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 .
This OA is in response to the amendment filled on 5/26/2025 that has been entered, wherein claims 1-9, 12-13, 15, 18-19 and 21-24 are pending, claims 10-11, 14, 16-17, 20 are canceled and claims 1-8 are withdrawn.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/26/2025 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 9, 12-13, 15, 18-19 and 21-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "a photoresist material " in line 28. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is the photoresist material of line 28 the same or different then the “material of the support portion that is a photoresist” in lines 26- 27? For the purpose of examination, “the support portion is a photoresist material” in line 28 will be interpreted as “the material of the support portion that is the photoresist, is a photoresist material”.
Claims 12-13, 15 and 18-19 depend on claim 9 and inherit it’s deficiencies.
Claim 21 recites the limitation "a photoresist material " in line 22. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Is the photoresist material of line 22 the same or different then the “material of the support portion that is a photoresist” in line 21-22? For the purpose of examination, “a material of the support portion is a photoresist, and the support portion is a photoresist material” in line 22 will be interpreted as “a material of the support portion is a photoresist material”.
Claims 22-24 depend on claim 21 and inherit it’s deficiencies.
Claim 24 recites the limitation "the fourth metal layer" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purpose of examination, “the fourth metal layer” in line 22 will be interpreted as “a fourth metal layer”.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9, 12-13, 15, 18-19 and 21-24 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LAURA DYKES whose telephone number is (571)270-3161. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30 am-5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, N. Drew Richards can be reached at 571-272-1736. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LAURA M DYKES/Examiner, Art Unit 2892