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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 6-7, 10, 15 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2006071357A to Ono (Ono).
Regarding claim 1, Ono discloses a probe needle for testing a device, comprising:
a needle core (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, needle core in the form of central conductor 5);
a needle coat (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, needle coat in the form of conductive layer 7); and
an isolation layer disposed between the needle coat and the needle core (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, isolation layer in the form of insulating tube 6),
wherein in an extending direction of the needle core, the isolation layer extends exceeding the needle coat and the needle core extends exceeding the isolation layer (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, in extending direction of needle core 5, isolation layer 6 extends exceeding the needle coat 7, and the needle core 5 extends exceeding the isolation layer 6).
PNG
media_image1.png
364
722
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Ono discloses wherein the needle core and the needle coat are electrically independent from each other (Ono, e.g., pages 2, 4, both ends of the conductive layer 7 are connected to the ground wiring 8 on the substrate 1 by soldering or a conductive adhesive; the examiner notes that the conductive layer 7 in Ono’s arrangement of Fig. 5 serves as a grounded shield to reduce noise/crosstalk between probes of Figs. 1-2 and is therefore electrically independent from the corresponding central conductor 5).
Regarding claim 3, Ono discloses wherein in the extending direction of the needle core, the needle coat is spaced from a needle head of the needle core by a first distance (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, d1) and spaced from a needle tip of the needle core by a second distance (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, d2).
Regarding claim 6, Ono discloses wherein the first distance is smaller than the second distance (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, d1 < d2).
Regarding claim 7, Ono discloses wherein in the extending direction of the needle core, an extending length of the needle coat is substantially 55% to 90% of an extending length of the needle core (Ono, e.g., Fig. 4f, noting relative lengths of needle coat 7 and needle core 5).
Regarding claim 10, Ono discloses a probe card structure comprising:
a support plate (Ono, e.g., Figs. 1-2, substrate 1); and
a probe head assembled to the support plate and comprising a first probe needle and a second probe needle (Ono, e.g., Figs. 1-2, note probe needles 2 assembled to substrate 1), wherein the first probe needle comprises:
a needle core (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, needle core in the form of central conductor 5);
a needle coat, electrically connected to the second probe needle (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, needle coat in the form of conductive layer 7; also see Ono, e.g., page 2, second paragraph, both ends of the conductive layer 7 are connected to the ground wiring 8 on the substrate 1 by soldering or a conductive adhesive; accordingly, Ono’s needle coats in the form of conductive layers 7 of different probes are electrically connected to each other); and
an isolation layer covering a first area of a sidewall of the needle core, wherein the needle coat covers a second area of a sidewall of the isolation layer and the first area is larger than the second area (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, isolation layer in the form of insulating tube 6; in extending direction of needle core 5, isolation layer 6 extends exceeding the needle coat 7, and the needle core 5 extends exceeding the isolation layer 6; accordingly, the first area of a sidewall of the needle core 5 covered by the isolation layer 6 is greater than the second area of a sidewall of the isolation layer 6 covered by the needle coat 7).
Regarding claim 15, Ono discloses wherein the isolation layer forms a ring pattern surrounding the needle core in a top view (see Ono as applied to claim 10, e.g., Fig. 5, noting that in a top view of the probe needle of Fig. 5 (e.g., when viewed facing the needle tip) the isolation layer 6 will form a ring pattern surrounding the needle core 5).
Claim 19 recites a method of testing a device, comprising:
providing a probe card structure comprising:
a support plate; and
a probe head assembled to the support plate and comprising a first probe needle and a second probe needle, wherein the first probe needle comprises:
a needle core;
a needle coat, electrically connected to the second probe needle; and
an isolation layer disposed between the needle coat and the needle core, wherein in an extending direction of the needle core, the isolation layer extends exceeding the needle coat and the needle core extend exceeding the isolation layer; and
placing the probe card structure on the device,
and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as anticipated by Ono for reasons identical to those discussed above in connection with the rejection of claim 1, further recognizing (1) that Ono discloses a probe head that includes a plurality of the probe needles of Fig. 5 installed on a support plate (e.g., Ono, Figs. 1-2, substrate 1), (2) that the needle coats (Ono, e.g., Fig. 5 as annotated, needle coat in the form of conductive layer 7) of Ono’s probe needles are electrically coupled together (Ono, e.g., page 2, second paragraph, both ends of the conductive layer 7 are connected to the ground wiring 8 on the substrate 1 by soldering or a conductive adhesive), and (3) in use Ono’s probe arrangement of Fig. 1 is necessarily placed on a device to be tested (Ono, e.g., page 1, present invention relates to a probe card mainly used in an inspection process in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor device, and more particularly to a probe needle used in the probe card).
