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 Objections
Claim 18 is objected to because of the following informality: a period (“.”) is missing at the end of claim 18. 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.
Claims 1 – 16 and 18 - 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,867,296).
Regarding claim 1, in Figure 3, Kim discloses a printed circuit board comprising: a first insulating layer (108); a pad (106) disposed on an upper side of the first insulating layer; a protrusion (113) disposed on the pad; and a metal post (115) disposed on the pad and covering the protrusion, wherein the metal post has a tapered shape, such that a width of an upper surface of the metal post is smaller than a width of a lower surface of the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses wherein a width of the metal post is smaller than a width of the pad (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses a solder resist layer disposed on the first insulating layer (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses wherein the solder resist layer has an opening exposing at least a portion of the pad and at least a portion of the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses a surface treatment layer covering at least a portion of an upper surface of the pad and at least a portion of the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 6, Kim discloses wherein the pad comprises a first metal layer disposed on the first insulating layer, and a second metal layer disposed on the first metal layer (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 7, Kim discloses wherein the protrusion includes a metal material (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 8, Kim discloses a connection member disposed on the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 9, Kim discloses a semiconductor chip disposed on the metal post and including a body and a connection pad, and the connection member connects the metal post and the semiconductor chip to each other (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 10, Kim discloses wherein a width of a surface of the connection member facing the connection pad is greater than a width of a surface of the connection member facing the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 11, in Figure 3, Kim discloses a method of manufacturing a printed circuit board, comprising: forming a pad (106) on a first insulating layer (108); forming a protrusion (113) on the pad; and forming a metal post (115) on the pad to cover the protrusion, wherein the metal post has a tapered shape, such that a width of an upper surface of the metal post is smaller than a width of a lower surface of the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses wherein the forming a metal post comprises forming a dry film on the first insulating layer, exposing and developing at least a portion of the dry film to expose at least a portion of the pad and at least a portion of the protrusion, and forming the metal post on the pad (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 13, Kim discloses wherein the developing at least a portion of the dry film comprises injecting a developer containing a liquid material, to form an opening having a tapered shape, such that a width of an upper surface of the opening is smaller than a width of a lower surface of the opening (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 14, Kim discloses wherein the forming a pad comprises forming a first metal layer on the first insulating layer by electroless plating, and forming a second metal layer on the first metal layer by electroplating, the forming a protrusion comprises forming the protrusion on the second metal layer by electroplating, and the forming a metal post comprises forming the metal post on the second metal layer by electroplating (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 15, Kim discloses after the forming a metal post, forming a connection member on the metal post. (Figure 3)
Regarding claim 16, Kim discloses before the forming a connection member, planarizing the metal post (Figure 3).
Regarding claim 18, Kim discloses wherein the metal post has a tapered shape, such that a width of an upper surface of the metal post is smaller than a width of a lower surface of the metal post (Figure 3)
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses wherein a width of the metal post is smaller than a width of the pad (Figure 3).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by You et al. (U.S. Patent Publication No. 2023/0189451).
Regarding claim 17, in Figure 5, You discloses a printed circuit board comprising: a first insulating layer (200); a pad (110P) disposed on an upper side of the first insulating layer; a protrusion (protrusion disposed on upper surface of pad 110P, not labeled) disposed on and protruding upwardly from an upper surface of the pad, the protrusion having a width smaller than a width of the pad (Figure 5); and a metal post (500BP) disposed on the pad and covering an upper surface and a side surface of the protrusion (Figure 5).
Conclusion
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TREMESHA W. BURNS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2847
/TREMESHA W BURNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847