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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1 – 4, 6 – 7, 9 – 11, and 13 -18 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1 – 4, 6 – 7, 9 – 11, and 13 -18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baba (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0146677) in view of Lee (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0057253).
Regarding claim 1, in Figure 6, Baba discloses a silicon nitride substrate, comprising: a front surface (top surface of substrate 2), a back surface (bottom surface of substrate 2), a first side surface (where 2e, 2f, and 2g are disposed), and a second side surface (where 2h, 2i, and 2j are disposed) opposite to the first side surface; a first screw-fastening notched portion (2g) provided in the first side surface; and a second screw-fastening notched portion (2j) provided in the second side surface, wherein each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions has an opening portion (Figure 6), wherein, for each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions, an angle (Θ₃) where the silicon nitride substrate is present when viewed from the front surface among angles of end portions of the opening portion is not less than 120 degrees and not more than 150 degrees (Figure 6), and wherein an arithmetic average roughness Ra of a side surface of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions is not less than 0.4 µm and not more than 1.2 µm. Baba does not specifically disclose wherein an arithmetic average roughness Ra of a side surface of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions is not less than 0.4 µm and not more than 1.2 µm. However, Lee teaches an inner wall of a pattern groove having a surface roughness (Ra) in a range of 0.5 µm to 1.0 µm (paragraph [0163]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the side surfaces (i.e., inner walls) of the notches 2g and 2j to have a surface roughness of not less than 0.4 µm and not more than 1.2 µm as taught by Lee so as to better adhere the electrodes 43, 46 within the notches 2g, 2j, respectively, and to control the maximum surface roughness of the side surfaces of the notched portions.
Regarding claim 2, Baba discloses wherein a shape of an end portion of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions at a non-opening portion side is a substantially-U shape, a substantially-trapezoidal shape, or a substantially-V shape, and when the shape of the end portion at the non-opening portion side is the substantially-V shape, an angle of the end portion at the notched portion side is not less than 70 degrees (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 3, Baba discloses wherein a rounded portion or a chamfer
portion is provided at a location of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions at a non-opening portion side (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 4, Baba discloses wherein a shape of an end portion of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions at a non-opening portion side is a substantially-U shape (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 6, Baba discloses wherein in each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions, a portion between an end portion of
the opening portion and an end portion of each of the first and second screw-fastenting notched portions at a non-opening portion side has a curved shape or a linear shape (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 7, Baba discloses wherein an angle, at a side where the
silicon nitride substrate is present, of a boundary portion between the opening portion and a location including an end portion of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions at a non-opening portion side is not less than 90 degrees (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 9, Baba discloses wherein a maximum surface roughness Rz of
a side surface of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions is not more than 2.0 µm (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 10, Baba discloses wherein a side surface shape of each of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions includes a location open on at least one surface side (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 11, Baba discloses wherein, with respect to at least one of the first and second screw-fastening notched portions, P4 is a midpoint between two of the end portions of the notched portion, P5 is an intersection at which a perpendicular line drawn from the midpoint P4 crosses an end portion of the silicon nitride substrate most distant to the midpoint P4, L1 is a distance between the midpoint P4 and the point P5, P6 is an intersection between the perpendicular line and the notched portion having the opening portion, L2 is a length of the notched portion defined by a distance between the intersection P6 and the midpoint P4, and L2/L1 is not less than 0.1 and not more than 0.4 (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 13, Baba discloses a joined body, comprising: the silicon nitride
substrate according to claim 1; and a conductor part bonded to the silicon nitride substrate (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 14, Baba discloses wherein the conductor part is a copper
member or an aluminum member (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 15, Baba discloses a bonding layer bonding the silicon nitride
substrate and the conductor part, the bonding layer including one or two of copper or silver, and an active metal (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 16, Baba discloses a semiconductor device, comprising: the
joined body according to claim 13; and a semiconductor element to which the joined
body is mounted (Figure 6).
Regarding claim 17, in Figure 6, Baba discloses a method for manufacturing a silicon nitride substrate, the method being for forming a notched portion in a silicon nitride substrate (1; paragraph [0019]) by using a laser, the method comprising: forming the notched portion (10, 20) so that a width of the notched portion (20) at an opening portion side is greater than a width of an end portion of the notched portion at a non-opening portion side (Figure 6), wherein an arithmetic surface roughness Ra of a side surface of the notched portion is not more than 1.2 µm. Baba does not specifically disclose the notched portion being formed using a laser and wherein an arithmetic surface roughness Ra of a side surface of the notched portion is not more than 1.2 µm. However, Lee teaches an inner wall of a pattern groove having a surface roughness (Ra) in a range of 0.5 µm to 1.0 µm (paragraph [0163]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the side surfaces (i.e., inner walls) of the notches 2g and 2j to have a surface roughness of not less than 0.4 µm and not more than 1.2 µm as taught by Lee so as to better adhere the electrodes 43, 46 within the notches 2g, 2j, respectively, and to control the maximum surface roughness of the side surfaces of the notched portions.
Further, forming recesses, notches, and openings in substrates using a laser is common place and well known in the art, and is merely a design option for a skilled artisan without the exercise of inventive skill.
Regarding claim 18, Baba discloses a method for manufacturing a silicon nitride circuit board, the method comprising: bonding a conductor part to the silicon nitride substrate manufactured by the method for manufacturing the silicon nitride substrate according to claim 17 (Figure 6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 19 is allowed.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TREMESHA W BURNS whose telephone number is (571)270-3391. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am - 4:30 pm EST.
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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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