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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ono.
Regarding claim 20, Ono as applied to claim 19 is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing wherein the first probe needle is in contact with an I/O conductor of the device and the second probe needle is in contact with a ground conductor of the device. The examiner takes Official notice of the fact that use of a first probe needle in contact with an I/O conductor of a DUT and a second probe needle in contact with a ground conductor of the DUT for purposes of testing/inspecting the DUT was well known and conventional before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains, especially in the context of semiconductor device testing/inspection disclosed by Ono. It 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 to modify Ono to include wherein the first probe needle is in contact with an I/O conductor of the device and the second probe needle is in contact with a ground conductor of the device. In this way, DUT electrical testing/inspection can be implemented in a manner that is well-known and conventional in the semiconductor testing/inspection art.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ono in view of US 6,366,106 to Kimori et al. (Kimori).
Regarding claims 4-5, Ono is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing wherein the first distance is ranged from 10 micrometers to 300 micrometers (claim 4) and wherein the second distance is ranged from 50 micrometers to 600 micrometers (claim 5). In particular, with reference to annotated Fig. 5 of Ono shown above in connection with claim 1, Ono is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing numerical magnitudes/ranges of distance d1 (first distance) and distance d2 (second distance). It would nonetheless be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art from at least Fig. 3f and annotated Fig. 5 of Ono that the needle coat (conductive layer 7) is terminated close to the needle head relative to the overall length of the probe needle. Further, Kimori establishes suitable lengths of tapered/sharpened ends of probe needles of the type disclosed by Ono may fall within a range of 0.3mm to 6mm (Kimori, e.g., col. 3, lines 39-43), which the examiner notes equates to a length range of 300-6,000 micrometers. For annotated Fig. 5 of Ono shown above, if a needle head length of 300 micrometers is presumed, for example (with this length being suitable as taught by Kimori), one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that Ono at least suggests a distance d1 that falls within the range of 10 micrometers to 300 micrometers and a distance d2 that falls within the range of 50 micrometers to 600 micrometers. Accordingly, the recitation that the first distance is ranged from 10 micrometers to 300 micrometers (claim 4) and that the second distance is ranged from 50 micrometers to 600 micrometers (claim 5) does not patentably distinguish over at least Figs. 2 and 5 of Ono when considered in light of the suitable range of tapered/sharpened probe end lengths disclosed by Kimori.
Claims 1, 8-11 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0299486 to Eldrige et al. (Eldrige) in view of CN111721976A to Li et al. (Li).
Regarding claim 1, Eldrige discloses a probe needle for testing a device, comprising:
a needle core (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B (duplicated below) and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Fig. 1A, needle core in the form of electrically conductive structure 112 in combination with first contact end 102 and second contact end 104; also see Fig. 3B which shows these features for each probe 100);
a needle coat (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Fig. 1A, needle coat in the form of secondary path 184 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 162, a second secondary contact 172, and a secondary structure 122 in combination with another secondary path 186 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 164, a secondary structure 142, and a second secondary contact 174; also see Fig. 3B which shows these features for each probe 100); and
an isolation layer disposed between the needle coat and the needle core, wherein in an extending direction of the needle core, the needle core extends exceeding the isolation layer (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Fig. 1A, isolation layer in the form of insulating gap 132 or insulating gap 152; also see Fig. 3B which shows these features for each probe 100; note in Fig. 1A that needle core as applied above extends beyond insulating gaps 132, 152).
PNG
media_image2.png
862
690
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Eldrige as applied above is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing the isolation layer extends exceeding the needle coat. In particular, as perhaps best seen in Fig. 1A of Eldrige, each of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174 appear to be coextensive with the respective insulating gaps 132, 152 in a longitudinal direction of the probe 100. In other words, the insulating gaps 132, 152 do not extend past the ends of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 or the second secondary contacts 172, 174.
