. 9A and related text, Hsieh teaches an integrated circuit (IC) package assembly, comprising: a package substrate (20) (paragraphs 12-13); a die (46 including 46A and 46B) mounted on the package substrate (paragraphs 17-18); a graphite thermal interface material (TIM) layer (64A comprising graphite) on the die (paragraphs 23-25); a spacer frame (66/63) on the die and disposed along sidewalls of the graphite TIM layer (paragraph 30); an adhesive TIM layer (64B attached to 32) on the die and disposed along outer sidewalls of the spacer frame (paragraphs 64-65); and a metal lid (70) on the graphite TIM layer (paragraph 32), wherein the spacer frame separates the adhesive TIM layer from the graphite TIM layer (Fig. 9A). Regarding claim 2, Hsieh teaches wherein the adhesive TIM layer is a thermal gel or a thermal adhesive having a base material and a filler, wherein the base material includes silicone, polyolefin, resin, or epoxy, wherein the filler includes aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum nitride, boron nitride, or diamond powder (64B having a thermal conductivity and formed of a base-material and filler particles mixed in the base material, wherein the base-material is formed of resin-based material and the filler particles are formed of aluminum oxide) (paragraphs 24-25). Regarding claim 3, Hsieh teaches further comprising: a base adhesive (68) on a perimeter frame of the package substrate (a perimeter portion of 20), wherein the metal lid is secured onto the perimeter frame through the base adhesive, wherein the metal lid is secured onto the die through the adhesive TIM layer (Fig. 9A and paragraph 31). Regarding claim 4, Hsieh teaches wherein the metal lid directly lands on the graphite TIM layer and the spacer frame (Fig. 9A). Regarding claim 5, Hsieh teaches wherein the spacer frame encloses an area having an inner length and an inner width, wherein the inner length is greater than a length of the graphite TIM layer, and the inner width is greater than a width of the graphite TIM layer (a width/length of 66/63 is greater than 64A) (Figs. 9A and 10). Regarding claim 9, Hsieh teaches wherein the graphite TIM layer includes a graphite filler embedded in a base material (64A formed of a base-material and filler particles formed of graphite), and the graphite filler has a vertically laminated structure (graphite sheets/stacks) (paragraph 25). Regarding claim 10, referring to Fig. 9A and related text, Hsieh teaches an integrated circuit (IC) package assembly, comprising: a package substrate (20) (paragraphs 12-13); a first die (46A) mounted on the package substrate (paragraphs 17-18); a first thermal interface material (TIM) layer (64A) disposed on a center portion of the first die (paragraph 23); a spacer frame (66/63) disposed on perimeter portions of the first die and along sidewalls of the first TIM layer (paragraph 30); a second die (46B) mounted on the package substrate (paragraphs 17-18); a second TIM layer (64B) disposed on a center portion of the second die (paragraph 24); and a metal lid (70) disposed on the first and the second TIM layers (paragraph 32), wherein the first TIM layer and the second TIM layer include different materials (paragraphs 25-26). Regarding claim 11, Hsieh teaches wherein the first TIM layer includes graphite (64A comprises graphite), and the second TIM layer includes aluminum, magnesium, boron, diamond, or silver (64B comprises aluminum oxide) (paragraph 25). Regarding claim 12, Hsieh teaches further comprising: an adhesive gel (64B attached to 32) disposed on the first die along outer sidewalls of the spacer frame, wherein the spacer frame separates the adhesive gel from the first TIM layer, wherein the adhesive gel glues the metal lid to the first die (Fig. 9A and paragraphs 24-25). Regarding claim 13, Hsieh teaches wherein top surfaces of the first TIM layer and the spacer frame is substantially coplanar (Fig. 9A). Regarding claim 14, Hsieh teaches wherein the spacer frame completely surrounds the first TIM layer (63 as the spacer frame completely surrounding 64A) (Figs. 9A, 9B and 10 and paragraph 39). Regarding claim 15, Hsieh teaches wherein the spacer frame include corner portions that extend diagonally from corners of the spacer frame (63 as the spacer frame extending diagonally to corners as shown in Fig. 10) (Figs. 9A, 9B, and 10). Regarding claim 16, Hsieh teaches wherein the spacer frame only partially surrounds the first TIM layer (66/63 not covering a bottom of 64A) (Fig. 9A). Regarding claim 17, Hsieh teaches a method of forming an integrated circuit (IC) package assembly, comprising: forming a die (46A) over a package substrate (20) (Fig. 2 and paragraphs 12-18); forming a graphite thermal interface material (TIM) layer (64A comprising graphite) on the die (Fig. 3 and paragraphs 23-25); forming a spacer frame (66/63) on the die and along sidewalls of the graphite TIM layer (Fig. 5 and paragraph 30); and securing a metal lid (70) over the package substrate, wherein