DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This action is responsive to the following communications: the Amendment filed 9/9/2024.
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 15-20 are new. Claims 1, 10 and 15 are independent.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 9/9/2024 and 8/15/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
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 15-20 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.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “the resin” in line 12 of the claim, which is indefinite and unclear, because the claim previously introduces both “a resin layer” and “a resin wafer”, and thus it is unclear which specific “resin” element is being referenced in the limitation “the resin” in line 12 of the claim.
Claim 18 recites the limitation “the second layer of conductive material” in line 4 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation “the channel” in line 2 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 20 recites the limitation “the boundary recess” in line 3 of the claim. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Note the dependent claims 16-20 necessarily inherit the indefiniteness of the claims on which they depend.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 15 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Camacho et al. (US 2015/0279778 A1, hereinafter “Camacho”) in view of Karlovsky et al. (US 2016/0351516 A1, hereinafter “Karlovsky”).
Regarding independent claim 15, Camacho discloses a method, comprising:
forming an insulating layer 160 (“insulating layer”- ¶0055), comprised of silicon oxide or silicon nitride (¶0055) that includes a first additive material (i.e., “laser-activated catalyst”- ¶0055) on a first side of a resin wafer 158 (“encapsulant… resin”- ¶0053) that includes a second additive material (i.e., “laser-activated catalyst”- ¶0078), and covering a die 124 (“die”- ¶0042) on the first side of the resin wafer 158 with the insulating layer 160 (see Fig. 4e);
patterning the resin wafer 158 and the insulating layer 160 with a laser (¶0076) including:
forming a first opening 213 (“vias”- ¶0076) extending through the insulating layer 160 to a contact 132 (“conductive layer… pad”- ¶0044) of the die 124 (see Fig. 9a);
forming a second opening 220 (“vias”- ¶0076) extending through the insulating layer 160 and through the resin wafer 158 to a second side of the resin wafer 158 opposite to the first side, the second opening 220 being offset from the die 124 (see Fig. 9a);
forming a first recess 214 (“channels”- ¶0077) that extends into the insulating layer 160 and that extends from the first opening 213 to the second opening 220 (see Fig. 9b); and
forming a second recess 224 (“channels”- ¶0078) extending into the second side of the resin wafer 158 overlapping and aligned with the second opening 220, the second opening 220 extends from the fist recess 214 to the second recess 224 (see Fig. 9c); and
forming one or more conductive materials 218, 226, 230-232 (“conductive layers”- ¶¶0077-0079) in the first opening 213, the second opening 220, the first recess 214, and the second recess 224 (see Fig. 9d).
Camacho does not expressly disclose wherein the insulating layer is formed of a resin such that it can be interpreted as the claimed resin layer.
Figure 13 of Karlovsky discloses a device comprising an insulating layer 240 (“insulating layer”- ¶0080) comprised of silicon oxide, silicon nitride or a resin (¶0080).
In light of such teachings, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Camacho such that the insulating layer comprises resin as taught by Karlovsky for the purpose of substituting art recognized equivalents known to be used for the same purpose (MPEP 2144.06), specifically utilizing a suitable and well-known composition of an insulating layer which is known to a person having ordinary skill in the art (Karlovsky ¶0080). Thus, in the combined teachings the insulating layer comprises resin such that it can be interpreted as the claimed “resin layer”.
Regarding claim 18, Camacho discloses wherein forming the one or more conductive materials 218, 226, 230-232 in the first opening 213, the second opening 220, the first recess 214, and the second recess 224 further includes:
forming a first layer of conductive material 218, 226 on the second layer of conductive material (see Figs. 9c-9d). and
forming a second layer of conductive material 230-232 on the first layer of conductive material 218, 226 (see Figs. 9c-9d).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-14 are allowed.
Regarding independent claim 1, Camacho discloses a method, comprising:
coupling a plurality of die 124 (“die”- ¶0042) to a first side of a resin wafer 158 (“encapsulant… resin”- ¶0053) that includes a first additive material (i.e., “laser-activated catalyst”- ¶0078) (see Fig. 4c);
forming an insulating layer 160 (“insulating layer”- ¶0055) that includes a second additive material (i.e., “laser-activated catalyst”- ¶0055) on the first side of the resin wafer 158 covering the plurality of die 124 with the insulating layer 160 (see Fig. 4e);
patterning the resin wafer 158 and the insulating layer 160 with a laser (¶0076) including:
forming a plurality of first openings 213 (“vias”- ¶0076) extending through the insulating layer 160 to ones of the plurality of die 124 (see Fig. 9a);
forming a plurality of second openings 220 (“vias”- ¶0076) extending through the insulating layer 160 and through the resin wafer 158 to a second side of the resin wafer 158 opposite to the first side (see Fig. 9a);
forming a plurality of first recesses 214 (“channels”- ¶0077) extending into the insulating layer 160 extending from corresponding ones of the plurality of first openings 213 to corresponding ones of the plurality of second openings 220 (see Fig. 9b);
forming a plurality of second recesses 224 (“channels”- ¶0078) extending into the second side of the resin wafer 158 overlapping corresponding ones of the plurality of second openings 220 (see Fig. 9c);
forming a first layer of conductive material 218, 226 (“conductive layer”- ¶¶0077-0078) in the pluralities of first openings 213, second openings 220, first recesses 214, second recesses 224, respectively, (see Figs. 9b-9c);
forming a second layer of conductive material 230-232 (“conductive layers”- ¶0079) on the first layer of conductive material 218, 226 (see Fig. 9d); and
forming a plurality of packages including singulating the resin wafer 158 and the insulating layer 160 (¶0083) (see Fig. 9e).
