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 .
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.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed October 7, 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 20 – 21 and 25 – 34 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.
In regards to claim 20, limitation, “experimentally determining a temperature constant k”, renders the claim indefinite. More specifically, a person skilled in the art cannot ascertain what applicant is seeking protection when reciting “temperature constant K”. For example, it is unclear what the “temperature constant K” is and how it is defined or its difference from just a constant temperature. As applicant has also disclosed as a constant temperature, see specification pages 6, 13 and 18 - 20 of 23. For examination purposes the terms " temperature constant K" has been construed to be a constant temperature, as best understood.
Claims 21 and 25 - 34 depend from claim 20 and are therefore rejected accordingly under 35 USC 112(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 20 – 21, 26, 30 and 32 - 34 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A) and in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1).
In re claim 20, Zavattari et al discloses a method for slicing a multiplicity of wafers from workpieces during a number of slicing operations by a wire saw (wire saw machine used to slice ingots into wafers, see [0001]) comprising a wire web (Fig. 1: 104) of moving wire sections of sawing wire stretched between two wire guide rollers (gives wires a tensile force which is wound around wire guides, 106), each of the wire guide rollers (wire guides, 106) mounted between a fixed bearing (not movable, bearings, 114 see [0026]) and a movable bearing (bearings, 114 on left side of the system, 100 are movable, see [0026]), said method comprising:
Experimentally determining a temperature constant K (the system is a memory for storing temperature profiles, each temperature profile associated with a surface profile and defining a temperature set point for at least one of the fluid and the bearing, see [0006]) which is an amount in um which when the fixed-bearing temperate changes by one degree Celsius, causes the fixed bearing to axially expand and thus displace the wire web relative to a workpiece to be cut, the temperature constant being specific to each individual wire saw (Recipes can be generated according to a variety of different methods. Specific temperatures and / or displacements of each recipe are empirically determined or experimentally (ie, preceding slicing operation) based on the material properties of the bearings, 114 (ie, the thermal expansion coefficient (s) of the materials of the bearing). Can be determined). In one embodiment, the recipes are created experimentally by measuring the displacement of the bearings, 114 and / or the temperature of the fluid and the bearing during ingot, 102 slicing and storing these measurements in the memory, 150, see [0034]);
feeding a workpiece during each of the slicing operations along a feed direction against the wire web in the presence of a working fluid (control of flow rate of fluid controls of the bearing and initiating of slicing operation, see [0010]);
temperature-controlling the wire guide roller fixed bearing during the slicing operations according to a temperature profile which mandates a temperature as a function of a depth of cut of the workpiece by virtue of the temperature constant K (the method comprises measuring the surface of a wafer previously cut by the wire saw, measuring the displacement of the bearing of the wire guide supporting the wires within the wire saw, the measured displacement of the bearing and Determining a temperature set point of the bearing based in part on at least one of the measured surfaces of the previously cut wafer, and controlling a temperature of a fluid circulated in contact with the bearing based on the temperature set point, see [0012]);
a first switching of the temperature profile between successive slicing operations from a first temperature profile with constant temperature course to a second temperature profile which is proportional by said saw specific temperature constant k to the difference of a first average shape profile (temperature sensors are arranged in thermal communication with the fluid to measure the temperature of the fluid. In an exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor 134 is disposed adjacent to the rotary race 116 and the temperature sensor 136 is disposed adjacent to the stationary race 118. Thus, temperature sensors 134 and 136 are located adjacent to each race in thermal communication with the fluid and the fluid is thereby also in thermal communication with the respective races. Since the fluid is in thermal communication with the respective races 116, 118 at these locations, the temperature of the fluid represents the temperature of the races. In an exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the temperature of the fluid adjacent to each of the races 116, 118 is approximately equal to the temperature of this race. In other embodiments, this may not be the case and the temperature of the fluid adjacent to the races 116, 118 may be different from the temperature of the race., see [0030]), and a shape profile of a reference wafer, with the first average shape profile determined from a weighted average of the shape profile of a plurality of wafters which have been sliced in accordance with the first temperature profile (wire sawing method wherein first of all the shapes of wafers which result for different temperatures of the wire guide roller bearings are measured, each of these shapes is stored with the respective associated bearing temperature, and then, in the subsequent cut, the bearing temperature is selected so as to correspond to the selection of stored shapes that best matches the desired target shape, see [0034]) and
