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 § 102
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 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.
Claims 1 – 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ogawa et al. (CN 115954326A).
Regarding claim 1, Ogawa teaches (FIG. 6A, 6B, 11A, 11B, 12A, 12B):
A workpiece processing method for a workpiece having a first surface and a second surface on a back side of the first surface, the method comprising:
forming a water-soluble protective film (33/37 resin film may be water-soluble) that covers the first surface of the workpiece (FIG. 11B);
after forming the water-soluble protective film is performed, holding a first surface side of the workpiece with a holding table and exposing a second surface side (FIG. 11A);
after holding the first surface side of the workpiece is performed, processing the workpiece from the second surface side of the workpiece (laser 130); and
after processing the workpiece is performed, cleaning the first surface side of the workpiece to remove the water-soluble protective film (FIG. 7B protective layer is easily removed with water).
Regarding claim 2, Ogawa teaches (FIG. 11A):
The workpiece processing method according to claim 1, further comprising before or after forming the water-soluble protective film is performed, fixing the second surface side of the workpiece to a tape (31), wherein, processing the workpiece includes emitting a laser beam toward the second surface side of the workpiece through the tape (FIG. 11A).
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakamura (US 2015/0357224).
Regarding claim 1, Nakamura teaches (FIG. 6A – 11B):
A workpiece processing method for a workpiece having a first surface and a second surface on a back side of the first surface, the method comprising:
forming a water-soluble protective film (300) that covers the first surface of the workpiece;
after forming the water-soluble protective film is performed, holding a first surface side of the workpiece with a holding table and exposing a second surface side (FIG. 6B);
after holding the first surface side of the workpiece is performed, processing the workpiece from the second surface side of the workpiece (FIG. 6B); and
after processing the workpiece is performed, cleaning the first surface side of the workpiece to remove the water-soluble protective film (FIG. 11A – 11B).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP 2011061097 teaches laser dicing of a wafer through a dicing tape
US 2016/0172312 teaches processing the backside of a wafer after attaching a water-soluble protection layer, using a laser processing from the backside
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CORY W ESKRIDGE whose telephone number is (571)272-0543. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 9 - 5.
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/CORY W ESKRIDGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898
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