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 Objections
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 17 is objected to because the claim is listed as claim 2. Appropriate correction is required.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 06/20/2025 and 07/01/2026 are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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, 5-6, 9-12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sun et al. (US 2008/0083558 A1).
Pertaining to claim 1, Sun et al. discloses An apparatus (see fig. 3) comprising: a substrate (2, see fig. 3) comprising a first metal material (12a, 12b, 12c, see fig. 3); a first layer (6a, 6b, 5 and 6c, see fig. 3) coupled to the substrate (2); and a second layer (11a, see fig. 3) coupled to the substrate (2) via the first layer, the second layer (11a) comprising an organic material (see paragraph [0074]) and configured to provide electrical connectivity (13, see fig. 3) to the substrate (2); wherein the first layer is configured to couple the second layer to the substrate, the first layer comprises: a third layer (5, see fig. 3) coupled to the second layer, and the third layer (5) comprises a first adhesion material (namely TN see paragraph [0069]) configured to couple to the organic material (via 6c; and a fourth layer 6b, see fig. 3) coupled to the third layer (5), the fourth layer (6b) comprises a second adhesion material (see paragraph [0070], [0104]).
Pertaining to claim 5, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the substrate comprises a first via extending through the substrate, the first via (4, see fig. 3) comprises the first metal material (8, see paragraph [0058]).
Pertaining to claim 6, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the substrate further comprises a sixth layer coupled to the first via, the sixth layer (surrounding 8, see fig. 3) is configured to provide electrical isolation between the first via (4) and the substrate (2, see fig. 3).
Pertaining to claim 9, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the second adhesion material comprises at least one of silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (SiN), or silicon carbonitride (SiCN), (see paragraph [0070]).
Pertaining to claim 10, Sun et al. discloses An apparatus (see fig. 3) comprising: a substrate (2) comprising a first metal material (12a, 12b, 12c, see fig. 3), the substrate (2) comprising a first via (4) extending through the substrate (2); a first layer (6a, 6b, 5 and 6c, see fig. 3) coupled to the substrate; and a second layer (11a, see fig. 3) coupled to the substrate (2) via the first layer, the second layer (11a) comprising an organic material (see paragraph [0074]) and configured to provide electrical connectivity (13, see fig. 3) to the substrate (2); wherein the first layer is configured to couple the second layer to the substrate, the first layer comprises a third layer (5) coupled to the second layer (11a), and the third layer (5) comprises a first adhesion material (namely TN see paragraph [0069]) configured to couple to the organic material (via 6c; and a fourth layer 6b, see fig. 3).
Pertaining to claim 11, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the first layer further comprises a fourth layer (6b) coupled to the third layer (5) , the fourth layer comprises a second adhesion material (see paragraph [0070], [0104]), and the second adhesion material (see paragraph [0070], [0104]) comprises at least one of silicon oxide (SiO2), silicon nitride (SiN), or silicon carbonitride (SiCN), (see paragraph [0070]).
Pertaining to claim 12, Sun et al. discloses, wherein: the first layer further comprises a fifth layer (6a, see fig. 3, see paragraph [00701) coupled to the fourth layer (6b) and the substrate (2), the fifth layer (6a) comprises a third adhesion material (see paragraph [0071]) configured to couple to the first metal material (12a, 12b, 12c).
Pertaining to claim 16, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the first metal material comprises at least one of molybdenum, copper, aluminum, tungsten, titanium, nickel, or vanadium (see paragraph [0093]).
Pertaining to claim 17, Sun et al. discloses An apparatus (see fig. 3) comprising: a substrate (2, see fig. 3) comprising a first metal material (12a, 12b, 12c, see fig. 3); a first layer (6a, 6b, 5 and 6c, see fig. 3) coupled to the substrate (2); and a second layer (11a, see fig. 3) coupled to the substrate (2) via the first layer, the second layer (11a) comprising an organic material (see paragraph [0074]) and configured to provide electrical connectivity (13, see fig. 3) to the substrate (2); wherein the first layer is configured to couple the second layer to the substrate, the first layer comprises: a third layer (5, see fig. 3) coupled to the second layer, and the third layer (5) comprises a first adhesion material (namely TN see paragraph [0069]) configured to couple to the organic material (via 6c; and a fourth layer 6b, see fig. 3) coupled to the third layer (5), the fourth layer (6b) comprises a second adhesion material (see paragraph [0070], [0104]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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 is 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.
Claims 2-4, 7, 13-14. 16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US 2008/0083558 A1) in view of Lee et al. (US 2025/0219162 A1).
Pertaining to claim 2, Sun et al. discloses, wherein: the first layer further comprises a fifth layer (6a,, see fig. 3, see paragraph [00701) coupled to the fourth layer (6b) and the substrate (2), the fifth layer (6a) comprises a third adhesion material (see paragraph [0071]) configured to couple to the first metal material (12a, 12b, 12c).