the metal lid directly lands on a top surface of the graphite TIM layer and the spacer frame (Fig. 7 and paragraph 32). Regarding claim 18, Hsieh teaches wherein the forming of the spacer frame further includes: placing the spacer frame to at least partially surround sidewalls of the graphite TIM layer (Figs. 4A and 5 and paragraphs 24 and 30); and dispensing an adhesive TIM (64 attached to 32) adjacent the spacer frame on perimeter portions of the die (Fig. 5 and paragraphs 64-65). Regarding claim 19, Hsieh teaches wherein the graphite TIM layer is formed to have a first height (a height of 64A as a soft film prior to rolling and pushed toward 32), the spacer frame is formed to have a second height (a height of 66/63 in Fig. 7), and the first height is greater than the second height (the height of 64A prior to rolling and pushed toward 32 would be greater than the height of 66/63) (paragraph 23). Regarding claim 20, Hsieh teaches wherein the securing of the metal lid includes compressing the graphite TIM layer until the metal lid presses against the top surface of the spacer frame (70 is pushed down against 64A and 64B), wherein after the securing of the metal lid, the first height becomes the second height (Fig. 7 and paragraph 32) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim s 1 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang et al. (US 2023/0065147 A1; hereinafter “Wang”) in view of Hsieh . Regarding claim 1, referring to Fig. 6 and related text, Wang teaches an integrated circuit (IC) package assembly, comprising: a package substrate (SUB) (paragraph 31); a die (100) mounted on the package substrate (paragraph 32); a thermal interface material (TIM) layer (a center/inner portion of 204) on the die (paragraph 36); a spacer frame (306) on the die and disposed along sidewalls of the TIM layer (paragraphs 61-62); an adhesive TIM layer (outer portions of 204) on the die and disposed along outer sidewalls of the spacer frame (paragraph 36); and a metal lid (302) on the TIM layer (paragraphs 50 and 61), wherein the spacer frame separates the adhesive TIM layer from the TIM layer (Fig. 6). Wang does not explicitly teach that the TIM layer having a high thermal conductivity comprises graphite. Hsieh teaches an integrated circuit (IC) package assembly, comprising: a TIM layer having a high thermal conductivity and comprises graphite (Fig. 3 and paragraphs 23-25). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teaching of Wang with that of Hsieh in order to utilize graphite as a readily available high thermal conductive material for providing the high thermal conductive TIM layer. Regarding claim 6, Wang in view of Hsieh teaches wherein the spacer frame has a greater elastic modulus than the graphite TIM layer (306 formed of copper, which is identical material choice to that of the invention, would have a greater elastic modulus than 64A from Hsieh formed as the graphite TIM layer having a based material with graphite filler, which is also identical material choice to that of the invention) (Wang, paragraph 50 and Hsieh, paragraph 25). Regarding claim 7, Wang in view of Hsieh teaches wherein the spacer frame completely surrounds the graphite TIM layer (Wang, Figs. 6-7A, 306 completely covering 204 and Hsieh for the graphite TIM layer). While Wang does not explicitly teach the spacer frame (306) not covering corner portions of the graphite TIM layer (Fig. 7A), Wang does not limit the arrangement of the spacer frame (paragraph 64). Then, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a different shape of the spacer frame from Wang, including the shape not covering the corners of the TIM layer as a mere design choice for obtaining the predictable spacer frame characteristics. Regarding claim 8, Wang teaches wherein the spacer frame includes: a first loop (306) that completely surrounds the graphite TIM layer (Fig. 7A); and a second loop (304) that completely surrounds the first loop, wherein the first and the second loops are distanced away from each other (Fig. 7A and paragraph 61). Pertinent Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Chen et al. (US 2023/0062454 A1) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL B WHALEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3418. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8AM-5PM. 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, Sue Purvis can be reached on (571)272-1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /DANIEL WHALEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 2 Art Unit: 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 3 Art Unit: 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 4 Art Unit: 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 5 Art Unit: 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 6 Art Unit: 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 7 Art Unit: 2893 Application/Control Number: 18/621,250 Page 8 Art Unit: 2893
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