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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-5, 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wood et al. (US 6,773,938 B2, hereinafter “Wood”), in view of Pagani (US 2010/0164526 A1, hereinafter “Pagani”).
As to claim 1, Wood discloses in Figs. 9-10B, 12-16a probe head structure (probe card assembly; FIG. 16), comprising: a flexible substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface (substrate 200, front face 202 as top surface, back face 204 as bottom surface; FIGS. 4-16); a first probe pillar passing through the flexible substrate (conductor 222 filling hole 210 in substrate 200; FIGS. 9-16); wherein the first probe pillar has a first protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface (exposed pin length P forming pin 226 protruding beyond etched back face 206; FIGS. 12-16), the first protruding portion has an end surface, a first sidewall, and a second sidewall (pin 226 has contact surface 224 at tip and sidewalls shown in cross-section; FIGS. 12-16), the end surface is a planar surface facing away from the flexible substrate and connected between the first sidewall and the second sidewall (contact surface 224 planar/flat, facing away from substrate, connected between sidewalls; FIGS. 12-16); a redistribution structure on the top surface of the flexible substrate and the first probe pillar (patterned overburden on front face 202 forming redistribution traces extending from conductors 222; FIGS. 9-10B), wherein the redistribution structure is in direct contact with the flexible substrate and the first probe pillar (patterned overburden directly on front face 202 and on conductors 222; FIGS. 9-10B; top layer contacting substrate 202 and pillars 222); FIGS. 9-10B.wiring substrate over the redistribution structure (backing member/wiring substrate attached over redistribution; FIG. 16; shown over redistribution in FIG. 16).and a first conductive bump connected between the wiring substrate and the redistribution structure(solder balls/bumps connecting backing to redistribution traces; FIG. 16; shown between backing and redistribution in FIG. 16). Wood does not disclose a distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall increases toward the flexible substrate. However, Pagani discloses in Figs. 10A-B, a distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall increases toward the flexible substrate (130; probe 135 with tapered sidewalls widening toward substrate/pillars 130; FIGS. 10A-10B); Element 135 (probe beam), sidewalls (unlabeled, widening toward pillars 320/355 and substrate 130)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Wood’s protruding pin 226 with Pagani’s tapered geometry for enhancing mechanical stability, improving elastic deformation during contact, and reducing misalignment risk in fine-pitch probing. As to claim 2, Wood discloses in Figs. 9-10B, wherein the redistribution structure is softer than the substrate (patterned overburden thinner/softer on flexible substrate 200; FIGS. 9-10B). As to claim 3, Wood discloses in Figs. 9-10B, wherein the redistribution structure is thinner than the substrate (patterned overburden thin vs. thicker substrate 200; FIGS. 9-10B). As to claim 4, Wood discloses in Figs. FIGS. 10A-10B, 12-16, further comprising: a second probe pillar passing through the substrate, wherein the second probe pillar has a second protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface, the second probe pillar is adjacent to the first probe pillar (multiple adjacent conductors 222 with protruding pins 226; FIGS. 12-16), the redistribution structure has a first conductive pad and a second conductive pad adjacent to the first conductive pad, and a first distance between the first conductive pad and the second conductive pad is greater than a second distance between the first probe pillar and the second probe pillar (fan-out traces/pads wider than pillar spacing; FIGS. 10A-10B). As to claim 5, Wood discloses in Figs. 9-10B, wherein an end surface of the first probe pillar is substantially level with the top surface of the substrate (conductor 222 end level with front face 202; FIGS. 9-10B). As to claim 8, Wood discloses in Figs. 12-16 wherein the entire first probe pillar has a straight-line shape in a cross-sectional view of the first probe pillar (straight conductors 222/pins 226; FIGS. 12-16). As to claim 9, Wood discloses further comprising: a circuit board over the wiring substrate; and a second conductive bump connected between the wiring substrate and the circuit board (backing connects to larger test circuit board via additional bumps; FIG. 16). Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wood in view of Pagani, and further in view of Yamagishi et al (US 2004/0239349 A1, hereinafter “Yamagishi”). As to claim 6, Wood in view of Pagani discloses the probe head structure of claim 1, but does not disclose further comprising: a device bonded with the redistribution structure and electrically connected to the first probe pillar through the wiring structure of the redistribution structure. However, Yamagishi discloses in Figs. 3-4, further comprising: a device bonded with the redistribution structure and electrically connected to the first probe pillar through the wiring structure of the redistribution structure (thin-film capacitor 20 embedded/bonded in build-up redistribution layer 14, connected to probes 16; FIGS. 3-4). It would have been obvious to incorporate Yamagishi’s embedded capacitor in Wood’s redistribution to minimize inductance and noise in high-speed testing. As to claim 7, the combination discloses wherein the first conductive bump is thicker than the device (solder bumps thicker than thin-film capacitor 20; FIG. 16 in Wood; FIG. 3 in Yamagishi). 