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) filed on May 13, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS is considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 3, 4, 8 and 14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 3, line 3, “a first inter intermetallic compound” should read --a first intermetallic compound--.
In claim 4, lines 1-2, “the first inter intermetallic compound” should read --the first intermetallic compound--.
In claim 8, lines 2-3, “the second region and the third region of the first barrier layer” should read --the second region and the third region of the first surface of the first barrier layer--.
In claim 14, lines 6-7, “a first cap layers” should read --a first cap layer--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(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.
Claims 7-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) or 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Lin et al US 8,803,337.
Regarding claim 7, Lin teaches a package structure (e.g., Figs. 1-4; the description thereof), comprising:
a first substrate (e.g., 30, Fig. 3);
a first bump structure (e.g., first bump structure including 42 and 44, Fig. 3) formed over a first side (e.g., upper side of 30, Fig. 3) of the first substrate, wherein the first bump structure comprises:
a first barrier layer (e.g., 44, Fig. 3) having a first surface (e.g., lower surface of 44, Fig. 3), a second surface (e.g., upper surface of 44, Fig. 3) opposite to the first surface, and a first sidewall surface (e.g., sidewall surface of 44 connecting the first and second surfaces discussed above, Fig. 3) connecting the first surface and the second surface in a first direction (e.g., D1; see the annotated Fig. 3 below); and
a first pillar layer (e.g., 42, Fig. 3), wherein the first pillar layer is in contact with a first region (e.g., a region of the first surface (discussed above), which is in contact with 42, Fig. 3) of the first surface of the first barrier layer in the first direction while exposing a second region (e.g., a region of the first surface (discussed above) at the left side of the first region (discussed above), Fig. 3) and a third region (e.g., a region of the first surface (discussed above) at the right side of the first region (discussed above), Fig. 3) of the first surface of the first barrier layer; and
a first underfill layer (e.g., 170, Fig. 1) surrounding the first bump structure in a second direction (e.g., D2; see the annotated Fig. 3 below) different from the first direction,
wherein the first underfill layer (e.g., 170, Fig. 1) is in contact with the second region and the third region of the first surface of the first barrier layer in the first direction (e.g., Fig. 1, Fig. 3).
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Annotated Fig. 3 of Lin
Regarding claim 8, Lin teaches the package structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first region of the first barrier layer is sandwiched between the second region and the third region of the first barrier layer in the second direction (e.g., Fig. 3; see the discussion with respect to claim 7 above).
Regarding claim 9, Lin teaches the package structure as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first underfill layer is in contact with the first sidewall surface of the first barrier layer in the second direction (e.g., Fig. 3, Fig. 1; see the discussion with respect to claim 7 above).
Regarding claim 10, Lin teaches the package structure as claimed in claim 7, further comprising: a second substrate (e.g., 10, Fig. 3); a second bump structure (e.g., second bump structure including 22 and 24, Fig. 3) formed over the second substrate and bonded to the first bump structure through a solder joint (e.g., 50, Fig. 3).
Regarding claim 11, Lin teaches the package structure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the second bump structure comprises: a second barrier layer (e.g., 24, Fig. 3) having a third surface (e.g., upper surface of 24, Fig. 3), a fourth surface (e.g., lower surface of 24, Fig. 3) opposite to the third surface, and a second sidewall surface (e.g., sidewall surface of 24 connecting the first and second surfaces discussed above, Fig. 3) connecting the third surface and the fourth surface in the first direction; and a second pillar layer (e.g., 22, Fig. 3), wherein the second pillar layer (e.g., 22, Fig. 3) is in contact with a first region (e.g., a region of the first surface (discussed above), which is in contact with 22, Fig. 3) of the third surface of the second barrier layer in the first direction while exposing a second region (e.g., a region of the third surface (discussed above) at the left side of the first region (discussed above), Fig. 3) and a third region (e.g., a region of the third surface (discussed above) at the right side of the first region (discussed above), Fig. 3) of the third surface of the second barrier layer.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1,2, 5 and 6 are allowed at this time, pending updated search before the Examiner's next response, because the prior art of record neither anticipates nor render obvious the limitation of the base claim 1 that recites “through vias formed through the first substrate; redistribution layers formed over the first substrate and connected to the through vias; a first pillar layer formed over the redistribution layers; a first barrier layer formed over the first pillar layer; a first cap layer formed over the first barrier layer; and an underfill layer formed over the redistribution layers and surrounding the first pillar layer, the first barrier layer, and the first cap layer, wherein the first barrier layer has a first protruding portion laterally extending outside a first sidewall surface of the first pillar layer and a second sidewall surface of the first cap layer, and the underfill layer is in contact with the first sidewall surface of the first pillar layer, the second sidewall surface of the first cap layer, and a bottom surface of the first protruding portion of the first barrier layer” in combination with other elements of the base claim 1.
Claims 3 and 4 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the claim objection, set forth in this Office action.
Claim 12 and 13 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 14-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the claim objection, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
The art made of record and not applied to the rejection is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. It is cited primarily to show inventions relevant to the examination of the instant invention. For example, Chen et al. US 9,355,980 and Hsiao et al. US 9,443,813 relate to a package structure including intermetallic compounds in a solder joint.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bo Bin Jang whose telephone number is (571) 270-0271. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Eva Montalvo can be reached at (571) 270-3829. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BO B JANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2818 October 3, 2026
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