In related art, Li discloses in connection with Fig. 1 (duplicated below) a conductive probe 6 that includes a metal needle 61, an outer electrode 62 and a dielectric layer 63 clamped between the metal needle body 61. Li discloses that the two ends of the dielectric layer 63 protrude out of the outer electrode 62, so as to prevent the outer electrode 62 of the conductive probe 6 from contacting with the metal needle body 61 to form a short circuit (Li, e.g., page 7). It 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 to modify Eldrige such that the insulating gaps 132, 152 extend past the ends of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 (e.g., either by adjusting the lengths of the insulating gaps 132, 152 or by adjusting the lengths of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174). In this way, by allowing the insulating gaps 132, 152 to protrude out of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174 in Fig. 1A of Eldrige, short circuits between Eldrige’s needle core and needle coat structures may be prevented in the same manner as disclosed by Li.
Regarding claim 8, Eldrige in view of Li discloses wherein the needle coat comprises elongation portions extending in the extending direction of the needle core and arranged along a perimeter of the isolation layer, and the elongation portions are spaced from one another (see Eldrige in view of Li as applied to claim 1, e.g., Eldrige, Fig. 1A, elongation portions in the form of first secondary contact 162 and second secondary contact 172, and/or elongation portions in the form of first secondary contact 164 and second secondary contact 174).
Regarding claim 9, Eldrige in view of Li discloses wherein the needle coat further comprises lateral portions, each of the lateral portions extends continuous between adjacent two of the elongation portions (see Eldrige in view of Li as applied to claim 1, e.g., Eldrige, Fig. 1A, lateral portion in the form of secondary structure 122 that extends continuous between elongation portions in the form of first secondary contact 162 and second secondary contact 172, and lateral portion in the form of secondary structure 142 that extends continuous between elongation portions in the form of first secondary contact 164 and second secondary contact 174).
Regarding claim 10, Eldrige discloses a probe card structure comprising:
a support plate (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A, 3B and 4 and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; see paragraph 34 in particular, first contact end 102 of probe 100 in Fig. 1A can be sized and configured to contact a first electronic device (not shown in FIGS. 1A-1C); examples in which multiple such probes 100 connect a test interface structure 410 (an example of a first electronic device) to an electronic device under test (DUT) 420 (an example of a second electronic device) are illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6 and discussed below; the examiner notes in connection with Fig. 4 that test interface structure 410 comprises a support plate in the form of wiring substrate 414 to be contacted by multiple such probes 100 as discussed in paragraph 34); and
a probe head assembled to the support plate and comprising a first probe needle and a second probe needle (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Figs. 3A and 3B, probe head including first and second probes 100 (e.g., left two probes 100 in Fig. 3B), with each probe 100 constructed as shown in Fig. 1A; as discussed in paragraph 34, multiple such probes 100 may be assembled to a support plate, e.g., wiring substrate 414 of Fig. 4), wherein the first probe needle comprises:
a needle core (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Fig. 1A, needle core in the form of electrically conductive structure 112 in combination with first contact end 102 and second contact end 104; also see Fig. 3B which shows these features for each probe 100);
a needle coat, electrically connected to the second probe needle (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Fig. 1A, needle coat in the form of secondary path 184 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 162, a second secondary contact 172, and a secondary structure 122 in combination with another secondary path 186 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 164, a secondary structure 142, and a second secondary contact 174; also see Fig. 3B which shows these features for each probe 100; also see paragraphs 59-60 in connection with Figs. 3A-3B, for example, passages 318 in the first guide plate 312 can be sized to allow the secondary contacts 162, 172 of a probe 100 to move (e.g., up and down in FIGS. 3A-3C) in the passage 318 while maintaining electrical contact with the passage 318 and thus the first guide plate 312; likewise, passages 328 in the second guide plate 322 can also be sized to allow the secondary contacts 164, 174 of a probe 100 to move (e.g., up and down in FIGS. 3A-3C) in the passage 328 while maintaining electrical contact with the passage 328 and thus the second guide plate 322; accordingly, Eldrige discloses in connection with Fig. 3B, for example, that the first (left-most) probe 100 has a needle coat that is electrically connected to the second (second-from-left) probe 100 by virtue of the first and second probes 100 passing through the first guide plate 312 and the second guide plate 322); and
an isolation layer covering a first area of a sidewall of the needle core, wherein the needle coat covers a second area of a sidewall of the isolation layer (Eldrige, e.g., Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B and paragraphs 32-46 and paragraphs 57-62; in Fig. 1A, isolation layer in the form of insulating gap 132 or insulating gap 152; also see Fig. 3B which shows these features for each probe 100)
Eldrige as applied above is not relied upon as explicitly disclosing the first area is larger than the second area. In particular, as perhaps best seen in Fig. 1A, each of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174 appear to be coextensive with the respective insulating gaps 132, 152 in a longitudinal direction of the probe 100. In other words, the insulating gaps 132, 152 do not extend past the ends of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174. Accordingly, the first area (e.g., the area of electrically conductive structure 112 covered by insulating gap 132) and the second area (e.g., the area of insulating gap 132 collectively covered by the first secondary contact 162, the second secondary contact 172, and the secondary structure 122) appear to be equal.
