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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of the species of Figs. 1-3, readable on claims 1, 3-10, and 19-24, in the reply filed on Dec 11, 2025, is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 2 and 11-18 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on Dec 11, 2025. Note that claim 2 is withdrawn because the elected Figs. 1-3 do not read on the recitation “the pivot axes of the wafer contact fingers (16, 18; 116, 118, 126) are aligned parallel to each other” which appears to show the non-elected Figs. 4 and 5.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/12/22, 10/31/24, 2/10/25, and 8/22/25 were filed and the submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention (“Wafer Chuck for Handling a Wafer”) is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
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 23 and 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 23 recites “A use of a wafer chuck (1) according to claim 1 in a wafer process device, wherein the wafer process device is a scanning acoustic microscope.”
The exact meaning of the recitation of claim 23 is confusing and not clearly understood as to how “a wafer chuck (1) according to claim 1” is used and “the wafer process device is a scanning acoustic microscope.” It is unclear how “a wafer chuck (1)” is in “a scanning acoustic microscope.”
Similarly, the recitation of Claim 24 reciting “A wafer process device comprising a wafer chuck (1) according to claim 1” is not clearly understood as to how “a wafer process device” comprises “a wafer chuck (1).” The claim lacks further recitation or step or structural elements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3, 6, 7, 19-21, and 24, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wu (6,932,558).
RE claim 1, Wu (6,932,558) discloses a wafer chuck (see Figs. 1-11) for handling a wafer (2) in a wafer process device, comprising a fixing device for the wafer (2), wherein the fixing device has a free space (see Figs. 2 & 3) for receiving the wafer (2) and a holder (Figs. 2 & 3) with multiple wafer contact fingers (6, 6, and 6) (see Exhibit A) for the wafer (2), which are movable relative to the holder, wherein the wafer contact fingers (6, 6, & 6) are arranged annularly in one plane around the free space for the wafer (2), wherein the wafer contact fingers (6, 6, 6) can be moved in the direction (see Fig. 4) of the free space for the wafer (2) or can be moved away from the free space for the wafer (2) (see Fig. 5), wherein, one actuation device (12, 24, 20, 32) (see Fig. 2) for the wafer contact fingers (6, 6, 6) is provided and, when the actuation device (12, 24) is actuated, the wafer contact fingers (6, 6, 6) are moved simultaneously as shown in Figs. 4 and 5.
Exhibit A
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RE claim 3, Fig. 10 of Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) teaches that the actuation device (12, 24) is actuated, the wafer contact fingers (6, 6,6) are brought into contact with an edge of a wafer (2) or the contact of the individual wafer contact fingers with the wafer (2) is released.
RE claim 6, Figs. 4 and 5 of Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) show the actuation device (12, 24) for the wafer contact fingers (6, 6, 6) has control curves, each for one wafer con- tact finger (16, 18; 116, 118, 126), wherein the control curves (see Figs. 8-10) are each operatively connected to the wafer contact fingers.
RE claim 7, Figs. 1-10 of Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) also provide the actuation device (12, 24) for the wafer contact fingers (6, 6,6) is configured as a control ring (4), wherein the control ring (4) can be moved relative to the holder (10), to the holding ring (4) for the wafer contact fingers or wherein in the control ring (4) is capable of being produced from an electrically conductive material.
RE claim 19, Figs. 2, 3, and 8-10 of Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) disclose the wafer contact fingers (6, 6,6) each have free ends which face an edge of the wafer (2), wherein the free ends of the wafer contact fingers (6, 6, 6) are configured such that the wafer contact fingers hold a wafer (2) by means of a force fit with the edge of the wafer (2) (see Figs. 8 & 9).
RE claim 20, Figs. 2 and 3 of Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) show the free ends of the wafer contact fingers (6, 6,6) are provided with a chamber for receiving the edge region of the wafer (2).
RE claim 21, Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) shows contact fingers (6, 6) wherein each finger is capable of being made partially elastic or being made of an elastic material.
the wafer contact fingers are each configured to be at least partially elastic
RE claim 24, Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) is applied as a wafer processing device as shown in Fig. 6.
Claims 1, 3-9, 19-21, and 24, as best understood, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by the Japanese Publication (JPH 04142054) (see IDS).
RE claim 1, the Japanese Publication (JPH 04142054) discloses a wafer chuck (see Figs. 1-5) for handling a wafer (1) in a wafer process device (see abstract), comprising a fixing device for the wafer (1), wherein the fixing device has a free space (see Fig. 2) for receiving the wafer (1) and a holder (Figs. 1-3\) with multiple wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) (see Exhibit B) for the wafer (1), which are movable relative to the holder see Fig. 1), wherein the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) are arranged annularly in one plane around the free space for the wafer (1), wherein the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) can be moved in the direction (see Fig. 4) of the free space for the wafer (1) or can be moved away from the free space for the wafer (1) (see abstract), wherein, one actuation device (see abstract) for the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) is provided and, when the actuation device is actuated, the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) are moved.
