DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 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.
3. Claim(s) 1, 11, 14-16, is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Fukano US-5986348-A.
Claim 1. Fukano discloses a bonded structure (such as the one in fig. 4), comprising:
-a first substrate (item 14 in chip-10) having a first bonding surface (item 16 on top item 14) and a plurality of first bonding pads (items 12a, 12b, 22, 30) exposed from the first bonding surface;
-and a second substrate (item 14 in chip-34) having a second bonding surface (item 16 on bottom item 34) and a plurality of second bonding pads (items 12a, 12b, 36, 38) exposed from the second bonding surface,
-wherein the first bonding surface faces and contacts the second bonding surface and the plurality of first bonding pads are in contact with and electrically connected to the plurality of second bonding pads (see abstract, wherein is disclosed the bonding pad aligns with and connects to the connection point, fig. 4),
-and wherein each of the plurality of first bonding pads has a circular shape, and each of the plurality of second bonding pads has an oval shape (this limitation would read through col. 1, ln 44-47, wherein is disclosed what is needed is a system and method for aligning the bonding pads or solder bumps of devices such as chips or spherical shaped integrated circuits to facilitate their connection with other devices and/or circuit boards).
Claims 11, 14-16. Fukano discloses a bonded structure, (such as the one in fig. 4), comprising:
-a first package (item 10) component having a first bonding surface (item 16) and a plurality of first bonding pads (items 12a, 12b, 22, 30) exposed from the first bonding surface;
-and a second package component (item 34) having a second bonding surface (item 16 on bottom item 34) and a plurality of second bonding pads (items 12a, 12b, 36, 38) exposed from the second bonding surface,
-wherein the first bonding surface faces and contacts the second bonding surface, and the plurality of first bonding pads are in contact with and electrically connected to the plurality of second bonding pads to form a plurality of bonding pad pairs (see abstract),
-and wherein in each bonding pad pair of the plurality of bonding pad pairs, the first bonding pad is circular, and the corresponding second bonding pad is oval (this limitation would read through col. 1, ln 44-47, wherein is disclosed what is needed is a system and method for aligning the bonding pads or solder bumps of devices such as chips or spherical shaped integrated circuits to facilitate their connection with other devices and/or circuit boards).
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 2-10, 12-13, 17-20, are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
(A) Claim 1, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein the plurality of first bonding pads have a first pitch, and the plurality of second bonding pads have a second pitch equal to the first pitch.
(B) Claim 3, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein a ratio of a semi-major axis length to a semi-minor axis length of one of the plurality of second bonding pads is less than 2:1.
(C) Claim 4, is/are also allowable subject matter, as depend on claim 3.
(D) Claims 5, 12, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the second bonding surface, some of the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged along a first direction, and some of the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction.
(E) Claims 6-8, 13, is/are also allowable subject matter, as depend on claims 5, 12.
(F) Claim 9, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein centers of the plurality of first bonding pads are offset from centers of the plurality of second bonding pads in a plan view.
(G) Claim 17, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein the first wafer comprises a first bonding layer surrounding the plurality of first bonding pads, and the second wafer comprises a second bonding layer surround the plurality of second bonding pads, and wherein the bonding further comprises bonding the first wafer to the second wafer through dielectric-to-dielectric bonding of the first bonding layer and the second bonding layer.
(H) Claim 18, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein the plurality of first bonding pads have a first pitch, and the plurality of second bonding pads have a second pitch equal to the first pitch, and wherein the first pitch and the second pitch are sub-micron level pitches.
(I) Claim 19, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein some of the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged along a first horizontal direction, and some of the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and wherein the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged in such a manner that virtual parallel extension lines of major axes of two adjacent second bonding pads of the plurality of second bonding pads arranged along the first horizontal direction intersect at 90 degrees, and virtual parallel extension lines of major axes of two adjacent second bonding pads of the plurality of second bonding pads arranged along the second horizontal direction intersect at 90 degrees.
(J) Claim 20, contains allowable subject matter because none of references of record teach or suggest, either singularly or in combination, at least the limitation of wherein some of the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged along a first horizontal direction, and some of the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged along a second horizontal direction perpendicular to the first horizontal direction, and wherein the plurality of second bonding pads are arranged in such a manner that major axes of all of the second bonding pads are aligned in the same direction that is parallel, perpendicular, or oblique to the first horizontal direction.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILNER JEAN BAPTISTE whose telephone number is (571)270-7394. The examiner can normally be reached M-T 8:00-6:00.
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/W.J/Examiner, Art Unit 2899 /DALE E PAGE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2899
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