further switching the temperature profile to a further temperature profile for a successive slicing operation, which is proportional to the difference of a further average shape profile of previously sliced wafers and of the shape profile of the reference wafer by said temperature constant K, wherein the previously sliced wafers originate from 1 to 5 slicing operations which have immediately preceded a current slicing operation, and the further average shape profile is determined on the basis of a cut-based selection of wafers a wafer-based selection of wafers, or on the basis of a weighted average of a wafer-based and of a cut-based selection of wafers (A processor, shown schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3 and generally denoted by reference numeral 140, is communicatively coupled to temperature sensors 134, 136, displacement sensors 130, 132, and heat exchanger 124. As discussed in greater detail below, processor 140 is configured to receive input from a user that identifies a desired wafer nanotopology profile or shape of wafers sliced from an ingot. Based on this input and the measured temperature of the fluid, processor 140 sends instructions to heat exchanger 124 to control (ie, adjust, change or change) the temperature of the fluid; Controlling the displacement of the wire guides, 106 and the wires, 104 controls the shape of the surfaces of the wafers and thus controlling the shape of the surfaces of the wafers controls the nanotopology of the surfaces see [0031]).
Zavattari et al is silent about the feeding of a workpiece in the presence of hard substances which act abrasively on the workpiece.
Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus, the feeding of a workpiece in the presence of hard substances which act abrasively on the workpiece (feeding an ingot to be sliced and a mechanism, 6 for supplying slurry with abrasive grains at the time of slicing, see [0058]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al with the teachings of the feeding of a workpiece in the presence of hard substances which act abrasively on the workpiece as taught by Oishi et al because it additionally eliminates the slicing path changes in an axial direction to improve cutting accuracy and efficiency (Oishi et al.: [0053]).
In re claim 21, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20,
further comprising using the first temperature profile during a first slicing operation which first slicing operation takes place after a change in at least one feature of the wire saw (ingot maintained at the start of slicing, at a constant temperature as the grooved roller thermally expands which is a change in a feature of the wire saw’s rollers, see [0034]).
In re claim 26, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20, having a sawing wire (104).
Zavattari et al as modified is silent about wherein the sawing wire has a diameter of 70 um to 175 um.
Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus wherein the sawing wire has a diameter of 70 um to 175 um (table 1, wire diameter of 160 um).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cause the device of Zavattari et al. to have sawing wire diameter of 70 um to 175 um since it has been held that “where the only difference between the prior art and the claims was a recitation of relative dimensions of the claimed device and a device having the claimed relative dimensions would not perform differently than the prior art device, the claimed device was not patentably distinct from the prior art device”, see MPEP 2144.04. In the instant case, the Zavattari et al. would not operate differently with the claimed diameter. Further, it appears that applicant places no criticality on the range claimed, indicating simply that the diameter “may” be within the claimed ranges (specification pg 16 of 23).
In re claim 30, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20.
Zavattari et al as modified does not teach further comprising moving the sawing wire in a continual sequence of pairs of directional reversals, with each pair of directional reversals comprising a first moving of the sawing wire in a first longitudinal wire direction by a first length, and a second, subsequent moving of the sawing wire in a second longitudinal wire direction by a second length, with the second longitudinal wire direction being opposite to the first longitudinal wire direction and the first length being greater than the second length.
Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus further comprising moving the sawing wire in a continual sequence of pairs of directional reversals, with each pair of directional reversals comprising a first moving of the sawing wire in a first longitudinal wire direction by a first length, and a second, subsequent moving of the sawing wire in a second longitudinal wire direction by a second length, with the second longitudinal wire direction being opposite to the first longitudinal wire direction and the first length being greater than the second length (Fig. 12A, shows wire 102 having tensile force in one direction and the opposite direction; the wire-tension-providing mechanism, 104 and 104’ is made to travel in reciprocating directions and can be appropriately adjusted/set according to an ingot to be sliced, see [0012]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of further comprising moving the sawing wire in a continual sequence of pairs of directional reversals, with each pair of directional reversals comprising a first moving of the sawing wire in a first longitudinal wire direction by a first length, and a second, subsequent moving of the sawing wire in a second longitudinal wire direction by a second length, with the second longitudinal wire direction being opposite to the first longitudinal wire direction and the first length being greater than the second length as taught by Oishi et al because it allows for maintaining cutting stability and precision therefore improving efficiency and quality of the cutting process.
In re claim 32, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20,
Wherein the workpiece is a semiconductor material comprising silicon semiconductor (e.g. silicon, see [0024]).
In re claim 33, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20,
wherein the workpiece has a form of straight prism (in the form of a rectangular prism, where joining edges and faces are perpendicular to the base faces, angle between any lateral face and any base is a right angle, also known as a “rectangular prism”, see Fig. 1).
In re claim 34, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20, having a workpiece has a form of straight prism (see Fig. 1).
Zavattari et al as modified does not teach wherein the workpiece has a form of a straight circular cylinder.
Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus wherein the workpiece has a form of a straight circular cylinder (ingot, is shown as a straight circular cylinder, see Fig. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have a form of a straight circular cylinder for a workpiece, since a change in shape of an element involve only routine skill in the art. The motivation for doing so would be to allow the user to have a different shape of the wafer.
Claim(s) 25 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A), in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1), and in further view of Hohenwarter et al (NPL: Ultra-strong and damage tolerant metallic bulk materials, see PTO-892-U, July 2, 2024).
In re claim 25, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20, having a wire (104).
Zavattari et al as modified is silent about a hypereutectoid pearlitic steel.
However, Hohenwarter et al teaches a steel with a hypereutectoid composition followed by a pearlitic transformation of the steel (see page 5 of 13). Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of a hypereutectoid pearlitic steel as taught by Hohenwarter et al. because of it enables the high fracture toughness without being detrimental to the material’s strength (Hohenwarter et al: page 1 of 13).
Claim(s) 27 and 29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A), in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1), and in further view of Pietsch (US 20200016671 A1).
In re claim 27, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method as claimed in claim 20 of a sawing wire provided along a longitudinal wire axis.
Zavattari et al as modified does not teach, the sawing wire with a multiplicity of protuberances and indentations in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal wire axis.
However, Pietsch teaches a wire saw, wherein the sawing wire with a multiplicity of protuberances and indentations in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal wire axis (the structured wire has, on average over its longitudinal direction, indentations and protrusions which extend within all (arbitrary) planes perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, see [0060]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings the sawing wire with a multiplicity of protuberances and indentations in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal wire axis as taught by Pietsch because it provides “crimps” in the wire for better transport of the applied slurry and improved quality of the cutting (Pietsch: [0115]).
In re claim 29, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20, comprising a fluid.
Zavattari et al as modified does not teach comprising supplying a working fluid in the form of a slurry of hard substances in glycol or oil to the wire sections during slicing operations, with the hard substances comprising silicon carbide.
Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus comprising supplying a working fluid in the form of a slurry of hard substances to the wire sections during slicing operations, with the hard substances comprising silicon carbide (supply slurry in which GC (silicon carbide) abrasive grains dispersed to the rollers and wires, see [0011]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of supplying a working fluid in the form of a slurry of hard substances to the wire sections during slicing operations, with the hard substances comprising silicon carbide as taught by Oishi et al because it additionally eliminates the slicing path changes in an axial direction to improve cutting accuracy and efficiency (Oishi et al.: [0053]).
