Appeal 2006-3358
Application 09/933,349
INTRODUCTION
The claims are directed to semiconductor devices having indium
bumps that provide electrical connections but can also serve to separate
components in an assembly. Claim 1 is illustrative:
1. A solid-state detector comprising:
a pixilated semiconductor detector having plurality of individual
indium bumps arrayed on a surface of the detector, wherein the indium
bumps are in electrical contact with the surface and are situated in defined
locations on the surface, and the indium bumps have a height of between 15
to 100 µm.
The Examiner relies on the following prior art reference to show
unpatentability:
Hu US 5,092,036 Mar. 3, 1992
Claims 6-8 have been withdrawn from consideration.
The rejections as presented by the Examiner are as follows:
1. Claims 1-5, 9, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being
anticipated by or, in the alternative, under 35 U.S.C § 103(a) as
unpatentable over Hu.
OPINION
Hu notes that, in prior art fabrication of detector array assemblies,
indium bumps made by vapor deposition had a typical height of 6-9 μm.
Indium bumps of acceptable quality having a height of more than 10 μm
were not possible. Hu col. 1, ll. 37-42. Hu further teaches that problems
relating to thermal fatigue could be minimized to an extent by making the
indium bumps taller or longer to increase the spacing between a detector and
a readout chip, while maintaining the desired circuit connections. Id. at ll.
58-64.
2
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