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 § 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 1-4, 6-8, 15, 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tu et al (US Publication No. 2011/0241147).
Regarding claim 1, Tu discloses a method for forming an image sensor package comprising: coupling a first side of an optically transmissive cover Fig 8B , 120/Fig 10B, 120 to a carrier Fig 10B; forming a plurality of cavities between the optically transmissive cover Fig 10B and a wafer by coupling a first layer Fig 8C, 122 coupled to the wafer to a second side of the optically transmissive cover Fig 8C and Fig 10B, the first layer Fig 8C, 122 and Fig 10B comprising a plurality of openings therethrough Fig 10B; forming a plurality of trenches through a thickness of the optically transmissive cover Fig 10B and 11B; filling the plurality of trenches with an encapsulant Fig 12, 300; and singulating the wafer and the optically transmissive cover into a plurality of image sensor packages by subtractively removing the encapsulant in a portion of the plurality of trenches and removing the carrier Fig 17B-20B.
Regarding claim 2, Tu discloses forming a plurality of trenches through a thickness of the wafer Fig 11B.
Regarding claim 3, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant is a solder mask ¶0052-0053 Fig 18A-18B.
Regarding claim 4, Tu discloses wherein subtractively removing comprises one of sawing and etching Fig 17B-20B.
Regarding claim 6, Tu discloses coupling at least one electrical contact to the wafer, wherein the at least one electrical contact extends to an exterior of the image sensor package Fig 17B-20B.
Regarding claim 7, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant substantially covers five sides of the image sensor package Fig 17A-17B, 18A.
Regarding claim 8, Tu discloses wherein none of the carrier is subtractively removed while forming the plurality of trenches Fig 11B, 17B-20B.
Regarding claim 15, Tu discloses method for forming an image sensor package comprising: coupling a first layer Fig 8C, 122 comprising an opening therethrough to a first side of an image sensor chip Fig 8C and Fig 10B; forming a cavity within the image sensor package between the first layer, the image sensor chip, and an optically transmissive cover through coupling the optically transmissive cover to the first layer Fig 8C and Fig 10B; coupling at least one electrical contact to a second side of the image sensor chip opposing the first side Fig 10B; and coating an entirety of sidewalls of the image sensor package with an encapsulant Fig 17B-20B; wherein a width of the optically transmissive cover is the same as a width of the first side of the image sensor chip Fig 10B.
Regarding claim 17, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant is a solder mask ¶0052-0053 Fig 18A-18B.
Regarding claim 18, Tu discloses wherein the at least one electrical contact is a bump Fig 18B.
Regarding claim 19, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant crosses all interfaces on the sidewalls of the package Fig 18A.
Regarding claim 20, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant substantially covers five sides of the image sensor package Fig 17A-17B, 18A.
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 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu et al (US Publication No. 2011/0241147) in view of Yu et al (US Publication No. 2015/0048500).
Regarding claim 5, Tu discloses all the limitations but silent on the specific removal process of the carrier. Whereas Yu discloses wherein the carrier is removed through one of heating the carrier and irradiating the carrier with ultra-violet (UV) radiation ¶0060.Tu and Yu are analogous art because they are directed to semiconductor devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Tu because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the removal process of the carrier and incorporate the teachings of Yu as an alternative method to provide an simpler removal process.
Claims 9-13, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu et al (US Publication No. 2011/0241147) in view of Tseng (US Publication No. 2019/0013346).
Regarding claim 9, Tu discloses a method for forming an image sensor package comprising: coupling a first side of an optically transmissive cover Fig 8B , 120/Fig 10B to a carrier Fig 10B; forming a plurality of dams in a first layer on a first side of a wafer Fig 8C and Fig 10B; forming a plurality of cavities between the optically transmissive cover, the wafer Fig 8C and Fig 10B, and the dams by coupling the wafer to a second side of the optically transmissive cover Fig 8C and Fig 10B; forming a plurality of trenches through a thickness of the wafer and through a thickness of the optically transmissive cover Fig 10B and 11B; covering the second side of the wafer and filling the plurality of trenches with an encapsulant Fig 12, 300; and singulating the wafer and the optically transmissive cover into a plurality of image sensor packages by subtractively removing the encapsulant in the plurality of trenches and removing the carrier, wherein the encapsulant coats the sidewalls of each image sensor package Fig 17B-20B. Tu discloses all the limitations but silent on the thinning of the wafer. Whereas Tseng discloses a method for forming an image sensor package comprising: thinning a second side of the wafer opposite the first side Fig 3D; forming a redistribution layer over the second side of the wafer; coupling at least one electrical contact to the redistribution layer Fig 3F. Tu and Tseng are analogous art because they are directed to semiconductor devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Tu because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method of Tu and incorporate the teachings of Tseng as an alternative method to provide an improved device layout.
Regarding claim 10, Tu discloses wherein none of the carrier is subtractively removed while forming the plurality of trenches Fig 10B and 11B.
Regarding claim 11, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant comprises a solder mask¶0052-0053 Fig 18A-18B.
Regarding claim 12, Tu discloses wherein the encapsulant substantially covers five sides of the image sensor package Fig 17A-17B, 18A.
Regarding claim 13, Tu discloses forming a plurality of bumps on the wafer Fig 18A-18B, 19A-19B.
Regarding claim 16, Tseng discloses forming a redistribution layer over the second side of the image sensor chip Fig 3F.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tu et al (US Publication No. 2011/0241147) and Tseng (US Publication No. 2019/0013346) in view of Yu et al (US Publication No. 2015/0048500).
Regarding claim 14, Tu discloses all the limitations but silent on the specific removal process of the carrier. Whereas Yu discloses wherein the carrier is removed through one of heating the carrier and irradiating the carrier with ultra-violet (UV) radiation ¶0060.Tu and Yu are analogous art because they are directed to semiconductor devices and one of ordinary skill in the art would have had a reasonable expectation of success to modify Tu because they are from the same field of endeavor. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill of the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the removal process of the carrier and incorporate the teachings of Yu as an alternative method to provide an simpler removal process.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINE A ENAD whose telephone number is (571)270-7891. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7:30 am -4:30 pm.
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/CHRISTINE A ENAD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2811
