DETAILED ACTION
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention II, Species IV (claims 1-17) in the reply filed on 6/17/26 is acknowledged.
Claims 18-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/17/26.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: element 114s. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(4) because reference character “114” has been used to designate both TSVs and encapsulant. See paragraph [0028]-[0029]. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 thru 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In lines 2-3 of claim 1, in the limitation “the package has a stairstep sidewall”, the term
“stairstep” is unclear because, see, for example, elected embodiment FIG. 5E, the applicant shows a package 10 that is only rectangular and the “package” 10 itself does not have a stairstep sidewall. The package 10 being together with the carrier 20 and the redistribution layer structure 32 may be interpreted as a structure of a “stairstep sidewall”, but the package 10 on its own is not a “stairstep sidewall.” The specification does not provide further detail and is silent to the term. The Examiner is interpreting the term “sidestep sidewall of the package” including the carrier 20 and redistribution layer structure 32 even though this is not stated in the claim since the carrier 20 and redistribution layer structure 32 are not part of the package 10. The same applies to claim 11, which contains the same term. Appropriate clarification and/or correction are 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.
In view of the 112 rejection above, claim(s) 1, 5 thru 7, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. 2019/0148351 A1. Chen discloses (see, for example, FIG. 1-13) a method of forming a package structure, comprising: forming a package 42A on a carrier 2, wherein the package has a stairstep sidewall 42A and a plurality of metal pillars 46A embedded in the package; grinding 44A-BS1 the package (i.e. FIG. 2) to expose the plurality of metal pillars 46A; depositing (i.e. FIG 3) a protective layer 54 to cover the stairstep sidewall 42A and protrusions of the plurality of metal pillars 46A; performing a planarization process (i.e. FIG. 4) on the protective layer 54 to expose the protrusions of the plurality of metal pillars 46A; forming a polymer layer 84 (i.e. FIG. 11) on the plurality of metal pillars 46A and the protective layer 54; patterning (i.e. paragraph [0049]) the polymer layer 84 when the stairstep sidewall 42A of the package 42A is covered with the protective layer 54, so as to form a plurality of openings (see, FIG. 11) in the polymer layer 84; and forming a conductive feature 80 in the plurality of openings to electrically connect the plurality of metal pillars. In FIG. 12, Chen discloses a conductive feature 86 in the openings to electrically connect the plurality of TSVs.
Regarding claim 5, see, for example, paragraph [0032] wherein Chen discloses the
protective layer 54 being formed by atomic layer deposition.
Regarding claim 6, see, for example, FIG. 4, and paragraph [0037] wherein Chen discloses performing a planarization process, top surfaces of the protrusions of the plurality of metal pillars 46A being coplanar with a top surface of the protective layer 54.
Regarding claim 7, see, for example, FIG. 3 wherein Chen discloses a first portion T1B surrounding the protrusions of the plurality of metal pillars and having a first thickness, and a second portion T1A, covering the stairstep sidewall of the package and having a second thickness. In paragraph [0033], Chen discloses the thicknesses including being different than each other, and the thickness T1B of the first portion is inherently thinner than the thickness T1A of the second portion since the first portion is vertical and the second portion is horizontal, and deposition occurs more readily on flat surfaces than vertical surfaces.
Regarding claim 10, see, for example, paragraph [0033] wherein Chen discloses the protective layer 54 includes silicon nitride, and in paragraph [0049] wherein Chen discloses the polymer layer 84 includes polybenzoxazole, etc., and the protective layer 54 including silicon nitride has a density greater than a density of the polymer layer 84 including polybenzoxazole.
In view of the 112 rejection above, claim(s) 11, and 13 thru 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. US 2019/0139924 A1. Chen discloses (see, for example, FIG. 3) a method of forming a package structure, comprising: forming a package 210A on a carrier 102; depositing a protective layer 210E on a top surface and a stairstep sidewall of the package; and performing a planarization process (see FIG. 3, and paragraph [0012]) to expose a plurality of through substrate vias (TSVs) 210D of the package 210A at the top surface of the package 210A, wherein a first portion of the protective layer 210E laterally surrounds protrusions of the plurality of TSVs 210D and covers the top surface of the package 210A, and a second portion of the protective layer 210E covers the stairstep sidewall of the package 210A.
Regarding claim 13, see, for example, FIG. 3 wherein Chen discloses after performing
the planarization process, top surfaces of the protrusions of the plurality of TSVs 210D are coplanar with a top surface of the protective layer 210E.
Regarding claim 14, see, for example, FIG. 1E wherein Chen discloses the first portion of the protective layer 210E has a first thickness, the second portion of the protective layer has a second thickness, and the second thickness is greater than the first thickness. The second thickness of the protective layer 210E directly over the sidewall of the package 210A is greater than the first thickness that is directly contacting the plurality of through substrate vias 210D.
Regarding claim 15, see, for example, FIG. 4, and paragraph [0013] wherein Chen discloses forming a polymer layer 114 on the top surface of the package; patterning the polymer layer 114 when the stairstep sidewall of the package 210A is covered with the protective layer 210E, so as to form a plurality of openings in the polymer layer 114; and forming a conductive feature 112A in the plurality of openings to electrically connect the plurality of TSVs 210D.
Regarding claim 16, see, for example, paragraph [0009] wherein Chen discloses the protective layer 210E may be inorganic materials, and in paragraph [0013] wherein Chen discloses the polymer layer 114 includes polybenzoxazole, etc., which has a higher density than inorganic materials.
INFORMATION ON HOW TO CONTACT THE USPTO
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUGENE LEE whose telephone number is (571)272-1733. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 730-330 PM.
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Eugene Lee
July 4, 2026
/EUGENE LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2815
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