Exhibit B
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RE claim 3, Fig. 2 of the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) teaches that the actuation device (see abstract) is actuated, the wafer contact fingers (12, 12) are brought into contact with an edge of a wafer (1) or the contact of the individual wafer contact fingers with the wafer (1) is released.
RE claims 4 and 5, Figs. 1 and 2 of the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) show the fixing device has as a holder having a holding ring with a disk-shaped receiving hole (see Figs. 1 and 2) formed as a free space (22) for receiving a wafer (1), wherein the holding ring is capable of being produced from an electrically conductive material and the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) are arranged annularly on the holding ring (see Fig. 1), wherein the holding ring is configured with recesses (see Fig. 2) for receiving wafer contact fingers (11 and 12).
RE claim 6, Figs. 1-3 of the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) discloses the actuation device for the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) has control curves, each for one wafer contact finger wherein the control curves are each operatively connected to the wafer contact fingers.
RE claim 7, Figs. 1-3 of the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) also provide the actuation device for the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) is configured as a control ring (20) (Fig. 1), wherein the control ring (20) can be moved relative to the holder, to the holding ring (20) for the wafer contact fingers or wherein in the control ring (20) is capable of being produced from an electrically conductive material.
RE claim 8, the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) also teaches that the wafer chuck has at least two different types of wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) having first gripping members (11 and 11) and second gripping members (12, 12) (see abstract).
RE claim 9, the provided Figs. 1 and 3 appear to show that the control ring (20) for the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) has one control curve (34, 32) for each type of wafer contact fingers wherein the control curves (see Fig. 1) for each type of wafer contact fingers differ from each other.
RE claims 19 and 20, Figs. 1-3 of the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) disclose the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) each have free ends which face an edge of the wafer (1), wherein the free ends of the wafer contact fingers are configured such that the wafer contact fingers hold a wafer (1) by means of a force fit with the edge of the wafer (1) and the free ends of the wafer contact fingers (11 and 12) are provided with a chamber for receiving the edge region of the wafer (1).
RE claim 21, the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) shows contact fingers (11 and 12) wherein each finger is capable of being made partially elastic or being made of an elastic material or the wafer contact fingers are each configured to be at least partially elastic
RE claim 24, the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) is applied as a wafer processing device as disclosed in an abstract.
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.
Claims 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) in view of NAOR (US 2016/0379863).
If Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558), as presented above, does not specifically show that the wafer contact fingers are each configured to be at least partially elastic, but NAOR (US 2016/0379863) teaches a wafer gripper being made of an elastic material (see para [0049]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the lifting and supporting art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide an elastic material or partial elastic material on the contact fingers (6, 6,6 ) of Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) as taught by NAOR (US 2016/0379863) to provide a soft but reliable gripping fingers to firmly grasp a water.
Claims 23 and 24, as best understood, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) in view of Wong (7,538,474).
RE claim 23, Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558), as presented above, does not specifically show that the wafer process device is a scanning acoustic microscope. However, Wong (7,538,474) shows a system having a wafer chuck where a scanning acoustic microscopy is applied by the system (see Col. 7, lines 23-33). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the lifting and supporting art before the effective filing date of the invention for Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) to apply a scanning acoustic microscopy as taught by Wong (7,538,474) to provide different technologies to a user.
RE claim 24, Wu’s wafer chuck (6,932,558) also could be used as a wafer processing device (See Col. 7, lines 7-33) as taught by Wong (7,538,474) to provide different technologies to a user.
Claims 21 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) in view of NAOR (US 2016/0379863).
If the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054), as presented above, does not specifically show that the wafer contact fingers are each configured to be at least partially elastic, but NAOR (US 2016/0379863) teaches a wafer gripper being made of an elastic material (see para [0049]). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the lifting and supporting art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide an elastic material or partial elastic material on the contact fingers (11 and 12) of the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) as taught by NAOR (US 2016/0379863) to provide a soft but reliable gripping fingers to firmly grasp a water.
Claims 23 and 24, as best understood, is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) in view of Wong (7,538,474).
RE claim 23, the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054), as presented above, does not specifically show that the wafer process device is a scanning acoustic microscope. However, Wong (7,538,474) shows a system having a wafer chuck where a scanning acoustic microscopy is applied by the system (see Col. 7, lines 23-33). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the lifting and supporting art before the effective filing date of the invention for the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) to apply a scanning acoustic microscopy as taught by Wong (7,538,474) to provide different technologies to a user.
RE claim 24, the Japanese Publication’s wafer chuck (JPH 04142054) also could be used as a wafer processing device (See Col. 7, lines 7-33) as taught by Wong (7,538,474) to provide different technologies to a user.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAUL T CHIN whose telephone number is (571)272-6922. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gene Crawford can be reached on (571) 272-6911. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PAUL T CHIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3651