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) 10-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wood. As to claim 10, Wood discloses a probe head structure (probe card assembly; FIG. 16), comprising: a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface (substrate 200, front 202, back 204; FIGS. 4-16). a probe pillar passing through the substrate (conductor 222 in hole 210; FIGS. 9-16), wherein the probe pillar has a protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface (pin 226; FIGS. 12-16), and the probe pillar comprises a conductive pillar and a seed layer between the conductive pillar and the substrate and surrounding the conductive pillar (conductive metal 220/222 with intermediate layer 215 on hole walls for seeding/adhesion/barrier, surrounding pillar; FIGS. 5-9). a redistribution structure over the top surface of the substrate and the probe pillar (patterned overburden/redistribution traces; FIGS. 9-10B), wherein a first sidewall of the redistribution structure is substantially level with a second sidewall of the substrate (sidewalls aligned after singulation; FIG. 16); a wiring substrate over the redistribution structure (backing member; FIG. 16); and a conductive bump connected between the wiring substrate and the redistribution structure (solder balls; FIG. 16). As to claim 11, Wood discloses in Figs. 9-10B, wherein the seed layer is between the conductive pillar and the redistribution structure (intermediate layer 215 extends to front face contacting overburden; FIGS. 9-10B). As to claim 12, Wood discloses in Figs. 9, wherein an end surface of the seed layer is substantially level with a third sidewall of the conductive pillar (seed layer end level with pillar sidewall at front; FIGS. 9). As to claim 13, Wood discloses in Figs. 12-16, further comprising: a conductive layer covering the end surface of the seed layer and the third sidewall of the conductive pillar (additional coating on exposed pin end/side; FIGS. 12-16). As to claim 14, Wood discloses in Figs. 12-16, wherein the conductive layer continuously and conformally covers the end surface of the seed layer and the third sidewall of the conductive pillar (conformal coating on protruding surfaces; FIGS. 12-16). As to claim 15, Wood discloses in Figs. 5-9, wherein the seed layer has a U-like shape in a cross-sectional view of the probe pillar (intermediate layer 215 on hole walls forms U-shape; FIGS. 5-9). As to claim 16, Wood discloses in Figs. 16, further comprising: an underfill layer between the redistribution structure and the wiring substrate and surrounding the conductive bump (encapsulant/underfill surrounding bumps; FIG. 16).
Claim(s) 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wood. As to claim 17, Wood discloses a probe head structure (probe card assembly; FIG. 16), comprising: a substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface (substrate 200, front 202, back 204; FIGS. 4-16). a probe pillar passing through the substrate (conductor 222; FIGS. 9-16), wherein the probe pillar has a protruding portion protruding from the bottom surface (pin 226; FIGS. 12-16). a conductive layer covering the protruding portion and in contact with the protruding portion and the substrate (additional coating on pin 226 contacting pillar and etched substrate face; FIGS. 12-16). and a redistribution structure over the top surface of the substrate and the probe pillar (patterned overburden; FIGS. 9-10B), wherein a first sidewall of the redistribution structure is substantially level with a second sidewall of the substrate (aligned after singulation; FIG. 16). As to claim 18, Wood discloses wherein the conductive layer has a U-like shape in a cross-sectional view of the conductive layer (coating conforms to exposed end/sides; FIGS. 12-16). As to claim 19, Wood discloses wherein the conductive layer has a planar bottom surface facing away from the substrate (flat contact surface 224; FIGS. 12-16). Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wood in view of Pagani.As to claim 20, Wood discloses the probe head structure of claim 19.Wood does not disclose wherein the conductive layer has a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, the planar bottom surface is connected between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall increases toward the substrate. Pagani discloses wherein the conductive layer has a first sidewall and a second sidewall opposite to the first sidewall, the planar bottom surface is connected between the first sidewall and the second sidewall, and a distance between the first sidewall and the second sidewall increases toward the substrate (tapered probe 135 with planar tip 230 and sidewalls widening toward substrate; FIGS. 10A-10B). It would have been obvious to modify Wood’s conductive coating with Pagani’s taper for enhancing mechanical stability, improving elastic deformation during contact, and reducing misalignment risk in fine-pitch probing.
Conclusion
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/TUNG X NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858 12/19/2025