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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on April 24, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on April 22, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al (US Pub 2019/0131276).
In re claim 1, Chen et al discloses a wafer-bonding method (i.e. see at least Figures 1A, 1B, 7; paragraphs 0016-0025, 0071) comprising: overlaying a first wafer (i.e. C) and a second wafer (i.e. 10) with each other, wherein the first wafer comprises a transparent or translucent material (i.e. glass) having first alignment marks (i.e. AM) thereon, and wherein the second wafer comprises second alignment marks (i.e. 118) (i.e. see at least paragraph 0017); providing light through the first wafer to check alignment of the first alignment marks with the second alignment marks (i.e. alignment marks AM may be used for aligning the carrier C with the to-be-formed isolation structures 118 during a photolithography process to mount the wafer 10 over the carrier C); bonding the first wafer to the second wafer (i.e. see at least paragraph 0025); and removing the transparent or translucent material while the first alignment marks remain bonded to the second wafer (i.e. see at least paragraph 0071: the dielectric layer DI may be de-bonded from the de-bonding layer DB, such that the dielectric layer DI is separated or delaminated from the de-bonding layer DB and the carrier C).
In re claim 2, Chen et al discloses wherein providing the light comprises providing the light through a release material (i.e. DB) that is between the transparent or translucent material and the first alignment marks (i.e. see at least paragraph 0071).
In re claim 3, Chen et al discloses wherein the release material (i.e. DB) is removed along with the transparent or translucent material (i.e. see at least paragraph 0071).
In re claim 4, Chen et al discloses wherein the light comprises first light, and wherein second light comprising ultraviolet light is used to remove the release material (i.e. see at least paragraph 0071).
In re claim 5, Chen et al discloses wherein the release material is thinner than the transparent or translucent material and thinner than the first alignment marks (i.e. see at Figures 1A and 1B; layer DB is thinner than wafer C and alignment marks AM).
In re claim 6, Chen et al discloses wherein the transparent or translucent material comprises glass or quartz (i.e. see at least paragraph 0016).
In re claim 16, Chen et al discloses a wafer-bonding method (i.e. see at least Figures 1A, 1B, 7; paragraphs 0016-0025, 0071) comprising: providing a first wafer (i.e. C) over a second wafer (i.e. 10), wherein the first wafer comprises a transparent or translucent material (i.e. glass) having a release material (i.e. DB) thereon and first alignment marks (i.e. AM) thereon, and wherein the second wafer comprises second alignment marks (i.e. 118); providing light through the transparent or translucent material and the release material to check alignment of the first alignment marks with the second alignment marks (i.e. alignment marks AM may be used for aligning the carrier C with the to-be-formed isolation structures 118 during a photolithography process to mount the wafer 10 over the carrier C); bonding the first wafer to the second wafer, after providing the light through the transparent or translucent material and the release material (i.e. see at least paragraph 0025); and removing the transparent or translucent material and the release material while the first alignment marks remain bonded to the second wafer (i.e. see at least paragraph 0071: the dielectric layer DI may be de-bonded from the de-bonding layer DB, such that the dielectric layer DI is separated or delaminated from the de-bonding layer DB and the carrier C).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-15, 17, and 18 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.
Claims 19 and 20 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: The closest prior art of Chen et al (US Pub 2019/0131276) either singularly or in combination fails to either anticipate or render obvious a wafer-bonding method comprising: forming a release material on a first wafer that comprises a transparent or translucent material; forming a bonding material on the release material; etching the bonding material to form first alignment marks; and providing the first wafer over a second wafer, wherein the second wafer comprises second alignment marks; providing light through the transparent or translucent material and the release material to check alignment of the first alignment marks with the second alignment marks; bonding the first alignment marks to an adhesive layer that is on the second wafer, after providing the light through the transparent or translucent material and the release material; and removing the transparent or translucent material and the release material while the first alignment marks remain bonded to the adhesive layer that is on the second wafer as recited in claim 19.
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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANTHONY HO whose telephone number is (571)270-1432. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Marlon Fletcher can be reached at 571-272-2063. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANTHONY HO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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