Lastly, Pietsch teaches a wire saw with a liquid carrier of glycol or oil as being suitable as a carrier liquid (see [0050]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of a liquid carrier of glycol or oil as taught by Pietsch because it can help prevent rusting of machine components and settling of the abrasive particles.
Claim(s) 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A), in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1), and in further view of Kondo et al. (US 20150202700 A1).
In re claim 28, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 20, in which the wire saw comprises a cool fluid (heat exchanger, 124 is operable to cool fluid, see [0027]).
Zavattari et al as modified does not teach further comprising supplying a cooling lubricant as a working fluid to the wire sections during the slicing operation, with hard substances comprising diamond fixed on the surface of the sawing wire by electroplate bonding by synthetic resin bonding or by form-fitting bonding, wherein the cooling lubricant is free of substances which act abrasively on the workpiece.
However, Oishi et al as teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus, further comprising supplying a cooling lubricant as a working fluid to the wire sections during the slicing operations (at the time of slicing the grooved roller, 3 in which the wire, 2 is wound can be extended toward an axial direction by adjusting the cooling water, see [0073]), with sawing wire (2), wherein the cooling lubricant is free of substances which act abrasively on the workpiece (cooling lubricant is water which passes through shafts of rollers, 3 on which the wire, 2 is wound, [0028]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al with the teachings of supplying a cooling lubricant as a working fluid to the wire sections during the slicing operations with sawing wire, wherein the cooling lubricant is free of substances which act abrasively on the workpiece as taught by Oishi et al because it additionally eliminates the slicing path changes in an axial direction to improve cutting accuracy and efficiency (Oishi et al.: [0053]).
Lastly, Kondo et al teaches a method of cutting high-hardness material with a multi-wire saw, with hard substances comprising diamond fixed on the surface of the sawing wire by electroplate bonding (Wire: diamond-electrodeposited wire, see [0075]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of hard substances comprising diamond fixed on the surface of the sawing wire by electroplate bonding as taught by Kondo et al. because it contributes to manufacturing wafers of a high-hardness with higher machining accuracy (Kondo et al: [0008]).
Claim(s) 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A), in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1), and in further view of Ohya et al. (US 20120298090 A1).
In re claim 31, Zavattari et al as modified teaches the method of claim 30.
Zavattari et al as modified does not teach wherein the sawing wire during movement of the first length is supplied to the wire web with a first tensile force in the longitudinal wire direction from a first wire stock, and during movement of the second length is supplied with a second tensile force in the longitudinal wire direction from a second wire stock, wherein the second tensile force is lower than the first tensile force.
However, Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus, wherein the sawing wire during movement of the first length is supplied to the wire web with a first tensile force in the longitudinal wire direction from a first wire stock, and during movement of the second length is supplied with a second tensile force in the longitudinal wire direction from a second wire stock (see the first wire and second wire in Fig. 12A, providing with a tensile strength by both wire-tension-providing mechanisms, 104 and 104’, [0006]), and with the tensile force (Oishi et al: applying a tension of 2.5 kgf to 3.0kgf).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of wherein the sawing wire during movement of the first length is supplied to the wire web with a first tensile force in the longitudinal wire direction from a first wire stock, and during movement of the second length is supplied with a second tensile force in the longitudinal wire direction from a second wire stock, wherein the second tensile force is lower than the first tensile force as taught by Oishi et al because it allows for maintaining cutting stability and precision therefore improving efficiency and quality of the cutting process.
Lastly, Ohya et al teaches a method of cutting a workpiece with a wire saw, the second tensile force being lower than the first tensile force (a feeding-side-tension application member against the wire, and adjusting tension in a wire to a second target tension lower than the first target tension, see [0008]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al as modified with the teachings of the second tensile force being lower than the first tensile force as taught by Ohya et al because it effectively reduces time loss due to an adjustment of a wire tension reversing a driving direction of a wire in a wire saw while preventing such tension adjustment from degrading processing accuracy of a workpiece (Ohya et al.: [0008]).
