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
Claims 8-18 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 8 discloses “a photothermal conversion layer…disposed beneath the joining layer” and “a light transmitting support disposed beneath the photothermal conversion layer.” The claim is indefinite because the claim otherwise does not establish a “top” or “bottom” or other directionality such that the use of “beneath” makes the relative disposition of the layers unclear. For examination, the examiner uses the ordering of layers outlined in the description of Fig. 1A at page 13, lines 20-24 of the specification. Dependent claims are rejected for the same reason.
Claim 8 recites a laminate comprising “a cured curable bonding composition…wherein the curable composition is a coatable composition, either 100% solids or solvent-diluted, and wherein upon curing, the cured composition is high temperature stable”. The claim is indefinite because the claim appears to be directed to a “cured” composition but simultaneously introduces several limitations of a “curable” composition, further recites additional features of a “curable” composition (e.g., the presence of a solvent), and still further recites “upon curing” (which suggests the composition is not necessarily cured) such that it is unclear if a composition must be cured or merely curable to meet the requirements of the claimed invention. For examination, the examiner interprets the composition must be cured. Dependent claims are rejected for the same reason.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
Claim(s) 1-4 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C. 103 as obvious over Koyama et al. (WO 2015/182469).
Note: citations refer to the machine translation of WO ‘469 provided with this Office Action.
Regarding claims 1 and 6:
Koyama discloses a composition for temporary bonding comprising a bismaleimide (BMI) resin and a release component comprising radical polymeric monomers or oligomers with silicon atoms, particularly siloxanes [abstract; 0001; 0043; 0082-0084; 0128]. The composition further comprises a thermal initiator and solvents [0080-0081]. Optionally, crosslinking components that are activatable via light (photoinitiator) can be used [0049]. The cured film has a mass loss rate of less than 1% by mass at 400°C when the temperature is raised from 25°C to 10°C/min [0013]. The film is easily peeled even after undergoing a high-temperature process [0017].
Although Koyama is silent with regard to the weight loss at a temperature of at least 300°C for 1 hour and a releasable property after exposure to at least 300°C for 1 hour, the examiner submits the prior art composition would inherently possess these properties because the composition otherwise comprises the same materials as presently claimed. Alternatively, given that Koyama teaches a low mass loss and releasability after exposure to high temperatures is desirable, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to vary the mass loss at high temperature exposures, including over percentages within the claimed range after exposure to at least 300°C for 1 hour, and further vary the temperature at which the bonding film remains releasable, including at least 300°C for 1 hour, to provide a film having the ability to resist high temperatures as suggested by the reference, and thereby arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 2:
Koyama teaches the use of “at least one” BMI resin, i.e., the reference implicitly discloses a mixture of two or more resins [0043].
Regarding claim 3:
Koyama teaches the siloxanes comprise (meth)acrylate groups [0128-0140].
Regarding claim 4:
Koyama teaches BMI resin having a structure according to the present Structure 1, wherein R is a divalent group comprising a linear hydrocarbon group, an aromatic ring, etc. [0043-0047].
Regarding claim 7:
Although Koyama is silent with regard to the weight loss at a temperature of at least 350°C for 1 hour and a releasable property after exposure to at least 350°C for 1 hour, the examiner submits the prior art composition would inherently possess these properties because the composition otherwise comprises the same materials as presently claimed. Alternatively, given that Koyama teaches a low mass loss and releasability after exposure to high temperatures is desirable, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to vary the mass loss at high temperature exposures, including over percentages within the claimed range after exposure to at least 350°C for 1 hour, and further vary the temperature at which the bonding film remains releasable, including at least 350°C for 1 hour, to provide a film having the ability to resist high temperatures as suggested by the reference, and thereby arrive at the claimed invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102/103
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koyama et al. (WO 2015/182469) in view of Litke et al. (US 2018/0355231).
Regarding claim 5:
Koyama discloses a temporary bonding film as explained above.