But, Sun et al. does not explicitly teach the substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1.
However, Lee et al. teaches a substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1, (see paragraph [0047]).
Therefore, At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1 in the device of Sun et al. based on the teachings of Lee et al. in order to a thick substrate acts as the mechanical backbone of the entire stack. It provides structural integrity, allowing the ultra-thin fifth layer to be processed without tearing or collapsing.
Sun et al fail to explicitly teach the substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable range involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Pertaining to claim 3, Sun et al fail to explicitly teach wherein the ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is less than or equal to 5000:1.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make wherein the ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is less than or equal to 5000:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable range involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Pertaining to claim 4, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the third adhesion material comprises at least one of titanium nitride (TiN), tantalum nitride, (Tin, see paragraph [0071]).
Pertaining to claim 7, Sun et al. discloses all claimed limitations except wherein the first via is characterized by a first diameter, the fourth layer is characterized by a third thickness, and a ratio of the third thickness to the first diameter is less than or equal to 250:1.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make wherein the first via is characterized by a first diameter, the fourth layer is characterized by a third thickness, and a ratio of the third thickness to the first diameter is less than or equal to 250:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable range involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Pertaining to claim 13, Sun et al. discloses all claimed limitations except, wherein the substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1.
However, Lee et al. teaches a substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1, (see paragraph [0047]).
Therefore, At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1 in the device of Sun et al. based on the teachings of Lee et al. in order to a thick substrate acts as the mechanical backbone of the entire stack. It provides structural integrity, allowing the ultra-thin fifth layer to be processed without tearing or collapsing.
Pertaining to claim 14, Sun et al. discloses all claimed limitations except wherein the first via is characterized by a first diameter, the fourth layer is characterized by a third thickness, and a ratio of the third thickness to the first diameter is less than or equal to 250:1.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make wherein the first via is characterized by a first diameter, the fourth layer is characterized by a third thickness, and a ratio of the third thickness to the first diameter is less than or equal to 250:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable range involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Pertaining to claim 18, Sun et al. discloses, wherein: the first layer further comprises a fifth layer (6a,, see fig. 3, see paragraph [00701) coupled to the fourth layer (6b) and the substrate (2), the fifth layer (6a) comprises a third adhesion material (see paragraph [0071]) configured to couple to the first metal material (12a, 12b, 12c).
But, Sun et al. does not explicitly teach the substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1.
However, Lee et al. teaches a substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1, (see paragraph [0047]).
Therefore, At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide a substrate is characterized by a first thickness, the fifth layer is characterized by a second thickness, and a ratio of the first thickness to the second thickness is greater than or equal to 10:1 in the device of Sun et al. based on the teachings of Lee et al. in order to a thick substrate acts as the mechanical backbone of the entire stack. It provides structural integrity, allowing the ultra-thin fifth layer to be processed without tearing or collapsing.
Pertaining to claim 19, Sun et al. discloses, wherein the substrate comprises a first via extending through the substrate,
But, Sun et al. does not explicitly teach the first via is characterized by a first diameter, the fourth layer is characterized by a third thickness, and a ratio of the third thickness to the first diameter is less than or equal to 250:1.
However, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make wherein the first via is characterized by a first diameter, the fourth layer is characterized by a third thickness, and a ratio of the third thickness to the first diameter is less than or equal to 250:1, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable range involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Claims 8, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US 2008/0083558 A1) in view of Tung et al. (US 2022/0102150 A1).
Pertaining to claim 8, Sun et al. discloses all claimed limitations except, wherein the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), or aminosilane.
However, Tung et al. teaches the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), or aminosilane, (see paragraph [0073], lines 5-9).
Therefore, At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide wherein the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) in the device of Sun et al. based on the teachings of Tung et al. in order to provide high environmental and moisture resistance.
Pertaining to claim 15, Sun et al. discloses all claimed limitations except, wherein the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), or aminosilane.
However, Tung et al. teaches the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), or aminosilane, (see paragraph [0073], lines 5-9).
Therefore, At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide wherein the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) in the device of Sun et al. based on the teachings of Tung et al. in order to provide high environmental and moisture resistance.
Pertaining to claim 20, Sun et al. discloses all claimed limitations except, wherein the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), or aminosilane.
However, Tung et al. teaches the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), or aminosilane, (see paragraph [0073], lines 5-9).
Therefore, At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide wherein the first adhesion material comprises at least one of organosiloxane, hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS) in the device of Sun et al. based on the teachings of Tung et al. in order to provide high environmental and moisture resistance.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Vrtis et al. (US 2017/0164458 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDARGIE M AYCHILLHUM whose telephone number is (571)270-1607. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Timothy Dole can be reached at (571) 272-2229. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDARGIE M AYCHILLHUM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2847
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