Claim(s) 35 and 36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi et al (US 20030023402 A1).
In re claim 35, Kobayashi et al discloses a semiconductor wafer of monocrystalline silicon (silicon wafer, a single-crystal silicon ingot, see [0103]), which, (see MPEP 2113), comprises
a waviness index Wavred of not more than 7 um and a diameter of 300 mm (having a wafer in parameter C, 20 nm or 0.02 micrometers which is not more than 7 micrometers, see [0112] and a diameter of between 200 mm and 300 mm, see [0064]),
wherein a characteristic wavelength of 10 mm and disregarded regions at the start of cutting and at the end of cutting of 20 mm are employed as a basis for determining the waviness index Wavred (the nanotopography means irregularities with a wavelength to the order of 0.1 mm to 20 mm on a wafer surface from a circular block, see [0009]).
In re claim 36, Kobayashi et al discloses the semiconductor wafer of claim 35,
which has a waviness index Wavred of not more than 3 um and a diameter of 300 mm (having a wafer in parameter C, 20 nm or 0.02 micrometers which is not more than 7 micrometers, see [0112] and a diameter of between 200 mm and 300 mm, see [0064]).
Claim(s) 37 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A) and in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1).
In re claim 37. Zavattari et al discloses method for slicing a multiplicity of wafers from workpieces during a number of slicing operations by a wire saw (wire saw machine used to slice ingots into wafers, see [0001]) comprising a wire web (Fig. 1: 104) of moving wire sections of sawing wire stretched between two wire guide rollers (gives wires a tensile force which is wound around wire guides, 106), each of the wire guide rollers (wire guides, 106) mounted between a fixed bearing (not movable, bearings, 114 see [0026]) and a movable bearing (bearings, 114 on left side of the system, 100 are movable, see [0026]), said method comprising:
feeding a workpiece during each of the slicing operations along a feed direction against the wire web in the presence of a working fluid (control of flow rate of fluid controls of the bearing and initiating of slicing operation, see [0010]);
temperature-controlling the wire guide roller fixed bearing during the slicing operations according to a temperature profile which mandates a temperature as a function of a depth of cut of the workpiece (the method comprises measuring the surface of a wafer previously cut by the wire saw, measuring the displacement of the bearing of the wire guide supporting the wires within the wire saw, the measured displacement of the bearing and Determining a temperature set point of the bearing based in part on at least one of the measured surfaces of the previously cut wafer, and controlling a temperature of a fluid circulated in contact with the bearing based on the temperature set point, see [0012]);
a first switching of the temperature profile between slicing operations from a first temperature profile with constant temperature course to a second temperature profile which is proportional to the difference of a first average shape profile (temperature sensors are arranged in thermal communication with the fluid to measure the temperature of the fluid. In an exemplary embodiment, the temperature sensor 134 is disposed adjacent to the rotary race 116 and the temperature sensor 136 is disposed adjacent to the stationary race 118. Thus, temperature sensors 134 and 136 are located adjacent to each race in thermal communication with the fluid and the fluid is thereby also in thermal communication with the respective races. Since the fluid is in thermal communication with the respective races 116, 118 at these locations, the temperature of the fluid represents the temperature of the races. In an exemplary embodiment, it is assumed that the temperature of the fluid adjacent to each of the races 116, 118 is approximately equal to the temperature of this race. In other embodiments, this may not be the case and the temperature of the fluid adjacent to the races 116, 118 may be different from the temperature of the race., see [0030]), and a shape profile of a reference wafer, with the first average shape profile determined from a weighted average of the shape profile of a plurality of wafers which have been sliced in accordance with the first temperature profile (wire sawing method wherein first of all the shapes of wafers which result for different temperatures of the wire guide roller bearings are measured, each of these shapes is stored with the respective associated bearing temperature, and then, in the subsequent cut, the bearing temperature is selected so as to correspond to the selection of stored shapes that best matches the desired target shape, see [0034]), and
