Ajinomoto Wins Korean Patent Appeal Over Circuit Board Tech

Ajinomoto Wins Korean Patent Appeal Over Circuit Board Tech
(Source: Ajinomoto)

Japan's Ajinomoto has successfully secured a Korean patent for its "Roughened Cured Body" technology (KR1020220108154) after overturning an earlier rejection by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).

On March 21, 2025, the Korean Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) sided with Ajinomoto in a decision reversing KIPO's refusal to grant the patent. Ajinomoto had filed the appeal in June 2024 following the rejection of its August 2022 application. 

The ruling was issued under a system introduced in January 2025, which allows the IPTAB to directly grant a patent in appeal cases where no further legal issues are identified.

The patent relates to surface roughening technology for insulating layers used in high-precision printed circuit boards. Specifically, it enables the creation of micro-pattern circuits by precisely roughening the surface of a resin-based cured insulating layer, allowing for both fine-line resolution and reliable electrical performance in semiconductor packaging substrates.

Ajinomoto emphasized that its process ensures a thin, flat insulating layer with excellent plating suitability, supporting stable formation of high-density circuits under 10 micrometers. A critical aspect of the invention is the analysis of the surface profile and plating infiltration—beyond simple surface roughness (Ra)—using a quantitative Y/X ratio metric.


By PatenTrip

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