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 .
Claims 15-16 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b)
as being drawn to a nonelected Group II, there being no allowable generic or linking
claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/22/25.
Applicant's election without traverse of Group I in the reply filed on 04/22/25 is
acknowledged.
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1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 02/18/269 has been entered.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over R. Zhang et
al (U. S. Patent Application: 2020/0001587, here after Zhang), further in view of
Katsunori Suzuki et al (Japanese Patent: 6701748, here after Suzuki), and Benjamin J. Brownlee et al, Applied Nano Materials 2020, 3, 10166-10175, here after Brownlee.
Claim 1 is rejected. Zhang teaches a method for making a strain sensor
(pressure sensor) [abstract], the method comprising:
growing an iron (Fe) thin catalyst layer with patterns on a top surface of a silicon
oxide isolation layer (native oxide of silicon wafer) [0026] formed on a top surface of a
silicon wafer;
synthesizing a plurality of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (VACNTs) on top
surfaces of the iron (Fe) thin seed layer (3 nm thick) to form electrodes of the strain
sensor [0039, 0003, 0010, 0012-0013, 0026];
Zhang teaches placing VACNT's onto PDMS and the tips of CNTs are partially
immersed into the PDMS, while it is still in liquid form [0040] which in fact first PDMS
layer disposed on and between adjacent VCANT if plurality VCANT as Zhang teaches
embedded CNTs are eventually wetted by PDMS [0040],
peeling the first PDMS layer and the plurality of VACNTs embedded in the first
PDMS layer off from the top surface of the silicon oxide isolation layer [0040]. Zhang
does not teach forming a second PDMS layer (rubber elastomer) on a bottom surface of
the plurality of VACNTs embedded in the first PDMS layer. Suzuki teaches a method of
making a strain sensor [page 1, Technical-Field] comprising vertically aligned growth
carbon nanotubes impregnated in PDMS and a protective layer comprising PDMS on it,
where the second PDMS (protective layer, which is in direct contact with the first PDMS
layer) [page 5 lines 6-15]. 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 method of Zhang, where a
PDMS layer is deposited, because it will act as protective layer. Zhang teaches depositing catalysts (Fe) on patterned area and growing carbon nanotubes in a desired pattern [0012], but does not teach pattern being an interdigital finger shape and being formed by an e-beam evaporation and a lift off process. Zhang teaches growing vertical CNT’s on patterned Fe(catalyst) layer, where the pattern being an interdigital finger shape and being formed by an e-beam evaporation and photolithography (including a lift off process) [title, page 10167 column 2, 2.1. Electrode Fabrication, paragraph 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 method of Zhang, where the catalyst is patterned as interdigital finger shape formed by an e-beam evaporation and a lift off process, because it is suitable way to pattern Fe catalyst layer for growing VCNT’s.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over R. Zhang et
al (U. S. Patent Application: 2020/0001587, here after Zhang), Katsunori Suzuki et al
(Japanese Patent: 6701748, here after Suzuki), Benjamin J. Brownlee et al, Applied Nano Materials 2020, 3, 10166-10175, here after Brownlee, further in view of Chien- Chao Chiu et al, Surface & coatings technology 200(2006)3215-3219, here after Chiu,
and A. Cao et al, Applied Physics Letters 84, (2004)109-111, here after Cao.
Claim 2 is rejected. Zhao teaches the iron (seed) layer is 3 nm thick, and not 2
nm thick. Chiu teaches forming vertically aligned CNTs on silicon substrate comprising
silica layer where an iron catalyst(seed) layer is deposited with thickness of 0.3-3 nm [2.
Experimental]. 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 method of Zhang when the catalyst(seed)
layer thickness is 0.3-3nm, because it is suitable thickness range for iron catalyst layer
for growing VACNT's. Overlapping ranges are prima facie evidence of obviousness. It
would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have selected the
portion of [overlapping range] that corresponds to the claimed range. In re Malagari, 182
USPQ 549 (CCPA 1974). They do not teach the thickness of the silicon substrate is 1
um. However, the thickness of the silicon substrate determines the thickness of the
silicon oxide layer (native oxide) on it in which affect growth rate of CNT's as discussed
by Cao [abstract, conclusion). 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 method of Zhang, and
Chiu, and Brownlee where the silicon wafer substrate has predetermined thickness (1 um), because it effects on growth rate of CNT's.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over R. Zhang et
al (U. S. Patent Application: 2020/0001587, here after Zhang), Katsunori Suzuki et al
(Japanese Patent: 6701748, here after Suzuki), Benjamin J. Brownlee et al, Applied Nano Materials 2020, 3, 10166-10175, here after Brownlee, further in view of Young Chul Choi et al, Applied Physics Letters 76, 17(2000) 2367-2369, here after Choi.
Claim 3 is rejected. Zhang does not teach synthesizing a plurality of VACNTs is
performed by a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)
method. Choi teaches synthesis vertically aligned CNTs on silicon substrate using
microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor to control diameter and density of the
1718 aligned nanotubes [title abstract]. 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 method of Zhang, Brownlee when the aligned nanotubes synthesized by microwave plasma enhanced CVD, because it is suitable method for making vertically aligned carbon nanotubes on silicon wafer.
Claims 4-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over R.
Zhang et al (U. S. Patent Application: 2020/0001587, here after Zhang), Katsunori
Suzuki et al (Japanese Patent: 6701748, here after Suzuki), Benjamin J. Brownlee et al, Applied Nano Materials 2020, 3, 10166-10175, here after Brownlee, further in view of Jong Man Kim et al (Korean Patent: 20180078560, here after Kim).
Claim 4 is rejected. Zhang teaches placing VACNT's onto PDMS and the tips of
CNTs are partially immersed into the PDMS, while it is still in liquid form and degassed
[0040], wherein PDMS is precursor mixer on top and lateral surfaces and therefore
placing PDMS precursor mixer on top and lateral surfaces of the VACNTs to cover the
top and lateral surfaces of the VACNTs. Zhang does not teach the forming first
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer is performed by spinning a first degassed PDMS
precursor mixer on top and lateral surfaces. Kim teaches a method of making pressure
sensor and teaches spin coating PDMS on VACNTSs [page 2 first paragraph, page 4
example 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 method of Zhang, Brownlee when the PDMS is applied on VACNTs by spin coating, because spin coating can be employed with expectation of success for disposing PDMS on CNT's.
Claim 5 is rejected as Zhang teaches the PDMS precursor mixer has a ratio of
PDMS base(monomer) to curing agent in a range of about 10:1[0027].
Claim 6 is rejected as Kim teaches the spinning is performed by a spin coater at
a rotation speed of about 150 rotations/minute for about 40 seconds [example 1].
Claim 7 is rejected. Zhang teaches placing VACNT's onto PDMS and the tips of
CNTs are partially immersed into the PDMS, while it is still in liquid form and degassed
[0040], wherein PDMS is precursor mixer on top and lateral surfaces and therefore
placing PDMS precursor mixer on top and lateral surfaces of the VACNTs to cover the
top and lateral surfaces of the VACNTs. Zhang does not teach the forming
polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer is performed by spinning (second) PDMS precursor
mixer on top and lateral surfaces. Kim teaches a method of making pressure sensor
and teaches spin coating PDMS on VACNTs [page 2 first paragraph, page 4 example
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 method of Zhang, Brownlee when the PDMS is applied on VACNTs by spin coating, because spin coating can be employed with expectation of success for disposing PDMS on CNT's. Kim teaches forming (second) PDMS layer is performed by coating (a second) degassed PDMS precursor mixer at a rotation speed of about 200 rotations/minute for about 40 seconds and curing for about 1 hour and 15 min at a temperature of about 70°C [example 3]. Although Kim does not teach curing time of 2 hours, however longer curing time is not patentable over prior art as it does not destroy the layer. Kim does not teach the rotation speed of 2000 rpm. However, the thickness of the PDMS layer on VACNTs depends on spin rate, viscosity of PDMS and environment temperature. 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 method of Zhang, Brownlee and Kim to spin PDMS at much higher rates (2000 rpm) when the viscosity of PDMS is high in absence of criticality.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-14 are allowed. Claims are allowed for the same reason indicated in
office cation mailed on 09/03/25. The examiner did not find any other reference.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/26/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues Zhang does not teach pattern shape of Fe layer. However, Zhang also teaches growing carbon nanotubes in any desirable pattern (including finger interdigit) by depositing catalysts (Fe) on the patterned area [0012] or in fact patterning Fe layer. Brownlee teaches forming finger interdigit pattern vertical carbon nanotubes by growing them on patterned Fe(catalyst) layer using e-beam and lift-off process (see claim rejection above). Therefor interdigital shape electrode’s for making sensors is not new via e-beam deposition and lift off process.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI whose telephone number is (571)270-1885. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30-6.
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/TABASSOM TADAYYON ESLAMI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1718
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