DETAILED ACTION
The communication dated 8/17/2026 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1-28 have been cancelled. Claims 29-37 are pending with claims 29-31 being withdrawn from further consideration.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group IV, claims 32-37, in the reply filed on 8/17/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 29-31 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 8/17/2026.
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 (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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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(s) 32-35 and 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ATTAR et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2022/0189908), hereinafter ATTAR, in view of Loy et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2013/0075739), hereinafter LOY.
Regarding claim 32, ATTAR teaches: A method of using a carrier structure having one or more roughened surfaces for processing electronics structures (LOY teaches a process for processing electronic structures [Abstract; 0001-0004].), the method comprising: forming a temporary stack comprising the carrier structure (ATTAR teaches forming a temporary stack comprising a carrier structure (210) [0006; Figs. 1, 2A-2B, 4; 0016].), a first electronics structure to be processed, and a temporary adhesive disposed between the carrier structure and the first electronics structure (ATTAR teaches the temporary stack also comprises a first electronics structure to be processed [0024]. ATTAR teaches a temporary adhesive (230) disposed between the carrier structure (210) and the first electronics structure (240) [Figs. 2A-2B; 0025].), . . . ; processing the electronics structure while the electronics structure is temporarily bonded to the carrier structure (ATTAR teaches processing the electronics structure while the electronics structure is temporarily bonded to the carrier structure [0024].); emitting one or more pulses of light from a light source such that the light is transmitted into the carrier structure toward the roughened surface to generate heat at a boundary between the carrier structure and the temporary adhesive to loosen the electronics structure with respect to the carrier structure (ATTAR teaches emitting one or more pulses of light from a light source (350) such that the light is transmitted into the carrier structure (210) to generate heat at a boundary between the carrier structure (210) and the temporary adhesive (230) to loosen the electronics structure (240) with respect to the carrier structure (210) [Figs. 2A-2B; 0025].); and separating the processed electronics structure from the carrier structure (ATTAR teaches separating the processed electronic structure (240) from the carrier structure (210) [Fig. 2B; 0025].).
ATTAR is silent as to: wherein the carrier structure comprises a roughened surface having an average surface roughness between about 50nm and about 5 microns, the roughened surface of the carrier structure facing toward the temporary adhesive. In the same field of endeavor, adhesives, LOY teaches the carrier structure has at least one side of the carrier substrate comprise a single micrometer roughness [0082]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify ATTAR, by having one surface of the carrier have a roughened surface that is a single micrometer, as suggested by LOY, in order to improve adhesive wetting properties of the carrier substrate [0082].
Regarding claim 33, ATTAR teaches: wherein the carrier structure comprises a carrier body and a light-absorbing layer carried by the carrier body (ATTAR teaches the carrier structure comprises a carrier body (210) and a light-absorbing layer (220) [Figs. 2A-2B; 0016]), and wherein the temporary adhesive engages the light-absorbing layer to form the temporary stack (ATTAR teaches the temporary adhesive (230) engages the light-absorbing layer (220) to form the temporary stack [Figs. 2A-2B; 0016].).
Regarding claim 34, ATTAR teaches: wherein emitting one or more pulses of light from a light source comprises emitting pulses of incoherent light from a flashlamp (ATTAR teaches emitting one or more pulses of light from a light source that comprises emitting pulses of incoherent light from a flashlamp (350) [0025-0026].), a peak wavelength range of the light pulsed from the flashlamp being on the order of the average surface roughness of the roughened surface (ATTAR teaches a peak wavelength range of the light pulsed from the flashlamp being on the order of the average surface roughness of the roughened surface [0026].).
Regarding claim 35, ATTAR teaches: wherein the light source is an incoherent light source (ATTAR teaches the light source is an incoherent light source [0025-0026].), and wherein the peak wavelength range is between about 400nm and about 600nm (ATTAR teaches the peak wavelength is in the wavelength of 200nm to about 1,500nm which encompasses the claimed range [0026].).
Regarding claim 37, ATTAR teaches: wherein the adhesive comprises a liquid thermoset adhesive (ATTAR teaches the adhesive layer (230) may be applied in liquid form and the adhesive layer may include a polymer or oligomer selected from a group consisting of polymers and oligomers of cyclic olefins, epoxies, acrylics, silicones, polyamides, etc. [0020].), but is silent as to: the average surface roughness of the roughened surface is between about 400nm and about 5 microns. In the same field of endeavor, adhesives, LOY teaches the carrier structure has at least one side of the carrier substrate comprise a single micrometer roughness [0082]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify ATTAR, by having one surface of the carrier have a roughened surface that is a single micrometer, as suggested by LOY, in order to improve adhesive wetting properties of the carrier substrate [0082].
Claim(s) 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over ATTAR et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2022/0189908), hereinafter ATTAR, and Loy et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2013/0075739), hereinafter LOY, as applied to claim 32 above, and further in view of Takashima et al. (U.S. PGPUB 2014/0242384), hereinafter TAKASHIMA.
Regarding claim 36, ATTAR and LOY teach all of the claimed limitations as stated above, but are silent as to: wherein the adhesive comprises a laminated tape, and wherein the average surface roughness of the roughened surface is between about 60nm and about 400nm. In the same field of endeavor, adhesives, TAKASHIMA teaches an adhesive that comprises a laminated tape [0182] and the average surface roughness of the roughened surface is between 200 to 450 nm [0161]. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the applicant’s invention to modify ATTAR and LOY, by having the adhesive comprise a laminated tape and the average surface roughness of the roughened surface is between 200 to 450 nm, as suggested by TAKASHIMA, in order to increase production efficiency [0167].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CAROLINE BEHA whose telephone number is (571)272-2529. The examiner can normally be reached MONDAY - FRIDAY 9:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
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, ABBAS RASHID can be reached at (571) 270-7457. 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.
/C.B./Examiner, Art Unit 1748
/JACOB T MINSKEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1748
Prosecution Insights