Koyama is silent with regard to a BMI resin wherein R comprises an oligomeric group comprising polyimide groups as presently claimed.
Such resins were known in the art to have utility. For example, Litke discloses curable temporary (debondable) adhesives for use in high temperature applications [abstract; 0001; 0021]. The adhesives comprise A) BMI resin, B) an ethylenically unsaturated comonomer, and C) a photoinitiator [0011-0015]. Suitable BMI resins include those wherein a group corresponding to presently claimed group R comprises an oligomeric group comprising polyimide groups [0053-0054].
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to known BMI resins, including those comprising polyimide groups as taught by Litke, to provide an adhesive having high temperature resistance as known in the art.
Claim(s) 8-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Koyama et al. (WO 2015/182469) in view of Noda et al. (US 7,534,498).
Regarding claim 8:
Koyama discloses a temporary bonding film as explained in the rejections of present claim 1 and its dependents, which rejections are incorporated herein by reference. The film is for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices, including a laminate comprising a device substrate and the film [0166-0168].
Koyama is silent with regard to a laminate comprising a substrate, a joining layer, a photothermal conversion layer, and a light transmitting support as presently claimed.
Such laminates were known in the art to have utility. For example, Noda discloses a laminated body comprising a substrate, a joining layer, a photothermal conversion layer, and a light transmitting support for use in semiconductor manufacturing (abstract; 1:8+; 1:55+; 17:4+). The photothermal conversion layer comprises a light absorbing agent and a heat decomposable material (5:5+).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the bonding film taught by Koyama as the joining layer of Noda to provide a laminate that is suitable for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices to provide such devices as suggested by the references.
Regarding claims 9-10:
Noda teaches the substrate is brittle, including a silicon wafer (4:11+)
Regarding claim 11-14:
Noda teaches the light absorbing agent includes carbon black (5:20+). Noda also teaches the use of a transparent filler (6:35+). The amount of both is 5-70 vol% relative to the layer (6:63+). The amount is greater than 80 vol% relative to the filler volume concentration (7:21+).
Regarding claim 15:
Noda teaches a glass support (4:17+).
Regarding claims 16-18:
Noda teaches additional intermediate layers, including a multilayer optical film (11:28+).
Regarding claim 19:
Koyama in view of Noda disclose a laminate as previously explained. Noda further teaches a method of making the laminate comprising i) coating a precursor solution of the photothermal conversion layer onto the light transmitting support, ii) drying and curing the coating, iii) coating the (uncured) joining layer onto the photothermal conversion layer or the substrate, and iv) attaching the substrate to the photothermal conversion layer via the joining layer under a vacuum (reduced pressure) (12:34+).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to use the bonding film taught by Koyama as the joining layer of Noda to provide a laminate that is suitable for use in the manufacture of semiconductor devices to provide such devices as suggested by the references.
Regarding claim 20:
Although Koyama is silent with regard to a releasable property after exposure to at least 350°C for 1 hour, the examiner submits the prior art composition would inherently possess these properties because the composition otherwise comprises the same materials as presently claimed. Alternatively, given that Koyama teaches a releasability after exposure to high temperatures is desirable, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to vary the temperature at which the bonding film remains releasable, including at least 350°C for 1 hour, to provide a film having the ability to resist high temperatures as suggested by the reference, and thereby arrive at the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Fang et al. (CN 104311756; citations refer to the machine translation provided with this Office Action) disclose an adhesive comprising a modified silicon-containing bismaleimide (BMI) resin formed by copolymerizing a bismaleimide monomer with an allylic organic silicon (siloxane) resin (abstract; p2-3; see formulas in paragraphs [0009-0012] of original CN ‘756). Fang discloses BMI resins having a structure according to the present Structure 1, wherein R1 is a C1-C30 alkyl, C1-C20 aryl etc. (p3, p11, see formulas in paragraphs [0009-0012] and [0149-0157] of original CN ‘756).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN D FREEMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-3469. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 11-8PM EST.
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/JOHN D FREEMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1787