further switching the temperature profile to a further temperature profile for a successive slicing operation, which a wafer-based selection of wafers, or is proportional to the difference of a further average shape profile of previously sliced wafers and of the shape profile of the reference wafer, with the previously sliced wafers originating from 1 to 5 slicing operations which have immediately preceded a current slicing operation, and the further average shape profile is determined on the basis of a cut-based selection of wafers, a wafer-based selection of wafers, or wherein the further average shape profile is determined on the basis of a weighted average of a wafer-based and of a cut-based selection of wafers (A processor, shown schematically in FIGS. 2 and 3 and generally denoted by reference numeral 140, is communicatively coupled to temperature sensors 134, 136, displacement sensors 130, 132, and heat exchanger 124. As discussed in greater detail below, processor 140 is configured to receive input from a user that identifies a desired wafer nanotopology profile or shape of wafers sliced from an ingot. Based on this input and the measured temperature of the fluid, processor 140 sends instructions to heat exchanger 124 to control (ie, adjust, change or change) the temperature of the fluid; Controlling the displacement of the wire guides, 106 and the wires, 104 controls the shape of the surfaces of the wafers and thus controlling the shape of the surfaces of the wafers controls the nanotopology of the surfaces see [0031]).
Zavattari et al is silent about the feeding of a workpiece in the presence of hard substances which act abrasively on the workpiece.
Oishi et al teaches slicing method and wire saw apparatus, the feeding of a workpiece in the presence of hard substances which act abrasively on the workpiece (feeding an ingot to be sliced and a mechanism, 6 for supplying slurry with abrasive grains at the time of slicing, see [0058]).
Therefore, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of invention to modify Zavattari et al with the teachings of the feeding of a workpiece in the presence of hard substances which act abrasively on the workpiece as taught by Oishi et al because it additionally eliminates the slicing path changes in an axial direction to improve cutting accuracy and efficiency (Oishi et al.: [0053]).
Response to Arguments
Regarding the 112(a) rejections applicant’s identification of support in specification and amendment to the claim has overcome the rejection and the rejection has been withdrawn.
Applicant's arguments filed October 7, 2025 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. In this case, regarding 35 USC 103 rejection applicant argues that rejection over multiple references must be analogous references and must be clear and particular evidence of motivation to combine the references and not teach away from each other. Applicant argues that Palmgren is not in field as it is directed towards forming abrasive articles such as for use in sandpaper, machine tools, and the like. Therefore, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made over Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A) in view of Oishi et al (US 20100089377 A1) that provides analogous references and reference Zavattari et al (KR20140100549A) provides a system with a memory for storing temperature profiles, each temperature profile associated with a surface profile and defining a temperature set point for at least one of the fluid and the bearing; a control system for controlling a temperature, a temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of at least one of the fluid and the bearing, and a processor communicatively coupled to the memory; see rejection of the same above.
Therefore, claim 20 as set forth is rejected and therefore regarding the dependent claims 21 and 25 - 34 are not allowable over the art of record.
In regards to claims 35 and 36 rejected under 35 USC 103 applicant in regards to the product by process claim, states that there is no process step involved and states that if this rejection is maintained a reference which recites the claimed surface topology of a freshly sawn wafer must be provided by the office. The office has provided in the prior action the reference which recites the claimed surface topology in use of the reference Kobayashi, having a wafer in parameter C, 20 nm or 0.02 micrometers which is not more than 7 micrometers, see [0112] and a diameter of between 200 mm and 300 mm, see [0064]), please see rejection of the same above.
Therefore, claim 20 as set forth is rejected and therefore regarding the dependent claims 21 and 25 - 34 are not allowable over the art of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHARONDA TIYILLE FELTON whose telephone number is (571)270-0379. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.
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/SHARONDA T FELTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/KATINA N. HENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723