Camacho does not expressly disclose wherein the insulating layer is a resin layer, forming a boundary recess extending into the second side of the resin wafer surrounding the plurality of second recesses, forming a plurality of channels extending between corresponding ones of the second recesses and extending to the boundary recesses and forming a first layer of conductive material in the pluralities of first openings, second openings, first recesses, second recesses, and channels, respectively, and in the boundary recess.
Thus, independent claim 1 is allowed, because the prior art of record including Camacho, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, the limitation associated with the claimed “a resin layer”, “forming a boundary recess extending into the second side of the resin wafer surrounding the plurality of second recesses”, “forming a plurality of channels extending between corresponding ones of the second recesses and extending to the boundary recesses” and “forming a first layer of conductive material in the pluralities of first openings, second openings, first recesses, second recesses, and channels, respectively, and in the boundary recess”.
Claims 2-9 are allowed as being dependent on allowed claim 1.
Regarding independent claim 10, Camacho discloses a method, comprising:
coupling a plurality of die 124 (“die”- ¶0042) to a first side of a resin wafer 158 (“encapsulant… resin”- ¶0053) that includes a first additive material (i.e., “laser-activated catalyst”- ¶0078) (see Fig. 4c);
exposing a second side of the resin wafer 158 opposite to the first side to a laser (¶0078) including:
forming a plurality of recesses 224 (“channels”- ¶0078) extending into the second side of the resin wafer 158 and activating the first additive material along and within the recesses 224 (¶0078) (see Fig. 9c); and
forming a first conductive layer 230 (“conductive layer”- ¶0079) in the plurality of recesses 224 (see Fig. 9d).
Camacho does not expressly disclose forming a boundary recess extending into the second side of the resin wafer activating the first additive material along and within the boundary recess, wherein the plurality of recesses are surrounded by the boundary recess, forming a plurality of channels extending in a first direction extending across corresponding ones of the plurality of recesses and extending from a first portion of the boundary recess extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction to a second portion of the boundary recess extending in the second direction, forming the plurality of channels including activating the first additive material along and within the plurality of channels and forming the first conductive layer in the boundary recess, the plurality of channels, and the plurality of recesses extending continuously along the plurality of channels and the boundary recess.
Thus, independent claim 10 is allowed, because the prior art of record including Camacho, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “forming a boundary recess extending into the second side of the resin wafer activating the first additive material along and within the boundary recess”, “forming a plurality of recesses… surrounded by the boundary recess”, “forming a plurality of channels extending in a first direction extending across corresponding ones of the plurality of recesses and extending from a first portion of the boundary recess extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction to a second portion of the boundary recess extending in the second direction, forming the plurality of channels including activating the first additive material along and within the plurality of channels” and “forming a first conductive layer in the boundary recess, the plurality of channels, and the plurality of recesses extending continuously along the plurality of channels and the boundary recess”.
Claims 11-14 are allowed as being dependent on allowed claim 10.
Claims 16-17 and 19-20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 16 (which claim 17 depends from), the prior art of record including Camacho, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “wherein patterning the resin wafer and the resin layer with the laser further includes: forming a channel that extends into the second side of the resin wafer and is transverse to the second recess; and forming a boundary recess that extends into the second side of the resin wafer and includes a portion that is transverse to the channel”.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art of record including Camacho, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “wherein patterning the resin wafer and the resin layer with a laser further includes activating the first additive material in the resin layer and activating the second additive material in the resin wafer along respective surfaces of the resin layer 160 defining the first recess and the first opening, along respective surfaces of the resin layer and the resin wafer defining the second opening, and along respective surfaces of the resin wafer defining the second recess”.
Regarding claim 20, the prior art of record including Camacho, either singularly or in combination, does not disclose or suggest the combination of limitations including, but not limited to, “[the] method… further comprising forming a package including singulating the resin wafer and the resin layer along a first kerf line along the channel and a second kerf line set inset from the boundary recess”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
An (US 2022/0093829 A1), which discloses a method of forming a semiconductor package comprising forming a conductive layer on a resin layer which is laser activated.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY C CHANG whose telephone number is (571)272-6132. The examiner can normally be reached Mon- Fri 12pm-10pm.
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/JAY C CHANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2817
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