In related art, Li discloses in connection with Fig. 1 a conductive probe 6 that includes a metal needle 61, an outer electrode 62 and a dielectric layer 63 clamped between the metal needle body 61. Li discloses that the two ends of the dielectric layer 63 protrude out of the outer electrode 62, so as to prevent the outer electrode 62 of the conductive probe 6 from contacting with the metal needle body 61 to form a short circuit (Li, e.g., page 7). It 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 to modify Eldrige such that the insulating gaps 132, 152 extend past the ends of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 (e.g., either by adjusting the lengths of the insulating gaps 132, 152 or by adjusting the lengths of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174). In this way, by allowing the insulating gaps 132, 152 to protrude out of the first secondary contacts 162, 164 and the second secondary contacts 172, 174 in Fig. 1A of Eldrige, short circuits between Eldridge’s needle core and needle coat structures may be prevented in the same manner as disclosed by Li. In Eldrige as modified in this manner, the examiner notes that the first area (e.g., the area of electrically conductive structure 112 covered by insulating gap 132) will be larger than the second area (e.g., the area of insulating gap 132 collectively covered by the first secondary contact 162, the second secondary contact 172, and the secondary structure 122).
Regarding claim 11, Eldrige in view of Li discloses wherein the probe head further comprises a pair of guide plates, the guide plates are spaced from each other by a gap and the first probe needle and the second probe needle are guided by the pair of the guide plates (see Eldrige as applied to claim 10, e.g., Figs. 3A, 3B, first guide plate 312 and second guide plate 322).
Regarding claim 16, Eldrige in view of Li discloses wherein the needle coat forms separate patterns around the isolation layer in a top view (see Eldrige as applied to claim 10, e.g., Fig. 1A, needle coat in the form of secondary path 184 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 162, a second secondary contact 172, and a secondary structure 122 in combination with another secondary path 186 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 164, a secondary structure 142, and a second secondary contact 174; in a top view of the probe 100 of Fig. 1A, the needle coat forms patterns around the isolation layer, e.g., around insulating gap 132 or insulating gap 152; the examiner notes that such an arrangement is also apparent in the top perspective view of Fig. 3A of Eldrige).
Regarding claim 17, Eldrige in view of Li discloses wherein in the extending direction of the needle core, an extending length of the needle coat is substantially 55% to 90% of an extending length of the needle core (see Eldrige in view of Li as applied to claim 10, e.g., Fig. 1A, needle core in the form of electrically conductive structure 112 in combination with first contact end 102 and second contact end 104; needle coat in the form of secondary path 184 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 162, a second secondary contact 172, and a secondary structure 122 in combination with another secondary path 186 (Fig. 1C) that includes a first secondary contact 164, a secondary structure 142, and a second secondary contact 174; in Fig. 1A, an extending length of the needle coat as defined above is substantially 55% to 90% of an extending length of the needle core as defined above).
