DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1, 3-11, 19-27 are pending.
Claims 2 and 12-18 are cancelled.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 01/22/2026, have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is allowed.
Claim 20 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 6-9, 11, 19 and 21-27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shinozaki et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0111542 (hereinafter Shinozaki) in view Taatjes et al., US Patent No. 6,167,893 in view (hereinafter Taatjes).
Regarding claims 1, 19, and 21-27 Shinozaki does not teach:
Claim 1 - wherein the conductive member includes a chucking pin configured to support a lateral side surface of the substrate.
Claim 19. The chucking pin configured to support a lateral side surface of the substrate.
Claim 21. wherein the chucking pin includes a support portion and a central portion below the support portion, the support portion and the central portion forming a concave inner sidewall.
Claim 22. wherein the chucking pin is configured to contact the lateral surface of the substrate at the inner sidewall.
Claim 23. wherein the support portion has a shape in which a diameter gradually decreases and then increases downward.
Claim 24. wherein the chucking pin is configured to contact the chemical solution at the support portion.
Claim 25. wherein the chucking pin includes a support portion and a central portion below the support portion, the support portion and the central portion forming a concave inner sidewall.
Claim 26. wherein the support portion has a shape in which a diameter gradually decreases and then increases downward.
Claim 27. wherein the chucking pin is configured to contact the chemical solution at the support portion.
However, Taatjes teaches:
Claim 1 - wherein the conductive member includes a chucking pin configured to support a lateral side surface of the substrate (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 19. The chucking pin configured to support a lateral side surface of the substrate (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 21. wherein the chucking pin includes a support portion and a central portion below the support portion, the support portion and the central portion forming a concave inner sidewall (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 22. wherein the chucking pin is configured to contact the lateral surface of the substrate at the inner sidewall (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 23. wherein the support portion has a shape in which a diameter gradually decreases and then increases downward (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 24. wherein the chucking pin is configured to contact the chemical solution at the support portion (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 25. wherein the chucking pin includes a support portion and a central portion below the support portion, the support portion and the central portion forming a concave inner sidewall (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 26. wherein the support portion has a shape in which a diameter gradually decreases and then increases downward (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Claim 27. wherein the chucking pin is configured to contact the chemical solution at the support portion (Fig 1 - - elements 116b and 110b provide lateral support. The arms form concave inner sidewall. The arms gradually decrease and the increase downward).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the above substrate processing system, as taught by Shinozaki, and incorporating the concept of lateral support, as taught by Taatjes (Fig 1).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to provide consistently load wafers in proper position, as suggested by Taatjes ( See C1 L21-23).
Shinozaki further teaches:
Claim 1. An apparatus for treating a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a cup surrounding a process space; a support unit configured to support the substrate in the process space, the support unit including a rotatable support plate; a chemical solution dispensing unit configured to dispense a chemical solution onto the substrate supported on the support unit; and a conductive member configured to make direct contact with at least one of the substrate or the chemical solution dispensed onto the substrate, wherein the conductive member is grounded, and wherein a current detector is provided on a ground path between the grounded conductive member and a ground (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive member is a chucking pin configured to support a side surface of the substrate (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support unit includes a plurality of support pins provided on the support plate and configured to support the substrate located above the support plate, and wherein the conductive member is implemented with at least one of the support pins (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current detector is implemented with a high-sensitivity element configured to measure current in nanoAmpere (nA) or less (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the chemical solution dispensing unit dispenses two or more different chemical solutions (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the current detector detects a current value in real time while the chemical solution is dispensed onto the substrate (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a data processing unit configured to process a current value detected by the current detector (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data processing unit determines that the substrate is defective, when the detected current value is greater than or equal to a preset threshold value (Para 0160-0161).
Claim 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data processing unit determines that the substrate is completely treated with the chemical solution, when a change in the detected current value is greater than or equal to a preset value in a process in which the substrate is treated with the chemical solution (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 19. An apparatus for treating a substrate, the apparatus comprising: a cup surrounding a process space; a support unit configured to support the substrate in the process space, the support unit including a support plate rotatable at a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed; and a chemical solution dispensing unit configured to dispense a first chemical solution and a second chemical solution different from the first chemical solution onto the substrate supported on the support unit, wherein the support unit further includes: a chucking pin configured to support a side surface of the substrate; and a plurality of support pins provided on the support plate and configured to support the substrate located above the support plate, wherein the chucking pin and at least one of the plurality of support pins are grounded, and wherein the apparatus further comprises: a current detector provided on a ground path between the grounded chucking pin or the at least one grounded support pin and a ground and configured to measure current in nano Ampere (nA) or less; and a data processing unit configured to process a current value detected by the current detector (Para 0101-0104 and 0110-0112 – Chuck, Lifting mechanism, and conductive needles - see elements 10, 303-305).
Claim 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shinozaki et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0111542 (hereinafter Shinozaki) in view Taatjes et al., US Patent No. 6,167,893 in view (hereinafter Taatjes) of Lee et al., US Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0064621 (hereinafter Lee).
Regarding claim 5, Shinozaki discloses all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
Shinozaki fails to clearly specify wherein the support plate is rotatable at a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed.
However, Lee teaches wherein the support plate is rotatable at a first rotational speed and a second rotational speed lower than the first rotational speed (Para 0011).
The applied prior art is considered analogous art to the claimed invention because they relate to same field of endeavor. They relate to substrate support assembly.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the above substrate treatment system, as taught by Shinozaki, and considering plate rotational speed for control purposes, as taught by Lee.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to provide and improved coating process, as suggested by Lee (see Para 0118-0120).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
1. Baker, US Patent No. 5,197,089 relates to – pin chuck for lithography system.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS R ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-3766. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 10:00 am- 6:30 pm.
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/CARLOS R ORTIZ RODRIGUEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
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