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
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species A (Fig. 1-3,6 and 9; Claims 1, 2, 5, 6, 9-11) in the reply filed on 08/31/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 3, 4, 7, 8 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 08/31/2026.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 6, 10, 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nishihata (US 2023/0317599 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Nishihata (Fig. 1) discloses a semiconductor apparatus comprising:
a semiconductor substrate (200), on a front surface of which a semiconductor device (IGBT in first active region 281) is formed;
a surface electrode (211) formed on the front surface and connected to the semiconductor device;
a metal film (212) formed on the surface electrode;
a suppression film (240) formed on the surface electrode (211) and configured to suppress the spread of solder (310) applied on the metal film (212); and
a thermally conductive film (260; Al base, Ni top) formed further on an outer periphery side than the metal film (212) and the suppression film (240) on the surface electrode (211), thicker than the metal film (212), and having higher thermal conductivity than the suppression film (polyimide).
Regarding Claim 2, Nishihata discloses the semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising
a protective film (250) configured to cover a terminal end of the surface electrode (250) further on the outer periphery side than the thermally conductive film (260), wherein
the suppression film (250) is formed of a same material as the protective film (polyimide).
Regarding Claim 6, Nishihata discloses the semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the suppression film (250) is formed on the surface electrode to surround an outer periphery of the metal film (212) in plan view (Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 10, Nishihata discloses the semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the semiconductor device is formed by a wide band gap semiconductor. (0027 SiC)
Regarding Claim 11, Nishihata discloses the semiconductor apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the wide band gap semiconductor is silicon carbide, a gallium nitride-based material, or diamond. (0027 SiC)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishihata (US 2023/0317599 A1).
Regarding Claim 5, Nishihata discloses the semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
Nishihata does not explicitly disclose that the thermally conductive film is formed of a same material as the surface electrode.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the semiconductor apparatus in Nishihata such that the thermally conductive film is formed of a same material as the surface electrode since the selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use supported a prima facie obviousness determination in Sinclair & Carroll Co. v. Interchemical Corp., 325 U.S. 327, 65 USPQ 297 (1945) (See MPEP 2144.07).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishihata (US 2023/0317599 A1) in view Fukutani et al. (US 2024/0072045 A1).
Regarding Claim 9, Nishihata discloses the semiconductor apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the semiconductor device is an IGBT. (0027).
Nishihata does not explicitly disclose an RC-IGBT.
Fukutani (Fig. 4) discloses RC-IGBT. [0062, 0091]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the semiconductor apparatus in Nishihata in view of Fukutani such that the semiconductor device is an RC-IGBT in order to utilize entire footprint for both conduction states and allow for higher current output and for RC-IGBT to exhibit a desired function [0091]
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DMITRIY YEMELYANOV whose telephone number is (571)270-7920. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9a.m.-6p.m.
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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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/DMITRIY YEMELYANOV/Examiner, Art Unit 2891
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