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 § 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 3 and 4 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 3 recites the limitation "to provide openings in the filler material" in line. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 is rejected due to claim 3 dependency.
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.
Claims 1, 6 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over as applied to claim above, in view of Tseng et al. (US 20240339370 A1; hereinafter “Tseng”) in view of Hiner et al. (US 9653428 B1; hereinafter “Hiner”).
In regard to claim 1, Tseng teaches a method for producing semiconductor components (packages 80′) including power semiconductor components (device dies 10) (Fig. 1, Fig. 14 and paragraph 12 and 57), from a wafer (a carrier 52 with release film 54) (Fig. 8 and paragraph 35), comprising the following steps:
providing a wafer substrate (a semiconductor substrate 101) (Fig. 5E and paragraph 36);
processing a structured wafer surface (a redistribution structure 56) (Fig. 9 and paragraph 36);
applying a carrier wafer (a portion that functions as the carrier wafer is shown annotated as CW in annotated Fig. 11 below) onto the wafer substrate (annotated Fig. 2 and paragraphs 28 and 32); and
wherein the carrier wafer is applied to the wafer surface using a dam-and-fill process step (as encapsulant 66 fills the gaps between neighboring metal posts 62 and the gaps between metal posts 62 composite die 50’, therefore the carrier wafer CW is formed using a dam-and-fill process) (Fig. 9-11 and paragraphs 39-42).
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Tseng doesn’t explicitly teach reducing a thickness of the wafer substrate by wafer thinning.
Hiner teaches a thickness of a wafer substrate (carrier 621) by wafer thinning (the carrier can be removed by utilizing chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP)) (Fig. 6F-2, [col 29, lns 39-45]).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to combine the teachings of Tseng with the teachings of Hiner to have a thickness of the wafer substrate by wafer thinning since CMP is a known method of removing carriers from wafers.
In regard to claim 6, Tseng teaches wherein the applying of the carrier wafer includes applying an organic or inorganic ink and subsequent curing (the encapsulant formed of SiO2 is deposited and then cured) (Fig. 11 and paragraph 47).
In regard to claim 11, Tseng teaches a semiconductor component (packages 80′) (Fig. 14, produced by:
providing a wafer substrate (a semiconductor substrate 101) (Fig. 5E and paragraph 36);
processing a structured wafer surface (a redistribution structure 56) (Fig. 9 and paragraph 36);
applying a carrier wafer (a portion that functions as the carrier wafer is shown annotated as CW in annotated Fig. 11 below) onto the wafer substrate (annotated Fig. 2 and paragraphs 28 and 32); and
wherein the carrier wafer is applied to the wafer surface using a dam-and-fill process step (as encapsulant 66 fills the gaps between neighboring metal posts 62 and the gaps between metal posts 62 composite die 50’, therefore the carrier wafer CW is formed using a dam-and-fill process) (Fig. 9-11 and paragraphs 39-42).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5, and 7-10 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.
In regard to claim 2, Tseng is considered a close prior art of reference. However, Tseng fails to teach wherein the dam-and-fill process step includes applying at least one frame structure to the wafer surface using digital printing technology and filling a volume delimited by the frame structure with a filler material by dispensing the filler material. Tseng teaches the elements that form the frame is formed through an etching process.
In regard to claim 5, Tseng is considered a close prior art of reference. However, Tseng fails to teach wherein the method includes selectively removing filler material, using a laser. Tseng does not teach the method of laser etching nor teaches an embodiment where laser etching could be applied.
In regard to claim 7, Tseng is considered a close prior art of reference. However, Tseng fails to teach wherein the applying of the carrier wafer includes multiple dam-and-fill process steps for applying multiple superimposed layers, which are applied sequentially and with respective subsequent curing. Tseng teaches the curing occurs in one step.
In regard to claim 8, Tseng is considered a close prior art of reference. However, Tseng fails to teach wherein a frame structure and/or a filler material is applied to an outer rounded region of the wafer substrate in the dam-and-fill process step in such a way that a rounded region is evened out and made level with a surface of the wafer substrate. Tseng is silent regarding an outer rounded region of the wafer substrate.
In regard to claim 9, Tseng fails to teach Tseng is considered a close prior art of reference. However, Tseng fails to teach the method includes applying a support layer which is water-soluble and laterally delimited by a frame structure to the wafer surface, by digital printing technology, prior to applying a filler material of the carrier wafer. Tseng fails to teach the use of multiple support layers that are removed.
Claim 10 is objected to due to depending on claim 9.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lee et al. (US 2022/0021179 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL whose telephone number is (571)270-0078. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thur: 7:30AM-3:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sue Purvis can be reached at (571) 272-1236. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SEYON ALI-SIMAH PUNCHBEDDELL/Examiner, Art Unit 2893
/SUE A PURVIS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2893
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