Regarding claim 18, Eldrige in view of Li discloses wherein the second probe needle is electrically grounded (see Eldrige in view of Li as applied to claim 10, e.g., Fig. 3B and paragraphs 59-60, passages 318 in the first guide plate 312 can thus be sized to allow the secondary contacts 162, 172 of a probe 100 to move (e.g., up and down in FIGS. 3A-3C) in the passage 318 while maintaining electrical contact with the passage 318 and thus the first guide plate 312; passages 328 in the second guide plate 322 can thus also be sized to allow the secondary contacts 164, 174 of a probe 100 to move (e.g., up and down in FIGS. 3A-3C) in the passage 328 while maintaining electrical contact with the passage 328 and thus the second guide plate 322; note also in Fig. 3B that first and second guide plates 312, 322 are grounded).
Claims 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Eldrige in view of Li, and further in view of US 2019/0120876 to Cosman et al. (Cosman).
Regarding claim 12, Figs. 1A, 3A and 3B of Eldrige in the combination of Eldrige in view of Li applied to claim 11 are not relied upon as explicitly disclosing wherein the probe head further comprises an adhesive layer disposed on the guide plates and extending between the first probe needle and the second probe needle. Eldrige nonetheless discloses in connection with Fig. 10 that each guide plate can be a composite guide plate that includes an electrically conductive layer disposed on an electrically insulating layer. Further, in closely related art, Cosman discloses a direct metalized guide plate that includes an electrically conductive layer patterned on an electrically insulating (e.g., ceramic) layer for the purpose of establishing an electrical connection between the guide plate and a probe passing through the guide plate, with the patterned conductive layer being gold, for example (Cosman, e.g., Fig. 4 and paragraphs 35, 37; also see, e.g., Fig. 8D and paragraph 47; note in paragraph 47 of Cosman that patterned conductive layer includes gold, for example). Cosman therefore discloses an arrangement in which an adhesive layer (e.g., patterned gold) is disposed on guide plates and extends between a first probe needle and a second probe needle. It 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 to modify Eldrige in view of Li such that the probe head further comprises an adhesive layer disposed on the guide plates and extending between the first probe needle and the second probe needle. In this way, in the manner disclosed by Eldrige, each of the first and second guide plates 312, 322 of Figs. 3A, 3B can be formed as a composite guide plate that includes an electrically conductive layer disposed on an electrically insulating layer for establishing a ground connection with the probes 100, with the electrically conductive layer being formed as a highly conductive adhesive layer (e.g., patterned gold) as taught by Cosman for providing a low-resistance ground connection.
Regarding claim 13, Eldrige in view of Li and Cosman discloses wherein each of the guide plates comprises a first guide hole and a second guide hole, the first probe needle extends through the first guide hole, the second probe needle extends through the second guide hole, and the adhesive layer extends surrounding the first guide hole and the second guide hole (see Eldrige in view of Li and Cosman as applied to claim 12, noting that Figs. 3A, 3B of Eldrige further modified in view of Fig. 10 of Eldrige and Cosman (e.g., Fig. 8D) provides an arrangement in which each of the first and second guide plates 312, 322 of Figs. 3A, 3B includes a first guide hole and a second guide hole, with the first probe needle extending through the first guide hole, with the second probe needle extending through the second guide hole, and with the adhesive layer extending to surround the first guide hole and the second guide hole).
Regarding claim 14, Eldrige in view of Li and Cosman discloses wherein a material of the adhesive layer comprises Cr, Ti, Al, Ni, W, Pt, Au, or a combination thereof (see Eldrige in view of Li and Cosman as applied to claim 12, adhesive layer includes at least Au).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 2024/0094252 to Li et al. relates to the field of probes for use in probe cards or other probe array arrangements for testing semiconductor devices, and more particularly to probes having a least one signal carrying path for contacting a pad or other contact location of a device under test as well as shield (e.g., ground) structures on at least two sides of the at least one signal carrying path; see, e.g., Fig. 3A.
E. Lee et al., "Ground guard structure to reduce the crosstalk noise and electromagnetic interference (EMI) in a vertical probe card for wafer-level testing," 2014 IEEE International Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC), Raleigh, NC, USA, 2014, pp. 260-264, relates to a ground guard structure of needle in a vertical probe card to reduce crosstalk noise and EMI; see, e.g., Figs. 3-4.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL R MILLER whose telephone number is (571)270-1964. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak, can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DANIEL R MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights